Australia's bid for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup has been handed a boost after the country's Government agreed to provide a further AUD$4 million (£2.3 million/$3.1 million/€2.5 million) of funding.

the 2023 event but it is expected a host will be announced next year.Colombia, Japan, Thailand and New

Zealand are among the others to have expressed an interest.

China and Indonesia will attempt to defend titles when the Badminton Asia Team Championships begin tomorrow in Alor Setar, Malaysia.

contested by men’s and women’s national teams.Another qualifier will begin tomorrow in Hamilton, as New

Zealand stage the Oceania Badminton Championships.The hosts will compete against Australia, Fiji and

Gymnastics New Zealand have added two 15-year-old athletes to their squad for the this year's Commonwealth

bronze at the Junior Commonwealth Championships, as well as having claimed medals at the Australian and New

Zealand Championships, respectively, last year.Ashcroft is due to compete in her first senior competition

Zealand in rhythmic gymnastics, having impressed during her first year of senior competition in 2017

Zealand chief executive."

The gymnasts are the youngest athletes selected by New Zealand to date for the Games.New Zealand won

Hosts and defending champions Australia have unveiled their netball team for this year's Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.

Pettit, who missed Glasgow 2014 but won two Commonwealth Games silver medals at Melbourne 2006 and New

Commonwealth Games gold medal in the netball tournament at Glasgow 2014 ©Getty ImagesAustralia and New

Zealand have contested every Commonwealth Games final since netball made its debut in the event at Kuala

Lumpur 1998.They won that title and retained it at Manchester 2002 but were beaten at Melbourne 2006 and New

Delhi 2014 before regaining it at Glasgow 2014.Australia and New Zealand have also contested the last

United States qualifiers Chase Frishman and James Avery Drost pulled off a surprise victory to claim the gold medal in the men's International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Beach Volleyball World Tour in Shepparton.

Olympian, and Laura Giombini recorded a 23-21, 21-15 win over Shaunna Marie Polley and Kelsie Wills of New

Zealand to secure the bronze medal as the competition concluded.The next FIVB Beach Volleyball World

Japan denied hosts Australia victory in the Asia Pacific Softball Cup final at the Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney.

competing teams playing round robin fixtures.Australia and Japan were joined by Chinese Taipei, Italy, New

Zealand, China and an Australian All-Star team in the event.At the conclusion of the round robin stage

Olympic champions Fiji triumphed in a closely fought final against South Africa at the World Rugby Sevens Series event in Hamilton.

Both teams had enjoyed unbeaten pool stages yesterday at the FMG Stadium Waikato at the New Zealand leg

full-time in the match, as Fiji triumphed 12-10.They took full advantage of their reprieve by beating hosts New

Zealand 14-12 in the semi-finals to set up a clash with South Africa.The defending sevens series champions

contact areas.”Fiji have moved up to third in World Rugby Sevens Series standings ©Getty ImagesNew Zealand

from four events, having finished in the top three in each of the competitions so far this season.New Zealand

Hosts New Zealand are one of four unbeaten teams to progress into the quarter-finals following an action-packed

 New Zealand then beat Scotland 24-5, with Mikkelson moving himself to within one try of reaching

runners-up ahead of Argentina.Scotland, Argentina and France all finished on five points.Vilimoni Koroi was New

Awaiting New Zealand in the quarter-finals are England, who finished second in Pool B behind unbeaten

will see Wales face Canada, Argentina meet Russia, the United States go up against Spain and Papua New

A century by Manjot Kalra led India to an eight-wicket victory in the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup Final against Australia.

for 13, Australia began to construct a solid score as Jonathan Merlo and Param Uppal impressed at the New

Zealand ground.Merlo would eventually top score for Australia with 76 runs from 102 balls, but the loss

Laura Langman has made herself unavailable for New Zealand's netball team at this year's Commonwealth

The 31-year-old mid-courter, a gold medallist at Melbourne 2006 and New Delhi 2010, is taking an indefinite

Zealand (NNZ) about the matter.

Zealand in October 2016, prior to signing for Australian side Sunshine Coast Lightning.Her move to the

Zealand have been drawn in Pool B against England, Malawi, Scotland, Uganda and Wales.Pool A is headlined

Zealand in the Melbourne 2006 and New Delhi 2010 finals.Australia defeated New Zealand in the gold medal

Number one seeds Christopher McHugh and Damien Schumann booked their place in the semi-finals of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Beach World Tour event in Shepparton.

Laura Giombini whilst Dowdy and Pollock will come up against Shaunna Marie Polley and Kelsie Wills of New

Zealand in their semi-final.Both the semi-finals and finals of the men's and women's events will take

New Zealand will seek their second World Rugby Sevens Series men's victory this season when hosting the

 South Africa won the season opener in Dubai before New Zealand's victory in Cape Town.Australia

Sydney.Defending champions South Africa currently lead the overall series by four points over New

Zealand with Australia third.Australia will be seeking to repeat their win in Sydney ©Getty ImagesArgentina

Gary Oldman's portrayal of British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour has earned him an Oscar nomination.

The correct location was of course Olympia, a completely different place.In 1958, a new ritual had been

The Baton departed from the Queen's Christmas residence at Sandringham for Christchurch, New Zealand

New Zealand have named 15 athletes to their track and field team for April's Commonwealth Games

Zealand for the first time at an international competition.Race walkers Alana Barber and Quentin Rew

Zealand."

New Zealand has won a staggering 127 athletics medals at the Commonwealth Games and I look forward to

these athletes adding to our proud athletics legacy on the Gold Coast"Athletics New Zealand chief executive

Zealand team to 90 members with more athletics selections possible.The Commonwealth Games will take

Pakistan were awarded third place at the International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup after their contest with Afghanistan was washed out without a ball being bowled in Queenstown.

run-rate climb above that of Afghanistan's and earned them top spot in the group.The tournament in New

Zealand concludes with the final between Australia and India at the Bay Oval in Tauranga on Saturday