National Sports

Tyler Ardron captains a Canadian side with few surprises for the Rugby World Cup kicking off later this month in Japan.

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Redblacks are hoping Jonathon Jennings can provide a spark as they prepare for the final eight games of the regular season.

DONGGUAN, China — Catherine Traer and Thomas Scrubb were working out last summer on the basketball court Traer's dad Rick had built in the family's backyard. The two players work out there regularly but this day was particularly memorable.

TORONTO — Brett Connolly says he owes the Stanley Cup ring on his finger to Devante Smith-Pelly. Some 15 months after that magical playoff run, Connolly simply hopes his former teammate gets another chance.

TORONTO — Milan Borjan speaks English, Spanish, Bulgarian and Serbo-Croatian — variations of which cover Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro — understands Turkish and has a little Romanian and Polish in his language repertoire.

SURREY, B.C. — Kelly Bates knew he'd be starting a new job this week. He just didn't expect that job would be as the new offensive line coach for the B.C. Lions.

BARRIE, Ont. — Former NHL star Dale Hawerchuk is taking a leave of absence as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League's Barrie Colts for the upcoming season. The Colts announced Tuesday that Hawerchuk is making the move for health reasons.

DONGGUAN, China — Missing almost all of its NBA talent, and drawn into arguably the World Cup's toughest group, Canada's World Cup story was seemingly written before the team had even touched down in China.

MADRID — Hundreds of searchers, helped by helicopters and drones, combed a mountainous area outside Madrid Tuesday, 10 days after the last known sighting of former alpine ski racer and Olympic medallist Blanca Fernández Ochoa.

NEW YORK — As she has done for most of the 2019 tennis season, Bianca Andreescu kept winning Monday night at the U.S. Open. Make that early Tuesday morning, when the 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont.