Sport shorts: Rugby World Cup naming to be gender neutral and Ian Holloway blames EU for handball law

New Zealand beat England in the 2017 Rugby World Cup final in Belfast

(Image credit: David Rogers/Getty Images)

By The Week Staff

published 21 August 2019

1. Gender neutral naming for Rugby World Cups

World Rugby has announced that the 15s and sevens Rugby World Cups will no longer include a gender in the titles.

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Former QPR manager Ian Holloway has bizarrely blamed the European Union for the new handball law in the Premier League. Speaking on The Debate show on Sky Sports he said: “I think that’s people telling us what we need to do with our game, now they should stop doing that. I hope we get out, Brexit, because that’s what people are voting for and sorting that out because you cannot have someone telling us how to do our own game.”

With Steve Smith ruled out of the third Ashes Test Australia will be hoping that opener David Warner can find his form with the bat. So far in the series against England Warner has only scored 18 runs from four innings. Speaking ahead of the Headingley Test, which starts tomorrow in Leeds, Aussie head coach Justin Langer said: “I expect [a lot] out of David every time he plays, whether Steve Smith is playing or not playing. We expect it of all our senior players. He looked really sharp in the nets. He’ll be hungry. So don’t write off David Warner.”

Tickets have gone on sale for the 2020 F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Next year’s race, the 70th anniversary of the British GP, is set to be held on Sunday 19 July - a week later than the 2019 date. This season’s British GP clashed with the Cricket World Cup final and Wimbledon men’s singles final, so race organisers have moved to avoid another scheduling conflict for next year. The 2020 British GP date is provisional as F1 is yet to confirm next season’s race calendar.

According to reports Paris Saint-Germain have rejected Barcelona’s opening offer in their bid to re-sign Neymar. Spanish newspaper Marca says that PSG have agreed to Barca’s suggestion that they take Neymar on an initial loan move with an obligation to buy him permanently at the end of the season. However, what has still to be decided is “the size of the fee due when the move becomes permanent”. Real Madrid and Juventus are also keen on the Brazilian.

Racism in football is “out of control”, experts say, after Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba was subjected to online racial abuse for missing a penalty in the draw against Wolves on Monday night. The club vowed to take the “strongest course of action” against any person found guilty of racism, adding: “The individuals who expressed these views do not represent the values of our great club and it is encouraging to see the vast majority of our fans condemn this on social media also.”