Cooper's side earn shot at Japan rugby promotion series
Quade Cooper's final season in Japan Rugby League One goes on after his Hanazono Liners crushed Shuttles Aichi 38-7 to earn a shot at next week's two-legged promotion/relegation series.
Needing to win to keep their hopes alive, Hanazono conceded the opening try to former Western Force and Brumbies centre Chance Peni, but held the Division Two champions scoreless for the remaining 68 minutes, with Cooper's long-time halves partner Will Genia one of the game's stars.
The veteran Wallaby scrum-half scored his 10th try of the season, one behind ex-England flyhalf Freddie Burns.
The former Queensland Reds Super Rugby winners will face their ex-Test teammate Tom Banks in the home-and-away series after the Wallaby fullback's Mie Heat ended the regular season with a hefty 67-22 loss to seventh-placed Black Rams Tokyo on Sunday.
Israel Folau and Samu Kerevi enjoyed a better return in the final match before their two-game relegation series against the Shuttles, as Urayasu D-Rocks won their third match of the season, beating Sagamihara Dynaboars 34-21.
Kobe Steelers are going to have to reverse back-to-back defeats against Shizuoka BlueRevs if they are to make it beyond the first weekend of the Division One playoffs.
Former Wallaby coach Dave Rennie's charges head into their third fixture of the season against the BlueRevs coming off a 29-23 defeat on Saturday, which added to a 15-13 loss at Shizuoka on the competition's opening day.
Kobe led 20-19 shortly after halftime, but were outscored four tries to two.
The winner of Saturday's opening quarter-final will play the defending champions Brave Lupus Tokyo, who will skip the first week after overpowering Yokohama Eagles 49-28 to finish on top of the table
The Robbie Deans-coached Saitama Wild Knights also gained direct entry to the final four after recording their biggest win of the season, flattening Tokyo Sungoliath 60-17.
They will play the winners of Sunday's match between Bernard Foley's Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay and Sungoliath.
Spears ended the regular season third after Saturday's 37-14 win over Verblitz.
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The Age
6 hours ago
- The Age
US sports giant wins broadcast rights to Australia's Caribbean cricket tour
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In 2023, ESPN stepped up its Australian cricket coverage by launching the panel show Around The Wicket, presented by Neroli Meadows and featuring the likes of former captains Michael Clarke and Aaron Finch, plus Mike Hussey, Callum Ferguson and Simon Katich. Loading At the same time, ESPN's availability on Foxtel, Kayo and elsewhere will be a relief to Cricket Australia as it affords a greater opportunity for viewership than any other option outside free-to-air. West Indies tours were once considered the toughest possible assignment for Australia, and attracted commensurate broadcast interest: the 1991 tour was televised on Nine, before the famous 1995 series was simulcast by Foxtel's predecessor Galaxy and Ten. Both tours were dubbed an unofficial 'world championship' between cricket's two pre-eminent Test teams of the day. Foxtel has subsequently broadcast Caribbean Test tours in 1999, 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2015. Fraser-McGurk, Stoinis axed as Big Bash rising star earns T20 call-up Tom Decent Dynamic opening batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk and experienced all-rounder Marcus Stoinis have been dropped from Australia's T20 squad as Tasmanian Mitch Owen earned a maiden national call-up in the build-up to next year's World Cup. Australian selectors have named a new-look squad for five T20 internationals in Jamaica and St Kitts to be played in July after a three-Test series in the Caribbean. Mitch Marsh returns to captain the side after missing Australia's last T20 campaign against Pakistan in November. While Test stars Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Mitchell Starc will return home after Tests in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica, selectors have confirmed Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis and Matt Kuhnemann will remain in the Caribbean for five white-ball matches. The most notable omissions are Fraser-McGurk and Stoinis, both of whom featured in Australia's most recent T20. Queensland quick Xavier Bartlett also misses out despite having picked up at least one wicket in each of his seven T20 internationals last year. Fraser-McGurk, who was also overlooked for Australia's Champions Trophy one-day squad after being touted as David Warner's replacement at the top of the order, averages 16.14 from seven T20 internationals at a strike rate of 143.03. The 23-year-old endured a lean IPL campaign, managing just 55 runs at 9.16. Considered one of the brightest young talents in the country, Fraser-McGurk burst onto the scene with a 29-ball century for South Australia in the one-day cup in 2023, then clubbed 41 off 18 deliveries against the West Indies in just his second ODI. Stoinis, meanwhile, has been a mainstay in Australia's T20 set-up, playing 17 of the 21 matches in the format last year. The 35-year-old, who announced his ODI retirement in February, averaged 36.66 with the bat and snared 21 wickets at 17 in T20 internationals across 2024. He compiled 160 runs at 26.66 in this year's IPL but has not done enough to retain his place in the Australian set-up. Australia men's squad for T20I Series against the West Indies Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers/Fremantle Cricket Club) (c) Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers/Parramatta District Cricket Club) Cooper Connolly (Perth Scorchers/Scarborough Cricket Club) Tim David (Hobart Hurricanes/Claremont-Nedlands Cricket Club) Ben Dwarshuis (Sydney Sixers/Sutherland Cricket Club) Nathan Ellis (Hobart Hurricanes/Lindisfarne Cricket Club) Cameron Green (Western Australia/ Subiaco-Floreat Cricket Club) Aaron Hardie (Perth Scorchers/Willetton Cricket Club) Josh Hazlewood (Sydney Sixers/ St George Cricket Club) Josh Inglis (Perth Scorchers/Joondalup Cricket Club) Spencer Johnson (Brisbane Heat/West Torrens Cricket Club) Matt Kuhnemann (Brisbane Heat/Clarence Cricket Club) Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars/Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club) Mitch Owen (Hobart Hurricanes/New Town Cricket Club) Matthew Short (Adelaide Strikers/Northcote Cricket Club) Adam Zampa (Melbourne Renegades/Sutherland Cricket Club) Test series (separate squad) June 25-29, First Test: Bridgetown, Barbados July 3-7, Second Test: St George's, Grenada July 12-16, Third Test: Kingston, Jamaica T20 international series July 20: First T20: Kingston, Jamaica July 22: Second T20: Kingston, Jamaica July 25: Third T20: Basseterre, St Kitts July 26: Fourth T20: Basseterre, St Kitts July 28: Fifth T20: Basseterre, St Kitts Stoinis, whose international future is unclear, was named player of the match in his last T20. He will take part in the Hundred in the UK later this year. Cooper Connolly and Green return to the T20 setup after overcoming injury, while uncapped batsman Owen has been rewarded for his excellent Big Bash form for the Hobart Hurricanes. Loading Owen was the leading run-scorer in last summer's Big Bash, making 452 runs at 45.2, which included a breathtaking 108 off 42 balls in the final. Australia have won 12 of their past 14 T20 internationals as they build towards next year's World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, starting in February. The first T20 between Australia and West Indies takes place on July 20 in Kingston. In a statement, chair of selectors George Bailey said: 'We have a busy T20 schedule coming up [in the West Indies] … followed by three [T20s] against South Africa and New Zealand and five matches against India at home as we continue to refine and build a squad we think will be the right fit for the World Cup on the subcontinent.
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Overton leads returning quartet for India Test series
Jamie Overton has returned to England's Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return. Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat. It remains to be seen whether the allrounder will be fully fit to take the field at Headingley on June 20, having broken the little finger on his right hand during the recent ODIs against West Indies, but he has been given every chance to prove his fitness. The England and Wales Cricket Board has said the 31-year-old will be "assessed and reviewed daily" by its medical team, who have already ruled Overton's Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson (hamstring) out of the match. In his absence, England have further bolstered their pace bowling stocks with comebacks for fit-again pair Woakes and Carse. Woakes, who faces the tourists with England Lions in Northampton over the next four days, could edge out Sam Cook, who retains his place after a quiet debut against Zimbabwe. Carse, meanwhile, is in line for his first home cap after impressing over the winter in Pakistan and New Zealand. A thornier selection dilemma concerns Bethell, the 21-year-old rising star who is back from IPL duty and placing pressure on the top three. Bethell confirmed his status as an outstanding prospect with a highly-accomplished series against West Indies and has already shown an aptitude for the cut and thrust of the Test arena on the New Zealand tour. Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath. ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes. Jamie Overton has returned to England's Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return. Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat. It remains to be seen whether the allrounder will be fully fit to take the field at Headingley on June 20, having broken the little finger on his right hand during the recent ODIs against West Indies, but he has been given every chance to prove his fitness. The England and Wales Cricket Board has said the 31-year-old will be "assessed and reviewed daily" by its medical team, who have already ruled Overton's Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson (hamstring) out of the match. In his absence, England have further bolstered their pace bowling stocks with comebacks for fit-again pair Woakes and Carse. Woakes, who faces the tourists with England Lions in Northampton over the next four days, could edge out Sam Cook, who retains his place after a quiet debut against Zimbabwe. Carse, meanwhile, is in line for his first home cap after impressing over the winter in Pakistan and New Zealand. A thornier selection dilemma concerns Bethell, the 21-year-old rising star who is back from IPL duty and placing pressure on the top three. Bethell confirmed his status as an outstanding prospect with a highly-accomplished series against West Indies and has already shown an aptitude for the cut and thrust of the Test arena on the New Zealand tour. Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath. ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes. Jamie Overton has returned to England's Test squad for the first time in three years for the series opener against India as Jacob Bethell, Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also return. Overton has been a regular in the white-ball set-up in recent times but won his solitary Test cap against New Zealand in 2022, taking two wickets and hitting an unexpected 97 with the bat. It remains to be seen whether the allrounder will be fully fit to take the field at Headingley on June 20, having broken the little finger on his right hand during the recent ODIs against West Indies, but he has been given every chance to prove his fitness. The England and Wales Cricket Board has said the 31-year-old will be "assessed and reviewed daily" by its medical team, who have already ruled Overton's Surrey teammate Gus Atkinson (hamstring) out of the match. In his absence, England have further bolstered their pace bowling stocks with comebacks for fit-again pair Woakes and Carse. Woakes, who faces the tourists with England Lions in Northampton over the next four days, could edge out Sam Cook, who retains his place after a quiet debut against Zimbabwe. Carse, meanwhile, is in line for his first home cap after impressing over the winter in Pakistan and New Zealand. A thornier selection dilemma concerns Bethell, the 21-year-old rising star who is back from IPL duty and placing pressure on the top three. Bethell confirmed his status as an outstanding prospect with a highly-accomplished series against West Indies and has already shown an aptitude for the cut and thrust of the Test arena on the New Zealand tour. Vice-captain Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley were both thought to be under pressure from his reintroduction but the pair reeled off matching hundreds against Zimbabwe and received glowing praise from skipper Ben Stokes in the aftermath. ENGLAND SQUAD FOR FIRST TEST V INDIA IN LEEDS: Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
The Advertiser
9 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Kiss goodbye to doubts about safety of betting on Reds
The statistics make ugly reading for the Queensland Reds, but the Super Rugby Pacific underdogs are hopeful a seed planted a year ago in Christchurch bears them finals fruit. A Crusaders team on a 16-game finals winning streak, dotted with 10 All Blacks in their starting 15, will welcome the Reds on a cold, wet Christchurch Friday night. Losses in 13 of their past 14 games, including a season-worst 43-19 drubbing this campaign, sums up the one-sided rivalry. Rob Penney's side pipped the ACT Brumbies in Canberra in their battle for second place, while the fifth-placed Reds haven't beaten a top-four side all season. "Absolutely formidable," Reds coach Les Kiss summed up ahead of their must-win qualifying final. "We'll have to take a few hits, might be on the ropes, but we just have a belief we can fight back from those moments." The belief comes from victory there last year that ended a 25-year drought - the Crusaders' only loss to an Australian side in their past 21 games - and the Reds' new-found composure behind flyhalf Tom Lynagh since. They were able to turn the tables on the Highlanders this season, resorting to their trusty scrum to engineer a comeback win. Named at No.8, Harry Wilson's availability after an injury scare on Saturday was a huge mid-week boost. And super-boot Lynagh's competition-best 87 per cent conversion rate could also prove crucial in tough conditions, while the ruck and lineout will be a battle against a Crusaders team stacked with high-calibre Test talent. "It does plant a seed for us, hopefully plants a seed of doubt for them," Kiss said of victory in Christchurch last year. "It's a challenge; he (Lynagh) is up for it and hasn't failed a challenge yet, from what I've seen. "There's been a lot said about what the Crusaders are good at over there and we respect that, but I'll back Tommy to stand up and direct us around the park. "Let's go see what happens." Wilson's combination with flanker Fraser McReight, who is fourth in the competition with 17 turnovers from 12 games, will also be a pivotal one. McReight's influence was curbed in a 31-27 loss to the Hurricanes two weeks ago that dropped them out of the top four. Hurricanes captain and opposing flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi managed that contest superbly. Kiss has urged the Reds to avoid a repeat on Friday against a back row featuring Ethan Blackadder and Tom Christie. "Control the errors and ensure the breakdown is not left up to the ref to decide," Kiss said. "Do our job there to get the kind of ball we want." Former Reds playmaker James O'Connor will come off the bench for the Crusaders as the 34-year-old strengthens his case for a Wallabies recall. He has played just 328 minutes this year - Lynagh has logged 703 - but been impactful at the late stages with his kicking and decision-making. "He's been brilliant there, hasn't he," Kiss said of O'Connor, who left Ballymore after an injury-riddled 2024. "I can only say good things about James. He was good here ... gone over there and done a similar job. "Good luck to him, just not too much on Friday night." HISTORY AGAINST THE REDS * Lost 13 of past 14 games against Crusaders * Crusaders on a record 16-game finals winning streak dating back to 2016 * Reds' 2024 win the Crusaders' only home loss to Australian opponents in their past 21 games. * Three straight quarter-final losses for Reds and only one score of 25+ points in club's 13 finals appearances The statistics make ugly reading for the Queensland Reds, but the Super Rugby Pacific underdogs are hopeful a seed planted a year ago in Christchurch bears them finals fruit. A Crusaders team on a 16-game finals winning streak, dotted with 10 All Blacks in their starting 15, will welcome the Reds on a cold, wet Christchurch Friday night. Losses in 13 of their past 14 games, including a season-worst 43-19 drubbing this campaign, sums up the one-sided rivalry. Rob Penney's side pipped the ACT Brumbies in Canberra in their battle for second place, while the fifth-placed Reds haven't beaten a top-four side all season. "Absolutely formidable," Reds coach Les Kiss summed up ahead of their must-win qualifying final. "We'll have to take a few hits, might be on the ropes, but we just have a belief we can fight back from those moments." The belief comes from victory there last year that ended a 25-year drought - the Crusaders' only loss to an Australian side in their past 21 games - and the Reds' new-found composure behind flyhalf Tom Lynagh since. They were able to turn the tables on the Highlanders this season, resorting to their trusty scrum to engineer a comeback win. Named at No.8, Harry Wilson's availability after an injury scare on Saturday was a huge mid-week boost. And super-boot Lynagh's competition-best 87 per cent conversion rate could also prove crucial in tough conditions, while the ruck and lineout will be a battle against a Crusaders team stacked with high-calibre Test talent. "It does plant a seed for us, hopefully plants a seed of doubt for them," Kiss said of victory in Christchurch last year. "It's a challenge; he (Lynagh) is up for it and hasn't failed a challenge yet, from what I've seen. "There's been a lot said about what the Crusaders are good at over there and we respect that, but I'll back Tommy to stand up and direct us around the park. "Let's go see what happens." Wilson's combination with flanker Fraser McReight, who is fourth in the competition with 17 turnovers from 12 games, will also be a pivotal one. McReight's influence was curbed in a 31-27 loss to the Hurricanes two weeks ago that dropped them out of the top four. Hurricanes captain and opposing flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi managed that contest superbly. Kiss has urged the Reds to avoid a repeat on Friday against a back row featuring Ethan Blackadder and Tom Christie. "Control the errors and ensure the breakdown is not left up to the ref to decide," Kiss said. "Do our job there to get the kind of ball we want." Former Reds playmaker James O'Connor will come off the bench for the Crusaders as the 34-year-old strengthens his case for a Wallabies recall. He has played just 328 minutes this year - Lynagh has logged 703 - but been impactful at the late stages with his kicking and decision-making. "He's been brilliant there, hasn't he," Kiss said of O'Connor, who left Ballymore after an injury-riddled 2024. "I can only say good things about James. He was good here ... gone over there and done a similar job. "Good luck to him, just not too much on Friday night." HISTORY AGAINST THE REDS * Lost 13 of past 14 games against Crusaders * Crusaders on a record 16-game finals winning streak dating back to 2016 * Reds' 2024 win the Crusaders' only home loss to Australian opponents in their past 21 games. * Three straight quarter-final losses for Reds and only one score of 25+ points in club's 13 finals appearances The statistics make ugly reading for the Queensland Reds, but the Super Rugby Pacific underdogs are hopeful a seed planted a year ago in Christchurch bears them finals fruit. A Crusaders team on a 16-game finals winning streak, dotted with 10 All Blacks in their starting 15, will welcome the Reds on a cold, wet Christchurch Friday night. Losses in 13 of their past 14 games, including a season-worst 43-19 drubbing this campaign, sums up the one-sided rivalry. Rob Penney's side pipped the ACT Brumbies in Canberra in their battle for second place, while the fifth-placed Reds haven't beaten a top-four side all season. "Absolutely formidable," Reds coach Les Kiss summed up ahead of their must-win qualifying final. "We'll have to take a few hits, might be on the ropes, but we just have a belief we can fight back from those moments." The belief comes from victory there last year that ended a 25-year drought - the Crusaders' only loss to an Australian side in their past 21 games - and the Reds' new-found composure behind flyhalf Tom Lynagh since. They were able to turn the tables on the Highlanders this season, resorting to their trusty scrum to engineer a comeback win. Named at No.8, Harry Wilson's availability after an injury scare on Saturday was a huge mid-week boost. And super-boot Lynagh's competition-best 87 per cent conversion rate could also prove crucial in tough conditions, while the ruck and lineout will be a battle against a Crusaders team stacked with high-calibre Test talent. "It does plant a seed for us, hopefully plants a seed of doubt for them," Kiss said of victory in Christchurch last year. "It's a challenge; he (Lynagh) is up for it and hasn't failed a challenge yet, from what I've seen. "There's been a lot said about what the Crusaders are good at over there and we respect that, but I'll back Tommy to stand up and direct us around the park. "Let's go see what happens." Wilson's combination with flanker Fraser McReight, who is fourth in the competition with 17 turnovers from 12 games, will also be a pivotal one. McReight's influence was curbed in a 31-27 loss to the Hurricanes two weeks ago that dropped them out of the top four. Hurricanes captain and opposing flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi managed that contest superbly. Kiss has urged the Reds to avoid a repeat on Friday against a back row featuring Ethan Blackadder and Tom Christie. "Control the errors and ensure the breakdown is not left up to the ref to decide," Kiss said. "Do our job there to get the kind of ball we want." Former Reds playmaker James O'Connor will come off the bench for the Crusaders as the 34-year-old strengthens his case for a Wallabies recall. He has played just 328 minutes this year - Lynagh has logged 703 - but been impactful at the late stages with his kicking and decision-making. "He's been brilliant there, hasn't he," Kiss said of O'Connor, who left Ballymore after an injury-riddled 2024. "I can only say good things about James. He was good here ... gone over there and done a similar job. "Good luck to him, just not too much on Friday night." HISTORY AGAINST THE REDS * Lost 13 of past 14 games against Crusaders * Crusaders on a record 16-game finals winning streak dating back to 2016 * Reds' 2024 win the Crusaders' only home loss to Australian opponents in their past 21 games. * Three straight quarter-final losses for Reds and only one score of 25+ points in club's 13 finals appearances
