Sports Direct heads for Australia and New Zealand

Britain's biggest sporting goods retailer Sports Direct said on Monday it plans to launch in Australia and New Zealand via an online joint venture and a small number of stores.

The firm said it would form an online partnership with flash sales fashion retailer OzSale.com.au, part of the MySale Group it bought a 4.8 percent stake in last month, giving it access to MySale's 12 million members.

The sites will launch later this year.

Sports Direct, which has over 600 sports stores in Europe, including 400 in the UK and also owns fashion chains and a stable of brands, said it also intends to open three flagship stores in Australia and one in New Zealand, all of which would host an OzSale.com.au outlet.

The firm said it would announce a partnership with a leading Australian retail partner shortly.

Shares in the Sports Direct were up 3.6 percent to 723 pence at 1538 GMT, the biggest riser on London's FTSE 100 Index. MySale shares rose 1.9 percent to 214p.

Sports Direct operates in 19 countries in Europe, including Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Portugal and France, and has said it is keen to expand further as it looks to replicate its British success overseas.