MEN’S ICE HOCKEY: Glasgow Clan held on to beat Manchester Storm 3-2 in Wednesday evening’s opening match of this year’s Elite League. 

The Scots were 3-0 up before goals from Joseph Nardi and JD Dudek set up a tense finish but they will top the table for at least a week as the protracted start to the new season sees the second game delayed until next week when Guildford are up against Nottingham.

WOMEN’S RUGBY UNION: Reigning champions and six-time winners New Zealand face Canada in the first World Cup semi-final at Bristol tomorrow evening. 

Both teams were unbeaten in the group stages and stormed through their quarter-final matches to reach the last four. 

The Canadians are ranked as the world’s second-best team, one place above the Black Ferns, but the teams drew 27-27 when they last met in May’s Pacific Four Series tournament.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Daniel Mare scored twice as Dublin’s Shelbourne began their first ever Uefa Youth League campaign with a 5-0 thumping of North Macedonia’s Rabotnicki in Wednesday’s first-round first-leg tie. 

Irish compatriots Larne saw off Luxembourg’s Racing Union 2-0 while Welsh champions Haverfordwest, also making their competition debut, went down 3-2 at home to Montenegro’s Buducnost Podgorica. The second legs kick off in a fortnight’s time.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Defending champions London Lions travel to last season’s play-off winners Leicester Riders tonight in the pick of the Super League’s opening fixtures. 

Elsewhere tomorrow evening Manchester, under new head coach Matthew Oaten, host Cheshire Phoenix in a match that has already sold out, and Bristol Flyers include new signing forward Darnell Brodie in their squad for the visit of Sheffield Sharks.