New Zealand

London based ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi says it has won the global advertising contract for New Zealand's national rugby union team, the All Blacks, by their new sponsor Adidas-Salomon AG.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in association with Citibank and Visa International have announced a new credit card aimed at promoting the development of cricket in India, officials said.

Sydney is to host the annual rugby union competition the Bledisloe Cup.

Australian soccer authorities have made a formal application to host the World Cup in 2006 or 2010.

Television companies who use digital technology to superimpose studio-generated advertising on live broadcasts have been threatened with a ban from the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The three southern hemisphere rugby superpowers have announced they would not in future accept tours from understrength United Kingdom teams.

World rugby's governing body has failed to promote the sport outside its traditional strongholds and is in dire need of a serious shape-up, former Australian hero David Campese has said.

Great Britain will stage the next rugby league World Cup in 2000, it was announced in Sydney. The newly-formed Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) has put in place a calendar of events covering the next three years.

Money spent on facilities for the 16th Commonwealth Games is not a waste especially when they will also be used for future events, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said.

South Africa are to experiment with the use of a television referee to assist match officials.

The world's best soccer players will be invited to Sydney next year to play in a ceremonial match to mark the official opening of the stadium that will host the 2000 Olympics.

English rugby officials have turned down a proposal to change the cycle of British Lions tours from four to six years.

New Ltd is reportd to have upped its offer to buy the Super league contract of New Zealand Rugby League club the Auckland Warriors.

A New Zealand syndicate backed by the Maori Tainui tribe are the new owners of the Auckland Warriors rugby league side after the city's league clubs agreed to the sale late on Tuesday.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has denied charges of betting and match-fixing and accused Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Majid Khan of trying to sabotage his reputation.

Xerox is to be an official sponsor of Rugby World Cup 1999 to be hosted by Welsh Rugby Union.

Plan to restrict England tours to the three main southern hemisphere rugby nations are unlikely to be accepted by the sport's governing body, Australia Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill said on Wednesday.

Europe's leading soccer leagues have taken on world governing body FIFA about releasing players for the controversial Confederations' Cup in January.