A round-up of today's other stories in brief
RFU ban Seveali'i for two weeks
RUGBY: London Irish's Elvis Seveali'i has been banned for two weeks for a dangerous tackle on Bath's Sam Vesty in a recent English Premiership match.
The centre was cited following the encounter at the Recreation Ground on September 11th and he pleaded guilty before an RFU disciplinary panel yesterday.
“Elvis Seveali’i of London Irish was suspended for two weeks for lifting Bath Rugby’s Sam Vesty and dropping or driving his head and/or upper body first into the ground while he was off his feet,” read an RFU statement.
Seveali’i is suspended from Saturday, September 16th – the date of an internal suspension by London Irish – until September 29th.
TV deal for Masters announced
GOLF: Next year's US Masters will be broadcast on both the BBC and Sky Sports, it was announced yesterday. Sky Sports will broadcast all four rounds of the tournament live, as well as Wednesday's par-three contest, while the BBC will show live coverage at the weekend.
Billy Payne, chairman of Augusta National, also revealed there will be an extra hour of live coverage broadcast on Thursday and Friday.
“Since our first telecast of the Masters in 1956 we have carefully maintained a tradition of high-quality programming within an appropriate broadcast window,” Payne said.
Sky Sports’ coverage will also be available in 3D with 3D-capable televisions.
Evans's ankle injury not serious
RUGBY: The Ospreys have received a boost with the news secondrow Ian Evans's ankle injury is not as serious as first feared. The 25-year-old fell awkwardly after a lineout in the Welsh region's 22-10 Magners League defeat at Munster on Saturday, and received lengthy treatment on the field.
Fears that the 12-cap forward may be facing another spell on the sidelines have been eased after an MRI scan.
Options open for Nicholas Abbey
RACING: Europe's champion two-year-old of 2009 St Nicholas Abbey holds an entry in Friday week's Group Three Diamond Stakes at Dundalk but Aidan O'Brien reports there are still no firm plans for the colt, writes Brian O'Connor.
St Nicholas Abbey hasn’t been seen in action since flopping in May’s 2,000 Guineas but worked after racing at the Curragh 10 days ago, following which O’Brien didn’t rule out an appearance towards the backend of the season.
As well as the Dundalk race, the spectacular Racing Post Trophy winner is also entered in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket a fortnight later and is as low as 16 to 1 with Paddy Power for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. “St Nicholas Abbey is tipping away but we haven’t picked a race for him yet,” O’Brien said. However English-based trainer Gerard Butler is aiming Dansant at the Diamond Stakes and victory could earn the horse a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky.
Mickelson closing in on Woods's number one spot
GOLF: Tiger Woods could have lost his world number one spot by the time he flies to Wales with the rest of the American Ryder Cup side on Sunday night – and there is nothing he can do about it.
Phil Mickelson defends the Tour Championship in Atlanta this week knowing that finishing first or second will enable him to take top spot in the rankings for the first time.
Woods failed to qualify for the 30-man event, which offers a first prize of €1 million in addition to the €7.5 million that will be handed to the overall winner of the FedEx Cup play-off series.
Paul Casey, left out of Europe’s side, is currently fifth in the cup standings and will scoop the jackpot if he wins the tournament.
Luke Donald, who will be at Celtic Manor next week, Justin Rose and Martin Laird are also taking part.
Navy-Notre Dame game at Aviva
AMERICAN FOOTBALL: Aviva Stadium will host the 86th playing of the Navy-Notre Dame game on September 1st, 2012. The two colleges previously played their fixture in Ireland in 1996 when Notre Dame triumphed 54-27 in Croke Park. It is the longest continuous intersectional rivalry in college football with the two schools having met every year since 1927. The 84th meeting between the two schools will take place on Saturday, October 23rd, at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutheford, NJ. Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk, said: "To see this stadium is to believe it has to be one of the finest venues in the world," said Gladchuk. "Although modest in capacity, few stadiums anywhere have attended to the detail, aesthetics and fan comfort found at Aviva. I guarantee those who travel to Ireland and attend this event will enjoy an experience that will be awesome and a memory not to be forgotten."
