A World XI cricket side landed in Lahore, Pakistan, amid "unprecedented" security early on Monday for a Twenty20 series against the host. Soon after landing, the World XI players and officials were taken to a hotel "on the main Mall road which was closed for traffic from all sides." The "high security cover" included paramilitary rangers and police commandos (PTI, 9/11).
Japan's hosting of the 2019 Rugby World Cup has created "nervousness" about "whether big crowds will turn up" but national pride will "carry the day for the Japanese," Rugby World Cup Head Alan Gilpin said Monday. It will be the first time the tournament will be held in Asia and outside of the sport's "traditional strongholds," but Gilpin said that he expects audiences to "fill up the stadiums" (AFP, 9/11).
Horse Racing Ireland CEO Brian Kavanagh rejected any suggestion momentum behind Irish Champions Weekend "may have stalled" and stressed how important the int'l element is to the sport's €4.6M ($5.5M) "shop-window event." Even with a 7,000-capacity limit due to the Curragh's redevelopment work, Sunday's Champions Weekend second leg attracted a crowd of "just 5,370." The overall attendance for the weekend was "just over 19,000, a significant drop from 23,805 between the Curragh and Leopardstown" in '16 (IRISH TIMES, 9/10).
A Surrey County Cricket Club spokesperson said that there will be "more police and stewards in place at the Oval on Tuesday" when Surrey takes on Yorkshire in the County Championship. The fixture will be the first game at The Oval since a crossbow bolt was fired onto the field, causing Surrey's game with Middlesex to be abandoned last month (SKY SPORTS, 9/11).
