THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 SPORTS

Hohaia announces retirement Harlequins to Spieth: Rory still the best LONDON: St Helens’ New Zealand utility back Lance Hohaia is retiring from rugby play US friendly LOS ANGELES: Masters champion Jordan Spieth says he would welcome a long-term league with immediate effect, his club announced yesterday. “St rivalry with Rory McIlroy but insists that he has still got some way to go to match the Helens announce that Lance Hohaia has informed us of his retirement from rug- LONDON: Harlequins will play a pre-season friendly against world number one. The 21-year-old American, who captured his first major title at by league and will therefore not play for the club again,” St Helens said on their the United States in Philadelphia in August, the English Augusta National earlier this month, is seeded second behind McIlroy at this week’s WGC- website. “Lance has been a valued and integral member of the squad for the last Premiership club said yesterday. Matchplay Championship in San Francisco. three and a half years and we thank him for his service. “We wish him and his fam- It will be the first time Harlequins have toured the ily well in their life after with St Helens. St Helens will make no fur- United States in the professional era, following tours in the And should the seedings hold firm that would mean he would go head-to-head with ther comment on this matter.” 1970s and 80s. “Harlequins is a globally recognised club the Northern Irishman for the first time in Sunday afternoon’s final, an Hohaia, 32, was knocked out by a pair of punches from Wigan’s and this match will help drive our global ambitions,” encounter he said he would relish. Asked if he considered himself during last October’s Grand Final-the second deliv- Harlequins chief executive David Ellis told the club’s web- as being in the same bracket as four-time major winner McIlroy, ered when he was flat on his back-for which the Welshman site (www.quins.co.uk). “Rugby in the USA is a sleeping Spieth replied: “I think? I still think I have a long way to go to received a record six-month ban. He made 29 appearances for giant and we are looking forward to being a part of this where I could be considered that. New Zealand and played at full-back in their 2008 World Cup unique occasion as we begin to help develop the sport in “I think I’m off to a good start, but I can’t compare what I’ve final win over Australia. Hohaia played 185 times for New Zealand America.” Warriors between 2002 and 2011, when he joined St Helens done to what he’s done. “Certainly he’s had some more years to The U.S. will use the fixture as a warm-up to this year’s do so, but still in order to have a rivalry, we need to be com- on a four-year contract. He made 78 appearances for World Cup where they have been drawn in Pool B along- peting against each other consistently at the highest level. Saints and played a vital role in their run to the 2014 side South Africa, Samoa, Scotland and Japan. Grand Final, only to have his participation in the “We look forward to welcoming Harlequins to the USA And that hasn’t happened yet. “Have I looked ahead to game at ended by Flower’s fists after this August; this fixture is an exciting opportunity for both what it could mean? Sure. It would be really, really barely two minutes. His final St Helens appear- teams involved,” USA rugby chief executive Nigel Melville cool for that to happen and I could see it as ance was in their 11-8 Super League win at told a press conference yesterday.—Reuters almost a torch passed down.”—AFP Huddersfield on Easter Monday. —AFP

HOUSTON: Dallas Mavericks’ Al-Farouq Aminu (7) is fouled by Houston Rockets’ Terrence Jones (6) during the first half of Game 5in the first round of the NBA basketball playoffs. —AP

Rockets shoot down Mavs Formula One to get later start HOUSTON: The Houston Rockets, led by try to close out the set when they host game sure he didn’t have to do it all for the Rockets. Although Houston never relinquished the James Harden’s 28 points, punched their NBA six today. “It was huge for us,” said Spurs veter- Dwight Howard scored 18 points and pulled lead after the first quarter, the Mavericks to 2016 season playoffs second-round ticket on Tuesday with an Tim Duncan, who scored 21 points and down 19 rebounds. Josh Smith added 20 didn’t go down without a fight. They whittled a 103-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. pulled down 11 rebounds. “We’ve got two points off the bench and Terrence Jones a 14-point deficit to 88-85 with just over five MELBOURNE: Formula One’s 2016 season will see Harden, a contender for the NBA’s regular- chances to try to close it out.” scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quar- minutes left in regulation. the latest start to a championship since 1988, with season Most Valuable Player award, delivered Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points and ter. Houston advanced despite 21 turnovers But as before in this series, the Rockets the opening Australian Grand Prix scheduled for a key three-pointer and a steal down the grabbed nine rebounds for San Antonio. and a lackluster performance from the foul responded. Jones converted a three-point April 3. Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit has stretch as the Rockets made it out of the first Argentina’s Manu Ginobili scored 14 points, line-connecting on just 19 of their 36 free- play, then connected on a three-pointer to usually hosted the opener in March, though it was round for the first time since 2009 with a 4-1 while the Spurs’ French point guard Tony throw attempts. “Our work is far from over,” put Houston up by nine. win over Dallas in the best-of-seven Western Parker and Australian Patty Mills added 13 Rockets forward Trevor Ariza said. “We have a Nowitzki trimmed the deficit with an pushed back to April in 2006 to become the third Conference first-round series. points apiece. lot of work to do.” uncontested layup, but Harden came up with round on the calendar when Melbourne hosted the The Rockets now await either reigning NBA Blake Griffin scored 21 of his 30 points in Monta Ellis with 25 points led the a three-pointer before a steal and a no-look Commonwealth Games that year. champions San Antonio or the Los Angeles the first half and also grabbed 14 rebounds to Mavericks, who haven’t won a playoff series pass to Jones for a dunk that all but sealed the “The 2016 Formula One Australian Grand Prix Clippers. The Spurs pushed the Clippers to the lead the Clippers. Chris Paul had 19 points and since their 2011 championship run. German victory. “We kept getting in striking distance, event dates are 31 March-3 April, 2016, with the lat- brink of elimination with a close-run 111-107 10 assists and DeAndre Jordan registered 21 veteran Dirk Nowitzki finished with 22 points but they kept making plays,” Dallas center er start date set to condense the season, which fin- victory in Los Angeles. points and 14 rebounds for Los Angeles. and 14 rebounds but missed 15 shots and all Tyson Chandler said. “You have to give them ishes in November,” local organisers said on San Antonio took a 3-2 series lead and will In Houston, Harden’s team-mates made six of his three-point attempts for the Mavs. credit.”—AFP Tuesday. The 1988 season also started on April 3, in Brazil. Media have speculated that Formula One Management is aiming to reduce costs for teams Lightning host and shorten the downtime between races in a bid to maximise interest in the championship. Pundits have also suggested a condensed season could be a bargaining chip for FOM to pack in more Red Wings races into the calendar, with Azerbaijan scheduled to make its debut next year on what could be a 20 MONTREAL: One more game in the first But Detroit won at Tampa Bay in Games round championship. round of the NHL playoffs. One last chance 1 and 5, and the teams have alternated The later date at Albert Park will also mean an to catch a memorable duel between Tampa wins in the series. Each team has scored 15 earlier start for the race, given it falls after the end Bay forward Tyler Johnson and Detroit goals, as well. “I’m not surprised in hind- of daylight savings in the state of Victoria when goaltender Petr Mrazek. sight that we’re here,” Red Wings coach clocks are switched back an hour. Johnson and the Lightning host Mrazek Mike Babcock said. “I thought we were The AGPC was unable to provide further com- and the Red Wings in Game 7 of their see- going to be good in this series. I thought it ment but confirmed the move was a directive from saw series. The winner then travels to was going to be competitive contrary to FOM. “It’s fantastic that Melbourne will again play Montreal for Game 1 of the Eastern what the experts thought. I thought we host to the opening round,” said Australian Grand Conference semifinals tomorrow. were going to be a real tough out and we Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott. “This is Game 7. We worked extremely are, and I also think we’re going to win hard to get ourselves in this position,” tomorrow. That’s just the way I think.” “Over the past 20 years Melbourne has become Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos said The Red Wings will be without Niklas synonymous with the start of a new Formula One Tuesday. “No one remembers what hap- Kronwall after the veteran defenseman was season, and we look forward to again welcoming all the teams and drivers to our great city in 2016.” A pened in Game 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. We have suspended for the game by the NHL for DETROIT: Tampa Bay Lightning center Cedric Paquette (13) shoots an empty net goal later start to the season in Australia could also see to be a lot better than we have been. charging Tampa Bay forward Nikita against the Detroit Red Wings in this file photo. —AP They’ve come in here and beat us twice. We Kucherov late in the second period in Bahrain, the fourth race of 2015, move up the order have that mentality we were the best team Game 6. Kronwall knocked off Kucherov’s Western Conference semifinals. It will be in the second period. next year even if it will be hard to accommodate an at home in the league for a reason, and we helmet with the huge hit. No penalty was the first Game 7 for Tampa Bay since it lost Six of the 15 goals allowed by Detroit earlier date. have to show that.” called and Kucherov took seven shifts in to Boston in the 2011 Eastern Conference have gone to Johnson, who is tied with Bahrain has never been later than April 26 on the Detroit had a chance to eliminate Tampa the third, finishing with three assists. finals. Jimmy Howard was in goal for the Vladimir Tarasenko of St. Louis for the play- calendar since the race made its debut in 2004 and Bay at home on Monday night, but “I thought it was a good hit,” Babcock Red Wings for that difficult loss to the off lead. Stamkos, who was second in the local organisers said at this year’s April 19 grand prix Johnson collected two more goals to lead said. “Kucherov was leaning back trying to Blackhawks, but Babcock has gone with the league with 43 goals during the regular that they were hoping for an earlier slot. the Lightning to a 5-2 victory. Jason get out of the way. Kroner’s foot was on the 23-year-old Mrazek against the Lightning. season, has yet to score in this postseason. “Maybe the end of April when it gets pretty hot Garrison, Alex Killorn and Cedric Paquette ice when he made contact.” The Czech goaltender has two shutouts Babcock said Johnson has been “the also scored as the league’s highest-scoring The last time Detroit played in a Game 7, and a 2.30 goals-against average in his first driving force” for the Lightning in the series. isn’t the time, so a few weeks here and there would team in the regular season got untracked it lost 2-1 to Chicago when Kronwall had a postseason series. “He’s a competitive guy,” Babcock said. “He’s help if we could change that,” Sheikh Salman bin Isa after being held in check by Mrazek and shot by Brent Seabrook go off his leg and Mrazek had 23 saves in Game 6, includ- got good speed. He’s competitive defen- Al Khalifa told Reuters then. —Reuters the Red Wings for much of the first round. into the net in overtime in the 2013 ing a spectacular stick stop on Brian Boyle sively. He plays 200 feet.” —AP