Sports shorts
For live commentary
Today
Super Rugby Hurricanes v Rebels Westpac Stadium, Wellington, 5.15pm. Commentary team: Daniel McHardy, Ross Bond, Matt Buck. Highlanders v Chiefs
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, 7.35pm. Commentary team: Paul Allison, Paul Miller, Craig Cumming. Brumbies v Blues
GIO Stadium, Canberra, 9.45pm. Commentary team: Tim Gavel, Pat McCabe, Brett McKay. Tomorrow NRL Warriors v Knights Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, 4pm. Commentary team: Elliott Smith, Tony Kemp, Sam Hewitt.
McIlroy shows class
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy made the most of his game and turned it into a 5-under 66 that gave him a share of the lead with Joel Dahmen after the opening round at the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina. McIlroy, a two-time winner at Quail Hollow, twice made birdie when he was out of position off the tee and ran off three straight birdies on the back nine.
Arsenal, Chelsea on course
The possibility of an all-English final in football’s Europa League grew likelier after Arsenal and Chelsea moved into strong positions in the semifinals yesterday. Arsenal will take a 3-1 lead into the second leg against Valencia after coming from behind through two goals by France striker Alexandre Lacazette and a 90th-minute volley from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Emirates Stadium. Chelsea also rallied to earn a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt, with Pedro Rodriguez scoring the potentially crucial away goal in Germany to extend his team’s unbeaten run in the competition to 16 games — a record.
Semenya suffers setback
Track and field’s governing body plans to enforce its new rules on testosterone levels in female runners more widely than sports’ highest court is recommending, dealing another setback to Olympic sensation Caster Semenya. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled this week the IAAF can force women such as Semenya with unusually high testosterone to take medication to lower their levels of the muscle-building male sex hormone if they want to compete in events from 400m to the mile. But the IAAF says longer distances will also be included in the new rules.