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The North Queensland Cowboys continued their march to a home NRL final with a comprehensive 48-4 win over the Warriors in Townsville.

The Cowboys did most of the damage between the 37th and 41st minute of the game, scoring three converted tries to crush any hopes the Warriors had of staying in the game in the second half, with the win ensuring they stay second heading into round 24. regardless of other results.

The Warriors looked to have fought their way back into the contest when Marcelo Montoya scored five minutes from the break, but it quickly went wrong as Jeremiah Nanai scored his 17th try of the year, before ex warrior Peta Hiku marquis to do so. the 24-4

The Warriors made just one lineout compared to North Queensland’s nine.

The Warriors play table-toppers Penrith next weekend.

Meanwhile, Melbourne scored 10 tries to record their biggest win over the Broncos, with the 60-12 demolition leaving the Storm on the verge of securing a top-four spot.

Waikato finished strongly

Waikato scored two late tries to beat Counties Manukau 34-20 in their NPC rugby match in Pukekohe.

The game was tied at 10-10 at halftime

Waikato scored four tries to two.

All Black Damian McKenzie was dangerous in attack and kicked four conversions and two penalties.

Waikato have two wins and Counties one.

Joshua heavier for title fight

Ukraine’s defending world champion Oleksandr Usyk and British challenger Anthony Joshua hit the scales heavier than ever ahead of their heavyweight title rematch in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

Usyk weighed in at 100.5kg, barely changed from before, although still the heaviest of his career, while Joshua weighed in at 110.9kg, almost two kilos more than when he lost the titles in September spent in London

Former undisputed cruiserweight world champion Usyk was expected to step up considerably for his first defense of the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts in Jeddah.

“You see, your expectations are not always met,” the undefeated champion said without a smile when asked if he had been fooling everyone before the ‘Rage on the Red Sea’ clash.

British bookmaker William Hill has Usyk as favourite, with 80% of punters backing the Ukrainian to win by knockout or stoppage.

Usyk also carries the hopes of a nation scarred by battle and fighting a real war for survival after the Russian invasion, while another defeat for Joshua would raise big questions about his future.

– Reuters

Casemiro on the verge of signing for United

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says midfielder Casemiro wants a “new challenge” and to leave the club as Manchester United close in on a deal worth up to $114 million.

Talks have progressed rapidly and United are optimistic that a deal for the 30-year-old Brazil international will be finalized in the coming days.

Casemiro trained with Real on Friday.

“Negotiations are ongoing, he is still our player, but his will is to leave,” Ancelotti said.

“I have spoken to him. Casemiro, for what he has done and for the person he is, we must respect this wish.”

Casemiro, who has been at Real since 2013, winning three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues, is not part of the squad to face Celta Vigo in La Liga this weekend.

United are last in the Premier League and host Liverpool on Monday.

– Reuters

There are no races in Denmark

Light winds made it impossible to run on the first day of the Denmark SailGP regatta.

Winner of the last Grand Prix of Sailing in Great Britain, New Zealand pilot Peter Burling was philosophical about the conditions.

Burling said: “I mean, it’s simple, for our sport we need wind and today shouldn’t be there. Tomorrow you have to go out and it’s really winner take all, it’s the first time we’ve had to do that . but we have to go ahead and make the most of it, it’s definitely a new challenge.”

After three rounds, Australia leads the overall from Great Britain and New Zealand.

British cyclist breaks record

Britain’s Dan Bigham broke the Hour record when he completed a distance of 55.548 kilometers around the Tissot Velodrome in Switzerland.

Bigham, an aerodynamics specialist and race engineer for the British cycling team Ineos Grenadiers, made a perfect run on his prototype Pinarello track bike, going almost half a kilometer ahead of Belgium’s Victor Campenaerts in 2019, a huge margin.

Campenaerts managed 55,089.

Five drivers have tried and failed to break the record since then, the latest being Alex Dowsett in November 2021.

Bigham collapsed on the track after his record-breaking ride before being congratulated by his family watching inside the empty velodrome.

Former national champion Bigham, England’s team pursuit silver medalist at the Commonwealth Games, has built a reputation as one of the best in the business in cycling aerodynamics after graduating in Sports Engineering from Powered by Oxford Brooks University.

– Reuters