Sports

Lock Jake Ball and flanker Justin Tipuric have been ruled out of Wales' final autumn Test against South Africa on Saturday through injury. Ball requires shoulder surgery after the 26-year-old was forced off in the defeat last Saturday by…

New Zealand side Canterbury have held talks with Ben Stokes after the England all-rounder was seen at Heathrow airport on Monday. Stokes, 26, is not part of England's Ashes tour after being arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm in…

Captain Dylan Hartley remains head coach Eddie Jones' first-choice hooker, despite being left out of Saturday's match against Samoa at Twickenham. Hartley drops to the bench as Jamie George get his first start, while flanker Chris…

Michael Joyce, who was a major part of Maria Sharapova's team for six years, has emerged as a strong contender to coach Johanna Konta. BBC Sport understands that Britain's world number nine was seen in discussion with Joyce at The All…

The Women's Tennis Association said Novotna, who had cancer, "died peacefully, surrounded by her family". The Czech player had lost in the Wimbledon final in 1993 and 1997 before winning the Grand Slam tournament when she beat Nathalie…

Australia will look to "open up a few scars" when the Ashes series against England gets under way in Brisbane on Thursday, says Josh Hazlewood. England hold the Ashes after a 3-2 home win in 2015, but were whitewashed 5-0 on their last…

A Paris court has ordered former French Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot to pay 12,000 euros (拢10,700; $14,000) to tennis star Rafael Nadal over a doping allegation. Nadal sued her for damages, saying her comments were harmful to his…

Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov thrashed Belgian seventh seed David Goffin at London's O2 Arena to make it through to the last four on his ATP finals debut. Sixth seed Dimitrov made it two wins out of two in the Pete Sampras Group with a 6-0…

A Russian boycott of February's Winter Olympics would "damage athletes", says World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) president Sir Craig Reedie. Wada said on Thursday that Russia remains non-compliant with its code, but clean Russians may…

Mark Stoneman struck England's first century of the Ashes tour on the second day of their final warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville. Opener Stoneman made 111 to help the tourists to 337-3, a lead of 87. READ…

France will host the 2023 Rugby World Cup after beating rival bids from South Africa and Ireland. South Africa had been expected to win the vote after an independent review recommended they stage the tournament. READ MORE:…

Chris Woakes took six wickets as England were made to field all day by a Cricket Australia XI in their final Ashes warm-up match. Woakes (6-54) took four wickets for eight runs either side of lunch to help reduce CA XI to 118-5, but the…

When Carlo Tavecchio, the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), announced the appointment of Giampiero Ventura as Antonio Conte's successor he promised they would make history together. A little over a year later, they…

Somerset spinner Jack Leach says he is now a stronger bowler after going through the "dark time" of remodelling his bowling action. Leach was not considered for England's tour of India last year after failing tests at England's…

Tim Gudgin, formerly the voice of BBC television's Saturday tea-time football results, has died aged 87. Gudgin retired in 2011, a week before his 82nd birthday, to end a career lasting more than 60 years. READ MORE:…