National Sports

Despite having to delay the Ottawa Aces' debut until 2022, president/chairman Eric Perez is confident his new rugby league team has staying power.

Over the last five months, two trips to Abu Dhabi and one to Las Vegas have forced Alberta heavyweight Tanner (The Bulldozer) Boser to spend more than six weeks in quarantine.

Toronto Blue Jays rightfelder Teoscar Hernandez has won a Silver Slugger Award for the first time in his career. The 28-year-old Hernandez broke out as one of the game's top sluggers in the shortened 2020 season for the Blue Jays.

Hamilton's Forge FC will face Haiti's Arcahaie FC in the quarterfinals of the Scotiabank CONCACAF League. The Haitian side advanced Thursday with a 3-1 win over Waterhouse FC in Kingston, Jamaica.

LONDON — Canadian rugby international Sophie de Goede has signed with England's Saracens. The No. 8 from Victoria, who can also play flanker and lock, captained Canada at the youth level.

He's an American, but trainer Mark Casse will provide a definite Canadian flavour at the Breeders' Cup. Five of the six horses Casse will run at Keeneland have ties to Canada.

The fledgling Ottawa Aces, who were set to kick off life in the third tier of English rugby league next year, have decided to postpone play until 2022. The Aces cited the global pandemic as the reason for the delay.

Choosing between club and country wasn't easy for Montreal Impact captain Jukka Raitala. The 32-year-old defender has been called up to the Finnish national team just as the Impact make a final push for a spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs.

The COVID-19 virus has been good for Grant O'Gorman's health. The global pandemic shutting down the professional beach volleyball tour in the spring led O'Gorman to discovering he had testicular cancer earlier than he might have done.

It was a journey to the medal podium that took seven years, and robbed them of a chance to celebrate together in the spotlight.