SPORTS DIGEST:RUGBY: Irish rugby referees continue to be recognised with the announcement of several appointments for key games during the summer. World Cup final referee, Alain Rolland, will take charge of two Tri-Nations games this summer including the second game between New Zealand and South Africa as well as South Africa against Australia in August.
Alan Lewis, who is the most -capped Heineken Cup referee with 65 games, will take charge of the Wales versus South Africa match in Cardiff in June and the opening game of the Tri Nations when New Zealand host South Africa in July.
George Clancy and Peter Fitzgibbon have also established themselves on the international circuit in recent seasons. Clancy will referee the Pacific Nations Cup game between Fiji and Japan in Fiji on June 12th and also the clash between New Zealand and Wales a week later in Dunedin.
Fitzgibbon, who is also IRFU leisure rugby referee development manager, will handle Australia v Fiji in Canberra in early June before heading for the Pacific Nations Cup to take charge of Samoa against Tonga and Fiji v Tonga.
Ireland’s Test against New Zealand on June 12th will be handled by England’s Wayne Barnes with New Zealand’s Bryce Lawrence in charge for the match against Australia on June 26th.
Holder Maguire makes steady start
GOLF: Irish teenage star Leona Maguire made an encouraging start to the defence of her French ladies under-21 title at St Cloud yesterday.
The 15-year-old Slieve Russell girl, who looks a near certainty to make her Curtis Cup debut in Boston in June, returned an excellent 72-one over par to put herself in a strong position to claim one of the 16 qualifying places in the knock-out stages.
Irish champion two years ago, she is currently in sixth position in the field just three strokes behind the early leader England’s Charlie Douglass. Maguire gave a fine putting display and hardly put a foot wrong around the tricky Paris layout.
Her twin sister Lisa, the reigning Irish title-holder, is also in with a fine chance of making progress after yesterday’s second qualifying round as she fired a highly-creditable 75.
Sarah Cunningham,the former junior star from Ennis has high hopes of making it through to the last 16 as well after an opening 74 but Carlow’s Aedin Murphy has a tough fight on her hands after a disappointing 79.
San Antonio to host Duddy fight
BOXING: John Duddy will meet undefeated Mexican middleweight Julio Cesar Chavez Junior in San Antonio, Texas in June and not New York.
The fight will co-headline a Bob Arum and Top Rank Latin Fury shoot-out on June 26 which will see Duddy trade leather with Chavez in what could be a final eliminator for a tilt at Kelly Pavlik’s world title. Chavez,24, has won 41 and drawn one of his 42 fights (30 KOs).
Sri Lanka submit bid to host Games
COMMONWEALTH GAMES: The Sri Lankan city of Hambantota and Australia’s Gold Coast have submitted nominations to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said yesterday.
India will host the 2010 games in New Delhi in October and Glasgow has been selected to stage the 2014 edition.
“Each city has recognised the enormous benefits that flow from hosting a Commonwealth Games,” said CGF president Mike Fennell.
The host will be selected at the CGF general assembly in St Kitts and Nevis in October next year.
Higgins admitted to hospital
SNOOKER: Alex Higgins has been admitted to Belfast City Hospital, it was revealed yesterday.
The former world champion has fought a long battle with throat cancer but his condition is understood to be comfortable.
The 61-year-old from Northern Ireland, known as the ‘Hurricane’ by his fans, has suffered declining health in recent years.
A hospital spokesman said: “We will be making no comment on Mr Higgins’ condition.”
Friends and family have feared for the controversial Belfast player since he was first diagnosed with throat cancer over 10 years ago. He is in remission but its toll on his body is evident in his drawn and thin appearance.
Living in sheltered housing on the Donegall Road in Belfast, Higgins is considered to be one of the finest snooker players of all time. He has had long-term problems with alcohol and smoking since winning the world title in 1972 and 1982.
