Asian champions Japan will play two tests against Wales in June at home to boost their bid to join the world's top 10 by the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Wales, last year's World Cup semi-finalists, will play the Brave Blossoms in Osaka on June 8 and in Tokyo a week later, the Japan Rugby Football Union announced. Wales are ranked sixth in the world and Japan are 16th. "This is a fantastic opportunity for Japan to play Wales, one of the foremost teams in the world," Japan coach Eddie Jones said. "Playing these games is invaluable to us if we are to achieve our goal of getting into the top 10." AFP
The Asian Football Confederation is investigating reports that a firecracker was thrown during a champions league match in Iran between Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli and Sepahan. A video of the incident showed a Sepahan player picking up an object thrown at a linesman and then tossing it away just seconds before it exploded nearby. AP
China's Zheng Jie beat Vania King of the US 6-3, 6-4 yesterday to reach the second round of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, but Peng Shuai went out to 17th seed Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-4. Li Na is in action today with more attention on her than usual due to political tension between China and Japan. AFP
