Latest - The Hurricanes have called up their All Black cavalary following their humbling at the hands of the Crusaders in their last Super rugby outing.
Coach John Plumtree has made seven changes to the starting fifteen from the 38-22 loss in Christchurch for Friday night's match against the ACT Brumbies in Palmerston North.
All Blacks first five Beauden Barrett will play his first match of the season while halfback TJ Perenara returns to the starting lineup after coming off the bench against the Crusaders.
All Blacks loose foward Ardie Savea is also back but will start at number eight while fellow international Ngani Laumape returns to the midfield.
Fellow All Blacks Vaea Fifita will start at blindside flanker.
Beauden Barrett. Photo: Photosport
The Highlanders' All Blacks Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Luke Whitelock have been left out of the squad for this weekend's Super Rugby match against the Rebels in Melbourne.
The trio haven't been named in the starting fifteen or on the bench as coach Aaron Mauger rests them as part of the compulsory two game stand down plan for All Blacks ahead of the World Cup.
Ben Smith's absence has seen first-five Josh Ioane shifted to fullback, with Bryn Gatland taking over the number 10 jersey.
Ben Smith won't play in this weekend's match against the Rebels. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Joelle King and Paul Coll progress at World Squash Champs.
New Zealand squash players Joelle King and Paul Coll have won through to the quarter-finals of the World Squash Championships in Chicago.
Joelle King celebrating win Photo: Steve Line/SquashPics.com
King, the fourth seed, has beaten Joey Chan of Hong Kong in straight sets.
She will now play fifth seed Camille Serme of France.
Coll, the seventh seed, beat Fares Dessouky of Egypt.
He could play another Egyptian, the second seed Ali Farag, in the quarter-finals.
Rufer signs on for another season
The Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alex Rufer has signed on for another year as the club looks to lock down more key players, heading towards the end of the season.
Rufer, 22, has played a strong hand in the club's improved performances this season and playing 19 games and forming a solid partnership in the middle of the park alongside Spaniard, Mandi Sosa.
Steel back on track
The defending champion Southern Steel are back on track in the ANZ Netball Premiership after a 66-46 win over the Canterbury Tactix in Christchurch.
Southern Steel player Gina Crampton grabs possession against the Tactix. Photo: Photosport
Slipping to an upset loss to the Northern Stars in the opening round, the Steel were quick to redress the balance with a clinical second outing, which marked a special occasion for long-serving centre Shannon Saunders (nee Francois).
It was a fitting result for centurion Saunders, who has played all her 100 games in Steel colours.
Missing influential wing attack Erikana Pedersen, who suffered a knee injury in the opening match on Sunday, it left the Tactix light on attacking options which was highlighted the longer the game went on.
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Another drive for Brendon Hartley
Brendon Hartley has picked up another drive at next month's Sebring Endurance event in Florida.
The former Formula One driver will pull a double shift, driving for the Russian SMP Team in the 1000-mile World Endurance Round and the next day will be a part of the American Action Express Team in the 12 hour race.
Brendon Hartley Photo: LaPressePhoto4
Hartley will also race for SMP in the Spa-Francorchamps WEC round in May.
Hartley, 29, won the 2015 and 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship with Porsche.
Earlier this year Hartley was named one of the Ferrari F1 simulator drivers.
Open Championship returns to Hoylake
The British Open championship will return to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake for its 151st edition in 2022.
The tournament was last held at the venue in 2014 when four-times major winner Rory McIlroy lifted the Claret Jug.
More than 230,000 fans watched Tiger Woods triumph at Hoylake in 2006, a then record attendance for a British Open held outside of St Andrews.
It will be the 13th time the Hoylake venue has hosted the championship.
Big win for Team Wellington.
Team Wellington have secured their passage to the final eight of the OFC Champions League with a record 13-0 dismantling of Samoan club Kiwi FC in Port Vila.
Ross Allen scored six goals and Nathanael Hailemariam three in defending champion Team Wellington's second win of group play.
Auckland City won the opening game in their group earlier this week and can secure a place in the last eight if they beat Tupapa Maraerenga FC of the Cook Islands today.
Brendan Rodgers returns to EPL.
Leicester City have appointed Brendan Rodgers as their new manager with the 46-year-old signing a deal to June 2022.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers Photo: Photosport
Rodgers was appointed two days after the Foxes fired former coach Claude Puel.
He had been at Celtic since 2016 after a three-year spell leading Liverpool, including a runners-up finish in the Premier League in 2014.
Since arriving at Parkhead in 2016, Rodgers has won two league titles, three Scottish League Cups and two Scottish Cups.
Another record for LeBron.
LeBron James became the first player to feature on the NBA's top 10 all-time scoring and assists lists in the LA Lakers' 110-105 defeat by Memphis Grizzlies.
Already the fifth highest scorer of all time, James, 34, moved into 10th place in assists with 11 against the Grizzlies.
With 24 points and 12 rebounds he also registered his 79th triple-double to move up to fifth on that list.
Meanwhile James Harden had his streak of consecutive 30-point games end at 32, as he made 28 points in the Houston Rockets 119-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
