A round up of today's other stories in brief...
New-look team post fine win
HOCKEY: Ireland's young charges showed the national coach Gene Muller there could be a new dawn on the horizon as they beat France 3-1 in their Celtic Cup opener in Garryduff last night.
With five new faces in the squad, they dominated the first half, scoring goals through 20-year-old Emma Stewart and debutante Michelle Harvey, who crashed in a penalty corner in the 29th minute.
France were given a brief chance to comeback, as ill-discipline saw Shirley McCay and Lisa Jacob sinbinned. Sunita D'Halluim pulled one back against the nine women but a deflection from Jacob from Louisa Moore's cross sealed an impressive win.
In the men's competition Ireland also beat French opposition, Timmy Cockram, Mitch Darling, Stephen Butler, Tim Lewis and Alan Sothern getting the goals in a 5-0 victory.
December date for World Cup draw
RUGBY: The 2011 rugby World Cup draw will take place in London on December 1st, the International Rugby Board (IRB) announced yesterday.
The 20 teams will be drawn into four pools of five. Of that 20, the 12 automatically qualified teams will be put into three bands, dependent on their IRB world ranking on December 1st this year, then drawn randomly into the four pools.
The top four teams in the world will be in band one, teams ranked five to eight will be in band two and those ranked nine to 12 will be in band three.
The remaining eight teams will be put into bands four and five and drawn randomly into the four pools.
As for RWC 2007, the eight qualifier positions will be randomly allocated into the final two bands: Band 4: Oceania 1, Europe 1, Europe 2, Americas 1. Band 5: Africa 1, Asia 1, Americas 2, Play-off place.
Lynch Beijing-bound after good showing in Aachen
EQUESTRIAN: As widely anticipated, Denis Lynch has been nominated as Ireland's individual show-jumping representative at the Olympic Games with the 10-year-old gelding Lantinus, reports Margie McLoone.
Robert Splaine, Horse Sport Ireland's team manager, made the announcement late on Thursday night at Aachen following the German Nations' Cup, where the Irish team had finished sixth of eight, having been lying joint equal third at the halfway stage.
While Tipperary-born Lynch recorded four faults with Flamina Straumann's Lantinus in the first round, he responded to the pressure to go clear at the second attempt, and with their current good form in the Global Champions' Tour, where they top the rankings, their selection for the Olympics would have appeared automatic.
"Tonight's superb clear round was the final confirmation I needed that we have a really top-class combination here that can hold its own with any in the world," said Splaine from the German showgrounds. "Denis and the horse are at the peak of their form, and if they can maintain this until August then Ireland will be very competitive in Hong Kong."
The final line-up of the Irish eventing team for Hong Kong will be announced on Monday following this weekend's international horse trials at Barbury Castle in England. At present in the CIC***, Captain Geoff Curran and Kilkishen lie best of the Irish in fifth place after dressage.
Cragg set for Cork event
ATHLETICS: Alistair Cragg is scheduled to race over 1,500 metres at next week's Cork City Sports. He joins a field that includes the Americans Rob Myers, Chris Solinsky and John Jefferson, Australian champion Mitch Kealey and Adrian Blincoe from New Zealand.
The home challenge also consists of James Nolan, Ciarán Ó Lionárd, Colm Rooney and Kevin Moriarty, and there are athletes from Kenya and India in the line-up.
Still all to sail for at Cowes
SAILING: Britain's Red team extended their overall lead at the Rolex Commodore's Cup at Cowes yesterday as the leaderboard remains unchanged going into the penultimate day of racing this morning, reports David Branigan.
Defending title-holder Gery Trentesaux and France Blue trail by 10 points, while the Ireland Green team are 17.5 behind first place.
Today features a "round the island" course that counts for 50 per cent bonus points, while tomorrow's single-race finale has a double-points allowance, which means the points difference remains close with all to sail for.
Meanwhile, Ireland White, the second squad representing the Irish Cruiser Racer Association, moved up to fourth overall having edged ahead of the Hong Kong boats.
Strong winds are forecast for today and tomorrow, leading to expectations of a possible reversal of standings in the event, for which Ireland entered as favourites having narrowly missed victory in 2004 and 2006.
Formal 'assault' complaint ruled out
RUGBY: The woman at the centre of a sexual assault allegation made against four members of the England rugby union team does not plan to make a formal complaint to the New Zealand police.
In a letter sent to the Rugby Football Union, the woman's solicitors Chapman Tripp also state she is not willing to "deal directly" with the misconduct investigation being undertaken by Twickenham's disciplinary chief Judge Jeff Blackett.
The woman fears a formal complaint would "generate extensive and invasive news media, threaten her privacy and personal life and compound the impact on her of the June 15th sexual violations".
Without a formal complaint from the alleged victim, the New Zealand police cannot take any action against the four England players.
Auckland police have alleged an incident occurred in a room at the team hotel in the early hours of Sunday, June 15th, after England's first Test defeat to New Zealand.
