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Perenara sparks Hurricanes' record-breaking win over Rebels

Sat, 26 May 2012 08:45:15 +0100

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Scrumhalf TJ Perenara emphatically stamped his future All Blacks credentials into the national consciousness on Saturday as the Wellington Hurricanes demolished the Melbourne Rebels 66-24 in their Super Rugby match.

Guardiola ends Barca reign with King's Cup win

Sat, 26 May 2012 03:15:57 +0100

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona gave Pep Guardiola a fitting end to his glittering four-year reign as coach winning the King's Cup final against Athletic Bilbao 3-0 on Friday to send him off with a 14th trophy under his arm. Pedro scored a brace and the outstanding player of the Guardiola era, World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, added the other to finish with an unprecedented 73 goals in all competitions this season. ...

Pedro eyeing Euro 2012 spot after King's Cup double

Sat, 26 May 2012 03:15:57 +0100

MADRID (Reuters) - Pedro is confident of making a return to the Spain squad for Euro 2012 after the Barcelona forward netted a double in Friday's 3-0 King's Cup final win against Athletic Bilbao. The 24-year-old's season was disrupted by injury but in recent months he has come back into the kind of form that won him a place in the starting side in the 2010 World Cup final. ...

Spanish King's Cup winners since 1939

Sat, 26 May 2012 03:15:57 +0100

(Reuters) - List of winners and runners-up in Spain's King's Cup since 1939: 1938-39 Sevilla 6 Racing Ferrol 2 1939-40 Espanyol 3 Real Madrid 2 1940-41 Valencia 3 Espanyol 1 1941-42 Barcelona 4 Athletic Bilbao 3 1942-43 Athletic Bilbao 1 Real Madrid 0 1943-44 Athletic Bilbao 2 Valencia 0 1944-45 Athletic Bilbao 3 Valencia 2 1945-46 Real Madrid 3 Valencia 1 1946-47 Real Madrid 2 Espanyol 0 1947-48 Real Sevilla 4 Celta Vigo 1 1948-49 Valencia 1 Athletic Bilbao 0 1949-50 Athletic Bilbao 4 Valladolid 1 1950-51 Barcelona 3 Real Sociedad 0 1951-52 Barcelona 4 Valencia 2 1952-53 Barcelona 2 Athletic ...

Factbox - Motor racing-2012 Indianapolis 500

Sat, 26 May 2012 01:06:06 +0100

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Factbox on the Indianapolis 500, which will be run for 96th time on Sunday. The first Indy 500 was run on May 30, 1911 and won by Ray Harroun, who retired from driving immediately after the race. Although the race was first held in 1911, this year's edition is the 96th because it was temporarily postponed during parts of World War One and World War Two. The first Indy 500 offered a purse of $25,000 with the winner getting $14,250. This year's winner will pocket around $3 million. The speedway complex earned the name "The Brickyard" when the oval was repaved with 3. ...

Wheldon's death lingers over Indy 500

Sat, 26 May 2012 01:03:14 +0100

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The Indianapolis 500 will roar into its second century on Sunday with one eye on the future and another on the past. The emergence of a new and exotic crop of thrill-seeking drivers, representing the increasing globalization of America's greatest race, offers a tantalizing glimpse at the road ahead for a race that began 101 years ago. But before the 33 drivers blast off around the unforgiving 2. ...

Lotus Group CEO Bahar suspended

Sat, 26 May 2012 00:21:55 +0100

MONACO (Reuters) - Dany Bahar, the chief executive with ambitious plans for British-based sports car maker Lotus in Formula One and U.S.-based IndyCars, has been suspended by the new Malaysian owners of Group Lotus. Group Lotus said in a statement on Friday that the move followed an operational review with Bahar temporarily suspended from his role in order "to facilitate an investigation into a complaint about his conduct" made by DRB-Hicom Berhad. A DRB-Hicom spokesman said it was business as usual at the Lotus headquarters in eastern England, where more than 1,000 workers are employed. ...

Games giving "Brand Britain" an Asian boost

Sat, 26 May 2012 00:04:07 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - The London Olympics are giving "brand Britain" a fillip in China and India, a survey indicated on Saturday, boosting the government's ambition of attracting an extra one billion pounds of inward investment and trade.

Lotus Group CEO Bahar suspended

Sat, 26 May 2012 00:02:02 +0100

Prince Ali stunned by FIFA experts' hijab knock back

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:21:29 +0100

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Evidence from FIFA's medical experts on why the ban on Muslim women footballers wearing the Islamic headscarf or hijab should remain in place was deeply flawed and had no foundation, the campaign's principal supporter said on Friday.

France striker Remy ruled out of Euro 2012

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:35:38 +0100

PARIS (Reuters) - France striker Loic Remy has been ruled out of the European Championship with a thigh injury, the French soccer federation said on Friday. "Loic Remy is out of Euro 2012. He hasn't fully recovered from his injury," the federation said on its website (www.fff.fr). Remy was included in coach Laurent Blanc's preliminary 26-man squad even though he was doubtful for the finals after picking up the adductor muscle injury in Olympique Marseille's 3-0 Ligue 1 victory over AJ Auxerre on May 13. Remy, 25, took part in seven of France's 10 qualifying matches. ...

Klinsmann hopes Dempsey gets Champions League move

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:07:44 +0100

MIAMI (Reuters) - United States head coach Juergen Klinsmann hopes that his forward Clint Dempsey gets a move to a Champions League club after his fine season with English side Fulham. Dempsey scored 17 goals in 37 league appearances for Fulham this season and has made it clear that he would relish the chance to play with a bigger club in Europe's top competition. That is a feeling that is shared by his national team coach, the former German international striker who is preparing his team for Saturday's friendly against Scotland. ...

Early Euro 2012 exit would be disaster for France - Mvila

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:46:39 +0100

PARIS (Reuters) - A third consecutive early exit at a major tournament would be a "complete disaster" for France, midfielder Yann Mvila said on Friday.

Bemused Bolt disappointed with slow time in Ostrava

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:27:51 +0100

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Usain Bolt laboured to victory in the men's 100 metres at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on Friday but was at a loss to explain why after failing to improve on his season best or meet the target he had set himself before the race. Jamaica's Olympic champion and world record holder clocked 10.04 seconds into a head wind to beat Kim Collins of Saint Kitts & Nevis and American Darvis Patton. It was the slowest time Bolt has run in his 30 sprint finals and a step down from the 9.82 he produced in his only previous outing this season in Kingston, Jamaica on May 5. ...

Morrison bursts four shots clear as McIlroy flops

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:51:25 +0100

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Former England youth cricketer James Morrison hit his rivals for six with a stunning exhibition of golf in the PGA Championship second round on Friday while world number one Rory McIlroy missed the cut.

A trio of reloads for Westwood, McDowell and Bjorn

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:34:09 +0100

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn are titans of the European Tour but all three were forced to hit provisional balls after finding trouble off the 17th tee at the PGA Championship on Friday. "That has to be the first time in my career all three guys have hit provisional balls off one tee," 2010 U.S. Open champion McDowell told reporters after a second horror finish in consecutive days meant he missed the halfway cut. "That was a strange scenario. ...

Samuels and Sammy revive West Indies

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:22:32 +0100

NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Marlon Samuels's third test century and a fluid knock from captain Darren Sammy helped West Indies put an abject start to the second test with England behind them and rally to finish the first day on 304 for six on Friday.

"There's always tomorrow" says dad after McIlroy misses cut

Fri, 25 May 2012 20:20:23 +0100

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy acknowledged he had not practised hard enough recently after missing the cut with an error-strewn, seven-over-par 79 in the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday. Fans and officials expecting a glorious day in the sun watching the world's number one golfer wore bemused looks as the 23-year-old sprayed the ball all around Wentworth, even cutting a spectator's forehead on the 15th hole. McIlroy missed his second cut in a row, the first time he has done so since April 2010. "I think I might have taken my eye off the ball a little bit... ...

Rodriguez clings on to Giro lead as Hesjedal looms

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:48:10 +0100

ALPE DI PAMPEAGO, Italy (Reuters) - Former mountain biker Ryder Hesjedal took a big step towards becoming Canada's first winner of a Grand Tour on Friday when he cut Giro d'Italia leader Joaquim Rodriguez's overall advantage to 17 seconds. Grimacing with pain as he pulled free of his rivals on the relentlessly steep final, 7.7-km ascent of Alpe di Pampeago, Hesjedal, 31, finished 19 seconds down on lone winner Ronan Kreuziger of the Czech Republic with Rodriguez third, at 32 seconds. ...

West Indies 304-6 v England, second test - close

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:16:53 +0100

(Reuters) - West Indies were 304 for six wickets at the close of the first day of the second test against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on Friday.

Exclusive - F1 chairman puts brake on IPO talk

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:45:43 +0100

MONACO (Reuters) - Businessman Peter Brabeck, celebrating his appointment as Formula One chairman on Friday, said the motor racing series had not made a decision on whether to proceed with a much discussed $10 billion listing on the stock market in Singapore. Speaking to Reuters over a trackside lunch with Formula One commercial chief Bernie Ecclestone also in attendance, Brabeck said the business had a plan in hand to replace the octogenarian Ecclestone but hoped it would not be needed for a number of years yet. "He has a fantastic motivation. ...

Swedish Eurovision star strays into Azeri rights row

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:39:37 +0100

BAKU (Reuters) - Swedish Eurovision Song Contest favourite Loreen strayed off script into a human rights row in Azerbaijan this week that has drowned out an annual European music show best known until now for its camp costumes and kitschy acts. Loreen met with activists who accuse the government of Eurovision host Azerbaijan of human rights violations, some of which are related to the building of the arena where the song contest final will be held on Saturday night. "Human rights are violated in Azerbaijan every day. ...

England call up little known goalkeeper Butland

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:36:26 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - England's third choice goalkeeper John Ruddy was ruled out of Euro 2012 on Friday after breaking a finger in training, leaving little known Jack Butland to be promoted to the squad.

I need to adopt more of a swagger, says Donald

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:35:42 +0100

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Though he has topped the world rankings three times, Luke Donald is a quiet, unassuming character and believes he needs to adopt a more confident swagger to stay one step ahead of his golfing rivals. Donald, lurking four strokes behind leader James Morrison in the second round of the PGA Championship on Friday, said former England rugby kicking coach Dave Alred was trying to instil extra positivity into his body language. ...

Kreuziger wins Giro 19th stage, Hesjedal makes move

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:32:46 +0100

ALPE DI PAMPEAGO, Italy (Reuters) - Czech Roman Kreuziger took a solo victory on the summit finish on stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia on Friday while Canadian contender Ryder Hesjedal finished second to make his move. After the 198 kilometre stage from Treviso to Alpe di Pampeago featuring five classified climbs, Garmin's Hesjedal trails overall leader Joaquim Rodriguez by just 17 seconds with two stages left. Kreuziger attacked on the second last climb to break away with Hesjedal making a dash 1.5 kilometres from the finish. Spain's Rodriguez was third on the stage. (Editing by Mark Meadows)

Big three make for a vintage period, says Federer

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:47:07 +0100

PARIS (Reuters) - Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic: whoever wins at Roland Garros will claim something more than just the French Open title as tennis is going through a "very special time", according to Federer himself.

Windies struggle as Anderson shines

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:25:45 +0100

NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) - England piled the pressure on West Indies' fragile batsman who squandered ideal batting conditions on the first day of the second test to go in at tea on 154 for six.

Martinez made offer by Liverpool - Wigan owner

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:09:36 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Wigan Athletic's Roberto Martinez has been "made an offer" by Liverpool's American owners who are searching for a new manager after sacking Kenny Dalglish, Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said on Friday.

Norway's Breivik posed like bodybuilder after arrest

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:42:15 +0100

OSLO (Reuters) - Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik first requested a band aid for a cut finger when police arrested him, then posed like a bodybuilder after he was stripped and police took his picture, witnesses told a court on Friday. Breivik killed 77 people on July 22, first detonating a car bomb outside government headquarters and killing eight, then gunning down 69 people, mostly teenagers, at the ruling Labour Party's summer camp on Utoeya Island. He then surrendered, with blood loss from a cut finger seeming his main concern. ...

English FA happy with FIFA changes one year on

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:39:55 +0100

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - English FA chairman David Bernstein, who called for last year's FIFA presidential election to be called off in the wake of a bribery scandal, said on Friday he was very impressed with the changes underway within world soccer's governing body. Since last year's near-meltdown when FIFA was besmirched by one scandal after another, president Sepp Blatter has instigated a number of far-reaching reforms with some adopted at Congress on Friday and the rest due to be implemented at next year's gathering in Mauritius. ...

Happy Sharapova ready to take women's game by storm again

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:12:04 +0100

PARIS (Reuters) - Two years after reaching a nadir following a shoulder injury, a cheerful Maria Sharapova is just a few games away from topping women's tennis again as she looks to secure her maiden French Open title.

Former cricketer Morrison bats away Wentworth rivals

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:00:33 +0100

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - James Morrison, who used to play England youth cricket with current internationals Alastair Cook and Tim Bresnan, hit the Wentworth galleries for six with a stunning exhibition of golf at the PGA Championship on Friday.

Nsereka becomes first woman on FIFA executive committee

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:52:18 +0100

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Lydia Nsereka, the president of the Burundi Football Association, became the first woman ever to sit on the executive committee of soccer's world governing body FIFA at the annual congress on Friday. "I am delighted we have the first ever lady in our executive committee in 108 years," FIFA president Sepp Blatter told delegates after she took her seat on the podium to a standing ovation of delegates from 209 member states. Her appointment came a few minutes after South Sudan became FIFA's 209th member association. ...

Pieth urges FIFA to take singular chance to reform

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:52:18 +0100

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - FIFA has a real chance to reform itself in a way that will be remembered by future generations and it must not pass up this "singular" opportunity, its anti-corruption advisor Mark Pieth told Congress delegates on Friday. Pieth, the Swiss law professor appointed to look at how the 108-year-old organisation can modernise itself following a series of scandals in the last 18 months, urged delegates to be "courageous" and not just "cherry pick" areas for reform. ...

Pieth urges FIFA to take singular chance to reform

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:42:31 +0100

South Sudan becomes FIFA's 209th member

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:40:20 +0100

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The newly independent state of South Sudan became the 209th member of FIFA on Friday, when it was voted into full membership of world soccer's governing body by delegates at FIFA's annual congress. South Sudan, which ceded from Sudan in 2005 and became fully independent last July, joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in February when it also became eligible to become a full member of FIFA after FIFA dropped its two-year waiting rule for new members. ...

A piece of cake? Not for ex-factory worker Storm

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:36 +0100

VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Former French Open champion Graeme Storm found it tough to crack a smile after a broken driver caused him to experience a remarkable roller-coaster second round at the PGA Championship on Friday.

Windies struggle to lunch as Anderson and Broad strike

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:54:39 +0100

NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) - England pacemen James Anderson and Stuart Broad both took two wickets before lunch to dampen West Indies' hopes of cashing in on ideal batting conditions on the first day of the second test on Friday as the tourists reached 84 for four.

Euro-Spain's limited preparation time no excuse, says Casillas

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:36:30 +0100

(Reuters) - A lack of preparation time together is no excuse for Spain as they get ready for their first Euro 2012 warm-up match without a large part of their regular squad, captain Iker Casillas said on Friday. The world and European champions take on Serbia in Switzerland on Saturday after a provisional 21-man squad started their build-up this week without up to a dozen players from Chelsea, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao. "We'll see if it works against us or not at Euro 2012," the Real Madrid goalkeeper told a news conference at their training camp in Austria. ...

FIFA authorises first insurance policy for international injuries

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:35:35 +0100

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - FIFA's new insurance policy will cover players injured on international duty and provide clubs around the world with a maximum annual payout of $9.7 million per player, delegates at the FIFA Congress were told on Friday. The payouts for any injured player will vary from individual to individual depending on the size of their salaries but the maximum daily amount payable on an injured player will be $27,000 a day, FIFA's secretary general Jerome Valcke told delegates. The policy will cover an injured player for a maximum of one year. ...