Sports digest

Today's other stories in brief

Egan ranked top Irish boxer

AMATEUR BOXING:Seventeen Irish boxers are included in the first ever official world rankings unveiled by international boxing chiefs AIBA yesterday. Beijing Olympians Ken Egan, Paddy Barnes and John Joe Joyce all make the top 10, while John Joe Nevin is at number 11.

AIBA World Youth champion Ray Moylette is at number 19 in the lightweight category.The lists are compiled according to performances at ranking events, namely the Olympics, World Championships, World Youth Championships, Olympic Qualifiers and Confederation Championships.

Olympic featherweight champion, Vasyl Lomachenko of the Ukraine, accumulated the highest number of points (2,900). Egan, who won silver at the last Olympics, is the highest Irish boxer at number four with 1,650 points. Barnes, a bronze medal winner in Beijing, is ranked sixth.

Both boxers will now be seeded for next month’s World Senior Championships in Milan.

Blood replacement rules to be tightened to reassure sponsors

RUGBY:Rules governing blood replacements in Guinness Premiership matches this season are set to be tightened as a consequence of the Harlequins affair, with the English game's administrators anxious to reassure sponsors and backers.

When Premier Rugby’s shareholders – club owners and chief executives – meet on September 3rd, they will be asked to consider a change in the regulations which would allow an opposition team’s doctor inspect a wound before a player is substituted.

Harlequins were this week fined £260,000 and their former director of rugby, Dean Richards, was banned for three years for ordering the faking of a blood injury during last season’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster. When Tom Williams was led from the field six minutes from the end with blood apparently pouring from his mouth, Harlequins refused to allow Leinster’s doctor to inspect the alleged cut and a touchline row broke out.

“We have to do something after what happened with Harlequins and it is important that whatever we put in place is ready by the start of the new season, which is only two weeks away,” said the Premier Rugby chief executive, Mark McCafferty.

Richards said on BBC Radio yesterday that the Williams simulation had not been pre-planned and admitted faking injuries in four league matches in his four years with Harlequins.

“What happened with Tom was spur of the moment,” he explained. “When we went through with it, I knew immediately that it was not done well at all and that something would come of it. It was something I had done on four previous occasions and I know it was wrong.”

Friendly wins for Leinster, Ulster

RUGBY: Leinster opened their pre-season campaign with an impressive 38-10 victory over Rugby Nice Cote d'Azur in the Stade des Arboras last night.

The hosts scored first through a fifth-minute penalty, but Leinster winger Simon Keogh scored a try seven minutes later. Leinster piled on the pressure with Malcolm O’Kelly putting in an excellent shift and it was no surprise when Kevin McLaughlin scored their second try, which Nacewa converted, to push the visitors into a 12-3 lead.

Shaun Berne went over to leave it 17-3 at half time. Second-half tries from Chris Keane, Isa Nacewa and New Zealand trialist Billy Ngawini completed the victory.

Ulster coach Brian McLoughlin’s first home game produced a 19-7 win over Newcastle Falcons.

Ulster’spoints came via unconverted tries from new signing Dan Tuohy and Darren Cave, with Clinton Schifcofske adding three penalties.

Farrell set to replace McGeehan

ROWING:There will be a change at the top level of Irish rowing come the annual general meeting of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union next month, reports Liam Gorman.

John McGeehan, the treasurer of the union since the beginning of the 1998 season, has not put his name forward for election.

McGeehan will be replaced by the only nominee, Gerry Farrell of Drogheda Rowing Club.

Farrell is the outgoing vice president from the Leinster Branch.

McGeehan, who is from Athlone Rowing Club, won an election last year when he was opposed by Michael R Hughes of Galway Rowing Club.

The two other positions on the board which come up for election at the agm on September 12th will also not require a vote.

Outgoing president, Anthony Dooley, and secretary, Gordon Reid, are set to be returned unopposed.

Murray has to work hard for victory against Benneteau

TENNIS: Defending champion Andy Murray battled from a set and a break down to see off France's Julien Benneteau and advance to the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters last night.

The 22-year-old Scot had been an overwhelming favourite heading into this quarter-final tie, but found himself staring at a shock exit when he conceded his first set of the week 6-4 and then went 2-0 down in the second.

However, the world number two responded brilliantly with three breaks of serve to level the match and then stormed through to third set to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 and secure a last-four date with either Roger Federer or Lleyton Hewitt.

Murray admitted afterwards that the mammoth rally in game three of the second set had been the turning point. “That unbelievable rally, 53 shots or something, that really changed the match for me,” he said. “Physically he was struggling a little bit after that.”

Murray added: “I served terrible in the first set – six doubles.”