MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: The new Australian NRL season kicks off with a double-header in Las Vegas on Sunday morning as the Newcastle Knights take on North Queensland Cowboys and Canterbury Bankstown are up against St George Illawarra. 

Tom Chester is set to return to the Cowboys for the first time since tearing his ACL in December 2024. 

Last year’s champions Brisbane Broncos get their campaign underway next Friday against the Penrith Panthers.

CRICKET: Defending champions and co-hosts India cruised to a convincing 72-run win over Zimbabwe on Thursday, but must beat the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday afternoon to reach the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals. 

South Africa are already into the last four, alongside England, before they face Zimbabwe in Delhi. 

The South Africans crushed the Windies by nine wickets to remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

DARTS: Stephen Bunting ended his dismal start to the Premier League by beating Gian van Veen 6-2 to win Thursday night’s fourth round in Belfast. 

Wales’ Jonny Clayton still tops the table by two points from Van Veen, with world champion Luke Littler struggling five points further back in seventh place. 

Despite hitting the night’s only nine dart finish, Josh Rock remains bottom of the league without a win.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Celtic claimed a first ever win in Germany after edging to Thursday evening’s 1-0 victory at Stuttgart, but it wasn’t enough to keep them in the Europa League and ensures that Scotland will receive only one Champions League spot in next year’s competition. 

All Scottish clubs in Europe will also have to enter at an earlier qualifying round. 

Norway and Cyprus will both benefit from Scotland’s drop in the Uefa rankings.