Former Scotland international Blade Thomson has retired from rugby due to a head injury.

Thomson, who has spent the last five years with Welsh side Scarlets, issued a statement on Thursday to confirm his decision.

Scarlets boss Dwayne Peel said at a press conference on Tuesday that Thomson was out with a head problem, adding that it was a "work in progress".

However, the player has now taken the decision to hang up his boots at the age of 32.

New Zealand-born Thomson won 10 caps for Scotland, including playing at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

In a statement released through Scarlets, Thomson said: "Myself and my family have come to this decision and I'd like to thank everyone, coaches, players, the back-room and medical staff and all the fans for their support.

"We've been made welcome from the moment we came to Llanelli. It's a special place to play and I'm proud of what I've achieved, making more than 50 appearances for the Scarlets and having the honour of representing Scotland.

"We will leave with fond memories of our time here."

Scarlets will honour Thomson with a presentation following Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Edinburgh.

Joe Mazzulla has been appointed the permanent head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Mazzulla becomes the 19th full-time head coach in the franchise's history and he has also agreed an extension to his contract, though details were not confirmed.

The 34-year-old took over the Celtics on an interim basis in September following the suspension of previous head coach Ime Udoka.

Mazzulla has had an impressive impact on last season's NBA Finals runners-up, leading them to a league-leading record of 42-17.

The announcement from the Celtics came on Thursday following Wednesday's 127-109 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Mazzulla was hired by the Celtics in 2019 as an assistant coach following two years in his first head coach role with division two college Fairmont State.

He spent two of his first three seasons on the Celtics bench under former head coach and current president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, before retaining his role when Stevens was promoted and Udoka was brought in as the new head coach.

Stevens said following the announcement: "As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader. He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission.

"We are thankful for the work he has done to help get us to this point, and excited that he has agreed to lead us into the future."

It was also announced last month that Mazzulla and the rest of Boston's coaching staff had earned the right to coach Team Giannis at this year's All-Star Game, which takes place in Salt Lake City on Sunday.

Former Ireland, Leinster and British and Irish Lions prop Jack McGrath has retired from rugby at the age of 33 as he wants to live "a pain-free life".

McGrath earned 56 caps for Ireland and was part of the side that won the Six Nations in 2014 and 2015, as well as a Grand Slam in 2018.

The Dublin native was also part of the Lions' 2017 tour of New Zealand, winning all three of his caps as a replacement.

He has struggled with a persistent hip injury and had been without a club since being released by Ulster at the end of the 2021-22 season.

In a statement posted on his personal Instagram account on Thursday, McGrath officially brought down the curtain on his playing career.

"This decision has taken a considerable amount of time. It has been one of the hardest I've ever had to make," McGrath said.

"The last few years have been extremely testing for myself and my family, both mentally and physically.

"I feel I have given everything to my rugby career and I have no regrets or anything left to prove. It's been a long road of rehabilitation after two hip resurfacing operations.

"My main focus now is my family and I am excited for this next chapter with them.

"I am in a position now where I have a comfortable, pain-free life and can be an active dad, which I have chosen over going back to play rugby."

McGrath won three domestic titles, along with trophy successes in the European Challenge Cup and European Champions Cup, during nine successful years with Leinster, before joining Ulster in 2019, where appearances were limited.

Wales coach Warren Gatland is "confident" strike action will be averted and his team's Six Nations game against England will go ahead next week.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Welsh regions have insisted there is "no room for manoeuvre" on player contract renewals, with internationals in Gatland's squad reportedly considering whether they should refuse to play.

Under a six-year agreement that has, according to the WRU, been verbally agreed, players in Wales are set to receive lower wages, with bonuses introduced to contracts.

WRU interim chief executive Nigel Walker met with senior members of Wales' squad to "further clarify" the governing body's position on Wednesday, and there is a February 28 deadline in place.

That falls three days after Wales take on England at the Principality Stadium.

Sitting alongside former captain Alun Wyn Jones at a press conference, Gatland was asked about the potential for a strike and said: "You have to talk to Alun Wyn about that. As far as I'm concerned, it's just preparing for the game, and I'm confident the game will go ahead."

Asked whether players had suggested they might be unavailable, Gatland said: "No."

Gatland, back at the helm for a second spell as Wales coach, said those in the national set-up "understand the frustrations by the players".

He added: "I'm sure the players, like us, would like things resolved hopefully as quick as possible. These things have been going on for a long time, but all I can focus on is concentrating and preparing on the game.

"That stuff is out of my remit, and I'm just planning for England next week."

Gatland responded "No", when asked if he would support his players refusing to play England, adding: "I completely support the stance [the players are] taking in terms of wanting to get some resolution about the issues that they have, but I think there's a lot more involved in terms of ensuring that that fixture does take place."

He said the Wales players have been "fantastic" on the training pitch, and remarked that players could not be blamed for seeking what they consider market value contracts, despite the WRU's comments.

"It's a little disingenuous to say the players are being paid too much money, from the union's point of view," said Gatland. "No way is it their fault that those contracts have been negotiated by the regions or the agents through the players."

Long-serving ex-skipper Jones said: "This was supposed to be sorted a long time ago. Even players that might have had the opportunity to go somewhere else might not get that now because other teams are filling their rosters.

"The disappointing thing is that the basic treatment of players and the continued unprofessional nature of dealing with things is massively disappointing, and unfortunately it's been highlighted."

Ireland lock Tadhg Beirne has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2023 Six Nations with an ankle injury.

The Munster player, who has started his country's last 14 Tests, was forced off early in the second half of Saturday's 32-19 win over France in Dublin.

Beirne left the Aviva Stadium on crutches, and it was confirmed by Ireland on Thursday he is facing around three months out of action as the injury requires surgery.

"Tadhg Beirne will undergo surgery today on the ankle injury he sustained in Saturday's win over France," a statement from the Irish Rugby Football Union read.

"Unfortunately, Tadhg will be ruled out for up to 12 weeks."

Ulster skipper Iain Henderson replaced Beirne against France and is expected to start Ireland's next game away at Italy a week on Saturday.

Andy Farrell's side are level with Scotland on 10 points after two rounds of fixtures after claiming bonus-point victories against Wales and France.

After facing Italy at Stadio Olimpico, the world's top-ranked nation travel to Scotland and then host England in their final fixture.

LeBron James likes what the new-look Los Angeles Lakers have "brewing" following some shrewd business before last week's trade deadline.

Five players made their home debuts for the Lakers in a 120-102 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.

D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt were all in the starting line-up as the rebuilding Lakers moved to 27-32, sitting 13th in the Western Conference.

James made his return from injury after seeing Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, Patrick Beverley and Thomas Bryant move on.

The Lakers superstar, who scored 21 points after recovering from foot soreness, feels there is a nice blend to the roster after so many changes.

He said: "I think we're going to continue to build off tonight," said James. "I think our skill sets all kind of fit each other."

James expressed his gratitude to the contribution the players who departed made but is happy with the new faces that have arrived.

"First of all, I shout out and salute the guys that left," James said. "Russ, Pat, JTA, DJ and Thomas. Those five guys. We all started the season together and tried to work to make some things happen and be the best that we could be out on the floor.

"So I salute those guys and their commitment to us trying to be as good as we could be on the floor. And right now, I mean, I like the guys that we have coming in. It's going to take some time for us to get to know one another, but I know that they play the game at a high level."

James added heading into the All-Star break: "We got a lot of work to do still. And every game is going to be tough for us, especially going down the stretch, knowing the type of push that we need to make.

"I want the guys to enjoy the break but don't get 100 per cent detached because we want to come back and try to keep this thing going.

"I feel really good about what we have brewing, but it's going to take a lot of commitment from us going down the stretch so I'm looking forward to that."
 

Joel Embiid is unsure if he will be fit for the All-Star Game on Sunday after making history in the Philadelphia 76ers' win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Embiid scored 29 points, took 14 rebounds and provided five assists as the 76ers beat the Cavaliers 118-112 at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday.

The center became the fastest 76ers player to reach the 10,000 points milestone in his 373rd game, beating the record of 378 that was held by Allen Iverson.

Embiid is due to feature in the All-Star showpiece at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Sunday, but is not certain to showcase his talents due to the sore left foot that has been troubling him.

Asked if he will play this weekend, he replied: "I'm not sure. I'm not healthy. I haven't been healthy for the past three weeks, or a month.

"I was just trying to get to the All-Star break without missing games and stuff. But I feel like I've reached the point where I need to follow the doctor's advice. ... Back then he said I should have been sitting for two weeks, so we'll see how the next few days go, and go from there."

Embiid says the prospect of claiming the MVP award on Sunday as an injury replacement for Kevin Durant will not tempt him to take any risks with his fitness.

"I haven't been healthy," he said. "I've been having this lingering foot issue. According to the doctors, which needs a lot of rest and staying off my feet."

Embiid expressed his pride at reaching a huge milestone.

He added: "It's great. I'm extremely lucky. But then again, I've put in a lot of work to be able to put myself in those positions, no matter what it is on the floor. To be able to make something happen.

"I'm just proud it contributes to winning. It doesn't matter how much you score. As long as you win, that's what matters."

Philadelphia are third in the Eastern Conference, above the Cavaliers at 38-19 after a fourth successive victory.

Mikal Bridges scored a career-high 45 points in his third game for the Brooklyn Nets since his trade for Kevin Durant as they won 116-105 over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

The Nets had dropped four of their past five games since trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, with the injured Durant following him out the exit door last week.

Bridges shot 17-of-24 from the field, making four-of-six from beyond the arc with eight rebounds and five assists.

The Nets became the first team in NBA history to have four players score 45 points or more in a single game in one season.

Cameron Johnson, who also joined the Nets from the Phoenix Suns alongside Bridges, added 18 points with three assists.

The Nets had trailed 56-52 at the main break, but Bridges broke the game open with 15 straight points.

Bridges finished the game with 17 points in the fourth quarter, comfortably eclipsing his previous career-best return of 34 points.

Bam Adebayo had 24 points with 13 rebounds and six assists for the Heat, while Max Strus scored 18 points as the Heat fell to 32-27.

The win lifted the Nets to 34-24, although Ben Simmons' woes continued with only two points, four rebounds and assists in 20 minutes.

Embiid brings up milestone amid double-double

Joel Embiid brought up his 10,000th career as he recorded a double-double as the Philadelphia 76ers won their fourth straight in a 118-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Embiid finished with 29 points with 14 rebounds and five assists, while James Harden also managed a double-double with 19 points and 12 assists. Harden assisted and scored in 27 of 38 first-quarter points.

The 76ers led 63-38 at half-time, although Donovan Mitchell fought hard for the Cavaliers, scoring 25 second-half points, before finishing with 33.

LeBron returns as Lakers win

LeBron James scored 21 points on his return after three games out with a foot injury as the Los Angeles Lakers won 120-102 over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Anthony Davis scored a game-high 28 points with 10 rebounds and five assists as the Lakers improved to 27-32 to boost their playoff hopes, while D'Angelo Russell added 21 points. The Lakers never trailed after a 38-point opening quarter.

Brandon Ingram top scored for the Pelicans, still missing Zion Williamson, with 25 points, while Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points with 11 rebounds.

Super Bowl LVII MVP Patrick Mahomes insists the Kansas City Chiefs "ain't done yet" after claiming their second title from the past four seasons with Sunday's 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs celebrated with their fans on Wednesday with an open-roofed bus parade which culminated at Kansas City's Union Station.

Mahomes vowed on stage at Union Station to the crowd that the Chiefs were only just starting.

"I just want to let you all know that this is just the beginning," Mahomes said.

"We ain't done yet, so I'll make sure to hit y'all back next year and I hope the crowd's the same.

"We're back again. We're back again. Before we started this season, the AFC West said we were rebuilding.

"I'll be honest with you, I don't know what rebuilding means. In our rebuilding year, we're world champs."

Mahomes' latter comment was in reference to expectations that the Chiefs would slip from contention in the 2022 season with wide receiver Tyreek Hill traded to the Miami Dolphins and safety Tyrann Mathieu not re-signed among other changes.

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been vocal about those who wrote off the Chiefs and reiterated that sentiment, while insisting this was "the best season of my life" after a career-high 16 touchdowns from 20 starts inclusive of the regular season and playoffs.

"The haters were saying that the Chiefs would never make the playoffs. The haters were saying the Chiefs were done. Done," Kelce said.

"In all reality, this was the best season of my life. I owe it to you guys. I owe it to the guys on this stage. I owe it to everybody… Everybody's asking: Is this a dynasty? It's been a dynasty."

The Chiefs have made the AFC Championship Game in each of the past five seasons, winning on three occasions and losing the other two in overtime.

Carlos Alcaraz overcame a second-set hiccup to win on his return to the ATP Tour over Laslo Djere in the second round at the Argentina Open on Wednesday.

Alcaraz, who rose to the world number one ranking after last year's US Open triumph, won 6-2 4-6 6-2 in two hours and one minute over the Serbian in Buenos Aires.

The match marked top seed Alcaraz's first since losing to Holger Rune in the Paris Masters quarter-finals, having missed last month's Australian Open following abdominal and hamstring injuries.

The Spanish 19-year-old displayed his trademark forehand on occasion, while he was at his tenacious best, saving six of seven break points generated by Djere.

"It's a great feeling to win again," Alcaraz said post-match. "It's been a long time for me with no competition, with no matches, just recovering. Finally, I got my first win of 2023."

Alcaraz will face Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic next after he won 6-3 6-1 over local Camilo Ugo Carabelli.

Second seed Cameron Norrie was pushed for three hours by Argentinian wild card Facundo Diaz Acosta before prevailing 4-6 7-5 7-6 (8-6). Diaz Acosta got within two points of victory on three occasions but could not capitalise.

Norrie will face another Argentinian in the third round, with Tomas Martin Etcheverry progressing with a 4-6 6-1 6-2 win over Roberto Carballes Baena.

Third seed Denis Shapovalov was a shock second-round casualty at the Delray Beach Open after going down in here sets to Michael Mmoh on Wednesday.

The American, who is ranked 87th in the world, triumphed 7-5 3-6 6-3 in two hours and 20 minutes at the event in Florida.

The Canadian committed 30 unforced errors across the match compared to Mmoh's 16. Shapovalov also generated 10 break points but only capitalized on two, while Mmoh converted three of five.

Mmoh will take on countryman Mackenzie McDonald who won 6-3 3-6 6-2 over fifth seed Yoshihito Nishioka.

Fourth seed Miomir Kecmanovic cruised past qualifier Nuno Borges 6-3 7-5, while Marcos Giron also progressed in straight sets over Matija Pecotic.

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy believes the PGA Tour needs to take a leaf out of the NBA's book and build itself around star athletes.

The 33-year-old Northern Irishman, who has fiercely defended the PGA Tour amid the rise of LIV Golf, said the organisation could look at other professional sports leagues as models to rebuild itself for growth.

The PGA Tour is weighing up format changes like making at least some of the designated events limited-field, no-cut tournaments.

Tiger Woods spoke about the challenges of the PGA Tour's direction on Tuesday ahead of this week's Genesis Invitational in California, with McIlroy weighing in on Wednesday.

"If you look at the NBA's trajectory over the last 20 years, they've built that league around their best players and their stars, not around the 12th guy on the team," McIlroy told reporters.

"But because they've built that league up around the stars, the 12th guy on the team does way better than he used to, so that's sort of the way I've been trying to tell it."

McIlroy insisted that any PGA Tour changes would not "screw" the lower-ranked, bottom-half players who he sensed had concern around format adjustments that could squeeze them out of tournament fields.

"I've had tons of conversations with guys that are worried about what events they're going to play next year and all that," McIlroy said.

"The one thing I said, look, no one's trying to screw the bottom half of the tour here. If anything, we're trying to lift it up.

"The best players should be playing in them because ultimately the PGA Tour needs to be built around the best players because that's what will maximise the value of the product.

"But that doesn't mean that there's not great storylines further down that list, which we're all very cognisant of."

McIlroy can regain his number one ranking at the Genesis Invitational but laughed that status has been passed around "like a hot potato" in recent times, with last week's Phoenix Open winner Scottie Scheffler re-claiming it.

"Yeah, of course I care about it," McIlroy said. "I think it's a really cool thing to be ranked number one in whatever you do, but I think it just goes to show the level of depth and the level of talent that's out here.

"I literally have one average week, it wasn't even a bad week, just an average week, and there's always someone waiting to overtake you or to come and try to take that mantle from you. I think it's a great thing for the game.

"I've got a chance to get it back this week. You know, hopefully it's a bit of a sort of hot potato thing where me, Scottie and Jon [Rahm] sort of pass it around a little bit because it means we're all playing great golf."

Wales' Six Nations clash with England next week remains in doubt after the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the Welsh regions insisted there is "no room for manoeuvre" on player contracts.

Reports this week have claimed Wales players are considering going on strike over contract renewals.

Under a six-year agreement that has, according to the WRU, been verbally agreed, players in Wales are set to receive lower wages, with bonuses introduced to contracts.

Professional players in the nation accepted cuts of 20 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Wednesday, WRU interim chief executive Nigel Walker met with senior members of Wales' squad to "further clarify" the governing body's position.

The new, proposed contract deal has to be agreed by February 28, three days after Wales take on England at the Principality Stadium.

The Professional Rugby Board (PRB), which represents the WRU and the four Welsh regions, stated: "Discussions are complex and nuanced and that terms offered may not meet the immediate expectations of all individuals involved, but as has been evidenced in other countries, rugby finances are stretched and the professional game in Wales is determined to live within its means."

Malcolm Wall, the chair of the PRB, said: "The new agreement offers a complete funding package to the professional game in Wales, but it does come with financial limitations that will directly affect salary negotiations.

"The cold facts are that the WRU and clubs have been paying salaries that their businesses cannot afford, so the new agreement establishes a new framework for contract negotiations. There is a stipulation that all current contracts will be honoured, but these businesses must return to a sustainable footing in order for the success we all crave to follow.

"The average salary of a Welsh professional rugby player under the new framework will be around £100,000 per year.

"We are confident that our salary packages are in line with the UK market. The PRB accepts that some better-funded English and French clubs are paying more, but this is where we must set the mark of sustainability in Wales."

The WRU's statement added: "The new six-year agreement reached includes provision for a new approach to international player release, a salary cap and a formal framework for contract negotiations across all four professional sides and the national squad.

"There is no room for manoeuvre when it comes to the overall budget available for player contracts."

Walker said: "We have absolute empathy with the professional players in Wales and are hugely grateful for all that they do for our national game, just as our regional sides are for the commitment of their players.

"We know we are not in an ideal situation, but it is incredibly important for the whole game in Wales for us to get this next step right. We must get this right and if that means taking time to do so then that is the way it must be.

"The next step is to confirm the deal and confirm these contracts, and we will be moving as swiftly as we possibly can to that point."

Andrey Rublev suffered a first-round defeat to Alex de Minaur on a bad day for the big names at the Rotterdam Open.

Second seed Rublev won this event two years ago but there will be no such run this time around after his 6-4 6-4 loss on Wednesday.

De Minaur broke the world number five early in each set and sealed the win at the first time of asking, moving to a 3-0 head-to-head record against Rublev on hard courts.

The Australian will face Maxime Cressy in the next round, who bounced back from his Open Sud de France final defeat by beating Tim van Rijthoven.

Jannik Sinner saw off Cressy in that Montpellier showdown and the Italian carried that form into this tournament, though he needed three sets to overcome Benjamin Bonzi.

Frenchman Bonzi forced a decider but Sinner regained his composure in the final set to prevail 6-2 3-6 6-1 and set up a heavyweight clash with top seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.

There was no such progress for Alexander Zverev, who joined Rublev in suffering an early exit.

The German came unstuck 4-6 6-3 6-4 to home favourite Tallon Griekspoor, whose four wins over top-20 opponents have all come in Rotterdam.

Stan Wawrinka, the champion in 2015 and runner-up four years later, will face the winner of that tie, after he beat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.

Holger Rune reached the semi-finals in Montpellier, and like Sinner the fourth seed progressed into round two, claiming a routine straight-sets victory over qualifier Constant Lestienne.

"It was tricky. It's a lot about finding the rhythm here in the beginning of the tournament and first match you have to really be on your toes, especially I played a qualifier today who already has two matches in his bag," Rune said.

"It made it more difficult, but I'm happy how I handled every situation today."

Hubert Hurkacz was another seed to fall out, with the world number 10 going down 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) to Grigor Dimitrov.