RUGBY LEAGUE
Watts denies biting penis
Gold Coast Rugby League player Anthony Watts has denied biting an opponent’s penis during a tackle in a league game earlier this month. Watts, a former player in Australia’s top-flight National Rugby League (NRL), was handed an eight-match ban following a video review of the incident in a match two weeks ago. Footage of the match posted on YouTube showed the Tugun Seahawks utility pulled down in a tackle near the tryline and subsequently becoming involved in a melee with remonstrating players from the Bilambil Jets team. “I was wearing a mouthguard and there’s no way I bit him on the dick,” Watts told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper. Watts was handed the ban after being found guilty of “contrary conduct” by the Gold Coast Rugby League last week. Dumped by NRL team Sydney Roosters in 2011 for disciplinary problems, Watts was sentenced to community service in June for being involved in a brawl between rival motorcycle gangs on the Gold Coast. That followed a conviction on a weapons charge after he was found carrying knuckle-dusters. Watts said he was victimized as a former NRL player and the ban was an attempt to drive him out of the game.
RUGBY UNION
No apology necessary: PM
British Prime Minister David Cameron has told Manu Tuilagi an apology is not necessary for pranking him during a visit by the victorious British and Irish Lions. Tuilagi gave Cameron “bunny ears” while a photograph was taken of the rugby squad and the prime minister during a function at Downing Street on Monday to celebrate the series win over Australia. The Lions center apologized to Cameron on Twitter, then was ordered by his Leicester club to write a more formal apology. However, Cameron tweeted on Tuesday: “(at)manutuilagi it was great to welcome you and the (at)lionsofficial team to No10. No need to apologise, I know it was just a bit of fun.” England Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie says coach Stuart Lancaster will have words with Tuilagi.
SOCCER
Del Piero to captain Sydney
Alessandro del Piero was yesterday appointed captain of Australian club Sydney FC for the upcoming season, with the Italian superstar calling it a great honor. The former Juventus great, the biggest signing in Australia’s domestic league history, has played a major role in increasing attendances, TV audiences and media interest in the domestic A-League and has signed on for a second season. As a reward, he will captain Sydney during the 2013-2014 season that gets under way next month, replacing Terry McFlynn. “This is a great honor for me to be given the captaincy of one of Australia and Asia’s biggest clubs,” Del Piero said. Del Piero is no stranger to being skipper, having captained Juventus for 11 years. He also skippered the national side.
SOCCER
Blunder loses AmaZulu lead
A blunder by Zimbabwe goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini prevented AmaZulu going top of the South African Premiership on Tuesday as they drew 1-1 at Wits University. Experienced Kapini lost possession in his goalmouth while wasting time and Ethiopia World Cup star Getaneh Kebede pounced for a 92nd-minute equalizer. A win for Durban-based AmaZulu would have taken them two points clear of SuperSport United, but they had to settle for second place on goal difference. Nkosinathi Mthiyane had defied being the shortest soccer player on the Milpark Stadium pitch in Johannesburg to nod the visitors ahead after 65 minutes.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Shahzad Khan was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
OBJECTIVE REACHED: ’Now for us, it’s about getting healthy, making sure everybody is ready to go, and we can ramp up,’ the Atlanta Hawks’ C.J. McCollum said after the game The Atlanta Hawks on Friday secured an NBA playoff berth with a 124-102 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers as the Boston Celtics locked up the Eastern Conference second seed with a lopsided win of their own. C.J. McCollum scored a game-high 29 points for the Hawks, who came into the contest at sixth in the East and still in danger of falling into the play-in tournament that would see the seventh-through 10th-placed teams battle for the last two playoff berths in each conference. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson scored 18 points apiece, and Dyson Daniels added a triple-double of 13
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