SYDNEY, May 7 (Reuters) – Control-freak and parasite or loving father determined to help his son make the most of a rare tennis talent – John Tomic does not so much divide opinion in Australia as split it into ‘Bernard against the rest’.

On Monday, the father and coach of Australia’s top male tennis player faced a Madrid court after head-butting his practice partner Thomas Drouet, saying he acted in self-defence.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The contest at the breakdown will be a “huge” part of the British and Irish Lions series and will need to be strictly managed by referees if the tests are to be any kind of spectacle, Australia coach Robbie Deans believes.

Neutral referees New Zealand’s Chris Pollock, South African Craig Joubert and France’s Romain Poite will officiate the three tests in June and July and Deans said they must take firm control of the tackle area.

SYDNEY, May 3 (Reuters) – The contest at the breakdown will be a “huge” part of the British and Irish Lions series and will need to be strictly managed by referees if the tests are to be any kind of spectacle, Australia coach Robbie Deans believes.

Neutral referees New Zealand’s Chris Pollock, South African Craig Joubert and France’s Romain Poite will officiate the three tests in June and July and Deans said they must take firm control of the tackle area.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia coach Robbie Deans was unsurprised by the British and Irish Lions squad selection and expects the tourists to play to traditional northern hemisphere strengths of power and tactical kicking in three tests that will give his players the “ultimate rugby experience”.

In return, Deans promised a distinct gameplan for his Wallabies and expects to be able to call on 110-cap flanker George Smith as well as troubled back Kurtley Beale to take on the tourists in the series in June and July.

SYDNEY, May 1 (Reuters) – Australia coach Robbie Deans was unsurprised by the British and Irish Lions squad selection and expects the tourists to play to traditional northern hemisphere strengths of power and tactical kicking in three tests that will give his players the “ultimate rugby experience”.

In return, Deans promised a distinct gameplan for his Wallabies and expects to be able to call on 110-cap flanker George Smith as well as troubled back Kurtley Beale to take on the tourists in the series in June and July.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – To say Australia coach Robbie Deans has had a tricky year leading up to the British and Irish Lions series would be something of an understatement.

The New Zealander has faced a constant barrage of fire from his many critics, including former Wallabies, previous coaches and even, in the case of flyhalf Quade Cooper, his own players.

SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) – To say Australia coach Robbie Deans has had a tricky year leading up to the British and Irish Lions series would be something of an understatement.

The New Zealander has faced a constant barrage of fire from his many critics, including former Wallabies, previous coaches and even, in the case of flyhalf Quade Cooper, his own players.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The story of Western Sydney Wanderers’s debut season does not yet have the requisite happy ending to qualify fully as a fairytale but for sheer improbability it would be hard to match in club football anywhere in the world.

A little over a year ago when the club’s birth as a new A-League team was hurriedly announced by Football Federation Australia (FFA), it had no name, no club colours, no coach, no players and no fans.

SYDNEY, April 10 (Reuters) – The story of Western Sydney Wanderers’s debut season does not yet have the requisite happy ending to qualify fully as a fairytale but for sheer improbability it would be hard to match in club football anywhere in the world.

A little over a year ago when the club’s birth as a new A-League team was hurriedly announced by Football Federation Australia (FFA), it had no name, no club colours, no coach, no players and no fans.

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s chief selector John Inverarity admitted they were struggling for batting depth ahead of this year’s Ashes as he announced the list of centrally contracted players for the 2013-14 season on Wednesday.

The 20 named gave a strong indication of the players Australia will be relying on to try and win the Ashes back from England in the first of back-to-back series this year and there were no surprises.