WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 SPORTS Pardew bids to shore Jaguars, Dolphins, Browns Azpilicueta signs new up Palace defence to host 2017 London games Chelsea contract LONDON: Crystal Palace are conceding too many goals in the Premier LONDON: The Jaguars, Dolphins, Browns and Rams will be the home teams LONDON: Spanish international defender Cesar Azpilicueta says he is delighted to League and must tighten up the defensive side of their game, manager for next season’s NFL games in London. The Baltimore Ravens will play have signed a new three-and-a-half year deal with Premier League leaders Chelsea. Alan Pardew said yesterday. Despite scoring an impressive 27 goals in 15 Jacksonville in either Week 3 or 4 of the 2017 schedule. That game will be at The 27-year-old signed from French side Marseille in 2012 and was a pivotal mem- league matches, Palace’s efforts have been undermined by a leaky rear- Wembley Stadium, as will the New Orleans Saints vs. Miami, again in one of ber of the team that won the 2015 league title. In the current campaign under guard which has kept only one clean sheet and conceded those weeks. Cleveland will host the Minnesota Vikings at Twickenham, where Antonio Conte he has been an ever present as Chelsea stormed to 29 goals. “Ten goals in three games but we need to the NFL first played this year, in Week 7 or 8. The Arizona Cardinals take on Los the top of the table with a run of nine wins. Azpilicueta’s new tighten up, Southampton (a 3-0 win on Dec. 3) was Angeles at Twickenham in one of those weeks as well. “Having one of the deal, which he signed on Tuesday, will tie him to Chelsea till the benchmark,” Pardew told reporters. most famous fan groups in the NFL, Cleveland’s Dawg Pound, sharing 2020. “I’m really happy to have signed a new contract,” he told “Defending is a team duty. Everyone has a Twickenham with our UK fans is going to be a lot of fun,” NFL UK managing the club’s official website. “Since I arrived here my target was to responsibility to defend, even the substitutes. director Alistair Kirkwood said in a statement. It’s the first time the league will progress as a player and win trophies. “This new contract gives That’s something we want to improve on. play four games in London. Game times have not been finalized. Arizona, me the chance to continue my relationship with the club, that’s Sometimes our substitutes haven’t shored us up as Baltimore and Cleveland will play regular-season games for the first time in what I wanted and obviously I’m really happy here. “We’ve had well as they should have. “We were pleased with London, bringing the total to 26 different teams since the NFL started playing some really good moments so far this season. From day how we defended set-pieces at the weekend, that’s in the British capital in 2007. It will be the fourth match there for the Dolphins, one, we started working very hard. “We have a new one little box ticked. Now we need to get back to second for the Saints and the fifth for the Jaguars, who have played annually manager with new ideas and I’m really happy to be Southampton.” — Reuters in London since 2013. — AP working with him. — AFP Coetzee’s future to be decided in January CAPE TOWN: The future of beleaguered wrong with a focus on finding answers and Springbok coach Allister Coetzee will be ensuring that it does not happen again.” revealed in January after he submitted a Alexander added that the review will contin- review of his team’s dismal 2016 season to ue in the New Year. South Africa Rugby’s Springbok Steering “We will act upon whatever interventions Committee yesterday. Coetzee and senior are identified as being necessary by all players, outgoing captain Adriaan Strauss, Pat involved,” he said. “I would expect that Lambie and Tendai Mtawarira, gave their process to be completed before the end of analysis of the worst year in Bok history in January.” There has been an outcry from fans which the twice World Cup winners lost eight over South Africa’s performances this year, of their 12 tests. The panel included SA Rugby’s including a first ever loss to Italy, a first home High Performance Committee, as well as CEO defeat by Ireland, a maiden loss in Argentina Jurie Roux and president Mark Alexander, and and a record 57-15 mauling by arch-rivals the latter suggested there would be no snap New Zealand. The results have sparked a decisions on Coetzee’s future. comprehensive review of the way the game is “We know Springbok supporters and our administered in the country, with SA Rugby partners are looking to us for instant answers also announcing last week that squad selec- and many of them may want to see heads tion will no longer be made by committee. roll,” Alexander said in a statement. A single selector will work with the coach. “But building winning teams is not an The choice of future Bok coaches will also be exact science and we want to make sure that made by SA Rugby’s Executive Committee, the changes we make are the right solutions not the heads of the various unions as hap- to our current problems. pened in the past. South Africa next play in a “This was not a witch hunt but a proper home three-test series against France in process to interrogate where things went June. — Reuters Kuwait National Women’s Cricket team Kuwait National Women’s Cricket team to participate in T20 tournament KUWAIT: Kuwait National Women’s Cricket team be played on December 19 at the Sharjah Cricket Oman and Uganda. is going to participate in the first ever nine-day Ground. Kuwait Cricket recently announced the team UAE International Women’s T20 tournament This tournament is integral in Kuwait cricket’s that will represent Kuwait at the tournament are from today (Dec 14) in Sharjah. efforts to develop and support women’s cricket as follows. Kuwait, Kenya, Uganda, Malaysia, Qatar, in the Kuwait, which dovetails into the Maryam Omar (Captain), Amna Sharif, Priyada Oman and host UAE are among the participating International Cricket Council’s development pro- Murli, Khadija Khalil, Varshini Suresh, Maryam teams. The inaugural event where the tourna- gram. This tournament will help improve cricket- Hayder, Maryam Ashraf, Maria Jasvi, Iqra Ishaq, ment’s first pool games will be played at the ing standards among women in the Kuwait and Madeeha, Kala, Amina, Maryam Rashteen, Rida Sharjah Cricket Stadium on December 14. Pool the GCC countries. Zanab, Shaikha Al-Khasti. games will then alternate between Sharjah Reserves: Mahnoor Mahmood, Maryam Khalil. Cricket Stadium and Ajman Cricket Council’s Group A includes: Kenya, Qatar, Malaysia Coach: Tariq Rasool. Eden Ground through to the finals. The finals to and the UAE, with Group B showcasing Kuwait, Manager: Mehboob Khan. Allister Coetzee Solomona completes controversial switch to Sale LONDON: English Premiership side Sale Solomona. “We’ve just got to bite our lip acted honourably in signing Super League and get on with it and be candid. We’ve got record try-scorer Denny Solomona their nothing to hide.” Diamond, whose side are director of rugby claimed yesterday, despite presently third from bottom of the English Castleford Tigers threatening legal action. Premiership after 10 matches, said The 23-year-old New Zealand-born wing Castleford would have lost Solomona what- signed a three year contract with Sale after ever had happened as he was determined the Samoan international ‘resigned’ with to switch codes. two years remaining on his contract at “He said he wanted to play the game he Castleford. Solomona-who last season grew up with,” said Diamond. “If it wasn’t a scored 40 tries, breaking Lesley Vainikolo’s club in England, he was going to go back to 12-year-old record for a Super League sea- Auckland. “In all honesty, the situation has son-is likely to make his debut in the been blown out of proportion. European Champions Cup pool game with “These things happen in sport every title holders Saracens on Sunday. Steve week where players move around. It’s Diamond, Sale’s director of rugby, defended behaving professional and getting it done.” the club’s signing of Solomona saying he Diamond is positively purring at the knew of two other rugby union clubs who thought of the impact Solomona will have. had been offered his services. “We’ve never “He is a great player,” said Diamond. “He wanted to go down the route of getting has an eye for scoring tries and has the into any legal battles,” said Diamond. added bonus of having played rugby union “We just wanted the deal done and I’m in his time at school and college.” sure the powers that be are getting on with Solomona, who played rugby union for that as we speak. “I don’t think we’ve done Melbourne Academy but was released by anything wrong at all to be perfectly hon- Melbourne Storm prompting his decision to SOPOT: In this Friday, March 7, 2014 file photo athletes run in a Men’s 400m heat during the Athletics World Indoor Championships in Sopot, est. “Players have agents and agents put try rugby league, is the second rugby Poland. The IAAF says it may reanalyze Russian doping samples from the 2014 world indoor track championships.