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February 22, 2023

February 22, 2023February 22, 2023 IFMSPORTS

Leicester Appoint Australia Assistant Coach Mckellar As New Boss

Premiership champions Leicester have appointed Australia assistant coach Dan McKellar as their new head coach from next season.

McKellar will replace interim coach Richard Wigglesworth, who took over from former boss Steve Borthwick when he took charge of England in December.

The 46-year-old returns to club coaching after a successful five-year stint in charge of the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby, which ended in 2022.

He first joined the Australia set-up in 2021 while head coach of the Brumbies and was widely touted as the heir apparent to former Australia boss Dave Rennie.

But when Rennie was sacked in January, ex-England coach Eddie Jones was appointed instead.

Leicester said in a club statement on Wednesday that McKellar had signed a long-term deal that would start on July 1, 2023.

“This has been a big decision for me and my family, to make the move to the other side of the world together, but it is one that we are very much looking forward to doing, to be a part of a club like Leicester,” McKellar said.

“There are strong links with the community, with the supporters and knowing that I will be a part of game days at Welford Road with 25,000 people in the stands lights a fire for me.”

Leicester, who were crowned Premiership champions last year, have won just twice in the English top flight since Borthwick stood down and are languishing in eighth place.

Rugby Australia said it was working on finalising the coaching staff to join Jones in the lead-up to the World Cup in France, which starts in September.

“We are disappointed that Dan will not continue with the Wallabies this year,” said Rugby Australia chief Andy Marinos.

“Together with Eddie we will continue to work hard to assemble a quality coaching staff to deliver a high-performing environment in our preparation for the Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup later this year.”

AFP

February 21, 2023

February 21, 2023February 21, 2023 IFMSPORTS

Ex-Barcelona Star Dani Alves Remanded In Prison For Alleged Rape

Former Barcelona and Brazil star Dani Alves will remain in custody pending his trial for allegedly raping a woman as he is considered a high flight risk, the Provincial Court of Barcelona decided Tuesday.

“There is an elevated risk of absconding, linked on the one hand to the high sentence that could be imposed because of the present case, the serious evidence of criminality against him and large financial resources that would allow him to leave Spain at any time,” the court said in a statement.

The court believe taking the 39-year-old’s passport would not prevent him from leaving Spain “by air or sea or even by land without documentation.”

If he were to return to Brazil, his homeland, the court believe he would not be handed over to Spain as the South American country does not usually extradite its citizens.

The public prosecutor’s office opposed his release.

On January 2, a young woman alleged that Alves had raped her in the bathroom of a nightclub in Barcelona at the end of December.

The player, who initially denied knowing her, changed his story several times but later said they had consensual relations, according to sources close to the case.

Alves is on trial for the alleged crime of sexual assault — which in the Spanish penal code includes rape.

The investigating judge ordered on January 20 that he be remanded in custody without bail, taking into account, among other things, the contradictions in his initial statements and the high risk of absconding.

Alves was sacked by his club Pumas UNAM in Mexico after his arrest.

In a highly successful career, Alves made 408 appearances for Barcelona, with 391 of those coming in his first spell from 2008-2016.

During that initial stint, he won six La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns and four Copa del Rey trophies.

At last year’s World Cup finals in Qatar he became the oldest player to represent Brazil at football’s showpiece tournament.

AFP

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Author: IFMSPORTS

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