TOUCH RUGBY
Taipei Hulks move top
The Taipei Hulks seized top spot in the Taipei Winter Touch League at the Bailing rugby fields in Shilin District yesterday with two wins and a draw on the third Saturday of competition. The Hulks defeated KGB 3-2 and Taipei American School (TAS) 8-3, while AyKang Galaxy held them to a 2-2 tie. Galaxy mixed in a win — 4-1 over TAS — and a loss — 8-0 to the Taipei Beasts. The Beasts slipped to second on the table, going down to the burger-joint-sponsored KGB 7-2, who trounced TAS 8-0. There are two competition days left before the finals, with the fourth day to be played on Saturday next week at Bailing from 10am.
FORMULA ONE
Rosberg fastest in Mexico
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg set the fastest time in Mexican Grand Prix practice on Friday as large crowds welcomed Formula One back to the nation after a 23-year absence. The German, who is fighting for second place in a championship already won by teammate Lewis Hamilton, lapped the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit with a best of 1 minute, 21.531 seconds. Off the track, Hamilton said his next Formula One contract is likely to be his last and does not want to “hog” a seat and deny others a shot at glory. The 30-year-old, who clinched his third title in Texas last weekend, indicated he intended to see out his career with Mercedes. Meanwhile, former Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez of Mexico is to drive for the new US-based Haas team in their Formula One debut next year. The announcement at a press event at Mexico City’s Soumaya Museum confirmed the worst-kept secret in the sport. The 24-year-old is to join French driver Romain Grosjean on the team, which is based in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
FOOTBALL
Redskins player sues site
Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon on Friday filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in US federal court in Maryland on behalf of himself and other NFL players, asserting that daily fantasy sports company FanDuel Inc used their names and likenesses without consent. The case comes as the unregulated fantasy sports industry, in which people pay to compete for daily cash prizes in simulated sports contests, faces legal scrutiny following reports that a DraftKings Inc employee won US$350,000 in a FanDuel contest using what appeared to be insider information.
CRICKET
Black Caps change plans
New Zealand are to travel to Brisbane early to acclimatize to the conditions there ahead of the first Test against Australia after their preparations were disrupted due to a tour match being scrapped in farcical circumstances on Friday. Originally intended to last four days, the match was scaled back to three before being abandoned by lunch on the second day due to the acute deterioration of the pitch at the Blacktown International Sportspark in western Sydney. New Zealand’s bowlers took only one wicket from the opening four sessions and only after the Cricket Australia XI openers built a 503-run partnership, an Australian record in first-class cricket. New Zealand’s batsmen did not hit a ball in anger and the team heads to Brisbane frustrated by the lack of match practice. Cricket Australia offered to find the Black Caps better facilities in Sydney, but New Zealand are instead to train at Allan Border field in Brisbane ahead of the Test at the Gabba, which is to start on Thursday.
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
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