Sport news in brief
McIlroy calls on Norman to quit LIV Golf
Rory McIlroy has called on Greg Norman to leave LIV Golf in order to spark the prospect of a compromise with the sport’s traditional tours. The world No 1 believes the Australian’s divisive personality is hindering the prospect of peace with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. There has been recent speculation that Norman could move away from his role as
CEO, but Majed Al Sorour, LIV’s managing director, quickly dismissed those reports.
“There’s a few things that I would like to see on the LIV side that needs to happen [before talks can begin],” McIlroy said. “I think Greg needs to go. I think he just needs to exit stage left. He’s made his mark but I think now is the right time to sort of say, look, you’ve got this thing off the ground but no one is going to talk unless there’s an adult in the room that can actually try to mend fences. I fear for the game when that’s going on. It’s contentious because there’s lawsuits going on and people suing people; it’s very, very messy.”
Australian fans were told by Norman that the city of Adelaide will be the first to host a LIV Golf event down under next year.
Cunningham takes solace in England progress post-World Cup
Jodie Cunningham’s is reflecting on England’s heartbreaking exit from the Women’s Rugby League World Cup and the changes required to continue to bridge the dwindling gap to the sport’s southern hemisphere teams.
A crowd of over 7,000 in York watched New Zealand’s blend of power and professionalism prove just too much for Cunningham’s side, who slipped to a 20-6 defeat that extended an unbroken sequence of World Cup defeats to the Kiwi Ferns stretching back to the tournament’s inauguration in 2000. Craig Richards also told the England players in the dressing room afterwards that he will be departing as coach with immediate effect.
“We have clearly narrowed the gap and I genuinely believe that on another day we would have beaten New Zealand,” said an emotional Cunningham, who played in the England team beaten 52-4 by New Zealand at the same stage of the competition in Sydney in 2017. “We’ve done so much hard work without being professional, and I still think we had the ability to do it, but you can’t avoid the difference it would make if we were semi
professional or professional players, because we would have the time, resource and ability to invest.” PA
Macleod handed Wales debut for Georgia clash
Wales boss Wayne Pivac has handed Scarlets forward Josh Macleod a Test debut in Saturday’s Autumn Nations Series encounter against Georgia. Macleod, who packs down at No 8, was selected to start in Wales’ Six Nations appointment with Scotland last year, but ruptured his Achilles tendon during a training session four days before the game.
Pivac has also called up centre Owen Watkin, wing Josh Adams, fly half Rhys Priestland, lock Ben Carter and flanker Jac Morgan. And there are two uncapped players among the replacements in 19-year-old Exeter lock Dafydd Jenkins and Scarlets scrum half Dane Blacker.
Full-back Leigh Halfpenny, who last played for Wales 16 months ago, is also on the bench, but former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones misses out on a matchday 23 place for the second successive game. Pivac has retained nine of the team that started in last weekend’s victory over Argentina, when Wales bounced back strongly from a 55-23 drubbing against New Zealand seven days earlier.
And Gloucester wing Louis Rees-Zammit keeps the number 15 shirt following an impressive switch to full-back in the Pumas game. Georgia are in Wales’ World Cup pool in France next year, along with their final autumn opponents Australia. PA
Australia captain Cummins opts out of IPL
Pat Cummins has announced his withdrawal from the next edition of the Indian Premier League ahead of a bumper 2023 in which he will lead Australia into the Ashes and World Cup.
The Australia Test and ODI captain has been with Kolkata Knight Riders for the past three seasons and was part of the side that reached the final in last year’s tournament. However, with
the next IPL taking place before two massive assignments for Australia as they look to retain the urn and win a recordextending sixth 50-over crown, Cummins has elected to prioritise rest.
“I’ve made the difficult decision to miss next year’s IPL,” said the fast bowler on Twitter. “The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODIs for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup. Thanks so much to @KKRiders for their understanding. Such a terrific team of players and staff and I hope I can get back there ASAP.”
Cummins is set to begin his reign as ODI captain this week as Australia take on England in a three-match series. PA
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