Rugby Union: London’s Olympic Stadium will host four matches at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the International Rugby Board (IRB) said. England will kick off the tournament against Oceania 1, probably Fiji, at Twickenham on Sept. 18. Their key pool games against Australia and Wales will also be at the 80,000 capacity stadium, as will the Wales vs Australia clash. England will also play against a repechage qualifier at Man. City’s Etihad Stadium, which was drafted in after Old Trafford pulled out.

Basketball: Australian basketball will seek to hand ownership of the country’s fragile professional league back to the clubs, four years after rescuing the competition from economic collapse. Under Basketball Australia’s stewardship, the National Basketball League has made a tentative recovery in recent years with increased attendances and television audiences, emboldening authorities to consider cutting the league adrift.

Horse Racing: Orb was installed as the early favourite for this weekend’s 139th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs despite landing one of the widest barriers at Wednesday’s post position draw. Unfazed by the wide gate, oddsmakers posted the three-year-old, winner of last month’s Florida Derby, at the top of the betting charts at 7-2. “I’d love to be the favourite,” Orb’s trainer Shug McGaughey said. “I wish every one of my horses was favourite. They’re not all going to win, but I’m on board with that.”

Basket, NBA: Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has been named the NBA Rookie of the Year after a breakout campaign that saw him leapfrog all first-year players. Lillard was not the highest profile rookie entering the season but he claimed the spotlight to be the unanimous selection for the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy. The six-foot three-inch guard averaged 19 points per game and 6.5 assists while finishing with 185 three-pointers to set a new rookie record.