Today's other sports digest
O'Sullivan sees the future of snooker
SNOOKER: Snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan labelled the World Championship "boring" as he launched an action-packed version of the game aimed at revolutionising the sport.
Created by Rod Gunner and fully endorsed by World Snooker chief Barry Hearn, “Power Snooker” is seen as a chance to make the sport more exciting to a younger audience.
Power Snooker is a radical departure from the orthodox game, with matches lasting just half-an-hour and where points count instead of frames won. O’Sullivan could not contain his excitement as he spoke at the launch yesterday.
“I’ve got to be honest, I find the World Championship really boring,” said O’Sullivan. “I’ve won it three times but 17 days in Sheffield is draining. People just want to pitch up and play.
“This is the future of snooker. It is just that a few people have got to get their heads around it. We are not stuck in the 1970s anymore.”
Schumacher plans to stay racing and start winning
FORMULA ONE: Michael Schumacher will stay in Formula One next season despite struggling during his comeback after three years in retirement. When asked to confirm whether he will race for Mercedes in 2011 the seven-time world champion replied simply: "Yes."
On the eve of his home grand prix at Hockenheim the German went on to elaborate, saying his intention when he came back at the start of the season was to win the world championship and that this had not changed. “That is my focus and that is what I am here for,” he said.
In 10 starts this season Schumacher has managed a best finish of fourth on two occasions and failed to score points four times. Most tellingly, the 41-year-old has been out-performed by his young team-mate, Nico Rosberg.
“To be out three years and start where I finished in a car that doesn’t allow me to do it, is unrealistic,” he said. “I enjoy most of it, this process. There are ups and downs and that is part of motor sport.”
Floody chalks up first win
EQUESTRIAN:John Floody recorded his first win in the Showjumping Ireland Premier series when winning the Stonebridge Horse Feeds-sponsored leg at Balmoral yesterday afternoon on Michael Smith's Lakehill Cruiser.
Eleven combinations got through to the jump-off round and, second last to take on the shortened track with the Cruising gelding, Floody set a time of 36.86.
His display managed to put some serious pressure on Conor Swail who was up on the clock at the finish but had picked up four faults when Peninsula Kheelan lowered the big red oxer at the halfway stage.
The series continues this weekend at the two-star international show at Tattersalls.
Abroad, the Global Champions’ Tour moves on to Chantilly in France where Ireland will be represented by Jessica Kuerten, Denis Lynch and Billy Twomey. At present Kuerten is ranked fourth in the Global Champions’ leaderboard while Twomey is 21st and Lynch 33rd.
Connacht land Willis
RUGBY:Connacht Rugby have bolstered their squad with the addition of scrumhalf Cillian Willis, who played for Ireland at U-19 and U-21 level after coming through the Leinster academy.
He has spent the last two years playing for Ulster and joins Connacht as coach Eric Elwood puts the finishing touches to his squad for the upcoming Magners League. The 25-year-old former Blackrock College student played for UCD before making his Leinster debut in 2006.
Ponting leads Australian fightback
CRICKET: Captain Ricky Ponting led a gritty Australian fightback on the second day of the second Test against Pakistan yesterday.
Ponting steered his team to 136 for two at the close, just 34 runs behind Pakistan who bowled out the Australians for 88 on the first day at Headingley.
Ponting, who scored his first Test century on the same ground, made an unbeaten 61 and shared a stand of 81 with Michael Clarke (32 not out) after swing bowler Shane Watson had checked Pakistans progress with Test-best figures of six for 33.
Australia did not lose a wicket in a final session curtailed by bad light to revive hopes of registering an eighth-straight Test victory and Ponting became the second man to reach 12,000 Test runs with a boundary to third man off Mohammad Aamer
