Rugby League: Ticket sales for the 2013 World Cup final have reached 35,000, organisers said. Sally Bolton, RLWC2013 general manager, believes the competition in October and November is enjoying a spin-off from last summer’s Olympics, with fans keen to watch major sports events. Organisers say they have also opened new areas of the stadia for the opening ceremony at the Millennium Stadium.

Golf: World no.1 Rory McIlroy was drawn to play Shane Lowry in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona. McIlroy, who clinched his second major title at last year’s PGA Championship by a record eight shots, was beaten 2&1 by Hunter Mahan in last year’s Match Play final. Tiger Woods will meet fellow American Charles Howell in tomorrow’s opening round.

Six Nations: England have called up three additions to their squad for Saturday’s Six Nations match at home to France. London Wasps’ Elliot Daly and Saracens team-mates Will Fraser and Joel Tomkins will join up with the squad. Daly will provide training cover for Ben Foden, who is on a recovery programme, Fraser comes in as cover for Ben Morgan, who is recovering from an ankle injury, while Tomkins is an injury replacement for Jonathan Joseph.

Basketball: Jerry Buss, who parlayed a $1,000 real estate investment into ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers and won 10 NBA champ-ionships, has died at 80. Buss had been hospitalised and treated for cancer but the immediate cause of death was kidney failure. Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 and under his ownership the team became one of the most valuable franchises in pro sports.