A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Maguire begins on defence
GOLF: Leona Maguire begins her season in earnest today by opening the defence of her Portuguese Ladies Open Championship in Lisbon.
Last year Leona of Slieve Russell in County Cavan finished with a four under par 68 to stroll to an amazing 15-stroke success in the championship. Leona is again joined in the top-class field for this 72-hole stroke-play tournament by twin sister Lisa, who finished 10th a year ago.
Wales without Jenkins for opening clash with Ireland
RUGBY: Gethin Jenkins has been ruled out of Wales' Six Nations opener against Ireland on Sunday week with a knee injury.
Coach Warren Gatland, speaking at yesterday’s tournament launch in London, also revealed Rhys Priestland and Dan Lydiate are major doubts for the trip to Dublin, but Jamie Roberts is expected to play.
Jenkins failed to join his team-mates at Wales’ training camp in Poland this week in order to receive treatment on the injury he sustained while on Heineken Cup duty for Cardiff Blues last Sunday.
The earliest the Lions prop could return is for the clash with England on February 25th, with Paul James expected to replace him.
“Gethin is struggling and could be out for four to five weeks,” said Gatland. “He’s is a huge loss for potentially the first two games of the tournament.”
Australia on cruise control against India
CRICKET: Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke hit masterful double centuries to drive Australia to 604 for seven declared before their bowlers reduced India to 61 for two at the end of second day of the fourth Test in Adelaide yesterday.
Sachin Tendulkar, who had scored 12 not out, and Gautam Gambhir, unbeaten on 30, were at the crease at stumps after the in-form Australian pace attack had dismissed stand-in India captain Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid.
Clarke, who hit a brilliant 329 in the Sydney test, made 210 and Ponting scored 221 in a record fourth-wicket stand of 386. Australia declared shortly after a Ryan Harris six had taken them past 600 seven overs into the final session.
Meyer to be offered South Africa job
RUGBY: Blue Bulls executive in charge of rugby Heyneke Meyer is set to be offered the job of South Africa coach, the Bulls said yesterday. The Bulls said, however, they were not happy to release Meyer from his four-year contract.
“It is the board’s position that it would not be in the Blue Bulls’ interest to release Meyer after many resources and commitments have been made to enable him to fulfil his mandate,” the Bulls said in a statement.
The South African Rugby Union (SARU) said discussions had been held with Meyer but that “no decision has yet been made”.
The Executive Council of SARU will be provided with a report back on those discussions at their meeting in Cape Town today.
Holmes resumes after brain surgery
GOLF:With a piece of his skull at home as a constant reminder of what he has been through, former Ryder Cup player JB Holmes resumes his career at Torrey Pines tomorrow.
Holmes, a member of America’s winning team in Louisville four years ago, underwent brain surgery in September and then was air-lifted back to hospital a month later after suffering an allergic reaction.
His return to action comes at the Farmers Insurance Open, where the field includes Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and England’s Justin Rose in his first appearance since becoming a father for the second time.
Holmes, out since he withdrew from the USPGA Championship in August with vertigo-like symptoms, was found to have Chiari malformations, structural defects in the part of the brain which controls balance.
“It feels like it’s been forever, but I’m just happy to be back,” the 29-year-old said.
Call for ban on tents at venues
OLYMPIC GAMES: Britain's interior minister yesterday called for organisers of this year's London Olympics to ban tents from venues to prevent demonstrators setting up "Occupy"-style protest camps.
Protesters denouncing economic inequality have been camped outside London’s landmark St Paul’s cathedral since October of last year as part of an international movement inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protest.
British home secretary Theresa May said that along with terrorism and organised crime, disruption from protests was one of the biggest threats to the Olympics which begin in July and wants London 2012 organisers (LOCOG) to use “all available” powers to remove equipment and encampments, rapidly backed up by police.
However, LOCOG said it was likely tents would only be on their restricted rather than prohibited list, meaning tents could be allowed on to venues but not erected.
