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Doherty exits Championship League

Irish snooker player Ken Doherty has exited the Championship League after an agonising final frame defeat to Ashley Carty on Sunday. Carty, who is ranked 83rd in the world beat Neil Robertson before beating Doherty to progress to the next stage.

Carty beat former World Number 1 and world champion Roberston 3-1 in Sunday’s opening match. He then drew with Kurt Maflin 2-2. Neil Robertson drew with Doherty 2-2, which then set an intriguing battle between Doherty and Carty to see who would progress to phase two. Ken needed a win, although a draw would have been good enough to see Carty through.

Carty won the first two frames of the match. However, the former 1997 World Champion, Doherty stormed into the games with a break of 90 to pull it back to 2-1. So, it came down to the final frame, a win for Doherty would see him through on a 2-2 draw, but a win for his opponent would obviously mean he would go through. Carty was 21 ahead with one red left on the table, Doherty needed a snooker and the remaining colours to sneak the frame. However, luck wasn’t to be on the Ranelagh man’s side as Carty fluked a brown which put the match beyond reach.

Speaking after the match, Carty said, “I got off to a really good start against Neil, quite surprisingly beat him. I know I am capable on my day but fortunately for me he struggled”. He continued, “I should have beaten Maflin really, I had a few good chances, and then against Ken I was in shreds towards the end. I don’t know how I missed the green but fortunately for me it didn’t matter.”

Barry Hawkins topped group 16. The English man advanced to the winner’s face which includes Judd Trump, Ryan Day and Dave Gilbert. Hawkins won his opening two games 3-0, he would also beat Anthony McGill 2-1.

Rugby World 2023 qualifying process revealed

The process for qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup has been revealed. World Rugby announced the decision on Monday saying that qualification process will promote a genuine opportunity for all unions.

Teams that have already qualified due to finishing in the top three in their pools at last year’s World Cup competition include, Ireland, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Wales, Japan, France, Australia, Scotland, Italy, Argentina and Fiji. Seven spots from the remaining eight will likely be finalised by regional and cross-regional qualifiers. A four team round robin tournament will determine the final team that will qualify for the tournament which will be held in France.

Bill Beaumont chairman of World Rugby said in a statement on Monday, “The process that has been developed via full consultation with our regional associations and member unions will provide a genuine opportunity for full member unions to qualify for our showcase men’s 15s event”.

Mr Beaumont also revealed details regarding the South Americas qualification, Asian Qualification and Oceania qualification. Two teams from the South Americas will deliver two direct qualifiers, the third best team will enter the final qualification. Rugby Europe Championship will have two qualifying places, with the two best teams qualifying in march 2022. The third place team will enter final qualification tournament. The Rugby Africa Cup 2022 winner will get automatic qualification for the World Cup, while the runner up will go into the final qualification tournament.

A home and away play-off between Samoa and Tonga in 2021 will determine which team for the Oceania region will qualify for the World Cup. The loser of this game would go in as Oceania 2 and would play the winner of the Asia/Pacific on a home and away basis.This game will based on aggregate score.  The winner will qualify for the World Cup and loser side will play in the final qualification tournament.

The Final qualification tournament will take place in 2022 and will feature 4 teams who play in a round robin format. The winner will qualify for France 2023. Chairman of Rugby World Cup France 2023, Claude Atcher said, “This qualification process gives emerging unions an opportunity to take part in our sport’s biggest competition”. He continued, “The success of Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan and performances by the host nation is a testimony of rugby’s expansion globally. As the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic is about to be won, I welcome this optimistic prospect of reconnecting with the excitement of our sport. This is the start of our journey towards France 2023, which will be the best tournament ever delivered”.

Full qualification process:

  • Americas: the Americas will qualify two teams by September 2022. The third best team in the region will enter the Final Qualification Tournament – Americas 1 and Americas 2
  • Europe: the existing Rugby Europe Championship will have two qualifying places, with the two best teams in March 2022 qualifying directly and the third placed entering the Final Qualification Tournament – Europe 1 and Europe 2
  • Africa: the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 winner will qualify directly and the runner-up team will go to Final Qualification – Africa 1
  • Oceania: a home and away play-off between Tonga and Samoa in 2021 will determine the direct qualifier for the Oceania region. – Oceania 1
    The loser will then play the Oceania Rugby Cup 2021 winner in the highest ranked team’s country with the eventual winner contesting Asia / Pacific (see below) as Oceania 2
  • Asia / Pacific: the winner of the Asian Rugby Men’s Championship 2021 will play Oceania 2 home and away. The winner on aggregate will determine the qualifier and the loser will go to Final Qualification – Asia / Pacific 1
  • Final Qualification Tournament: the tournament in November 2022 will feature four teams playing in a round-robin format with the winner qualifying for RWC 2023 – Final Qualification winner

Chinese players banned for breaking lockdown rules

Six Chinese players have been banned for breaking lockdown rules. The players are said to be Chinese U19 internationals and have been banned for six months for breaking lockdown rules. The players also have to write self-criticism essays after they broke rules and went drinking late at night.

The Chinese Football Association handed down six month bans to the players. The players were hit with additional penalties after they were discovered leaving the team base in Shanghai on the 30th of May without permission. The Xinhua news agency said, “It was a severe violation of the team’s epidemic control regulations and negatively affected the whole team,”.

The players will not be allowed to return to action until November 30th. This is including club and international games. Shanghai SIPG have suspended three of the players wages. These players are Ren Lihao, Peng Hao and Liu Zhurun. The U19 Chinese international team coach, Cheng Yaodong said, “We used the harshest language at the time, gave them a dressing-down and said a lot of harsh words.”

He continued, “While the rest of the squad trained, the six players were made to write self-criticism essays”. “Some had to do it twice.”After writing, we helped them sort out and recognise the mistakes they made”.

Full crowds allowed at New Zealand Rugby games

Full crowds will be allowed at rugby games in New Zealand from this weekend. It will be the new domestic tournament (Super Rugby Aotearoa) after the country has now lifted all coronavirus restrictions.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Aherne said that the country will move level 1 restrictions from midnight after the country reported no new coronavirus cases for 17 days. New Zealand and Australia have both set up domestic tournaments featuring Super Rugby sides. The Highlanders will play the Chiefs on Saturday evening in Dunedin.

There will be no restrictions on crowd size for the first weekend of games. Games will takes place at Otago Regional Stadium on Saturday in Dunedin and Eden Park on Sunday. In addition, Beauden Barrett is expected to make his debut for the Auckland Blues. In fact a side who Dan Carter signed for earlier last week. Barrett will come up against his former team the Wellington Hurricanes which he spent from 2011 to 2019 with them. Barrett has played over 80 times for New Zealand.

In other rugby news RTE Sport report that the Pro14 is expected to be completed behind closed doors. Ulster rugby announced details on their website confirming this. They said they have submitted plans to the NI Executive for a phased return to training at the end of June. The view of these plans are to enable the squad to train together. This is before they participate in closed doors matches at the Aviva Stadium which have been put forward by the IRFU. These games are set to start on the weekend of August 22nd.

Furthermore, Ulster have also announced details regarding season ticket holders and those who bought tickets for Pro14 fixtures. They said, “Season Ticket holders will be entitled to claim an account credit of 20% of the value of their Season Ticket whilst purchasers of tickets to individual matches will be able to claim a full refund. Game Pass holders – Ulster Rugby’s Half Season Ticket – will be entitled to claim a 50% account credit. All claims must be made to the club by Tuesday 30 June”.

John Petrie CEO of Ulster Rugby said, “We would also like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our supporters – and in particular our dedicated Season Ticket holders – who have shown great patience and understanding as we continue to work through what is in no doubt the most difficult situation we are likely to face as an organisation. It is heartening to see how they have chosen to stand up and support us at this time.”

Love is impressive winner of Qipco 1000 Guineas

Love (4/1) was a highly impressive winner of the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket under Ryan Moore on Sunday, giving her trainer Aidan O’Brien his sixth victory in the Group 1.

The daughter of Galileo, the only O’Brien-trained representative in the fillies’ one-mile classic, showed a devastating turn of foot in the closing stages of the race to claim a comfortable victory.

Love, a fourth victory in the race for her sire, following the successes of Minding (2016), Winter (2017) and Hermosa (2019), was also Aidan O’Brien’s fourth win in the past five runnings of the race.

Racing in the centre of the Rowley Mile track, Love and Ryan Moore, who were well placed throughout the race, took the lead at the furlong pole. The favourite Quadrilateral (11/4f) came under pressure on her inside, as big market outsider Final Song (100/1), one off the rail, battled away with Cloak Of Spirits (12/1), who held the rail.

Love then turned on the power to leave her rival in her wake, winning by four and a quarter lengths from Cloak Of Spirits, who held off Quadrilateral for the runner-up spot by a head, with a length further back to Final Song in fourth.

Winning rider, Ryan Moore, was very impressed with his 4th Qipco 1000 Guineas winner, stating:

“She’s very uncomplicated, a typical Galileo. She was in control from a long way out and won as she liked. I don’t know her plans but it’s possible she will stay the Oaks trip.”

Her trainer, Aidan O’Brien, later confirmed post-race that Love, winner of last season’s Moyglare Stud Stakes during Longines Irish Champions Weekend, will now likely go for the Investec Oaks over 1m 4f at Epsom next month.

 

Munster sign three new players to Academy

Munster Rugby have signed three new players to their Greencore Academy ahead of 2020/21 season. The new recruits are hooker Scott Buckley (UCC), Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution) and back row Alex Kendellen.

Diarmuid Barron has been promoted to the senior squad and becomes the fifth Academy player to get promoted to the senior ranks for the new season. He will now join up Keynan Knox, Liam Coombes, Alex Henry and Jack O’Sullivan.

Scott Buckley has captained Christian Brother College Cork (CBC) to the Clayton Munster Senior Schools Cup in 2019.Furthermore, he has played at international for Ireland at both U18 and U19. Buckley played for the Munster A squad this season and was captain of the side away to Dragons. He picked up a hamstring injury though which kept him on the sidelines for most of the season.

Jack Crowley won the Munster U18 and All-Ireland titles with Bandon RFC in 2018. In addition he has played with Bandon Grammar School in the Clayton Hotel Munster Schools Cup. Crowley has played for the Ireland U20 side in this years Six Nations scoring 36 points in three games as Ireland won the Triple Crown. This was before the tournament was brought to a halt due to Covid 19. He has played with Munster A in the Celtic Cup and also has been a key part to the Cork Constitution side in the AIL.

Alex Kendellen comes into the Academy straight out of school. He led PBC to a Munster Schools Cup final this year. He has lined out for the Munster U18’s and U19’s.  Moreover, he has captained the Ireland U18 schools team as well as playing Ireland U18 7’s rugby.

The squad is as follows, broken down into year three, year two and year one.

Thomas Ahern (Lock/Shannon), Jack Daly (Back-row forward/Garryowen), Ben Healy (Out-half/Garryowen), James French (Prop/UCC), Seán French (Centre/Cork Constitution), Eoghan Clarke (Hooker/Shannon), Jonathan Wren (Back three/Cork Constitution), Josh Wycherley (Prop/Young Munster).

Jake Flannery (Out-half/Shannon), John Hodnett (Back-row forward/UCC), Paddy Kelly (Lock/Young Munster), Eoin O’Connor (Lock/Waterpark RFC).

Scott Buckley (Hooker/UCC), Jack Crowley (Out-half/Cork Constitution), Alex Kendellen (Back-row forward/PBC).

 

Borussia Dortmund players fined over haircuts

Borussia Dortmund players Jadon Sancho and Manuel Akanji have been fined by the German soccer league on Saturday after the players defied coronavirus measures to get haircuts.

TvNZ report that Sancho and Akanji “apparently violated hygiene and infection standards”. Furthermore, there were also no facemasks visible in the picture. There were similar photos on social media circulating of Dan Axal Zagadou and Raphael Guerrero. This with Dusseldorf barber Winnie Nana Karkari. However, the DLF (Bundesliga) then mention these players in the statement. Axel Witsel and Thorgan Hazard were also set to got a haircut by Karkari. This was reported by the Bild tabloid.

Borussia Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc said on Thursday that the group of 6 players assured the club that they had followed health guidelines. Masks were only taken off for photographs. The DFL said in a statement, “The players from Borussia Dortmund had obviously violated general hygiene and infection protection standards at home hairdressing appointments and in particular the medical-organisational concept of the DFL task force.””There is no question that professional footballers also have to have their hair cut,”. “However, this currently has to be done in accordance with the medical-organisational concept.”

The amount of the the fine has yet been detailed.

Emre Can a team mate of Sancho speaking to Sky Sports said, “We know that he just has to be more disciplined in some things, but he knows that himself,” He continued, “He just has to be smarter and grow up with things like that. He can’t afford to make such mistakes in the future.

 

NBA Legend donates $100 million to racial equality fight

NBA legend Michael Jordan has donated $100 million to various groups who are fighting for for racial equality.

BBC Sport report that Jordan and his Jordan Brand will distribute the money over the next 10 years. The money will be go to a number of organisations which help fight racial inequality and social justice. Jordan has spoken out about the recent black live matter protests. The protests came after protests broke out in the USA and across the world following the death of George Floyd as he was restrained by police officers. Floyd died on May 25th after a white police officer who has since been charged with his murder knelt on his neck for over eight minutes.

Craig Williams, president of Jordan Brand said in a statement. “We are announcing a joint commitment from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand to donate $100m over the next 10 years. We must join forces with the community, government and civic leaders to create a lasting impact together,”. The statement continued, “There is still more work for us to do to drive real impact for the black community. We embrace the responsibility.”

In a statement on his Twitter Jordan confirmed the news, “Jordan Brand is more than one man”. “It has always been a family, we represent a proud family that has overcome obstacles, fought against discrimination and works everyday to erase the stain of racism and the damage of injustice”. Johnson also spoke last week saying that he was “deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry”. He said,“I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration,” he added. “I stand with those calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of colour in our country. “We have had enough.”

 

McGregor retires from UFC

Conor McGregor has announced his retirement from UFC according to RTE Sport. It’s the Dubliners 3rd time to retire in four years. The 31 year old former featherweight and lightweight champion tweeted the news this morning after the UFC 250 in Las Vegas.

He said, “Hey guys I’ve decided to retire from fighting”. He continued, “Thank you all for the amazing memories! What a ride it’s been! Here is a picture of myself and my mother in Las Vegas post one of my world title wins! Pick the home of your dreams Mags I love you! Whatever you desire it’s yours.”

McGregor had a good overall record with 22 wins 4 loses. It’s not the first time he has retired though having previously retired in 2016 and then again 2019 before making a comeback.He also tried his hand at boxing. He fought Floyd Mayweather in a 10 round bout in Las Vegas. McGregor reportedly made about 75 million from that fight alone. His last fight came against Donald Cerrone, McGregor won within 40 seconds with a TKO. It was his first win in three years. There was talks that McGregor would fight Anderson Silva later this year as well as Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Dana White, UFC President has also responded to McGregor’s announcement. He said, at a press conference following UFC 250 on Saturday, No, one of my people grabbed me and showed it to me on social media, but that’s Conor. You know how Conor works, that’s how he does things”. He continued, ‘When you look at that star that Conor McGregor became, he introduced this thing globally to people in places that had never seen it before.’

“It’s the stuff of dreams” as Kameko lands Qipco 2000 Guineas for Oisín Murphy

Kerry rider Oisín Murphy claimed his first British classic on Saturday when 10-1 chance Kameko won the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

The Andrew Balding-trained colt got the better of Aidan O’Brien’s Wichita (15/2) and the previously unbeaten hot favourite Pinatubo (5/6f), who came into the race unbeaten in six juvenile starts, and with the highest two-year-old rating for 25 years.

A race run in record time saw outsiders Persuasion and Juan Elcano set the early pace, with the main players in the market, namely Wichita, Arizona, Kameko and Pinatubo in contention nearing the two-furlong pole.

Killarney-born jockey Oisín Murphy came wide on Kameko to outstay Wichita (Frankie Dettori) by a neck, while Pinatubo (William Buick), who had every chance, finished a further length back in third place.

A delighted British Champion jockey, Oisín Murphy, said of today’s victory:

“I’ve never won a Classic in Britain and it means the absolute world to me. It’s the stuff of dreams. It was a gutsy performance. He hardly blew a candle out afterwards – he must have a tremendous amount of ability.”

Andrew Balding, the winning trainer, was delighted with Kameko’s success, stating:

“He was doing his best work late on and this is his minimum. He will stay further than this. He has always looked smart and he always looked like he would be a better three-year-old as well.”

Following today’s Qipco 2000 Guineas win, Kameko was promoted to Epsom Derby favouritism for the July 4th premier classic, with his trainer believing the Qatar Racing-owned colt will stay further:

“To me it looks the obvious choice, there would be a stamina doubt but there’s only one way to find out. He will certainly get a mile and a quarter, but there is a certain race over a mile and a half in July that would be quite appealing.”

The racing continues on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket on Sunday, with the second British classic of the season, the Qipco 1000 Guineas the day’s main contest.

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