RUGBY UNION
Carter announces departure
Three-time world player of the year Dan Carter yesterday announced that he is leaving his Japanese club Kobe Steelers, but the 38-year-old gave no indication whether his illustrious career is over. Carter, who holds the world record for the most points in Test rugby and was a World Cup winner in 2011 and 2015, confirmed on Instagram that with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the Japanese season to an end, his time with the club was over. “I’ve gone a bit quiet since the JRU [Japanese Rugby Union] announced they are canceling all their competitions this season,” Carter said. “I know it’s the right decision with what the world is going through at the moment, but I would have loved to try help my @kobelcosteelers_official family win another top league, and I’m gutted I can’t do this. “I want to thank the club, fans and my teammates for welcoming me and making the last two seasons some of the most enjoyable rugby I have ever played.” He made no mention of his next move, leaving open the possibility that he might play one more domestic season in New Zealand.
SOCCER
MLS pushes back restart
Major League Soccer (MLS) is pushing back restarting the season to at least June 8 and said that it is also discussing possible salary cuts with the Major League Soccer Players’ Association (MLSPA). Teams had played two matches before the season was suspended on March 12 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the league had been looking at possibly resuming play in the middle of next month. The league would still like to play a full season. MLS also said it is exploring possible “changes to player compensation” because of the financial hit the league and teams are facing. “We are seeking to work collaboratively with the MLSPA to find a solution that provides a safety net for all players, opportunity to earn full salary in the scenario where all matches are played with fans, and in particular provides protection for the players at the lower end of the salary scale,” the league said in a statement on Friday. The players’ association did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Possible salary cuts of as much as 50 percent for some players were first reported by ESPN, which cited sources. However, those cuts would only be paid if games or the season were canceled. A person with knowledge of the situation told reporters that players would not be furloughed. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is not being made public.
BASEBALL
No Japan openers in May
Nippon Professional Baseball’s season openers will not take place next month due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with no firm date set for the start. Representatives of the 12 teams on Friday scrapped interleague play. The removal of 18 interleague games from each team’s calendar would make for a 125-game regular season. Although no specific date had been set to start the season, the representatives agreed in an online meeting to not start before the end of next month. The interleague games between the Central and Pacific leagues have started in May since the format was established in 2005. “It was clear that we were going to have to reduce the number of games,” the Orix Buffaloes’ Shosaku Yokota said. “We decided that in such a case, it was best to protect league games.” Both leagues were originally scheduled to open play on March 20.
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