NETBALL:

Super League reigning champions Loughborough ended Manchester Thunder’s perfect start to the season with a 64-52 win on Saturday evening.

The teams are now joint top of the table, three points clear of Severn Stars, who lost narrowly 48-46 at Cardiff.

Surrey saw off Team Bath 60-44, Ine-Mari Venter scored 61 goals as Saracens won 71-50 at bottom club Strathclyde and London Pulse edged out Leeds 51-49.

MEN’S RUGBY UNION:

Leinster remain four points clear in the United Rugby Championship after a comfortable 31-7 win at Zebre.

Pretoria’s Bulls beat the Dragons 31-10 to move second, one point ahead of Glasgow who edged out Cardiff 17-13.

Munster won 27-17 at Ospreys, Durban’s Sharks saw off Ulster 22-12, Stormers brushed aside Edinburgh 43-21, the Lions won 38-14 at Connacht and Scarlets scored in the last minute to squeeze past Benetton 16-13.

WOMEN’S CRICKET:

New Zealand beat England by three runs on Sunday morning to win the third leg of their five match Twenty20 series.

Chasing 156 to win England needed only eight off the last over but lost two wickets to end up on 152-8.

Kiwi captain Sophie Devine had earlier smashed 60 from 37 balls for the hosts with Danielle Gibson the pick of the English bowlers taking 2-22. England lead the series 2-1.

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE:

Hunslet dropped their first points of the season after an 8-8 draw at Kells but still top the National Conference Premier Division as second-placed West Hull lost their hundred per cent record in a 20-6 defeat at Siddal.

Rochdale Mayfield brushed aside York Acorn 20-0, Thatto Heath beat Egremont 22-6, bottom club West Bowling lost 36-18 in Wath Brow and Lock Lane also remain winless after going down 22-10 at Heworth.