Sports Digest

Today's other stories in brief

All Blacks make changes

New Zealand have made four changes to their starting team for Saturday's Tri-Nations match against Australia in Melbourne.

Lock Chris Jack returns to the side for Greg Rawlinson after missing last week's 26-21 win over South Africa in Durban because his wife was due to give birth while coach Graham Henry has reshuffled the backline.

Fullback Leon MacDonald, wing Rico Gear and centre Luke McAlister all come into the team while wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and centres Isaia Toeava and Aaron Mauger are all left out.

Australia have selected utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper on the wing for Saturday's game.

Ashley-Cooper, who has already played three matches in the centre for the Wallabies this season, replaces Drew Mitchell on the wing in the only change to the starting side that was beaten 22-19 by South Africa in Cape Town a fortnight ago.

Mitchell was also overlooked for the replacements bench with coach John Connolly calling up Scott Staniforth as one of just two reserve backs.

AUSTRALIA: Julian Huxley; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock (capt), Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri; Stephen Larkham, George Gregan; Matt Dunning , Stephen Moore, Guy Shepherdson, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, Rocky Elsom, George Smith, Wycliff Palu. Replacements: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Mark Chisholm, Stephen Hoiles, Phil Waugh, Scott Staniforth, Mark Gerrard.

NEW ZEALAND: Leon MacDonald; Rico Gear, Mils Muliaina, Luke McAlister, Joe Rokocoko; Dan Carter, Byron Kelleher; Tony Woodcock, Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman, Chris Jack, Troy Flavell, Jerry Collins, Richie McCaw (capt), Rodney So'oialo. Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Neemia Tialata, Ross Filipo, Chris Masoe, Piri Weepu, Aaron Mauger, Nick Evans.

Boost for Rally Ireland

Ireland is now on track to host a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) every two years. The news was released yesterday by motorsports' world governing body, the FIA, following a meeting in Paris that will see 24 countries host a round of the WRC once every second year.

Rally Ireland makes its debut in the WRC this November with a four-day cross-Border event starting in Belfast and finishing in Sligo. The 1,100 km long event run on tarmac roads in the north west will be the island's largest sporting event attracting 150,000 spectators.

Kessler fails drug test

German rider Matthias Kessler, a stage winner on last year's Tour de France, has tested positive for testosterone and been suspended from his team.

The news follows a number of damaging revelations about German cycling centring on Team Telekom, which is now known as Team T-Mobile.

Kessler rode for Telekom as a junior before quitting the team last year. He joined Astana in 2007.

Astana said Kessler, who won the third stage of the 2006 Tour, tested positive for the hormone in Charleroi on April 24th.

"I can't explain this result," the 28-year-old said. "I demand an immediate counter-analysis."

Kelly team for Tour

Irish Continental team Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/ M Donnelly Sean Kelly has been confirmed for the Tour of Ireland, and will line out against some of the world's top professional outfits in the five-day race, writes Shane Stokes.

The team is based at the Kelly Cycling Academy in Belgium and enables young Irish riders to regularly compete in top international events.