SPORTS DIGEST/Rugby: Three new test competitions and three international provincial competitions were launched yesterday in a $53 million initiative to boost worldwide rugby.
The three-year plan of governing body, the International Rugby Board (IRB), is focused on elite player development in rugby's seven 'tier two' nations - Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Canada, Japan, Romania and the U.S.
"This is an historic day - it's an unprecedented investment in rugby," said IRB chairman Syd Millar at a press briefing in Cape Town following an IRB executive committee meeting.
The new international tournaments combine the tier two nations with the second teams of the game's 10 leading countries.
"We have one aim and that is to make rugby more competitive," said IRB chief executive Mike Miller. "We want to make sure that more countries can win the Rugby World Cup."
The IRB plan a 'Pacific Six Nations' in which Australia 'A' and a Junior All Blacks will compete against Japan, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.
The existing Churchill Cup will be expanded to include Canada, USA, Argentina 'A', England 'A' and other national 'A' teams from the Celtic unions, France and Italy.
A third international tournament pits Romania against South Africa 'A' and 'A' teams from the balance of the Celtic unions, France and Italy.
The provincial tournaments are: The Pacific League (two representative regional teams from each of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga); the North America 6 (three representative regional teams from each of Canada and the USA); and the South America 8 (six Argentinian representative regional teams and one representative team from each of Chile and Uruguay).
A Romanian side will also be included in the European Challenge Cup club competition.
The new competitions are planned to start in 2006 although the establishment of the infrastructure may delay the start of others until 2007, said Miller.
BASKETBALL: The Irish men's squad for next month's European championship qualifiers has been finalised by head coach Gerry Fitzpatrick, reports Gavin Cummiskey.
They have just returned from a five-day training camp in New Jersey ahead of their first match against Malta on September 5th in Tallaght. The squad includes Dublin-born Pat Burke, who recently signed a two-year deal with the Phoenix Suns.
IRELAND: Jay Laranaga (co-captain), Dan Callaghan (co-captain), Marty Conlon (co-captain), Lorcan Precious, Justen Naughton, Pat Burke, Conor Grace, Chris Bracey, Danny Mills, Cal Bodwler, Jim Moran, Mike Bree. Coach: Gerry Fitzpatrick. Assistant coaches: Roger Kelleher and Joe Boylan. Athletic trainer: Randy Dillon. General manager: Sean O'Reilly.
BOXING: Ireland's bid for gold in the European Junior (under-19) Championships ended at the penultimate stage in Tallinn, Estonia yesterday when St Michael's Athy light weight John Joe Joyce had to be satisfied with bronze, reports Pat Roche.
Ukranian Andirtly Luklynchuk ended Joyce's chances of winning silver or gold in the second round of a lop-sided semi-final when he forged ahead to attain victory through the 20 points rule.
