SPORTS DIGEST:RUGBY: FORMER WALES centre Gavin Henson was sacked by Cardiff Blues yesterday following a drinking incident on a flight back from Glasgow at the weekend.
Henson (30) admitted drinking on the Saturday morning flight home after the team suffered a 31-3 defeat to Glasgow Warriors the previous night and apologised for causing offence to members of the public, airline staff and passengers.
"The Cardiff Blues management have discussed the matter at length but have acted swiftly since the incident occurred," chief executive Richard Holland said in a statement. "Gavin admitted himself his behaviour was totally unacceptable and the immediate termination of his contract sends out a clear message that behaviour like that will not be tolerated at the Blues. We have a duty to our supporters and sponsors to protect the good name of Cardiff Blues."
Cardiff play Leinster at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.
Strauss aims to end poor winter on a high note
CRICKET: ANDREW STRAUSS accepts England have "one final chance" to salvage something from their winter programme in the second Test in Colombo, which starts this morning.
After the highs of last summer, when a 4-0 whitewash of India saw England reach the summit of the Test rankings, 2012 has started in somewhat ignominious fashion with four straight Test defeats, including last week’s 75-run loss to Sri Lanka in Galle.
Strauss’s personal record of one century in his past 48 Test knocks has combined with the team’s recent wobble to create some awkward questions.
“It hasn’t gone according to plan, certainly,” said Strauss. “We haven’t been as consistent as we’d like to be but we’ve got one final chance to salvage something. is not something I’ve considered. Going into this game, it’s really not something on my mind.”
Ireland’s Intercontinental Cup clash against Afghanistan will take place at Leinster Cricket Club in Rathmines from July 9th to 12th.
Cragg sets Irish and European record for 5km
ATHLETICS: ALISTAIR CRAGG opened his 2012 season in notable style over the weekend by setting an Irish and European record for the 5km road race in Carlsbad, California, writes Ian O'Riordan.
Cragg clocked 13:26, finishing sixth behind five Africans – and afterwards confirmed his intentions to target the European Championships in Helsinki in June as well as the London Olympics, where he has already qualified in the 5,000 metres. “The European Championships are a big target of mine, where I will hope to double; it is a big focus for me. Other targets include achieving the A standard for the Olympics in the 10k.”
Next up for Cragg is this weekend’s Stanford Invite where he will attempt a 1,500m and 5,000m double.
European women’s marathon champion Zivile Balciunaite has lost her appeal against a two-year ban for doping, the Lithuania federation said yesterday. The Court of Arbitration for Sport endorsed last year’s decision by the national federation to ban her until September 6th.
