Sports Digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Ospreys impose ban on spray tans

RUGBY: The Ospreys have banned players from having spray tans and coloured boots in an attempt to shed the club’s “Galacticos” tag.

With the departure of high-profile names, or the so-called “pretty boys” such as Gavin Henson and James Hook, the Liberty Stadium side, based in Swansea, want to create headlines based on their performances on the pitch rather than for any beauty rituals or fashion statements.

Players are now not allowed to have a spray tan and must not wear coloured boots – unless they have earned the right to do so. The substance over style approach has been introduced so the side can represent the south west Wales region “in the right way”.

Coach Sean Holley said: “The fake tan and the coloured boots and the Galacticos label doesn’t interest us really. We’ve banned the tan. It’s real tan only. You are only allowed to wear coloured boots if you’ve played over 50 times for the Ospreys or over 15 times for your country.”

Gourley calls time on Tyrone career

GAA: Ciarán Gourley is the latest member of Tyrone’s treble All-Ireland-winning team to call a halt to his his inter-county career.

Gourley played at corner back as Tyrone defeated Armagh to win the Sam Maguire Cup in 2003.

He missed the 2005 triumph over Kerry due to a cruciate ligament injury, but returned to play a key role in the third success in 2008.

The Rock clubman suffered a second cruciate injury while playing for his club last season, and missed Tyrone’s entire league and championship campaign this year.

He has returned to club action, but has decided that an intercounty career that began almost a decade ago is at an end.

“When you look at the modern game, total fitness is required. It’s a young man’s game and you have to be fully fit,” he said.

“I had to take what was a hard decision for me, and I’ll miss it. I had a lot of very good days, and I was lucky to be part of great teams.”

Woods 'honoured' to make USA team

GOLF: Former world number one Tiger Woods said yesterday he was fortunate to have been picked by USA captain Fred Couples for the Presidents Cup defence in Australia later this month.

Woods, winner of 14 majors and considered one of the finest players ever, has tumbled to 56th in the world rankings and not won a single title since the explosive revelation of his marital infidelities at the end of 2009.

The dramatic collapse has left many questioning his inclusion by Couples ahead of the likes of US PGA title winner Keegan Bradley for the matches against an International team at the Royal Melbourne club from Nov 17-20.

“I’m honoured to be picked. Freddy had plenty of candidates he could have chosen. I’m lucky to be on the team,” said Woods.

Century for Sri Lanka's Sangakkara

CRICKET: Kumar Sangakkara’s 27th Test century helped Sri Lanka reach 245 for two at stumps on the first day of their must-win third and final Test against Pakistan in neutral Sharjah.

Sangakkara (112 not out) and Mahela Jayawardene (32 not out), helped the team recover from an early setback.

Opener Tharanga Paranavitana was caught at slip by Younis Khan off Umar Gul for four on the fifth delivery of the day.

Sangakkara came to the crease with Tillakaratne Dilshan (92) and the pair’s 173-run second-wicket partnership helped Sri Lanka build a solid platform as they seek to draw the series they trail 1-0.

Dilshan was denied a century by a Saeed Ajmal spinner that caught the edge and was poached by Younis at first slip. The “home” matches for Pakistan are being played in the Gulf region due to security concerns.

Stirling named cricketer of year

CRICKET: Paul Stirling was named international cricketer of the year by the Cricket Writers of Ireland in Coleraine last night.

The 21-year-old hit four centuries for Ireland this year and took the award narrowly from Kevin O’Brien, who won the outstanding performance award for his record-breaking century against England at the World Cup.

Under-19 international Andrew McBrine won the young player of the year, while Railway Union’s Tom Fisher took the club award.

Thorpe attempts to turn back the clock in Singapore

SWIMMING: Nine months after announcing he was coming out of retirement, five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe will finally return to competition at the FINA World Cup in Singapore today.

The 29-year-old made his announcement at the start of February and he returns to action almost exactly five years after walking away from the sport and seven years since his last international competition at the Athens Olympics.

Thorpe has been training in Switzerland under Gennadi Touretski who guided Alex Popov to four Olympic and six world titles.

Given he is racing in the 100 metres individual medley and 100m butterfly, rather than his specialist freestyle, and in a short-course (25m) pool, the next couple of days will give the swimmer a return to a racing environment rather than any indication as to where he ranks on the world stage.

Thorpe said: “I would be lying if I said I think I will be able to do this or that – I really don’t know.”