The Wakefield Trinity Wildcats "have become the first Super League club to launch a women’s team." Wakefield Trinity Ladies "will enter the Women’s Premier League next year and go up against teams from the likes of Featherstone Rovers, Normanton Knights and Bradford Bulls." The team "will be based at Sharlston Rovers with training on Mondays and Wednesdays" (WAKEFIELD EXPRESS, 7/5).
SPECIAL TREATMENT: Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F has "been given special treatment" as it aims to join the Hong Kong Premier League for the coming season in September.
The club "will be allowed to use all their mainland players plus be exempted from foreign player quota if proposals from the Hong Kong Premier League working party" are approved by the Hong Kong FA. The Working Party "decided in a meeting on Tuesday night that they will submit a recommendation to the Hong Kong FA board next week that 11 teams will start next season." HKFA CEO Mark Sutcliffe said, "There will be 20 league matches for each team and at least three more for cup competition" (SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, 7/5).
STANDING TALL: The New Zealand national basketball team, the Tall Blacks, which is currently in Manila for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, shared its "basketball skills and knowledge with 26 young adults from an Aeta Community in Florida Blanca, Pampanga." The children "participated in several drills and picked up tips to hone their basic basketball skills." The New Zealand Embassy "welcomed the Tall Blacks as the guests of honor at a reception at the Ambassador’s residence" (MANILA TIMES, 7/5).
