TENNIS: Munster's Conor Niland and Leinster's Stephen Nugent, two great rivals since their careers began, are seeded to meet in the final of the David Lloyd National Indoor Senior Open championships, which start at Riverview today, reports Pat Roche.
Niland has already gained full Davis Cup recognition while Nugent is on the brink of a similar breakthrough. He went close last year against John Doran when he served for a final place but, with victory imminent, Nugent broke his ankle and was forced to retire.
That three-hour also took its toll on Doran, who subsequently pulled out of the final against Peter Clarke with severe stomach muscle strain.
Davis Cup men Scott Barron (injured) and Clarke (ATP tour) are unavailable but the dark horses abound, not least Nick Malone, Seβn Cooper, David O'Connell, the Taylor brothers Conor and Stephen, and former national under-18 champion Nelson Boyle of Larne.
Top-seed Elsa O'Riain (19), now a full-time professional, aims to recapture the women's title. Munster players dominate the seedings with Limerick's Gina Niland and Tipperary's Clodagh McMorrow figuring behind Anne Marie Hogan.
CRICKET: A game plan by Australia coach John Buchanan has fallen into the wrong hands for the third time in a year.
Australia's synopsis of how to get the better of South African fast bowler Allan Donald in the ongoing Test series was pushed under the door of a journalist staying in the team hotel in Melbourne.
It is the third time an Australian document, presumably intended for team use only, has been pushed under the wrong door and follows similar incidents on tours of New Zealand and England this year.
The memo gives a detailed breakdown of how the Australian batsmen can combat the threat of Donald - on his last tour with the Proteas - and lists his strengths and weaknesses. The incident provided the main talking point on a rain-affected opening day of the second Test at Melbourne.
South Africa, hoping to level their three-Test "world champion" series after losing the first Test, reached the end of day one on 89 for three off 40 overs after being put in by Australian captain Steve Waugh.
There were doubts over Donald's fitness up until yesterday morning when he passed a test on a toe injury which kept him out of the first Test defeat in Adelaide. It is Donald's fitness problems which dominate what Australia perceive as his weaknesses.
RUGBY: Wasps coach Nigel Melville has cautioned Lawrence Dallaglio against taking part in this season's Six Nations campaign.
The former England skipper is still two months away from recovering full fitness after a cruciate operation during the summer. Melville does not believe his number eight should be considered by England manager Clive Woodward, because he feels Dallaglio will not be ready for the intense combat he would face.
"Lawrence has had a very serious knee injury," Melville said . "You don't recover from that in five minutes. He won't start playing with us until late January or early February at the earliest.
