Friday 37 Sports Friday, June 12, 2020 Full crowds, rule tweaks and Dan Carter as Kiwi Super Rugby returns Fans offering full-throated support and generating an electric atmosphere WELLINGTON: Super Rugby makes a come- “The Zoo” section of the ground are sure to of- back in New Zealand this weekend with full fering full-throated support and generating an crowds allowed in a major landmark for profes- electric atmosphere. sional sport’s emergence from the coronavirus The Highlanders’ backline has been boosted shutdown. by the recruitment of livewire former interna- High-profile Auckland Blues recruit Dan tional Nehe Milner-Skudder, while the Chiefs Carter will be among those looking on as rugby are missing newly anointed All Blacks captain reaps the reward of New Zealand’s success in Sam Cane with a back strain. achieving zero cases of COVID-19. Organisers say the competition will be the BARRETT BLUES DEBUT first professional sport played without crowd re- The second match on Sunday pits Auckland strictions anywhere in the world since the pan- Blues against Wellington Hurricanes at Eden demic took hold, although football leagues in Park, where the crowd is expected to exceed Vietnam and Turkmenistan might dispute the 35,000. The Blues are on a high after signing claim. It is certainly highest profile sport to Carter, although the two-time World Cup winner throw open its doors and its visibility was given and three-time world player of the year admits an added boost with All Black legend Carter’s he is several weeks away from being match fit. shock decision to sign for the Blues at the age of Even if Carter does not take the field, Beau- 38, five years after his international retirement. den Barrett said his presence at training had Super Rugby Aotearoa — the Maori name been “immense”. “The boost he’s given to the for New Zealand — is a temporary domestic re- team and me personally, it’s been huge,” said NAPIER: File photo taken on February 29, 2020 shows fans celebrating a try during the Super Rugby match placement for the suspended 15-team southern Barrett, himself a two-time world player of the between New Zealand’s Hurricanes and Japan’s Sunwolves. There will be no crowd restrictions when hemisphere club competition, which has been in year. It will be Barrett’s first appearance for the Super Rugby resumes in New Zealand this weekend. — AFP limbo since mid-March. Blues since he transferred from the Hurricanes Featuring New Zealand’s five Super Rugby at the end of last season and Wellington halfback younger brother Jordie, who the Hurricanes said time if scores are level after 80 minutes. teams, the 10-round competition will have two TJ Perenara promised him warm reception from was nursing a shoulder injury. Teams can also replace a player who has been matches each weekend. his former teammates. The competition has introduced some exper- red-carded after 20 minutes, instead of playing The opening fixture Saturday sees Otago “I’m sure there’ll be a few words out there but imental rule changes that New Zealand Rugby the rest of the match down one man. Referees Highlanders meet Waikato Chiefs at Dunedin’s it’ll be in the spirit of the game,” Perenara told said were designed to add excitement to the have also been told to strictly police the break- Forsyth Barr Stadium, where student fans in reporters. Barrett will not face off against game, including a golden point winner in extra- down, to ensure a fast-flowing game. — AFP Tigers choose Torkelson Fans welcome as Djokovic helps first overall in MLB draft tennis emerge from virus BELGRADE: LOS ANGELES: American Spencer Torkelson broadcast with a speech in which he promised After being suspended for three Centre, financed by Djokovic’s family, with a was the top pick in Major League Baseball’s that baseball would help bring positive change months due to the coronavirus pandemic, top- view of the Danube river. Tickets sold out in 2020 entry draft on Wednesday, going first in the aftermath of the protests over racism fol- level international tennis returns this weekend in seven minutes after they were put on sale online overall to four-time World Series champion De- lowing the death of George Floyd in Minnesota. Belgrade with a charity tournament hosted by last Wednesday. troit Tigers. The 20-year-old Torkelson, who In a show of unity, each club then displayed world number one Novak Djokovic and where The event will be broadcast live in more than plays infield for Arizona State, is primarily a first a “Black Lives Matter” sign before the player se- fans will be welcome. 100 countries, its director Djordje Djokovic, baseman but also can play third base. lections began. The Adria Tour will be held until July 5 in Ser- Novak’s younger brother, said. “Every spectator A right-handed hitter, Torkelson had a .340 MLB was criticized for initially taking nine bia, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia. On the will get a mask at the entrance, disinfectants will batting average, six homers and 11 RBIs in 17 days to respond to the Floyd’s death. Of the four tournament’s first stop, on Saturday and Sunday, be placed throughout the complex,” Djordje games during the 2020 season, which was cut major North American sports, baseball has the the Serbian star will be joined by world number Djokovic said. short because of the new coronavirus pan- third highest number of black players at 8.4 per- three Dominic Thiem. Also, the entire centre will be disinfected demic. In three college seasons overall, he de- cent. Basketball has the biggest percentage of Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Bulgarian after every match. “We are professionals in this livered a .337 batting average, a .463 on-base black players at 74.4 percent and hockey has the Grigor Dimitrov, ranked seventh and 19th in the sport and we want to play,” said the 33-year-old percentage, a .729 slugging percentage, 54 lowest with different ethnicities making up three world respectively, are also set to take part. The Djokovic. However, two tennis giants — Roger homers and 130 RBIs in 129 games. percent. Black athletes make up 68 percent of ATP and WTA Tours have been suspended since Federer, out for the rest of the year following This is the first time Detroit has had the top NFL rosters. March due to the pandemic and will not resume knee surgery, and Rafael Nadal, who recently pick since 1997 when they chose pitcher Matt Major League Baseball was hit by allegations at least until the end of July. resumed training — will be absent. “Taking the Anderson, who spent seven years as a middle re- of racial discrimination in 2018 when a former The French Open was postponed until Sep- situation into account, I didn’t have the nerve to liever before retiring. employee of the Seattle Mariners said general tember and Wimbledon was cancelled for the call and invite them,” said Djokovic. Both The Tigers, who won their last World Series manager Jerry DiPoto had called her “a cocky first time since World War II. The four tennis Djokovic and Thiem were training during the title in 1984, struggled mightily last season, fin- Latina”. In 2004, MLB settled a lawsuit with Juri stars will play under regulations allowing up to lockdown. “I had a tennis court so I could train ishing with the worst record in the league with Morioka, who worked in their New York offices, 1,000 people to attend open-air sports events, every day,” said Djokovic referring to his period just 47 wins and 114 losses. after she charged them with overt racism against which were introduced in Serbia on Monday. of confinement in Spain, where he was staying Commissioner Rob Manfred opened the draft Asians.—AFP The matches will be played at Novak Tennis with his family at a home in Marbella.—AFP .