1 Dec 2019

Today's sports news: what you need to know

6:15 am on 1 December 2019

Latest - A new-look New Zealand women's pursuit team has won gold on day two of the World Cup event in Hong Kong.

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Photo: Guy Swarbrick

Michaela Drummond, Emily Shearman, Nicole Shields and Ally Wollaston have pipped Belgium in the final, after trailing for the first three-quarters of the race.

They eventually stopped the clock at 4mins, 19.655secs, eight tenths of a second ahead of the Belgians.

Tom Sexton, Dylan Kennett, Nicholas Kergozou and Corbin Strong have had to settle for silver in the men's team pursuit, after being narrowly beaten by Germany in the gold medal ride.

Ethan Mitchell, Sam Wesbter and Eddie Dawkins have lost the bronze medal ride to France in the men's team sprint, while Olivia Podmore and Ellesse Andrews were unable to qualify for the first round of the women's event.

Auckland win interprovincial golf title

Auckland have won the national men's interprovincial golf title for the first time in 25 years, defeating Otago in dominant fashion in Hastings.

After finishing second for the last two years, Auckland finally got over the line with a 5-0 win over the southerners.

Auckland captain Matt Cormack said the win was incredibly satisfying.

"The result this afternoon certainly didn't reflect how tight things were out there in the final. The lads were making plenty of birdies and it was certainly nerve-wracking watching what was happening."

Double century for Warner in Adelaide

David Warner has racked up his second Test double century early on day two of Australia's second Test against Pakistan in Adelaide.

Australian batsman David Warner.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Australia resumed today at 302-1 in the day-night Test at Adelaide Oval with Warner 166 not out and Marnus Labuschagne 126.

Labuschagne was bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for 162, ending the pair's record 361-run stand for the second wicket.

Warner went on to bring up his double ton four balls later as Australia continued their complete domination.

His highest Test score stands at 253 against New Zealand in 2015.

Pakistan are already down 1-0 in the two-Test series after being thrashed by an innings and five runs in Brisbane.

Arsenal sack manager

Arsenal have sacked manager Unai Emery after the English Premier League football club's worst run in more than a quarter of a century and appointed former player and fans' favourite Freddie Ljungberg as interim coach.

(FILES) In this file photo taken on November 11, 2018 Arsenal's Spanish head coach Unai Emery gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Emirates Stadium in London on November 11, 2018.

Photo: AFP

Emery's final match in charge was Friday's 2-1 Europa League home defeat to German side Eintracht Frankfurt which extended their winless run in all competitions to seven games, the worst streak since February 1992 under George Graham.

Spaniard Emery succeeded Arsene Wenger in May 2018 and took Arsenal to the Europa League final last year but frustration with the club's erratic league form this season has grown, with the side sitting eighth in the table with 18 points from 13 games.

"The decision has been taken due to results and performances not being at the level required," the club said in a statement.

"We have asked Freddie Ljungberg to take responsibility for the first team as interim head coach. We have full confidence in Freddie to take us forward."

Ljungberg, a member of Wenger's "Invincibles" team that went an entire season unbeaten en route to the 2003-04 Premier League title, was appointed assistant coach in June and will now take over while the club searches for a new head coach.

- Reuters

F1 fragrance deal has whiff of burning rubber

Formula One fans hooked on the sights and sounds of grand prix racing will soon be able to splash on some smells as well with a range of perfumes hinting at burning rubber and wet asphalt.

Formula One and Designer Parfums announced at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday the launch of five luxury fragrances to go on sale next April.

The perfume makers said on their website that the collection was "inspired by the excitement, passion, technology and dynamism of Formula One".

The description of one of the fragrances suggested "a novel twist on leather, with inimitable accords of burning rubber and rain on salty asphalt."

The perfumes will cost $US250, with limited edition 3D printed containers by designer Ross Lovegrove on sale for as much as $US10,000.

- Reuters

Life ban for former Brazilian football boss

World football's governing body FIFA has banned former Brazil football boss Ricardo Teixeira for life and fined him one million Swiss francs ($1 million) after finding him guilty of bribery.

Teixeira, former son-in-law of long-time FIFA boss Joao Havelange and ex-head of the Brazilian soccer federation (CBF), was investigated in relation to contracts for media and marketing rights during the 2006-2012 period.

The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA's independent Ethics Committee imposed the ban with immediate effect on the former FIFA executive committee member.

Teixeira ran the CBF from 1989 to 2012, with Brazil twice World Cup winners during that period.

He left amid criticism of preparations for the 2014 World Cup which Brazil hosted and a police investigation into reports he had taken millions of dollars in bribes from a sports marketing firm, which he denied.

- Reuters

Black Cap to the fore for Auckland

Colin Munro's eighth List A century has led Auckland to a fourth bonus point victory in five games in domestic cricket's Ford Trophy.

Blackcaps' Colin Munro celebrates 50 against Sri Lanka 2018.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Munro has blasted 167 off just 94 balls to help the Aces amass 401 for eight in their match against Canterbury at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Canterbury could only muster 217 in reply, meaning Auckland return to the top of the competition ladder.

The Otago Volts are off the bottom of the table after beating the Wellington Firebirds by two runs at Lincoln.

The Volts posted 262 for six batting first and then bowled out the Firebirds for 260 with two balls remaining.

And Northern Districts have beaten the Central Stags by six wickets, also at Lincoln.

Tough defeat for the Auckland Tuatara

The Auckland Tuatara have suffered a tough 4-3 loss to open their four-game Australian Baseball League series against the Melbourne Aces in Melbourne.

Kyle Glogoski - Auckland Tuatara.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The visitors endured a challenging day just getting to the ballpark but managed to find some form with their bats.

They grabbed an early lead and took a 3-0 advantage into the bottom of the eighth inning. The Aces scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead and recorded the final three outs to secure victory.

Earlier in the day the Tuatara had to leave pitcher Emerson Martinez in Auckland after a visa complication and then half the team weren't able to get on their connecting flight from Sydney. A number of players, including starting pitcher Kyle Glogoski, had to go straight from the airport to the ballpark.

Farah returning to the track

Olympic champion Mo Farah is returning to the track to chase more gold in the 10,000m at next year's Tokyo Games.

Sir Mo Farah.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 36-year-old, a four-times Olympic champion and six times world champion over 5000 metres and 10,000 metres, retired from track athletics in 2017 to focus on road marathons, going on to break the British record.

"Next year I've decided for Tokyo 2020 I'm going to be back on the track, I'm really excited to compete and ... give it a go in the 10,000m," he said.

"Hopefully I haven't lost my speed but I will train hard for it and see what I can do."

The three times 10,000m world champion said in March that watching Briton Laura Muir claim the European Indoor 1500m and 3000m double made him realise how much he missed the track.

- Reuters

Internationals lose Day for Presidents Cup

Australian Jason Day has been forced out of the Presidents Cup with a back injury and will be replaced by South Korean An Byeong-hun.

Day, set to play his fifth Presidents Cup, was a captain's pick for the December 9-15 biennial event at Royal Melbourne Golf Club where the International side, representing the rest of the world minus Europe, face a United States team led by Tiger Woods.

"We wish Jason well and hope his back recovers quickly," International captain Ernie Els said in a statement.

"We were eager to have Jason as part of the team at Royal Melbourne and his experience will be missed.

"The good news is that there were a number of strong and qualified players available to choose from when I made my captain's selections.

"To have someone as steady and talented as Ben An puts us in a great position to succeed."

- Reuters

Former Italy coach joins England Rugby

Former Italy coach Conor O'Shea has been appointed as England's director of performance rugby and will take charge in the New Year.

The 49-year-old will look after the leadership, management and strategic direction of the professional game in England and will also work closely with men's head coach Eddie Jones.

The RFU also said Nigel Melville would leave his role as director of professional rugby.

Former Ireland international fullback O'Shea, who earned 35 caps between 1993-2000, resigned as head coach of Italy earlier this month.

- Reuters