RUGBY: The former Irish and Lions centre Rob Henderson (33) has joined the recently relegated French club Toulon, where he will potentially link up in midfield with another high-profile recent signing, Tana Umaga, reports Gerry Thornley.
Henderson's five-year stint with Munster came to a conclusion at the end of last season, toward the end of which he had been sought by Toulon but was still registered with the eventual champions in the Heineken European Cup. In the event, Henderson played as a replacement in the quarter-final and was on the bench for the semi-final and final.
He had then been expected to take over from Paul Cunningham as director of rugby at Garryowen but the Limerick club have apparently acceded to his desire to finish his playing career in France.
It is believed Henderson has a one-year contract, with a view to a one-year extension, at Toulon, who remained one of the better-supported clubs in France last year.
CRICKET: Spectators arriving at Inch on Saturday afternoon hoping to see the second half of the Antalis Senior Cup semi-final between North County and Malahide would have been disappointed, writes James Fitzgerald. Apart from a few children out playing stump cricket and the odd county player enjoying a drink in the sunshine, there wasn't much happening as Malahide had capitulated very early under the pressure of the home side's fearsome bowling.
The game was all over shortly after the lunch break, but, with Malahide electing to bat and then slumping to 53 for 6, in effect it was over a lot earlier than that.
In the end, the Villagers made 101, a late rally from Phil Markey ensuring they at least got to double figures. But when your number eight batsman is top scorer with 28, you know you are in trouble.
In reply, North County knocked off the runs in just 15.1 overs, Seán O'Connor hitting 36 off 26 balls, including eight fours, before becoming the only County wicket to fall.
CRICKET: Headingley, the home of Yorkshire cricket, fell silent with flags flying at half mast in tribute to Fred Trueman yesterday as the cricket world learned of the death of the former England fast bowler.
The sell-out crowd at England's one-day international against Sri Lanka applauded, then fell silent for a minute in memory of one of the game's great characters, who died aged 75 after a short battle with cancer.
While at the height of his powers in the late 1950s and 1960s, he would tell batsmen not to bother closing the gate on the way to the wicket, such was the ferocity of his pace bowling.
HENLEY REGATTA: "It was disappointing at the end, but we couldn't have expected more out of them," said Garth Young after Belfast's remarkable run in the Thames Cup at Henley Regatta ended in defeat to London RC A in Saturday's semi-finals, writes Liam Gorman.
Ireland's only finalists yesterday were the composite crew, who were invited to enter the Queen Mother for quadruple sculls so there could be a race and predictably lost to the powerful France national quadruple.
Ciarán Lewis, who survived a traumatic capsize and rescue in the Atlantic earlier this year, teamed up with Rory O'Connor, Neil Casey and Jonny Devitt in the composite crew.
