England coach Tony Smith has kept his cards close to his chest ahead of the semi-final. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
New Zealand sprung a double surprise today in Brisbane in the embarrassingly cagey build-up to Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against England. They have switched the Wigan scrum-half Thomas Leuluai to hooker, although the biggest shock was [...]

Fiji player Akuila Uate scores a try during the World Cup win over Ireland. Photograph: Jason O’Brien/Action Images
Ireland’s unlikely World Cup adventure came to an end against a tough and skilful Fiji team who now have the dubious reward of facing Australia in the semi-finals next weekend. Andy Kelly’s Wolfhounds again played with spirit and [...]

New Zealand’s Manu Vatuvei scores. Photograph: Greg Wood/Getty Images
Where as last week’s defeat by Australia was embarrassing, in its own way this was every bit as devastating. England led 24-8 on the 27-minute mark after a slick and purposeful opening to the game, but crumbled horribly after half-time on a night that turned into [...]

The Ireland rugby league team. Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images
One endearingly naive British journalist, who must remain nameless for obvious reasons, had a bit of a giggle, but caused many more, when two homegrown players were selected in Ireland’s initial World Cup squad and it was suggested to him that one of them had a funny [...]

Australia’s Billy Slater breaks through a tackle during the Kangaroos’ 52-4 thrashing of England. Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
England’s World Cup credentials were dumped in a Melbourne gutter this morning after a humiliating nine-try defeat by the apparently unbeatable Australians.
The local Melbourne Storm favourites Greg Inglis and Billy Slater each scored a stunning hat-trick as Tony [...]

James Roby evades a Papua New Guinea tackle, but the group minnows threatened an upset before England wriggled clear. Photograph: Matt King/Getty Images
England endured a thoroughly uncomfortable evening against an inspired Papua New Guinea before securing the victory that was a minimum requirement for the opening match of their World Cup campaign.
England trailed 16-12 at [...]

Alonso won in Fuji, as Hamilton finished 12th, and the Renault star says he will now help Massa to win. Photograph: Toru Hanai/Reuters
Renault’s Fernando Alonso has said there is “no doubt” he will help the Ferrari driver Felipe Massa to win the world championship this season.
Alonso, who won yesterday’s Japanese grand prix, partnered Lewis Hamilton [...]

Lord Triesman: “England has to earn the right to stage World Cup”. Photograph: Andrew Coulridge
The Football Association has confirmed Manchester United chief executive David Gill and Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney will both be on Lord Triesman’s England 2018 World Cup Limited executive board.
With world governing body FIFA expected to announce the timetable and bidding [...]

George Burley says referee Pavel Kralovec will be under pressure on Saturday. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images
Pavel Kralovec will referee Scotland’s World Cup qualifying opener against Macedonia - just eight months after being banned for a poor performance by the Czech Football Association.
The 31-year-old was given a six-match ban for making serious errors in a league [...]

Antinio Pettigrew (left) with USA’s 1998 4×400m relay team after their “tainted” run. Photograph: Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The USA athletics team has welcomed the IAAF’s decision to scrap their 1998 4×400m relay world record. After Antonio Pettigrew’s doping admission in May, the Track And Field (USATF) chief executive officer Doug Logan called the achievement “tainted”.
“The IAAF [...]