Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - New Zealand skier Jessica Hotter has won the second stop of the Freeride World Tour, in British Columbia, Canada.

It's the first season on the tour for the 26-year-old, after she dominated the qualifying tour last season with three wins in four-star events.

Meanwhile, Nico Porteous finished in third place in the men's Freeski Superpipe at the Dew Tour in the USA.

In the women's snowboard slopestyle field, New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott finished fourth.

Sadowski-Synnott was named 'Women's Rookie of the Year' at the annual Snowboarder magazine Awards last week.

Canadian Nick Taylor wins at Pebble Beach

Nick Taylor bent but did not break, surviving an error-strewn stretch and whipping winds to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four strokes in California on Sunday.

Taylor set up victory with a chip-in birdie at the 15th hole and was flawless down the stretch to become the first Canadian to win the storied event on the Monterey Peninsula.

Despite dropping four shots in four holes from the 11th, a two-under-par 70 was enough to fend off Phil Mickelson, in the process becoming the event's first wire-to-wire winner since Mickelson 15 years ago.

Taylor finished at 19-under 268 for his second PGA Tour victory, his previous success coming in his rookie season in 2015.

Mickelson, seeking a record sixth Pebble Beach win, pulled to within two shots after Taylor double-bogeyed the 14th, but that was as close as he got on the back nine.

He faded to shoot 74 and finish third as fellow American Kevin Streelman (68) grabbed second place.

- Reuters

Ish Sodhi has been recalled

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi has been recalled to the Black Caps ODI squad as injury cover for Tuesday's final match against India.

Central Stags pace-bowler Blair Tickner also joins the Black Caps squad for the game at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui.

The pair have been withdrawn from the New Zealand A side ahead of the final day of their First-Class game against India A at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Christchurch.

Scott Kuggeleijn (viral), Tim Southee (gastro) and Mitchell Santner (gastro) continue to recover from illness, while regular captain Kane Williamson will test his left-shoulder injury at training before a call is made.

New Zealand lead the three match ODI series 2-0.

Erasmus possibility to succeed Jones as England coach

The Rugby Football Union denies holding talks with Rassie Erasmus over the possibility of him succeeding Australian Eddie Jones as England head coach.

A report in a South African newspaper states that Twickenham is exploring the option of recruiting Erasmus, the mastermind of the Springboks' World Cup triumph.

The 47-year-old was present at Murrayfield as England overcame Scotland 13-6 in the Six Nations, relieving pressure on Jones in the wake of successive and comprehensive defeats.

Jones is contracted to remain Red Rose boss until July 2021 and while his future beyond then is uncertain, RFU chief executive Billy Sweeney insists no approach has been made for Erasmus.

Both Jones and Sweeney have declined to outline publicly the succession plan for when the Australian does step down, or whether he will still be in place at the next World Cup in 2023.

Erasmus is currently acting as South Africa's director of rugby but his success in Japan just 18 months after being parachuted in to rescue the Springboks from an alarming slump has made him a sought-after appointment.

- PA

France lead Six Nations

France moved top of the Six Nations standings as they claimed a bonus point in an otherwise unimpressive 35-22 defeat of a weak Italy.

Les Bleus, who stunned World Cup runners-up England in their opening game last Sunday, prevailed with tries by Teddy Thomas, Charles Ollivon, Gregory Alldritt, Romain Ntamack and Baptiste Serin.

Ntamack kicked eight points and Matthieu Jalibert another two.

Italy enjoyed a few good spells with tries by Matteo Minozzi, Federico Ziani and Mattia Bellini, and points from the boot of Tommaso Allan, but they had to settle for their 24th consecutive defeat in the tournament.

Fabien Galthie's side lead the table with nine points, ahead of Ireland on points difference with the two sides, who meet in the final super Saturday, the only two still with a shot at a grand slam.

- Reuters

Judoka's 10-year winning streak broken

France's double Olympic champion judoka Teddy Riner suffered his first defeat in nearly 10 years on Sunday, losing to Japan's Kokoro Kageura in the IJF Paris Grand Slam at Bercy.

The 30-year-old heavyweight, who is on the comeback trail following a spell out since winning the Brasilia Grand Slam in October, had won his previous 152 bouts.

His last loss was also at the hands of a Japanese judoka, Kamikawa Daiki, in September 2010.

Riner, the 10-times world champion, defeated Hungarian Richard Sipocz and Austrian Stephan Hegyi in the +100kg category at Bercy but showed signs of rust against world number 10 Kageura.

Having lost to Riner in their first meeting in Montreal last year, Kageura countered his opponent with a uchi-mata-sukashi after 40 seconds of golden score to seal victory and leave local fans stunned.

Riner, who won the Olympic title at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, is seeking a third gold medal in Tokyo this year to match the record of Japan's Tadahiro Nomura.

- Reuters

Williams drops first Fed Cup singles match

The United States survived a fright from little Latvia before winning 3-2 in a Fed Cup qualifier as Serena Williams suffered her first career singles loss in the team event.

The United States seemed poised to advance to the finals after taking a 2-0 lead as Williams and Sophia Kenin won their respective singles matches in Everett, Washington.

But Jelena Ostapenko gave plucky Latvia a lifeline by beating newly crowned Australian Open champion Kenin 6-3 2-6 6-2 on Saturday.

A Latvia comeback loomed when world number 41 Sevastova edged Williams 7-6(5) 3-6 7-6(4) in a three-set thriller in the fourth rubber to even the tie at 2-2.

Coming into the match, Williams had a 14-0 winning singles' record at the tournament. Her loss meant a doubles match-up between Ostapenko and Sevastova and Alison Riske and Bethanie Mattek-Sands would decide the tie.

And it as the Americans who prevailed, winning 6-4 6-0.

- Reuters

Black Sticks take Great Britain to shootout

New Zealand hockey player Olivia Shannon scored the first two goals of her international career as she helped the Black Sticks draw 2-2 with Great Britain in the FIH Pro League on Sunday.

However, in the shootout, Great Britain held their nerve in sudden death to see off the home side 5-4.

In the mens competition, Great Britain finished strongly to see off the Black Sticks 3-0 in the second match of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2020 between the sides.

The tournament moves to Nga Puna Wai in Christchurch on Saturday where the New Zealand men play Spain and the New Zealand women play USA.

Pakistani teenager takes hat-trick

Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah became the youngest player to claim a test hat-trick when he dismissed three Bangladesh batsmen with successive deliveries in Rawalpindi on Sunday.

Naseem, who turns 17 next week, removed Najmul Hossain, Taijul Islam and Mahmudullah before Bangladesh finished day three of the opening test on a precarious 126-6 and staring at an innings defeat.

Naseem (4-26) dismissed opener Saif Hassan earlier in the day but the right-arm quick reserved his best for the last hour at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Having conceded a first-innings lead of 212, Bangladesh were showing signs of fight as they reached 124-2.

Nassem hit Najmul on the thigh pad with a moving delivery, and although the lbw appeal was turned down, Pakistan captain Azhar Ali opted to review the umpire's decision and replays confirmed the ball would have hit the stumps.

Nightwatchman Taijul also fell lbw and Mahmudullah edged the next ball to Haris Sohail who took a smart low catch at slip as Naseem became the fourth Pakistani to claim a test hat-trick after Wasim Akram (twice), Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Sami.

- Reuters

Results going Breakers way

The New Zealand Breakers basketballers have inched closer to a place in the Australian NBL playoffs.

Brisbane's loss in Perth against the Wildcats last night means the New Zealand side have moved up into the fourth and final playoff spot.

The Breakers, Brisbane and Melbourne United can all still finish fourth going into this week's last round of regular season games.

The Breakers play their final of the regular season against the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix in Christchurch on Friday.

England and South Africa draw cricket series

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid took the key scalps of Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma as England beat South Africa by two wickets in the third and final one-day international on Sunday.

World champions England won the toss and elected to field, restricting their hosts to 256 for seven in 50 overs, a below-par score on a day when the players wore pink to raise money for breast cancer awareness.

The touring side looked composed in their chase, apart from some late jitters, as Joe Denly top-scored with 66, reaching their target with 40 balls to spare to claim a share of the series after the second game was washed out by rain.

South Africa struggled to build momentum in their innings, with captain De Kock (69 from 81 balls) and David Miller (69 not out from 53 balls) leading their charge.

Rashid proved a handful for the top order as he trapped Bavuma (29) lbw and bowled De Kock, removing South Africa's two batting stars from their victory in the opening ODI in Cape Town.

- Reuters