Today's sports news: What you need to know

Latest - Ireland centre Bundee Aki has received a four-match suspension for his red card during last weekend's Six Nations win over England.

The New Zealand-born 30-year-old was sent off in the 63rd minute for a high tackle on England back row Billy Vunipola.

A Six Nations statement said Aki accepted the charge and the disciplinary committee agreed the tackle "had been reckless rather than deliberate or intentional."

It was the second time Aki had been red-carded for Ireland following his dismissal against Samoa at the 2019 World Cup, therefore he was denied the maximum 50% discount to the entry point six-week suspension for the offence.

However, because of his "clear remorse and concern for the welfare" of Vunipola the disciplinary committee reduced the sanction by two weeks.

He will miss Connacht's next four matches, including the Champions Cup clash against Leicester Tigers.

-Reuters

Coll beaten in Cairo

New Zealand squash player Paul Coll has been beaten in the quarter-finals of the Black Ball Open in Cairo by sixth seed Marwan ElShorbagy of Egypt.

The two players displayed squash of the highest level throughout the whole match with the Egyptian taking it 3-2.

For world number four Coll the loss was hard to take, but something he felt he could improve on and see some positives out of it.

"I had worked pretty hard, I know I still have a bit of work to do on the quality of my shots but I'm getting there. I thought I had him in the fifth, he was cramping, but there were more stop starts in that game, which suits his game more than mine, both of us a bit tired I think," said the 28-year-old from Greymouth.

"I got caught up in that last game, it was a bit too scrappy, not the way I wanted to play it. I had a good week, happy overall the way it turned out, but I am disappointed with the fifth today."

The next tournament for Coll is mid-April at the Manchester Open where he is the top seed.

Lions tour will be in South Africa

This year's British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa will go ahead as planned after officials said they had dismissed the idea of staging the series in the United Kingdom and were now looking at only one option.

A joint statement from the Lions and SA Rugby said they were "aligned" on South Africa as a venue for the tour this year, with plans for a UK-based series or Australia ruled out.

The July-August tour has been in limbo for months due to the Covid-19 situation in South Africa.

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said they were hopeful of persuading their government to allow fans into the stadiums.

"We have been in regular contact with our government to make that a reality against the backdrop of the pandemic and its predicted progression over the coming months.

"There are serious financial implications for SA Rugby, should the event take place without any supporters in attendance, and we cannot ignore that in our considerations."

Earlier, Rugby Football Union chairman Bill Sweeney, who sits on the Lions Board, said the tour would have to go ahead this year as 2022 was not an option.

-Reuters

O'Sullivan to debut for Warriors

Former Brisbane halfback Sean O'Sullivan will make his Warriors debut as Chanel Harris-Tavita's replacement in Saturday's third-round NRL clash against the Raiders in Canberra.

22-year-old O'Sullivan comes into the position following confirmation that Harris-Tavita is expected to be sidelined for up to 12 weeks with a broken metatarsal in his left foot.

O'Sullivan becaomes the Warriors fifth debutant this season.

Coach Nathan Brown has also been forced to make a change to his starting front row following prop Jamayne Taunoa-Brown's three-match suspension, with Bunty Afoa replacing him.

His promotion sees Brown bringing ex-Raider Jack Murchie onto the bench to face his old club at his former home ground.

Saturday's match doubles as a major career milestone for Addin Fonua-Blake, who makes his 100th career appearance after 97 games for Manly Warringah.

The Warriors have a win and a loss so far this season while the Raiders are two from two.

India win opening ODI

Debutant Prasidh Krishna and fellow seamer Shardul Thakur combined to derail England's chase and bowl India to a 66-run victory in the one-day series opener in Pune.

Shikhar Dhawan made 98 but it was the blistering unbroken century-plus partnership between KL Rahul and debutant Krunal Pandya which helped India to a strong 317-5.

Jonny Bairstow led England's robust reply with an incendiary 94 before the wheels came off their chase and the tourists folded for 251 in 42.1 overs.

India fielded the Pandya brothers -- Krunal and Hardik -- while England had the Curran siblings -- Sam and Tom -- in their playing XI.

The remaining two matches are scheduled on Friday and Sunday, both in Pune.

-Reuters

More accusations against Watson

The number of civil lawsuits accusing Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault or inappropriate conduct has grown to 14.

Seven civil suits were filed yesterday.

All but two of the lawsuits list the Houston area as the location of alleged misconduct, and all are linked with massage therapists.

More lawsuits are expected. The attorney representing the women, Tony Buzbee, said more than 20 women had reported such encounters with Watson.

The first lawsuit was filed last Tuesday, at which time Watson, 25, denied the allegations.

The NFL said Thursday that cases of alleged wrongdoing by Watson are under investigation. The Texans said team officials will stay in contact with the league.

Last September, the Texans signed Watson to a four-year, $222 million contract extension. His relationship with the team has soured since, however, and he has requested a trade.

-Reuters

Williams appoint new technical boss

Williams have appointed Francois-Xavier Demaison as the Formula One team's new technical director, with the Frenchman joining from Volkswagen at an unspecified date.

The appointment is the first since new chief executive Jost Capito, a former Volkswagen motorsport head who worked with Demaison on the record-breaking electric ID.R racecar, joined the former champions in February.

Demaison, who was once also chief engineer of the Subaru world rally team, will have overall responsibility for the technical side including design and aerodynamics and will report to Capito.

The role had been left vacant since the departure of Paddy Lowe in 2019.

Once-dominant Williams finished last and failed to score a point last year, having managed only one in 2019, and last won a race in 2012.

They changed ownership last year with the founding Williams family departing and U.S.-based Dorilton Capital taking over.

The first race of the 2021 season is in Bahrain this weekend.

-Reuters

Murray out of Miami tournament

Former champion Andy Murray has pulled out of the Miami Open tennis tournament due to a groin injury.

Murray is ranked 119th in the world after long injury lay-offs due to hip surgery but the former world number one had received a wild card for the Masters 1000 tournament after winning the title in 2009 and 2013.

The 33-year-old Scot arrived in Miami last week and was preparing for the tournament but started developing pain on Friday and has not practised since.

Murray's withdrawal is the latest blow to the tournament after Australian Open champion and world number one Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem also decided to miss the event, which started with qualifiers on Monday.

Serena Williams also said she would not compete as the 23-times Grand Slam champion is recovering from oral surgery.

-Reuters

European football games to go ahead in Spain

Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final first leg at home to Liverpool in April will not have to be moved abroad after the Spanish government said it would lift restrictions on flights from Britain at the end of this month.

The restrictions began in December over concerns about a British strain of COVID-19 and forced Atletico Madrid to play the home leg of their last-16 tie against Chelsea in Bucharest.

Real Sociedad had to face Manchester United in Turin rather than their home city of San Sebastian for their Europa League last-32 first leg.

But Spain's government has now said the restrictions will come to an end on March 30, meaning Real can welcome Liverpool to their Alfredo di Stefano training ground on April 6.

Granada can also host Manchester United in their Europa League quarter-final first leg at the Spanish club's Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium on April 8.

-Reuters