Saints stun Cats in finals boilover
St Kilda moved to within one victory of its second straight grand final appearance with a gripping four-point upset of Geelong in the second qualifying final at a slippery MCG on Friday night.

Middle distance champ to skip Games
Double European middle distance champion Mohammed Farah pulled out of the Commonwealth Games, citing fatigue after a draining season.

Mariners outclass Victory
Central Coast left a frustrating week behind with a convincing 2-0 A-League win over Melbourne Victory at Bluetongue Stadium on Friday night.

Titans earn home play-off
Gold Coast confirmed a home final with a tight 21-18 victory over Wests Tigers at Robina on Friday evening.

British police quiz Aamer in probe
British police questioned one of three Pakistani cricketers embroiled in betting scam claims, as the ICC said it had suspended the trio because they had a "case to answer".

Raiders dash Broncos' finals dream
The Broncos miss the finals for the first time in 19 seasons as the Raiders seal their spot in the final eight with an 18-16 win in Brisbane.

Williams makes quiet NPC debut
Sonny Bill Williams made a solid but unspectacular New Zealand debut for Canterbury in its 28-9 victory over Bay of Plenty in the national provincial championship in Christchurch on Friday night.

Cheryl and Ashley Cole in quickie divorce
The marriage of X Factor judge and pop singer Cheryl Cole and her England football player husband Ashley has ended in divorce after four years.

India gets doping jolt ahead of Games
Five Indian athletes have returned positive doping tests, hitting the host nation's medal chances at next month's Commonwealth Games.

Titans earn home play-off
Gold Coast confirmed a home final with a tight 21-18 victory over Wests Tigers at Robina on Friday evening.

Raiders dash Broncos' finals dream
The Broncos miss the finals for the first time in 19 seasons as the Raiders seal their spot in the final eight with an 18-16 win in Brisbane.

Coote commits future to Panthers
Exciting young Penrith full-back Lachlan Coote has signed a new four-year NRL contract with the Panthers.

Webb and Maitua join Eels
Parramatta has confirmed the signings of North Queensland prop Carl Webb and former Canterbury and Cronulla back rower Reni Maitua for the 2011 NRL season.

Gallop meets with Storm players
NRL chief executive David Gallop has described his meeting with Melbourne Storm players for the first time since their hefty salary cap penalties as a "worthwhile exercise".

Thumbs down for Bailey
The Gold Coast Titans have suffered a blow ahead of Friday night's clash against West Tigers, with prop Luke Bailey ruled out with a thumb injury.

Hornby a Dragon for life
St George Illawarra skipper Ben Hornby is set to be a Dragon for life with the veteran number 7 re-signing with the NRL minor premiers for another three years.

Wallace cleared to play Raiders
Brisbane has received a late boost for Friday night's do or die showdown with Canberra with half-back Peter Wallace to take his place in the Broncos line-up.

Lower grade league player banned for biting
North Sydney lower grader Mitchell Stevens has been suspended for ten matches after being found guilty of biting following a lengthy hearing at the NSW Rugby League judiciary on Wednesday night.

Williams makes quiet NPC debut
Sonny Bill Williams made a solid but unspectacular New Zealand debut for Canterbury in its 28-9 victory over Bay of Plenty in the national provincial championship in Christchurch on Friday night.

Sharpe over sore ankle
Line-out chief Nathan Sharpe has completed his first full training session with the Wallabies after injuring his ankle in last weekend's loss to South Africa in Pretoria.

Mitchell quits Force for Lions
John Mitchell will take the reins of South Africa-based Super 15 franchise Golden Lions after being granted an early release from the Western Force.

Mitchell expected to part ways with Force
The Western Force is tipped to cut ties with long-time coach John Mitchell this afternoon.

Wallaroos defeated in World Cup semis
Australia's women's rugby team missed out on a chance to play in the World Cup final after a 15-0 loss to England in the semi-final at Twickenham Stoop in London.

Injury scare over Giteau
Wallabies medical staff are confident star centre Matt Giteau is in no doubt for this weekend's Tri-Nations Test against South Africa after he rolled his ankle at training.

Wallabies drop three forwards
The Wallabies have overhauled their starting pack for Sunday morning's (AEST) Tri-Nations Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein.

Rotations on the menu for Reds
Queensland Reds coach Ewen McKenzie will attempt to combat an expanded Super 15 with a rotation policy that may extend all the way to dynamic duo Will Genia and Quade Cooper.

Wallabies job an eye-opener for Deans
A former colleague says there is no doubt Robbie Deans' move from the Crusaders' winning culture to a struggling period in Australian rugby has been a "big eye-opener" for the Wallabies coach.

Mariners outclass Victory
Central Coast left a frustrating week behind with a convincing 2-0 A-League win over Melbourne Victory at Bluetongue Stadium on Friday night.

Cheryl and Ashley Cole in quickie divorce
The marriage of X Factor judge and pop singer Cheryl Cole and her England football player husband Ashley has ended in divorce after four years.

I'm no cheat: Perez
Central Coast import Patricio Perez admits he briefly thought about returning to Argentina after being labelled a diver but insists he is no cheat and is excited about making his mark in the A-League.

Samba flair boosts Roar
Ange Postecoglou will add another dimension to Brisbane Roar by starting Brazilian Reinaldo and unveiling Costa Rican Jean Carlos Solorzano against Newcastle Jets.

Socceroos focus brings Djite home
While most Australian players still see the path to Socceroos selection paved smoother overseas, Bruce Djite rates his A-League return as crucial to his international dreams.

Aloisi ready for Heart debut
Former Socceroo John Aloisi is set to make his first appearance for the Melbourne Heart, but the club has decided against risking Michael Beauchamp in its A-League clash with North Queensland at AAMI Park on Saturday.

Osieck goes into bat for McDonald
New Socceroos coach Holger Osieck has thrown his support behind recalled striker Scott McDonald before Saturday morning's friendly against Switzerland in St Gallen.

Gold Coast signs Socceroo striker Djite
A-League club Gold Coast United has signed Australian international striker Bruce Djite as a replacement for Shane Smeltz, officials said on Thursday.

Mariners won't fight diving ban
Central Coast Mariners have decided against taking legal action over the controversial A-League suspension imposed on Argentine import Patricio Perez for simulation.

British police quiz Aamer in probe
British police questioned one of three Pakistani cricketers embroiled in betting scam claims, as the ICC said it had suspended the trio because they had a "case to answer".

Suspended 'fixers' facing life bans
Three Pakistan cricketers embroiled in a betting scandal are facing possible life bans after being charged by the ICC.

'Shattered' Onions out of Ashes
Graham Onions says he is shattered after his slim hopes of featuring in England's defence of the Ashes in Australia later this year were crushed due to injury.

Pakistan stars protest innocence in fix probe
The three Pakistan cricketers at the centre of a betting scandal request their release from the squad and maintain their innocence.

Match-fixers deserve no mercy: Warne
Shane Warne urges the ICC to impose lifetime bans on any cricketer found to be involved in match-fixing.

Hazlewood, George to tour India
Phil Hughes has returned from a dislocated shoulder while Peter George and Josh Hazlewood will add a green tinge to the pace attack for the Australian Test tour of India.

Pietersen apologises for Twitter outburst
Kevin Pietersen has apologised for his furious reaction to England's decision to leave him out of the one-day squads to face Pakistan.

Gough blasts 'pathetic' Pietersen axing
Darren Gough has blasted the decision to axe out-of-sorts Kevin Pietersen from England's squad for their upcoming limited overs matches as "absolutely pathetic".

Pakistan stars depart for betting scam probe
Three Pakistan players embroiled in betting scam allegations have headed to London to face questioning which is almost certain to sideline them from the team's tour of England.

Saints stun Cats in finals boilover
St Kilda moved to within one victory of its second straight grand final appearance with a gripping four-point upset of Geelong in the second qualifying final at a slippery MCG on Friday night.

Baker out as Saints, Cats make changes
St Kilda tagger Steven Baker will have to wait for his return from a long AFL suspension after becoming a late withdrawal from Friday night's qualifying final against Geelong.

Ebert enjoying rapid recovery
Port Adelaide's Brett Ebert is remarkably cycling within two weeks of having a knee reconstruction.

Omitted Yarran backs Blues attack
Carlton's mission at the start of the season boiled down to two challenges - scoring goals consistently without Brendan Fevola and then winning in the finals.

Roos tips trio to face Blues
Sydney coach Paul Roos is confident Shane Mumford, Tadhg Kennelly and AFL Rising Star winner Dan Hannebery will return from injury for Sunday's elimination final against Carlton.

No September excuses, says Swan
Brownlow Medal favourite Dane Swan is back to full fitness and has set himself for a big finals campaign.

Freo stand by tough Hasleby call
Fremantle has defended its decision to drop retiring veteran Paul Hasleby for Saturday's elimination final against the Hawks at Subiaco Oval.

Lions appoint two new directors
The Brisbane Lions have appointed two new directors in the wake of former chairman Tony Kelly standing down from the AFL club's board.

Lucas to help Bombers pick new coach
Essendon has drafted club stalwart Scott Lucas onto a panel to select a replacement for dumped head coach Matthew Knights.

Webber: Spa 'changed the landscape' of title battle
With title protagonists Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button all failing to score at Spa, Mark Webber argues the Belgian GP may just have been a watershed in F1 2010.

Loss-making Spa-still musing race-share with Nürburgring
The Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps - arguably the most popular race on the F1 calendar - may in future have to alternate with the Nürburgring due to persistent financial losses.

Mosley warns there may be trouble ahead for 'fragile' F1
Former FIA President Max Mosley has conceded that disgraced 'Singapore-gate' protagonist Flavio Briatore could soon return to F1 - but warns of difficulties ahead for the sport's management.

'Impetuous' Vettel told: One more error, title is gone!
'Crash kid' Sebastian Vettel has been told to 'stay calm and focussed' by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner - as Niki Lauda warns him his F1 title hopes are hanging by a thread...

Button: Vettel fast - but too erratic to be champion
Jenson Button admits that he is more positive about his F1 title bid, but claims that rival Sebastian Vettel makes too many mistakes to be a threat.

Rossi 'not 100 per cent' but hoping to please fans
While he admits he isn't yet 100 per cent, Valentino Rossi is expecting to gain extra motivation from performing in front of his home crowd at Misano.

Momentum on Pedrosa's side heading to Misano
Fresh from improving his personal best to three wins in a season at Indianapolis, Dani Pedrosa has an immediate chance to make it four at Misano.

Lorenzo focused on Misano podium
Jorge Lorenzo targets another podium finish as he continues to control the MotoGP World Championship.

Pedrosa crosses two-win barrier in style
It's almost certainly come too late to mount a title challenge, but Dani Pedrosa finally broke his two wins in a season barrier at Indianapolis on Sunday.

Ben Spies soaks up home podium glory
Ben Spies proved just why he will take Valentino Rossi's vacant factory Yamaha ride next season as he led a MotoGP race on his way to a best ever second place.

Courtney extends winning run
James Courtney extends his winning run in the V8 Supercar Championship with another win at Winton

McConville returns
Cameron McConville will contest this weekend's Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series round at Winton Motor Raceway with a 'rekindled passion for racing'.

Hamilton secures new V8 deal
V8 Supercars Australia and the Hamilton City Council have agreed to a new seven year contract to jointly manage the successful ITM400, New Zealand's largest annual sporting event.

City of Ipswich 300 - Race results (2)
Jim Beam Racing's James Courtney completes a clean sweep at the City of Ipswich 300 and wins the second race of the weekend.

City of Ipswich 300 - Race results (1)
James Courtney has broken Ford's win-less streak in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series after dominating today's Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway.

IRC: Kopecky set for victory on Zlin
Jan Kopecky and co-driver Petr Stary are on course to repeat their Barum Czech Rally Zlin victory of 2009 after completing the opening, rain-hit leg of the IRC counter with a lead of 28.2s.

VW eyes WRC entry
Volkswagen reveals that it could make a move into the WRC as early as 2013

Richard Burns Foundation boost Headway
The Richard Burns Foundation raises more than 40,000 for Headway Tunbridge Wells and District

IRC: McRae Vision makes donation prior to Zlin
Colin McRae Vision has used its partnership with the IRC to make a substantial donation to a charity based in Zlin, where round nine of the IRC is taking place this weekend.

IRC: Loix expects tough fight on Zlin
Freddy Loix has conceded that his bid to make it three wins from three starts in this season's Intercontinental Rally Challenge will be a tall order.

Biaggi refusing to ‘settle for points'
Max Biaggi keeps the 2010 World Superbike title at the back of his mind as he heads to the Nurburgring focused only on returning to winning ways.

Haslam out to keep pressure on Biaggi
Leon Haslam thinks back to his 2009 performance on the Stiggy Honda as he bids to win his first World Superbike race since Kyalami at the Nurburgring.

Haga: Forgetting 2009, remembering 2008
Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio eye a boost for soon-to-depart Ducati around the Nurburgring.

Lowry prepares for WSBK debut
Ian Lowry tests for Kawasaki ahead of his first World Superbike outing at the Nurburgring.

Ex-GP racer Lai to make WSBK debut
Fabrizio Lai takes up the vacant seat at Echo CRS Honda following Broc Parkes's decision to quit.

FA: Genoa snaps up pacesetter.
Dane Cameron locked up by impressed team.

FA: Cameron quickest again.
Star Mazda graduate leaves pack trailing in Spring Training test.

FA: Cameron takes opening day at Laguna.
Rookie wastes no time in stamping mark on feeder series.

FA: Teams get set for Laguna test.
Champ Car Atlantic crews continue preparations.

Champ Car files for bankruptcy.
Series owners file for bankruptcy as end of Champ Car draws closer.

Katsidis the real deal
For those of us still trying to get rid of the bitter taste left by the Danny Green/Paul Briggs fiasco, the news Australian boxer Michael Katsidis will fight Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez on November 27 for the world lightweight title was welcome.

Hatton coy on comeback
Popular English boxer Ricky Hatton has decided to hang up his gloves, but he hasn't completely ruled out a comeback.

Silver Ferns bounce back
The Silver Ferns turned the tables on Australia with a comprehensive 59-40 win in the second netball test in Wellington on Thursday night, levelling the series at 1-all.

Fanning on track in Tahiti
Reigning ASP world champion Mick Fanning remains in the hunt for his first title of the year after the Australian advanced to the fourth round of the Billabong Pro Tahiti on Wednesday.

Hockeyroos thump India
The Hockeyroos have continued their impressive start to the World Cup in Argentina with a 6-3 thumping of India on Wednesday.

Holyfield wants title shot
Former world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has declared he wants to fight WBA holder David Haye or one of the Klitschko brothers.

Titans hold Tigers
An opportunist’s field goal by Mat Rogers in the 28th minute proved a bridge too far for the Wests Tigers who were defeated 21-18 by the Gold Coast Titans at Skilled Park on Friday night.

Raiders outlast Broncos
The Canberra Raiders have continued their impressive run to the finals after surviving a late comeback to run out eventual 18-16 winners over the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

Barrett content
Departing Cronulla captain Trent Barrett admits it 'would have been nice' to win an NRL premiership but says he's leaving the game with no regrets.

Anasta slams Tigers
Braith Anasta has labelled the Wests Tigers' decision to employ security guards to keep the Roosters out of the Sydney Football Stadium as 'stupid' and 'paranoid'.

Panthers re-sign Coote
Penrith have received a boost on the eve on their match with Cronulla with local junior Lachlan Coote signing a new deal with the club that will see him remain at the Panthers until the end of the 2014 season.

Titans lose Bailey
Gold Coast Titans have been forced into a reshuffle with inaugural captain Luke Bailey ruled out of Friday night's vital clash with Wests Tigers at Skilled Park.

Habana can recover
South Africa assistant coach Dick Muir has backed winger Bryan Habana to recover from his recent slump in form in the near future.

Mitchell: Signs are good
Drew Mitchell believes all the signs are there for Australia to claim victory over South Africa and is hoping their plans will finally come together when the two meet in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

No Wallabies for Palu
Wycliff Palu won’t be coming to the Wallabies' rescue any time soon, with the destructive No 8 rating himself no chance of making next month's end-of-season tour of Europe.

Preview: Springboks v Wallabies
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sun September 5, 1:00am (AEST)

Mitchell leaves Force
Former All Blacks coach John Mitchell will leave the Western Force immediately in order to join Super 15 rivals the Lions in time for the 2011 season.

Deans drops three
Robbie Deans has made three changes to Australia's squad for their Tri-Nations clash with South Africa on Sunday.

Mariners sink Victory
The Central Coast Mariners have recorded their second win of the season thanks to two goals from Rostyn Griffiths and Daniel McBreen, which handed the home side a 2-0 win over Melbourne Victory at Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford on Friday night.

Roar look to the road
Ange Postecoglou says the Roar have proven themselves at home with two first-up wins, and this weekend away to Newcastle they will be going full throttle to prove that they can be just as formidable on the road.

Cornthwaite back in the mix
Adelaide United coach Rini Coolen has called up Robert Cornthwaite to face Sydney FC Saturday night, but said he will be keeping the same starting XI that ran out onto the pitch in the 3-2 win against North Queensland Fury last week.

Fury's young stars
North Queensland captain Ufuk Talay says the Fury has the capacity to dominate polling in this season’s A-League Young Player of the Year award.

Glory sweat on trio
Perth Glory coach Dave Mitchell will be giving Andy Todd, Jamie Harnwell and Mile Sterjovski until the last minute to prove their fitness for Sunday's clash with Wellington at nib Stadium.

Beauchamp ruled out
Melbourne Heart's hopes of opening their Hyundai A-League win account have suffered a blow with Michael Beauchamp ruled out of Saturday's game against North Queensland because of his ankle injury.

ICC ban Pakistan trio
The three Pakistan cricketers at the head of the spot-fixing scandal in England have been suspended by the International Cricket Council.

Onions out of Ashes
England bowler Graham Onions has been ruled out of the Ashes series in Australia after opting to have surgery in a bid to rescue his career.

Kapil wants Imran
Former India captain Kapil Dev wants Imran Khan to take the reins of Pakistan cricket in the wake of the spot-fixing allegations.

Hazlewood's NSW nod
Boom teenager Josh Hazlewood has credited the exceptional fast-bowling environment within the New South Wales camp as the catalyst behind his meteoric rise to the Australian Test squad.

Warne: Zero tolerance
Australian spin bowling legend Shane Warne says he agrees with calls for life bans for anyone found guilty of match fixing.

Hazlewood Test call-up
New South Wales fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has received a shock call-up to the Australian Test squad to tour India next month, along with South Australia quick Peter George.

Saints stagger home
St Kilda have won their way through to a preliminary final and condemned Geelong to the hard road in defence of their premiership, with a thrilling and controversial four-point win at the MCG on Friday night.

Swans' form timely
Departing Sydney coach Paul Roos admits he could never have predicted his side's dramatic form reversal which saw them finish the regular season in fifth spot as one of the hottest teams in the competition.

Baker out, Byrnes in
Hard man Steven Baker, who was set to resume hostilities with Cats forward Steve Johnson, has pulled out of the Saints line-up along with Jarryn Geary.

Pies oozing confidence
They may have been less than convincing in the past fortnight but Collingwood are still oozing confidence ahead of their Qualifying Final against the Western Bulldogs.

Blues' clearance focus
The last time Carlton met Sydney, the Swans jumped them early and cantered away to the easiest of victories and the Blues are desperate to avoid a repeat scenario in their elimination final at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.

Lucas to help find Bombers coach
Former Essendon player Scott Lucas will help choose the club's next coach after he was named on a three-man selection panel on Friday.

Alonso not giving up
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso says he can still win this year's Formula One championship despite sitting 41 points behind leader Lewis Hamilton.

Lorenzo's championship to lose
Dani Pedrosa will be buoyed by his win at Indy last weekend but this year's MotoGP title is still Jorge Lorenzo's to lose.

Hayden re-signs
America's Nicky Hayden has re-signed with Ducati for the next two MotoGP seasons, pairing him with reigning world champion Valentino Rossi.

McLaren won't play favourites
Lewis Hamilton is convinced he will not receive any preferential treatment from McLaren despite opening up a significant lead over team-mate Jenson Button following Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

Vettel still confident on title
Sebastian Vettel is adamant he can still win this year's Formula One world title despite throwing away yet more points.

Pedrosa takes Indy GP
Spain's Dani Pedrosa took his third MotoGP win of the season on Sunday at the Indianapolis Grand Prix. Australian Casey Stoner crashed out early in the race.

Jackson named MVP
Australian basketball player Lauren Jackson has been named the 2010 WNBA Most Valuable Player for the third time.

Boomers beat Angola
The Boomers have defeated their former bogey team Angola at the World Championships in Turkey, 76-55, to finish third in Group A and advance to a second-round clash with Slovenia on Sunday.

Kiwis make knockouts
New Zealand has sealed a prestigious place in the last 16 of the basketball World Championships with victory over winless Canada in Turkey on Thursday.

Serbia bounce Boomers
Australia will need to defeat Angola in their final group game of the 2010 FIBA World Championships if they are to progress to the second round after the Boomers suffered a 93-79 loss to Serbia on Wednesday night.

Turkey remain undefeated
Host nation Turkey beat Greece 76-65 to remain undefeated at the FIBA basketball world championships at Ankara on Tuesday.

First win for Tall Blacks
Having watched his Lebanon team get beaten 108-76 by his former New Zealand side, coach Tab Baldwin described the Tall Blacks' effort as 'possibly the best' he had ever seen.

Bookie knocks Speed Gifted
Speed Gifted has been the big shortener ahead of Saturday's Group Two Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington with heavy overnight rain predicted in Melbourne.

Spring over for Shamoline
Mark Kavanagh's prospects of another memorable spring have taken a hit with his promising four-year-old Shamoline Warrior ruled out of the spring.

Hurdle racing saved
Hurdle racing is set to continue in Victoria for at least another two years, however the future of steeplechases hangs in the balance after Racing Victoria Limited admitted it has concerns over the safety of races over the bigger obstacles.

Shocking slugged 6kg
2009 winner Shocking has drifted in betting for the Melbourne Cup and October's Caulfield Cup after being slugged an extra 6kg when Cup weights were released on Wednesday.

Northerly into Hall of Fame
Western Australian champion Northerly has been honoured by being inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

Golden start for Toorak Toff
Toorak Toff has opened the spring racing season in style by winning the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Manassero takes lead
Teenage sensation Matteo Manassero leads the field at the European Masters in Crans-Montana after shooting a seven-under-par 64 on Thursday.

Woods' wait nearly over
Only four weeks until the Ryder Cup and still golf fans do not know for sure whether Tiger Woods is going to be there.

Tiger revival turns to Boston
All eyes will be on a resurgent Tiger Woods as the FedEx Cup continues with the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston on Thursday.

Kuchar edges Laird at Barclays
American Matt Kuchar needed a thrilling playoff to defeat Martin Laird to win the US PGA Tour's Barclays event in New Jersey.

Day loses lead
Tiger Woods tumbled down the leaderboard at The Barclays on Saturday, with a one-over 73 third round leaving him nine strokes off the pace.

Aussies flying in Thailand
A trio of Australians are well in the hunt to claim the Thailand Open after the tournament's third round on Saturday.

Federer into third round
World No.2 Roger Federer cruised past Germany's Andreas Beck to book his ticket to the third round at the US Open.

Sharapova breezes through
Russian 14th seed Maria Sharapova cruised into the third round of the US Open with a 6-1 6-2 win over Iveta Benesova in little over an hour on Thursday.

Wozniacki strolls through
Caroline Wozniacki strolled into the third round of the US Open with a comprehensive 6-0 6-0 victory over Chang Kai-Chen on Thursday.

Roddick bundled out
Former champion Andy Roddick has been bundled out of the US Open in the second round after he lost to Serb Janko Tipsarevic in four sets.

Stosur marches on
Australian Samantha Stosur has cruised into the third round of the US Open with a comfortable straight sets win over compatriot Anastasia Rodionova on Wednesday.

Azarenka taken to hospital
No.10 seed Victoria Azarenka was taken to hospital after collapsing on court in dramatic scenes at the US Open on Wednesday.