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sports Diahuebs 25 November 2021

World Rugby to allow players to switch national teams

(AP) - World Rugby has re- to switch country allegiance fairest way to implement
laxed its eligibility rules to next year. progressive change that puts
allow national team play- players first while also hav-
ers to switch countries as World Rugby said the ing the potential to support
of January, the governing amendment “follows re- a growing, increasingly com-
body announced Wednes- quests by emerging nations” petitive international men’s
day in what it described as and consultation with mem- and women’s game,” Beau-
a “landmark” change. ber unions and players about mont said.
changing the existing rule
Players can change alle- that permanently locked a As of Jan. 1, any player meet-
giances if they were born player to a country once they ing the criteria can make an
in the country they want to had played test rugby except immediate transfer applica-
represent or have a parent for specific circumstances re- tion, which must be approved
or grandparent born there. lated to the Olympics. by World Rugby’s regulations
They can switch only once committee.
and there’s a stand-down pe- “Approval of this land-
riod of three years from in- mark regulatory change is The move could prove sig-
ternational rugby. the culmination of detailed nificant for countries like
and widespread modeling Tonga, Fiji and Samoa,
The “birthright amendment” and consultation across the among others.
was approved by the World game,” World Rugby chair-
Rugby Council and stands to man Bill Beaumont said in “Many players across the
benefit Pacific island coun- the announcement. world will now benefit from
tries in particular. the chance to represent the
The change recognizes “the country of their or their an-
International players such as modern professional rugby cestors’ birth, serving as a
England’s Billy and Mako environment without com- real boost to the competi-
Vunipola could represent promising the integrity of tiveness of emerging nations,
Tonga, as could New Zea- the international game,” he which in turn, will benefit
land’s Charles Piutau, who added. the game as a whole,” Omar
won the last of his 17 caps Hassanein, chief executive of
in 2015, making him eligible “We believe that this is the International Rugby Players union, said in the announce- ment.

Knicks recover to beat Lakers team missing suspended James

(AP) — LeBron James for a 106-100 victory Tuesday lead. games. tied it for the first time at 79
couldn’t be in the build- night. on Anthony’s dunk.
ing. Anthony Davis almost They beat Detroit on Sunday Randle went to the bench
wasn’t. Julius Randle added 20 after overcoming a 17-point with his fifth foul with 9:18 TIP-INS
points, 16 rebounds and five deficit in the game James was remaining and was hit with
With one superstar suspend- assists for the Knicks, but ejected from for striking Pis- a technical foul from there Lakers: Anthony got a loud
ed and another sick, the Los sat for eight minutes of the tons center Isaiah Stewart in that allowed the Lakers to cut ovation when he checked in
Angeles Lakers already had fourth quarter after picking the face and drawing blood. it to 90-87. But Obi Toppin during the first quarter. ...
big problems. Then they cre- up his fifth foul. Quickley The NBA suspended the su- scored before Quickley made Talen Horton-Tucker missed
ated one more for themselves made sure that didn’t matter, perstar forward for one game. a 3-pointer to push it back all eight shots in a scoreless
by falling into a 25-point hitting four 3-pointers in the to eight, and it was back into outing.
hole. period. But the best Los Angeles double digits when another 3
could do in this one was tie it by Quickley made it 105-93 Knicks: New York played
“We weren’t playing hard “He’s fearless,” Randle said. twice after New York domi- with 4:58 to play. without backup point guard
enough. Simple,” Russell nated most of the first two Derrick Rose (sprained right
Westbrook said. Westbrook had 31 points, 13 quarters. “We were just trying to buy ankle) and injured centers
rebounds and 10 assists, with some time there and that Mitchell Robinson and Taj
They turned it around but 18 points in a sensational “No team wants to come out group ended up going on a Gibson. Thibodeau said
the New York Knicks recov- third quarter that helped Los down 10-0, but it’s a long little bit of a run, so it allowed Robinson, out with a concus-
ered, with Evan Fournier Angeles tie the game. But game and we fought back us to go a little bit longer sion, is doing better but still
scoring 26 points and Im- with Carmelo Anthony’s and gave ourselves a chance,” (without Randle),” Knicks has to clear the league’s pro-
manuel Quickley adding 12 shot off in his old home, the Westbrook said. coach Tom Thibodeau said. tocols before he can return.
of his 14 in the fourth quarter Lakers never could take the ... New York has won nine of
Davis, who woke up with a The Knicks raced to a 10-0 the last 11 meetings at home.
fever, had 20 points on 7-for- lead that grew to 36-15 on RJ
17 shooting. He said he ar- Barrett’s 3-pointer with 1:11 MISSING OUT ON MSG
rived only about 45 minutes left in the first quarter. It was
before the game and didn’t 59-35 with under 5 minutes Vogel called James one of the
have his usual warmup. remaining in the half before classiest players in the league
the Lakers put together a who always plays the game
“So I definitely think that he 16-2 run that trimmed it to the right way. He spoke with
was a little bit drained and we 61-51 just before the break. James, who was disappointed
used him differently,” coach to miss a second straight visit
Frank Vogel said. “We tried “We can be really good man, to one of his favorite arenas.
to keep him in seven-min- we just have to trust how He was hurt last season when
ute runs and he did not play we play and when we have a the Lakers played at Madison
in his normal rotation, so it way to play, just stay with it,” Square Garden.
probably had an impact.” Fournier said.
“He wanted to play. I don’t
Anthony was just 3 of 14 for The Lakers scored nine want to get into it more than
12 points, and the Lakers lost straight to open the third and that,” Vogel said.
for the fourth time in five cut it to 63-60, and finally