Carbone axed in Bradford cull

Football: Benito Carbone was booted out of Bradford yesterday as the administrators for the First Division crisis club slashed their squad by almost half.

Carbone, who is only halfway through a four-year contract worth around £40,000 per week, is the highest profile of 19 casualties announced.

The administrators calculate the action will save City £20,000 per day and possibly their future.

Gary Walsh, David Wetherall and Danny Cadamarteri must also find new clubs. Stuart McCall, Gunnar Halle and Gareth Whalley will not have their contracts renewed when they expire in June.

It means that from an original squad of 40, Bantams boss Nicky Law - who escaped the cull - could have just 21 young and inexperienced players with whom to start next season.

Golf: Colin Montgomerie could be excused for wanting a bad back for the rest of his career on the evidence of his superlative 64 at Wentworth yesterday.

Three days after pushing Tiger Woods all the way to a three-hole play-off in Germany, Montgomerie fitted in the first round of the Volvo PGA championship between further visits to a London osteopath.

Yet what a round, it was only one outside the West Course record and easily enough to make him the pacesetter in the event he won for three straight years before fellow Scot Andrew Oldcorn dethroned him last May.

Next best, with five under par 67s, were fellow Scot Andrew Coltart, Dane Steen Tinning and 48-year-old Zimbabwean Mark McNulty.

Rugby Union: Geoff Appleford is on the brink of an unlikely England Test career and all thanks to fellow South African centre Brendan Venter. The fortunes of London Irish have been transformed since former Springbok Venter arrived back at the club in August 2001.

And so Appleford's star has risen too, to the extent that - fitness permitting - he is set to earn his first full England cap on the summer tour to Argentina.

Appleford was named in the England side to face the multi-talented Barbarians at Twickenham on Sunday and providing he comes through that ordeal unscathed will almost certainly keep his place for the one-off Test against the Pumas next month.

Rugby union: Henry Paul insists he is happy with his first season in rugby union.

The former New Zealand rugby league international has been widely criticised for his performances following his cross-code switch last autumn.

Paul's impact has been muted in comparison to Jason Robinson and the Gloucester man will spend his summer preparing for an assault on the Commonwealth Games Sevens title rather an expected appearance against the southern hemisphere giants in the autumn.

''I don't compare myself to Jason,'' he said. ''I prefer to do my own thing and play my own way. I am happy with my season.

''I am learning all the time, but I have achieved quite a lot already and there is still plenty in front of me."

Equestrian: British-based Frenchman Franck Bourny led the dressage field of the Copper Horse section with Belmont On The Road at Arena Leisure Windsor International Horse Trials.

A former pupil of Mark Todd, 27-year-old Hampshire-based Bourny overtook Marie Sleet and Sparrow Hall by just one penalty after the seven minute dressage test.

Sport on TV: A selective guide to sport on TV today

GOLF: Volvo PGA Championship from Wentworth BBC2 1310; Memorial Tournament from Ohio Sky Sports 2 2000.

CRICKET: Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy third round, Essex v Middlesex Sky Sports 1 1030 & 1500.

RUGBYL: Tetley's Super League, Bradford Bulls v Wigan Warriors Sky Sports 1 1930.

TENNIS: Sixth day of the ARAG World Team Cup from Dusseldorf Sky Sports 3 1200.

CYCLING: 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia British Eurosport 1415