Biggar will join Saints despite Mallinder axe

DAN BIGGAR remains committed to joining rugby union side Northampton next season despite the turmoil at Franklin’s Gardens. The Wales and Lions fly-half, 28, contacted the club to assure them he will honour his deal, despite the sacking of Jim Mallinder, who signed him. The Saints will look to appoint a short-term coach and hope to have a new director of rugby — possibly Mike Ford or Wayne Smith — next season. But Biggar, set to earn in the region of £650,000 a year at Northampton, cannot wait to join the struggling club. ‘I spoke to Dan on Tuesday and he is incredibly excited,’ said Northampton chief executive Mark Darbon. ‘He was here on Saturday, he saw a disappointing performance from us in a venue that wasn’t full. He is itching to get here and get on with it.’ WILL KELLEHER

TYSON FURY will need to prove his physical and mental wellbeing before regaining his licence to fight after the British Boxing Board of Control confirmed they will review his suspension next month. UK Anti-Doping announced on Tuesday that Fury, 29, had completed a backdated two-year ban for a doping violation. But part of the reinstatement process will mean proving he is fit to box, which comes after Fury’s well-documented battles with depression. RIATH AL-SAMARRAI

ADAM PEATY had to settle for third place in the 50metres breaststroke final on day one of the European Short-Course Swimming Championships in Copenhagen. The 22-year-old, from Staffordshire, who won the Olympic 100m breaststroke at the Rio 2016 Games, clocked a British record of 25.70sec as Italy’s Fabio Scozzoli won gold in a European record of 25.62sec. The event is contested in a 25m pool rather than the usual 50m.