Super League & Super Rugby

Super League

Thursday

Leeds Rhinos 12-31 Huddersfield


Friday

Hull FC 34-10 Warrington Wolves
St Helens 28-6 Leigh Centurions

Saturday

Castleford Tigers 54-4 Wigan Warriors

Sunday

Salford Red Devils 30-10 Widnes Vikings
Wakefield Trinity 30-10 Catalans Dragons

Betway Premier League Week 13

James Wade 7-4 Adrian Lewis
Dave Chisnall 6-6 MVG
Phil Taylor 3-7 Peter Wright
Gary Anderson 7-4 RVB
Adrian Lewis 0-7 MVG

Super League & Super Rugby

Super League

Friday

Widnes Vikings 16-14 St Helens

Saturday

Warrington Wolves 22-20 Wakefield Trinity

Sunday

Hull FC 26-24 Castleford Tigers

Wigan Warriors 42-22 Catalans Dragons

Betway Premier League Week 12

Dave Chisnall 7-3 Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor 7-4 Gary Anderson
Peter Wright 7-3 James Wade
MVG 7-2 RVB
Dave Chisnall 7-2 Phil Taylor

Super League Round 10

Wakefield Trinity 10-16 Wigan Warriors
Leeds Rhinos 42-22 Widnes Vikings
Leigh Centurions 10-24 Hull FC
St Helens 26-22 Castleford Tigers
Warrington Wolves 26-24 Huddersfield
Catalans Dragons 38-6 Salford Red Devils

Super League Round 9 & Super Rugby Round 8

Super League

(WED) Huddersfield 22-29 Catalans Dragons

(THU) Widnes Vikings 10-19 Warrington Wolves

(FRI) Wigan Warriors 29-18 St Helens 

         Castleford Tigers 42-24 Wakefield Trinity
         Hull FC 24-52 Leeds Rhinos 

         Salford Red Devils 12-6 Leigh Centurions

Betway Premier League Week 11

Gary Anderson 6-6 Dave Chisnall
MVG 6-6 Peter Wright
Adrian Lewis 7-4 RVB
Phil Taylor 5-7 James Wade
Peter Wright 2-7 Gary Anderson 

2017 Masters Round 4

*Garcia wins on a play-off hole

-9: Rose, Garcia*
-6: Schwartzel
-5: Kuchar, Pieters
-4: Casey
-3: Chappell, McIlroy
-2: Scott, Moore
-1: Matsuyama, Henley, Koepka, Fowler, Spieth
E: Kaymer, Stricke

The long, painful wait is over. On what would have been the 60th birthday of Seve Ballesteros, at the conclusion of his 71st consecutive major, Sergio García is a champion. Amid moving scenes at Augusta National, which emphasised so many frustrations, sudden-death victory over Justin Rose afforded García the status he courted since childhood but had been so cruelly, so routinely denied him in the past. Sergio García, major winner: it is a phrase many thought impossible.

The spirit of Seve played a part in Spain’s first major win of the 21st century. Had he not won, onlookers were left to wonder how precisely García would ever recover. At last this was the 37-year-old’s time; even Rose, in calm reflection, will recognise that. “García, García,” chanted the Augusta patrons as he holed out for a three on play-off hole No1. The man himself kneeled on the hallowed turf, partly in disbelief at finally reaching this Holy Grail.

A tearful García was never going to be allowed to end his drought the easy way. This could only have been his earlier fate; 5ft to win the Masters. As the putt slid by, reviving memories of the wounding moments which had denied the Spaniard so many times, the die was surely cast. Everyone had been in this movie before, hadn’t they? In entering the play-off García had such a wave of Augusta National support but horrendously damaging scar tissue. Garcia was to have the last laugh with a fresh, uplifting storyline.

That García and Rose tied on nine under at the close of regulation play after trading 69s was but a statistic. The 81st Masters provided one of this grand old lady’s most iconic climaxes.

It is such a shame that duel in the sun already has context in golf. On a glorious Georgia afternoon Rose and García engaged in epic battle. It ebbed and flowed, it was similar in so many ways to the Open Championship finale involving Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson last year. It was rendered even more endearing by the fact the two golfers in question are such close friends, an alliance they did not hide when displaying sportsmanship of the highest order.

This very quickly became a two-horse race. García held a three-stroke advantage after the 5th. Rose hauled him back to the position of parity at the turn. Nobody else could gatecrash the party.

The widespread assertion was García would eventually buckle under pressure. He has previous, after all. García in fact stabilised himself from ugly dropped shots at the 10th and 11th to post a birdie at the 14th and conjure up one of the shots of the tournament a hole later. As he holed out for a three García punched the air; he finally believed. Neither he nor Rose could pull clear again from the 16th tee onwards.

Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 champion, ended up best of the rest at six under after a terrific fourth-round 68. He will probably not take offence at this being lost in the mêlée. Thomas Pieters is worth great credit on this, his Masters debut, after earning a share of fourth with Matt Kuchar on minus five. The star of Pieters continues to rise, which is a wonderful boost for European golf. This young Belgian has it all.

The biggest shock of day four was Jordan Spieth’s failure to place meaningful pressure on Rose or García. The Texan, who had finished no worse than second here, could fare no better than a bogey at the opening hole in what proved an ominous sign of things to come.

Spieth, who began Sunday two from the lead, reached the turn in 38 before being afforded a wounding glance back to 2016. On the 12th, Spieth’s now recurring nemesis, he played his tee shot into Rae’s Creek. Three birdies in the closing four holes mattered little to this fierce competitor; 75 and tie for 11th was his fate.

Kuchar had barely been mentioned during Masters week; a situation he remedied on Sunday with a hole in one at the 16th. It was the only ace of this tournament. Even more appealing was Kuchar’s immediate reaction as he signed the ball in question and handed it to a young member of the gallery. Kuchar had further cause for celebration, his closing 67 affording him that share of fourth with Pieters.

Rory McIlroy, who partnered Kuchar over the final 18 holes, must wait at least another year to complete a clean sweep of majors. The Northern Irishman signed off with a 69 to tie seventh.

“It wasn’t quite good enough,” said McIlroy. “I’m getting more comfortable here. I feel like every time I tee it up here I have a real good chance to win. Top 10s right now isn’t good enough but it’s going in the right direction.”

McIlroy’s thoughts will immediately turn towards his upcoming wedding; when he returns to the competitive fold at the Players Championship next month, he will be a married man. “It’s a great time in my life,” he added. “It would have been nice to walk down the aisle in the Green Jacket. I’ll come back refreshed and start a new chapter in my life.”

McIlroy was among those to publicly back Garcia as the play-off scene was set. The man from Castellon now enters exciting and new territory of his own. This is long overdue.

Davis Cup 1/4 finals

Day 1 scores

Belgium 2-0 Italy
Australia 2-0 USA 
France 2-0 Great Britain
Serbia 2-0 Spain


Day 2 scores

Belgium 2-1 Italy
Australia 2-1 USA 
France 3-0 Great Britain
Serbia 3-0 Spain


Day 3 scores

Belgium 3-1 Italy
Australia 3-2 USA 

Betway Premier League Week 10

Wade 5-7 MVG
RVB 3-7 Taylor
Chisnall 6-6 Wright
Lewis 7-3 Anderson

2017 Masters Round 3

-6: Rose, Garcia
-5: Fowler
-4: Spieth, Moore, Hoffman
-3: Scott
-2: Schwartzel
-1: Westwood, Pieters

E: Casey, Kjeldsen, Kuchar, McIlroy, Rahm, McGirt

As Jordan Spieth’s Sunday playing partner, Justin Rose was afforded a closer look than anyone at a record-breaking procession towards Masters glory in 2015. Even as a fellow contender, Rose was taken aback. Twelve months have now passed since Spieth’s horrible, unforeseen capitulation when being denied successive triumphs.

The Masters has a wonderful habit of throwing up recurring themes. As Spieth charged through the field on Saturday, making a 68 to propel himself to four under par, Rose was not of a mind to play second fiddle again. This time in the group immediately behind Spieth, the Englishman signed for a 67 – the lowest score of the day – and a minus six total.

If both Spieth and Rose have points to prove, the great news for the rest of us is that a compact Augusta leaderboard lends itself to several more potential outcomes. That duo just happen to lay claim to the most intriguing which, in part, are intrinsically linked.

Rose could make a lovely piece of golf history by becoming the second man after Ben Hogan to win majors at both Merion and Augusta National. “I have played really well all week,” Rose said. “I felt after a couple of rounds my score could have been significantly lower. Things began to click today and I had my run.”

This is precisely the position Spieth has dreamed of for 12 months. His resilience is so strong that he might have regarded it as inevitable, even from the position of 10 shots off the Masters lead at the end of round one.

Spieth now finds himself 18 holes from Augusta redemption. The stumble which cost him back-to-back Masters a year ago both intensified attention on the 23-year-old this time around and intensified his own desire to don the Green Jacket.

“I couldn’t ask for much better than this after my first round [of 75],” Spieth said. “We have fought back brilliantly to have a chance to win this. Tomorrow might free me up a bit, coming from behind. I plan to play aggressively. At this point it’s win or go home. Finishing fifth versus 10th doesn’t mean much to me.”

By nightfall Rose shared the lead with Sergio García. The Spaniard made a 70 in the third round, five shots better than his previous Saturday average here. Rickie Fowler is one adrift; Ryan Moore, Charley Hoffman, Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel lurk with intent.

“It was a good day,” García said. “I didn’t feel particularly well or comfortable with my setup early on, even on the range, but I found something and I worked with that and tried to make sure I stayed as consistent as possible. I couldn’t be as aggressive as I would have liked if I was firing on all cylinders but I was able to fight hard with what I had and managed to shoot a good two under.”

Nobody should be in any doubt that on the basis of recent history Spieth is the man to beat. It is unfathomable to say otherwise when a player holds a career Masters record of second, first and second.

Perhaps a glimmer of alternative hope can be derived from the fact that, like now, Spieth did not look a golfer with capacity for meltdown in 2016. That, and in the case of Rose there was such quietly effective movement.

Spieth could become Masters champion having made a nine at the 15th hole on Thursday. When the Texan played a wedge shot to kick-in birdie range during round three, the only shock was Spieth used a bridge to negotiate the greenside water as opposed to walking on it. He was back in the zone.

Specifics of Augusta National and painful memories aside, Spieth is seeking to become the youngest three-times major champion since Jack Nicklaus achieved that treble in 1963.

Rose, the Olympic gold medallist, produced a stirring back nine of 31. His celebration of an 18th-hole birdie was telling. The 36-year-old knows he can win here and would have done in 2015 at 14 under par but for Spieth’s extraordinary performance. “I take confidence from two years ago,” Rose added. “And from Rio; the Olympics aren’t a major but I held off great players down the stretch.”

Rory McIlroy’s birdies at the 2nd and 3rd hinted at a Saturday charge. His body language suggested a man with the necessary impetus to claim the one major that has eluded him thus far. Yet McIlroy’s momentum was halted by a bogey at the 5th and double bogey at the 7th. He later missed what looked like key birdie opportunities at the 13th, 14th and 15th.

Having signed for a 71, McIlroy is not out of this tournament at even par but he needs to summon some Sunday magic. The warming up of the Northern Irishman’s putter will inevitably be key to such a scenario. “Wasted opportunity,” was the key phrase from McIlroy’s Saturday analysis.

Lee Westwood, last year’s joint runner-up, shot his finest round of the week, 68, to move to one under par. On the grounds of experience alone, Westwood’s chances have to be taken seriously. “I did what I needed to do today,” said Westwood. “I needed to get into the red. Obviously I would like to be deep in the red but one under is pretty good. I’ve got half a chance.”

Paul Casey is a shot adrift of Westwood after a 69 which was tempered slightly by a dropped shot at the last. Matthew Fitzpatrick shrugged off his 73 for plus six in total having learned that his beloved Sheffield United had been promoted to the Championship. “That makes the day 10 times better,” he said.

The disconsolate Spieth placing a Green Jacket on the shoulders of another Yorkshireman, Danny Willett, will forever be a Masters reference point. The mistake would have been any assumption that Spieth did not immediately have the capacity to paint an alternative, celebratory image. Or, indeed, that Rose is not capable of denying him.

Super Rugby Round 7

Friday

Hurricanes 38-28 Waratahs


Saturday

Sunwolves 21-20 Bulls 
Highlanders 26-20 Blues
Brumbies 43-10 Reds
Sharks 18-13 Jaguares
Stormers 34-26 Chiefs

Sunday

Force 46-41 Southern Kings

2017 Masters Day Two

-4: Hoffman, Garcia, Pieters, Fowler
-2: McGirt
-1: Moore, Rahm, Couples, Rose
E: Scott, Spieth, Mickelson
+1: Kuchar, McIlroy, Kjeldsen
+2: Schwartzel, Matsuyama, Kaymer

If the weight of experience lurking with intent did not pose such a threat, this Masters could be characterised as a weekend chase for major number one.

Charley Hoffman, Sergio García, Thomas Pieters and Rickie Fowler head the event at half way on four under par. At differing ages, positions in world ranking and career victory levels, their combined major haul? Zero. Hoffman is the surprise package, Pieters the surly young pretender, García the routine bridesmaid and Fowler the form horse. Cases can be made for each of them but, crucially, for another 25 competitors, too.

The cavalry in pursuit includes Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Adam Scott. The leaders are not likely to enter relaxation mode.

García’s case, in his 71st consecutive major, is without question the most fascinating. The late, great Seve Ballesteros, who lit up Augusta National when claiming two Green Jackets and triggering a European stampede on the Masters, should be celebrating his 60th birthday on Sunday. If García, forever linked to Ballesteros not only on grounds of Spanish nationality but the level of mesmerising talent as demonstrated from his youth, were to prevail here, one of the great golf storylines of our time would have unfolded. The Masters does have a habit of throwing them up.

García returned a terrific run, of 21 opening tournament holes without dropping a shot. On Friday he birdied Augusta’s first three for the first time. At the 12th he conjured up a bunker shot from a plugged lie that he considered “hands down, the best of my career”. So far, so good.

One must, nonetheless, give strong consideration to an alternative outcome, the sort García has become ominously accustomed to. García has never made much secret of his indifference towards Augusta National as a venue despite, it must be stressed, always insisting he tries his best to win here. Essentially García believes the Augusta set-up means even good shots are occasionally not properly rewarded.

Matters seemed to be conspiring against him on Friday as a scoreboard error meant he was awarded a seven rather than the five he did produce at the 10th. “The most important thing is I knew where I stood,” he said. “I knew I wasn’t one under for the tournament, I knew I was three.

“Shane Lowry hit two balls to the left and we were looking for one, we couldn’t find it, we found the second one. We are all dressed light coloured pants and blue sweater, so I can see why they might have made the mistake. But it was fine.”

The number was duly amended, Garcia later signing for 69. It should have been better but for a lame birdie attempt from all of 4ft on the 18th.

Further bad news arrives for García from a key statistic. His third-round scoring average at the Masters is the worst of anyone in three decades, at close to 75. Perhaps if he can get through Saturday, when conditions are predicted to be far more favourable than days one and two, even García himself will take his Augusta challenge seriously. Part of the intrigue around the 37-year-old is that, for one so gifted, he never appears fully confident in his own ability.

“In a lot of these shots there’s such a thin line between a good shot being next to the hole and a good shot being 40 feet away and then having a very difficult two putt,” García explained. “You try to not think about those and try to be as positive as possible.

“Things are happening at the moment. I want to make sure that I keep riding that wave and go out there tomorrow and be positive, be like I’ve been the first two days.”

There is a parallel for García to draw on. Danny Willett, last year’s Masters champion, had claimed the Dubai Desert Classic two months earlier. It was García who lifted that trophy in the Middle East a matter of weeks ago. García is not carrying the Spanish flag alone. Jon Rahm’s outstanding 2017 shows no sign of slowing down, the PGA Tour rookie signing for a 70 to sit at one under par.

McIlroy was the victim of dreadful misfortune on the closing hole. An apparently perfect approach shot from 140 yards hit the pin, causing the ball to bound back down the fairway. McIlroy could understandably barely conceal his rage at making a bogey from there, meaning a 73 and plus one aggregate.

The Northern Irishman has not fully kicked into gear, a fact that should give him confidence given a position within touching distance of the lead with half of the Masters to play.

McIlroy has his mind set on a big Saturday move. “I’m a little disappointed with what happened at the last but these things happen and, if I can get off to a fast start tomorrow, a couple under through three, I’ll be right there,” he said.

“There are still 36 more holes left to go, a long way in this tournament. I know what can happen, good and bad, around this golf course.”

Willett was among those to encounter the negative, with a defence that ended on Friday at plus seven. A quadruple eight on the 1st fatally impacted on his cause.

A year ago Ian Woosnam insisted his Masters playing days were over on what marked the 25th anniversary of his victory here.


The Welshman, now 59, duly returned for 36 holes, his Friday 78 meaning a missed cut at 10 over par. “My wife made me come back,” Woosnam said. But will he – or she – do so again? “I haven’t ruled it out.” Wonderfully confusing.

Super League Round 8

Thursday

Wigan Warriors 10-27 Castleford Tigers


Friday

Hull FC 18-54 Salford Red Devils
Leigh Centurions 26-37 Catalans Dragons
St Helens 14-14 Huddersfield
Wakefield Trinity 30-4 Widnes Vikings
Warrington Wolves 25-14 Leeds Rhinos

2017 Masters Day One

-7 Hoffman (US); -3 McGirt (US); -2 Westwood (Eng) -1 Henley (US), Chappell (US), Sullivan (Eng), Fitzpatrick (Eng), Mickelson (US), Rose (Eng), Dufner (US) Garcia (Spa)


Selected others: Level Casey (Eng), Els (SA), Lowry (Ire), McIlroy (NI); +1 Fowler (US), Couples (US), Willett (Eng); +2 Day (Aus), B Watson (US); +3 Spieth (US), Langer (Ger); +4 Knox (Sco), Matsuyama (Jpn), Woosnam (Wal), Fisher (Eng), Stenson (Swe); +5 Lyle (Sco)

As the stricken Dustin Johnson walked from the 1st tee at Augusta National, thereby producing one of the most dramatic departures in major championship history, the Thursday narrative seemed set. Only something extraordinary would match the Johnson storyline.

Enter Charley Hoffman. Given brutally tough conditions, the afternoon 65 as posted by this 40-year-old from San Diego ranks among the finest opening rounds in 81 stagings of the Masters. It was a performance worthy of a trophy and 10 better than the field average. Hoffman birdied five of the last six holes when marching to the summit of the leaderboard, a position he holds by four heading into day two. Only Hoffman and William McGirt, who had a superb 69, could break 70.

It would be legitimate to assume the other 93 players in this Masters field gleaned inspiration from the sight of the world No1, a hitherto dominant figure, exiting stage left moments before his tournament was due to get under way. Far less predictable after the Johnson theatre was the identity of Hoffman as the man to make hay. He is ranked No52 in the world, after all; hardly a journeyman professional but holding a pretty average major record which shows one top-10 finish in 22 appearances. “I feel comfortable here,” said Hoffman later, with a decent dose of understatement.

English golf successfully played on the law of averages. That nation accounted for a remarkable 11 of the competitor list; by close of play, five were within seven of the lead. If that hardly sounds remarkable, Hoffman’s exploits – in taking the largest Thursday advantage since 1955 – certainly were. Paul Casey, the lowest of that England quintet, shares 12th. Lee Westwood’s 70 means he lies third with Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick at one under par and Justin Rose a further shot back.

If Johnson’s back issue – he tumbled down stairs in an Augusta rental home on Wednesday afternoon – was well known, the presumption was the 32-year-old would participate after he not only took part in a full range session but headed for the opening tee. At that juncture the key seed of doubt came to the fore. Johnson about-turned and headed for the clubhouse, making his scale of disappointment abundantly clear when en route.

“I was making swings on the range but could only go 80%,” Johnson said. “I could make a good backswing but at impact it was too much. So I don’t feel like there was any chance of me competing.

“I was doing everything I could to play. I was up most of last night using ice, using heat, using ice again. I was desperate to get it ready for this morning. I just can’t make my normal swing because of my lower left back.

“I didn’t get much sleep but that’s not the issue. I want to play. The issue is I just can’t swing.

“I’m playing the best golf of my career. This is an event I look forward to every year, so to have a freak accident mean I can’t play? It just sucks, it really does.

“If it happened on Monday, I don’t think we would have any issues but it happened on Wednesday afternoon. It would even have been great if it’d happened after this because I have three weeks off.”

Someone, somewhere decided this was not to be Johnson’s Green Jacket year. The golfing gods have always operated in mysterious ways.

Anyone seeking calm after Wednesday’s electric storm was to be sadly disappointed as the wind whipped around Augusta to the extent the venue became more severe by the hour. Towering pine trees arced under the strain of biting gusts, with only sensible pin positions and greens softened by a pre-tournament deluge ensuring the course remained playable. Competitors had to hang on for dear life; it soon became clear that an opening round of level par or better represented an outstanding return. 

Rory McIlroy battled back manfully from the position of plus three after eight. ’s 72 leaves him well placed to challenge, providing of course Hoffman doesn’t maintain his Thursday pace.

Jason Day’s return to competitive action was marked by a 74. Jordan Spieth lies one stroke behind Day, with a remarkable quadruple-bogey nine at the 15th the key aberration of the 2015 champion’s Thursday. Spieth left the course to confirmation of the Johnson scenario. “I could see on the board that his name was taken down,” said Spieth. “Certainly it is really unfortunate. As a friend of his and somebody who has played a lot of golf with him, I know this must not be good in order for him not to tee it up. I certainly wish him well.”

The signs were ominous for Danny Willett as he opened his Masters defence with a double bogey. The YorkshiremanWillett is due credit not only for the incurring of no further damage but actually curtailing it; he signed for a 73.

“When I was stood on the 3rd tee if someone had said I would shoot 73 I would have ripped their hand off, walked up the hill, gone inside and had a cup of tea,” he said. “I fought back really well, dug my heels in and hit some really good golf shots.”

Willett was among those to gaze in wonder at Hoffman – and rightly so.

Super Rugby Round 6

Friday

Highlanders 51-12 Rebels

Saturday

Blues 24-15 Force
Chiefs 28-12 Bulls
Reds 15-34 Hurricanes
Stormers 53-10 Cheetahs
Lions 34-29 Sharks

Sunday

Waratahs 22-41 Crusaders

Super League Round 7

Thursday

Salford Red Devils 22-14 St Helens


Friday

Leeds 26-18 Wigan 
Castleford 52-16 Huddersfield 


Saturday

Warrington Wolves 22-22 Hull FC
Leigh Centurions 24-37 Widnes Vikings
Catalans Dragons 18-38 Wakefield Trinity