RUGBY
Two players test for cocaine
Wakefield prop Adam Walker has been suspended after testing positive for cocaine, his club said on Saturday — the second player to fail a drugs test in the same match. The 26-year-old Scotland international was tested following Wakefield Trinity’s 36-8 win at Widnes on July 14. A Scotland international since 2013, he was earlier this week named in Steve McCormack’s 40-man initial squad for the this year’s World Cup. On Thursday, Widnes announced that their New Zealand-born stand-off Rangi Chase has been suspended indefinitely after testing positive for cocaine in the same match.
GOLF
Curry short of Ellie Mae cut
Stephen Curry on Friday impressed the professionals and the large gallery following him as the NBA all-star fired his second consecutive 74 in the second round of the Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic. However, despite the gutsy performance in his professional debut, Curry came up well short of making the cut, with an eight-over 148 total. There were four other golfers who shot worse scores than Curry. The cut line fell at three under. “I hit some really good shots, but a lot more poor shots,” he said. Andrew Yun leads the tournament at 13-under 127 after a 62 in the second round. Brandon Harkins is one behind after a 65.
CRICKET
India trounces Sri Lanka
India has forced Sri Lanka to follow on in the second cricket Test, commanding a 439-run lead at lunch on the third day Saturday. Sri Lanka was dismissed to 183 in its first innings in reply to India’s 622 for nine declared. Meanwhile, a brilliant 99 from Jonny Bairstow led England to a good first innings total of 362 all out against South Africa on the second day of their fourth Test at Old Trafford.
SOCCER
Neymar jerseys selling fast
Neymar started repaying his mammoth transfer fee on the day he was introduced as Paris Saint-Germain’s marquee summer signing with the club selling more than 10,000 shirts bearing his name on Friday. If PSG can keep that up, they would have recouped the transfer fee by mid-March next year, within the first season of Neymar’s five-year deal — although in reality that revenue is shared with shirt manufacturer Nike, meaning it would actually take twice as long. Such is the demand for the shirt at one of two PSG stores, on the iconic Champs Elysees boulevard and the team’s outlet at their Parc des Princes home, that shoppers yesterday were to be limited to a single jersey each.
FOOTBALL
Brady gets goats for birthday
Five baby goats on Thursday were brought to training camp practice by the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots as the team celebrated superstar quarterback Tom Brady’s 40th birthday. Brady, a five-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, has often been tagged with the term “GOAT” as an abbreviation for “Greatest Of All Time” and he celebrated this birthday as he has many others, with a workout at the Patriots’ training camp. Each baby goat wore a Patriots jersey bearing Brady’s number 12 with a huge “GOAT” sign displayed in his tribute.
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
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
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