Latest - The Wellington Phoenix have continued to build their squad ahead of the new A-League seson.
Wellington Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Phoenix have announced Australian midfielder Joshua Laws has signed a one-year contract with the club.
The Scotland-born, Sydney-raised 22-year-old joins the Phoenix after being based in Germany since 2013, where he spent six years in Fortuna Dusseldorf's youth development system.
The Phoenix have signed All Whites James McGarry and Clayton Lewis and re-signed David Ball and Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi since announcing they will base the squad in New South Wales ahead of the new season, which is scheduled to begin on December 27.
Laws is already in NSW and will join up with the Phoenix squad on Sunday, when they will start a three week pre-season camp in Wollongong.
The Wellington Phoenix have announced they will be based out of the University of Wollongong, which boats a high-performance training facility as well as accommodation for players and staff.
BaThe Wellington Phoenix have announced they will be holding a three week pre-season camp in Wollongong upon landing in New South Wales on 1st November.
During this time the club will base itself out of the University of Wollongong (UOW), which boasts a high-performance training facility as well as accommodation for players and staff.
Wellington Phoenix Head Coach Ufuk Talay says that the club will use this time in Wollongong to further evaluate their options for a season-long base in Australia.
"Our primary need is to get our players on the ground in New South Wales and into training for the December 27 start, while we wait for the rest of the squad to clear quarantine.
"UOW gives us a great initial location to base ourselves from for this pre-season camp, while we continue to evaluate Wollongong - as well as other locations - for the squad to base themselves from for the 2020/21 season."rbarians players charged
Thirteen unnamed Barbarians players have been charged by the Rugby Football Union after last weekend's game against England was cancelled because of coronavirus protocol breaches.
2019 Barbarians Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Players face a range of charges including "individual breaches of the protocols" and "providing false statements during an investigation", the RFU said.
English rugby's governing body said it would publish players' names after the hearings because of the public scrutiny they faced.
Former England captain Chris Robshaw was among the players who apologised for the breach, while New Zealander Sean Maitland was left out of the Scotland squad for their Six Nations game this weekend because of his involvement.
The RFU added that breaches of protocols included leaving the hotel without permission or without informing organisers of their whereabouts.
Players may face fines, match bans "or any other suitable sanction", but there will be no police investigation into their actions.
- BBC
JJ Williams dies
Legendary Wales, British and Irish Lions and Llanelli rugby wing JJ Williams has died at the age of 72.
The Lions' JJ Williams touches down for a try v the All Blacks, 1977 Lions tour of New Zealand. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
He scored 12 tries in 30 Tests as Wales won four Five Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, during the 1970s.
A former sprinter who represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games, Williams also scored five tries in seven Tests for the Lions across two tours.
He sparkled on their unbeaten tour of South Africa in 1974, scoring two tries in each of the second and third Tests.
Williams played for Llanelli when they famously beat New Zealand 9-3 at Stradey Park in 1972.
Wales players will wear black armbands in this weekend's Six Nations match against Scotland.
- BBC
Wyn Jones set to break Richie's record
Alun Wyn Jones will become the most capped player in test rugby history when he leads a much-changed Wales in their Six Nations finale against Scotland in Llanelli this weekend.
Alun Wyn Jones Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Lock Jones will earn a 149th cap, including nine for the British & Irish Lions, and move ahead of former New Zealand captain Richie McCaw on the all-time list.
Just behind him in the scrum, loose-forward Shane Lewis-Hughes will make his debut alongside Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau in the backrow.
Jones will have a new lock partner this week as Will Rowlands comes in for Cory Hill in one of six changes from the side that lost 38-21 to France in a friendly in Paris last weekend.
Prop Tomas Francis also comes into the front-row alongside Rhys Carre and Ryan Elias.
Wales have had a disappointing Six Nations to date with just a single victory in their four matches, but will finish above Scotland in fourth if they can get a win.
- Reuters
Bennett relegated after winning stage 9 of Vuelta
German rider Pascal Ackermann won stage nine of the Vuelta a Espana despite finishing second behind Irishman Sam Bennett, who was relegated for shoulder barging an opponent twice in a highly disputed end to the race.
Bennett edged out Ackermann in the bunch sprint at the end of the flat 157km stage from Castrillo del Val to Aguilar de Campoo and celebrated as he crossed the line but the victory was snatched away as footage showed him barging Trek-Segafredo's Latvian rider Emils Liepins.
There was no change to the general classification and Richard Carapaz maintained his overall lead, as second-placed Primoz Roglic quickly recovered from a punctured tire to cross the line with other overall contenders.
New Zealand's George Bennett is 12th overall.
- Reuters
