International Sport Briefs

RUGBY – The International Rugby Board will decide on the host nations for the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups at the same time and consider bids from developing markets, the sport’s governing body said on its Web site (www.irb.com).

“We recognise that Rugby World Cup has to be held in one of our senior core markets on a regular basis,” IRB and Rugby World Cup Ltd. chairman Bernard Lapasset said in a statement, adding that bidding begins this month with the final decision scheduled for July next year.CRICKET – England will face Sri Lanka in two test matches and three one-day internationals in the build-up to next year’s Ashes contest against Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.Sri Lanka have stepped into the breach following the ECB’s decision last month to cut bilateral ties with Zimbabwe, the originally planned opponents for May 2009.RALLYING – Rally Bulgaria organisers have said they are ready to host a round of the World Rally Championship under the new rotational system set to start in 2010.CRICKET – Durham County Cricket Club will demand a bye to the July 26 final stage of the domestic Twenty20 Cup following the postponement of Monday’s quarter-final against Yorkshire, the club said on their Web site (www.durhamccc.co.uk).The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) moved to postpone the match after receiving claims that Yorkshire had fielded an ineligible player – the 17-year-old Azeem Rafiq – in an earlier round.FOOTBALL – Juventus are tracking Sevilla’s Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen, chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has said.”I don’t know if Poulsen will come…but certainly our fans would like to see a warrior on the field,” he told reporters.That was after moves for midfielders Xabi Alonso of Liverpool and AS Roma’s Alberto Aquilani have stalled while opposition from fans looks to have halted a bid for Inter Milan’s Dejan Stankovic.FOOTBALL – Greek striker Pantelis Kapetanos, 25, has joined Steaua Bucharest from AEK Athens in a two-year deal, the Romanian club said on the Web site (www.steauafc.com).FORMULA ONE – Formula One teams will send experts to Singapore in the next few weeks to help them overcome some of the technical challenges posed by the sport’s first night race, according to Honda team boss Ross Brawn.”We are trying to understand the implications of the lighting,” the Briton told reporters at last weekend’s British Grand Prix.Singapore, with a street circuit using public roads around the Marina Bay area, will host a round of the championship for the first time on September 28.GOLF – World number two Annika Sorenstam will top the bill when China stages its first LGPA tournament, the $1,8 million Grand China Air in October.Golf has boomed in the world’s most populous nation in recent years and six men’s European Tour co-sanctioned events took place in greater China last year.The new event will take place from October 24-26 at the Hainan West Coast Golf Club in Haikou, the capital of the island dubbed “China’s Hawaii”.Sorenstam, who is bowing out of competitive golf at the end of this season, said the new tournament would be a major milestone for the LPGA.Nampa-Reuterschairman Bernard Lapasset said in a statement, adding that bidding begins this month with the final decision scheduled for July next year.CRICKET – England will face Sri Lanka in two test matches and three one-day internationals in the build-up to next year’s Ashes contest against Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.Sri Lanka have stepped into the breach following the ECB’s decision last month to cut bilateral ties with Zimbabwe, the originally planned opponents for May 2009.RALLYING – Rally Bulgaria organisers have said they are ready to host a round of the World Rally Championship under the new rotational system set to start in 2010.CRICKET – Durham County Cricket Club will demand a bye to the July 26 final stage of the domestic Twenty20 Cup following the postponement of Monday’s quarter-final against Yorkshire, the club said on their Web site (www.durhamccc.co.uk).The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) moved to postpone the match after receiving claims that Yorkshire had fielded an ineligible player – the 17-year-old Azeem Rafiq – in an earlier round.FOOTBALL – Juventus are tracking Sevilla’s Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen, chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has said.”I don’t know if Poulsen will come…but certainly our fans would like to see a warrior on the field,” he told reporters.That was after moves for midfielders Xabi Alonso of Liverpool and AS Roma’s Alberto Aquilani have stalled while opposition from fans looks to have halted a bid for Inter Milan’s Dejan Stankovic.FOOTBALL – Greek striker Pantelis Kapetanos, 25, has joined Steaua Bucharest from AEK Athens in a two-year deal, the Romanian club said on the Web site (www.steauafc.com). FORMULA ONE – Formula One teams will send experts to Singapore in the next few weeks to help them overcome some of the technical challenges posed by the sport’s first night race, according to Honda team boss Ross Brawn.”We are trying to understand the implications of the lighting,” the Briton told reporters at last weekend’s British Grand Prix.Singapore, with a street circuit using public roads around the Marina Bay area, will host a round of the championship for the first time on September 28.GOLF – World number two Annika Sorenstam will top the bill when China stages its first LGPA tournament, the $1,8 million Grand China Air in October.Golf has boomed in the world’s most populous nation in recent years and six men’s European Tour co-sanctioned events took place in greater China last year.The new event will take place from October 24-26 at the Hainan West Coast Golf Club in Haikou, the capital of the island dubbed “China’s Hawaii”.Sorenstam, who is bowing out of competitive golf at the end of this season, said the new tournament would be a major milestone for the LPGA.Nampa-Reuters