■ RUGBY UNION
White holds talks with RFU
Jake White, who led South Africa to victory in the rugby World Cup, has held talks with a senior Rugby Football Union official about becoming England coach. White has spoken with RFU director of elite rugby Rob Andrew about the England job, his agent Craig Livingstone told the Sunday Times. "They've been in touch," Livingstone was quoted as saying. "England are busy with the review process and then they will make a decision. We've expressed an interest and so have they." White quit as South Africa coach on Oct. 31 after leading the Springboks to a 15-6 win in the World Cup final. Brian Ashton is currently the England coach.
■ SOCCER
Star axed from shortlist
South Korea captain Lee Woon-jae has been axed from the Asian Player of the Year shortlist after receiving a one-year ban for a late-night drinking session during the Asian Cup in Jakarta in July. The Asian Football Confederation said yesterday it had decided to exclude Lee from the nominees shortlist. Lee had been was among 15 candidates for the award which will be presented in Sydney on Nov. 28. The 34-year-old was last week suspended from the Korean team for one year along with three other players. The goalkeeper led South Korea to a third-place finish in the Asian Cup after beating Japan 6-5 on penalties, earning an automatic place in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals.
■ SOCCER
Ailing coach steps aside
Dynamo Kiev coach Jozef Sabo, who has been plagued by heart problems, has gone on permanent leave and is to be replaced by his assistant Oleg Luzhniy, the club announced on its Web site on Sunday. Sabo took over as Dynamo coach in September after Anatoly Demyanenko stepped down in response to the club's poor performance in the Champions League. He had coached the club through the 1990s and again in 2004-2005 and had also played for Dynamo in the 1960s. Luzhniy, a former Dynamo captain, joined the club's staff earlier this year after finishing his playing career at Arsenal. Dynamo Kiev are without a point from three games in the Champions League and face Manchester United at Old Trafford tomorrow.
■ SOCCER
Nolan grabs late equalizer
Kevin Nolan scored in injury time to give Bolton a 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday. Nolan volleyed into goal after taking the pass from Lubomir Michalik. George McCartney had put West Ham ahead with his first goal for the club in the 20th minute. Matthew Upson had an effort cleared off the line, but flicked the ball on to McCartney, who volleyed past Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Two minutes later, McCartney headed a shot from Bolton striker El Hadji Diouf off the line. In the second half, Bolton midfielder Danny Guthrie hit the post and a header from Wanderers striker Kevin Davies went just over the bar. West Ham striker Carlton Cole had a shot saved by Jaaskelainen shortly before Nolan's goal. It was the third match in charge for new Bolton manager Gary Megson, who has overseen two draws and a loss. Bolton moved up one place to 18th with seven points from 12 games and haven't won in the league since August.
Doping fears prevented former US Open champion Emma Raducanu from treating insect bites on the eve of the Australian Open, she said, with players increasingly wary about ingesting contaminated substances. The British player was speaking in the wake of high-profile doping cases involving Iga Swiatak and Jannik Sinner. “I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take on board, what we use,” the 22-year-old said, recalling an incident on Friday. “I got really badly bitten by, I don’t know what, like ants, mosquitoes, something. I’m allergic, I guess,” she added. The bites “flared up and swelled up really a
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play on Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena last night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our
TWO IN A WEEK: Despite an undefeated start to the year playing alongside Jiang Xinyu of China, Wu Fang-hsien is to play the Australian Open with a Russian partner Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien yesterday triumphed at the Hobart International, winning the women’s doubles title at the US$275,094 outdoor hard-court tournament, while McCartney Kessler lifted the trophy in the women’s singles. Fourth-ranked Wu and partner Jiang Xinyu of China took 1 hour, 15 minutes to defeat Romania’s Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) at the Hobart International Tennis Centre, their second title in a week. Wu and Jiang on Sunday won the women’s doubles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, beating Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic and Sabrina Santamaria of the US. Their winning ways continued in Australia as they stretched
EL CLASSICO: La Liga champions Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Super Cup final tomorrow. Barça secured their final spot after a 2-0 win over Bilbao on Wednesday Real Madrid would chase a record-equaling 14th Spanish Super Cup title in the final against Barcelona after second-half goals by Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo helped them to a 3-0 win over Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday. England midfielder Bellingham broke the deadlock after the hour mark with a low shot into the middle of the goal before Mallorca defender Martin Valjent’s own goal doubled the lead in stoppage time followed by a Rodrygo strike from close range. Spanish champions Real are to play Barcelona for the trophy tomorrow after goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barça a 2-0 win over
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