Sports round-up

Rugby union: Rocky Elsom was yesterday dumped as captain of the Wallabies and replaced by James Horwill for the World Cup in New Zealand starting next month. In another surprise, veteran back Matt Giteau was left out of the 30-man squad announced by Australia coach Robbie Deans for the September 9-October 23 tournament. Queensland Reds lock Horwill will become Australia’s 77th Test captain when the Wallabies have their final hit-out before the World Cup in next week’s Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks in Brisbane.

Athletics: Sprint veteran Merlene Ottey will not feature at the world championships in Daegu from August 27 after she failed to qualify for the 4x100m relay with her adopted country Slovenia. The 51-year-old Jamaican-born Ottey and her team-mates missed the 44sec qualifying cut by a combined 0.76sec, meaning she will be unable to add to her 14 world medals.

Hopman cup: Reigning French Open champion Li Na and dual Grand Slam champion Lleyton Hewitt will play in the Hopman Cup in Perth in December. Li, who also reached this year’s Australian Open final, will form the Chinese team with Wu Di, the 19-year-old who claimed a five-set singles victory against Australia at this year’s Davis Cup second round. Hewitt will be partnered by Jarmila Gajdosova in the Australian team for the mixed teams event.

Golf: Former winner and world number seven Adam Scott will join Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson at this year’s Australian Open in Sydney. The Australian, with Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams on his bag, won the Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio earlier this month with a final-round 65 for a four-stroke victory over Luke Donald and Rickie Fowler. Also confirmed for the tournament are world no. 15 Bubba Watson, Geoff Ogilvy and world number eight Jason Day.