Crowe gives thumbs down to rugby groupies

Gladiator star Russell Crowe says pom-poms are out and drums are in at the rugby league club he part-owns in Australia because the scantily-clad cheerleaders detract from the game and make spectators uncomfortable.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs club announced this week it would be dispensing with its cheerleading squad and replacing them with a team of percussionists to gee-up supporters.