RUGBY UNION: English clubs are set for at least one season without any European rugby after they confirmed their refusal to take part in a revamped Heineken Cup next season, despite last week’s decision by their French counterparts to return to the fold. The English clubs initially had the support of French clubs and, later, the Welsh regions for a proposed “Rugby Champions Cup”, but last week the French said they had been persuaded by their union to withdraw from the breakaway group - for a year at least.

BASKET, NBA: The NBA’s long-awaited return to Mexico went up in smoke on Wednesday when the game bet-ween Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs was postponed due to a generator malfunction. The Mexico City arena was forced to evacuate 45 minutes before tip-off after a generator sent smoke inside the building. The contest was scheduled to be the NBA’s first regular season game in Mexico since 1997 when Dallas took on Houston.

SNOOKER: Ronnie O’Sullivan was dumped out of the UK Championship after a 6-4 quarter-final defeat to Stuart Bingham. Bingham led 3-1 at the mid-session interval but the ‘Rocket’ got himself back in the game with two sparkling centuries. But the world number 10 held his nerve to reverse his defeat in the recent Champion of Champions final in Coventry and advance to the last four.

Other result: Robertson bt Maguire 6-2.

MATCH-FIXING: Batsman Lou Vincent has confirmed he is one of three former New Zealand players under investigation by the International Cricket Council for alleged match-fixing. The ICC and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) were forced to reveal the investigation had been ongoing for months yesterday after a report in a newspaper. Neither the ICC or NZC would identify the three players involved but Vincent issued a statement confirming he was co-operating with the investigation.