Can football really rival cricket in India? Yes, says Michael Chopra

Former Newcastle United and Sunderland striker Michael Chopra has told the BBC that he thinks football could become the number one sport in cricket-mad India in the next 10 years.

Crazy talk or a valid view? BBC Asian Network takes a closer look at the hugely popular Indian Super League, which reaches its climax this weekend.

Who is Chopra?

The 32-year-old striker currently plays for the Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL), football's version of IPL cricket.
He began his career with English side Newcastle United and also enjoyed spells with Barnsley, Cardiff City, Sunderland, Ipswich and Blackpool.
Chopra, who has an Indian father, is in his second stint with the Blasters.
The former England youth international played for them in 2014 and then returned in 2016 after a stint with Scottish club Alloa Athletic.

Who are the Blasters?

They are one of eight teams competing in the ISL, which started in 2014.
They are managed by former Reading boss and England international Steve Coppell and possess players like Chopra, former Northern Ireland defender Aaron Hughes and ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack.
They are mainly made up of Indian players but also have a Frenchman, a Spaniard as well as players from Haiti, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
More significantly, they are part-owned by Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and have reached this year's final, which will be played on Sunday.

What about the other teams?

There are seven other sides, based in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Guwahati and Margoa.
Legendary Brazilian Zico and Italian World Cup-winning duo Marco Materrazi and Gianluca Zambrotta are among the other managers.
There are numerous players fans will have heard of, too, notably John Arne Riise, Florent Malouda, Lucio, Diego Forlan and Mohamed Sissoko.
Among the other owners are Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor, John Abraham and Salman Khan, retired Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly, current Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli and Spanish football giants Atletico Madrid.

What's the standard like?

A quota system means that the majority of squads have to be made up of Indian-born players, but Chopra says standards have improved significantly.
"When I first came, the standard was poor," he says. "But this season you can see a total difference in the players. It's benefiting Indian football."
Some Indian players have started to make their way to decent clubs.
Ishan Pandita, 18, has just been signed for La Liga side Leganes, while 19-year-old Ashique Kuruniyan now plays for Villareal's academy side.

What's the attraction for foreign players?

 Money is clearly a factor. In the first season of the ISL, recently retired players like Alessandro Del Piero and Robert Pires were signed up to raise the profile of the league and were given big-money contracts.

Del Piero was paid around £1.17m in the first season. Not bad for three months of work. Each team's salary cap for foreign players this season is £1.81m.
Baljit Rihal is a British football agent who represents Blasters head coach Coppell and goalkeeper Stack.
"The initial attraction is the money," says Rihal. "I think a lot of it is to do with the fact that India speaks English. It's a lifestyle choice."

What about the calibre of foreign players?

Del Piero and Pires were joined by fellow international stars David Trezeguet, Nicolas Anelka, David James, Luis Garcia, Freddie Ljungberg and Joan Capdevila for the first season of the ISL.
Ex-Chelsea star Malouda and former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan have been stand-out players this season.
Aged 36 and 37 respectively, they are much closer to their best years than some of the so-called 'marquee' players in the first season of the league.

So how much interest is there in the ISL?

There has seen significant growth in audiences since its inaugural season.
According to host broadcaster Star Sports India, more than 200 million unique viewers have tuned in to watch the action on television in India.
Those numbers are expected to rise significantly in the run-up to Sunday's final.
Attendances are impressive, too. The average crowd last season was just over 27,000, up from around 24,300 in 2014, while the biggest crowd was 68,340, up from 65,000 in 2014.
The numbers of younger players appears to be growing. The I-League, which is an under-18 competition, now has 37 teams after starting with 16 back in 2011.

How do these numbers compare with cricket?

The IPL, which is the richest cricket league in the world, was watched by just over 350 million people in India last year.
It also attracted an average crowd of 31,000.
Cricket remains very popular in the parks of India's big cities, although you'll see kids kicking a ball around in the street in places like Goa and West Bengal.

Has the ISL helped Indian football?

Critics have accused the ISL of being just another cash rich league, with no benefit for the national side.
But India, who have never been close to qualifying for a World Cup, have seen a marked improvement in their results.
They have won five out of seven games in 2016, including an impressive 4-1 victory over Puerto Rico on 3 September.
As a result, the national side is now up to 137 in the Fifa world rankings.

So how will Sunday's final go?

 The Blasters, who finished second in the table after 14 games, take on Atletico de Kolkata, who finished fourth.

It's a repeat of the 2014 final, which Kolkata won.
Kerala will be hoping striker C.K. Vineeth continues his scoring form after bagging five so far this season. They will also have home advantage, given the final takes place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi.
Former Portugal and Tottenham striker Helder Postiga is the star player for Kolkata, who are part-owned by Ganguly and Atletico Madrid.
They can also call on former Tranmere, Leicester City, Barnsley and Preston forward Iain Hume, who was previously at Kerala and is the ISL's all time leading scorer with 23 goals. He has seven this season.

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John Stones: Manchester City defender 'ahead of where he should be'

Roberto Martinez says England's John Stones can become one of Europe's best defenders - if given time to learn.

The 22-year-old has been criticised for making costly mistakes since a £47m move to Manchester City from Everton.
But his former Everton manager Martinez - now boss at Belgium - says he should not be under so much pressure.
"You're talking about one of the best footballing centre-halves in European football - but that's potential," the Spaniard told BBC Radio 5 live.
"We're very, very quick to judge people and not to understand that he's still a very young man, probably ahead of where he should be."

• LISTEN: Martinez on Stones and Barkley

He added young centre-halves were "rare" - and so was the number of managers willing to play youngsters in such an important position.
"You're the last man and when you make a mistake in those areas you are going to get punished," Martinez explained.
In last week's Premier League game against Leicester City, Stones played a back-pass to Foxes striker Jamie Vardy, who rounded the goalkeeper and scored.
The defender was then left out of Manchester City's starting line-up for their midweek win against Watford.
"He's someone who needs to learn many aspects of his play," Martinez said.
"The value in the market proves to me he's got the potential to be one of the best centre-halves in Europe but he's not ready yet - his decision making, he needs to learn certain aspects to make sure he doesn't make mistakes in areas you don't get away with in football."
Martinez also expects another of his former Everton players, midfielder Ross Barkley, to come good.
The 23-year-old has been in and out of the Everton side under new boss Ronald Koeman but Martinez said: "The first time I took my first session at Everton I saw a player that could do things I've very rarely seen players do. Ross Barkley has a special natural talent and I'm sure he'll come through and show his real potential."

Since taking over the Belgium national team in August, Martinez has guided the Red Devils to four wins from four 2018 World Cup qualifying matches - scoring 21 goals and conceding just one in the process.
He was appointed only three months after getting sacked by Everton, where he had spent three years.
Martinez led Everton to fifth in the Premier League in his first season and Europa League qualification.
Last season the Merseysiders appeared in the semi-finals of both domestic cup competitions - but he lost his job with the Toffees lying mid-table in the Premier League with five home wins all season.
Martinez says he accepts results were not good enough to keep him in a job given the short-term demands of the modern game, but added: "I will always treasure my memories as an Everton manager - reaching the Europa League, getting 72 points, and then last campaign we were so so close to getting to the finals of both domestic cups.
"I still get satisfaction with our long-term project that we had in hand, seeing players that we invested in heavily, giving them big roles like the level of investment in young players like John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku, that they have taken the football club to a different level."
Take part in our new Premier League Predictor game, which allows you to create leagues with friends.

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Antonio Conte: Chelsea manager says Chinese football is a 'danger for all teams'

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte believes the huge money being spent on players by Chinese clubs is a "danger for all teams in the world".

Blues midfielder Oscar, 25, is close to a £60m move to Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG in January and is expected to receive an estimated £400,000 a week.
Conte said it would be "difficult" to manage a player on such a high salary.
Chinese clubs spent £200m before the start of the 2016 season.
The Chinese transfer record was broken three times in 10 days, as Chelsea's Brazil midfielder Ramires was signed by Jiangsu Suning for £25m, followed by Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao buying Colombia striker Jackson Martinez for £31m from Atletico Madrid.
Jiangsu then paid Shakhtar Donetsk £38.4m for Brazilian midfielder Alex Teixeira.
However, the fee for Teixeira was eclipsed by the £46.1m paid by Shanghai SIPG for Zenit St Petersburg's Brazil forward Hulk during the mid-season summer window.
The next Chinese transfer window opens on 1 January and closes on 28 February.
Arsenal midfielder Alexis Sanchez has been linked with a reported £500,000-a-week contract at Hebei China Fortune, managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini.
"The Chinese market is a danger for all teams in the world, not only for Chelsea," said Conte.
But speaking about the Premier League, he added: "This league is fantastic, a great opportunity [for players], a great honour and we should be very proud we play in this league."
Conte refused to confirm Oscar's move, saying: "I don't know exactly the amount, or the situation. Now we have to wait - when it is the moment you will know."

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Celtic v Rangers: Brendan Rodgers relishing first Old Firm derby

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hopes his first Old Firm derby will live up to expectations and bring him success.

The Premiership leaders welcome Rangers to the east end of Glasgow on Saturday at 12:00 BST.
"It was one of the first fixtures I looked for," said Rodgers, who took charge in May. "It's another game but it's a special game.
"There's a uniqueness to each derby and this is one that is iconic throughout the world."

• Griffiths remains injury doubt for Celtic
• Brown v Barton: Old Firm enforcers
• Play the Scottish Premiership Predictor
• Choose your combined Old Firm XI

Celtic lead second-placed Rangers by one point at the top of the table with a game in hand.
Although the sides have met in the Scottish FA Cup and League Cup in the past two seasons, they have not played each other in the Premiership since 2012.
Rodgers, who has never attended an Old Firm derby, said: "I don't think anything will prepare you from watching it on the telly to actually being there.
"This being the first time in a number of years there's been a Celtic-Rangers game at Celtic Park, that will add that little bit of spice to it. The atmosphere will be incredible."

'This is a special game'

Former Liverpool and Swansea boss Rodgers added: "Every derby is different. The Merseyside derby was a fantastic game, the South Wales derby being different in its own way - great games to be involved in. And Liverpool against Manchester United is a real inter-city rivalry.
"But this again is a special game. I'm really looking forward to it and I know the team are.
"From where they were a few months ago it's a different team and a different identity within it. I've got huge confidence in the team."
Rangers beat Celtic 5-4 on penalties the last time the sides met, in the Scottish FA Cup semi-final last season.
But Rodgers, named Premiership manager of the month in August, accepts Celtic's tag as favourites.
"When you are Celtic and when you play a game at home that is what's expected of you," he said.
"We're not running away from it to say we don't want to be the favourite for the game, because whether we were playing Rangers, Aberdeen, St Johnstone or Hearts - whoever we play at home - our objective is to win.
"There was disappointment the last time Celtic played Rangers in the cup so this will be a good measure to see what level the team is at. But it'll be a tough game."

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Jack Wilshere: I hope midfielder spends career at Arsenal - Arsene Wenger

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hopes midfielder Jack Wilshere will spend the rest of his career at the club.

England international Wilshere, 24, is currently on a season-long loan at fellow Premier League side Bournemouth.
Wilshere, a product of Arsenal's youth system, made his debut in 2008 aged 16, but played only three games for the club due to injuries last season.
"He is a world-class player, he doesn't have to show me his quality," said Wenger.
"I hope personally that he stays his whole career here."

• Bournemouth have to manage Wilshere workload - Howe

Wenger said it was Wilshere who expressed concern that he would not feature for Arsenal on a regular basis this season after returning to fitness.
"We had a chat together," added the Frenchman. "He felt ready to play.
"I couldn't guarantee that and it looked logical to give him time - the challenge is to play the games."
Bournemouth are seeking their first Premier League win of the season as they host West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, with Wilshere expected to feature.

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Manchester derby: Pick your combined Man Utd-Man City XI

Manchester United v Manchester City, Jose Mourinho v Pep Guardiola. An intensive rivalry with an extra dimension this season.

The two teams with 100% records in the Premier League this season meet at Old Trafford at 12:30 BST on Saturday - and something has to give.
But if you could pick a starting XI from the multitude of talent available to both managers who would you go for?
Raheem Sterling or Marcus Rashford? David Silva or Wayne Rooney? John Stones or Eric Bailly?
Use our squad selector and pick what you think is the best the two squads have to offer and then share it with your friends.

My Manchester XI

Who would be in your combined Manchester XI? Pick your XI - and then share it with your friends.

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Scottish Premiership: Choose your Celtic & Rangers combined starting XI

Saturday 10 September will see the return of the Old Firm derby in the league for the first time since 2012.

The two Glasgow rivals last met in April when Rangers triumphed on penalties in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup.
In the build-up to the match on Saturday, BBC Sport gives you the chance to choose your combined Celtic and Rangers starting XI.
Select your formation and players before submitting your choice.

My combined Celtic and Rangers XI

Choose your Celtic and Rangers combined XI ahead of the first Old Firm derby of the season.

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Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid lose transfer ban appeals

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have lost appeals against Fifa bans on signing players in the next two transfer windows.

The clubs contested a decision by world football's governing body to punish them for breaching rules over the transfer of foreign players under 18.
Fifa initially ruled on the case in January, but the appeals meant both clubs could sign players this summer.
The Spanish sides will now appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In a statement, 11-time European champions Real described the decision as "deeply unjust and contrary to the fundamental principles of disciplinary law".
Atletico said they had already hired "a team of international experts to defend the case and protect the rights" of the club.
Fifa's investigation concerned players aged under 18 who played in competitions for Atletico between 2007 and 2014, and Real from 2005-2014.
"Both clubs are to serve a transfer ban that prevents them from registering any players at national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods," said a Fifa statement.
It added both clubs had been given 90 days in which to "regularise the situation of all minor players concerned".
Atletico were fined 900,000 Swiss francs (£622,000), while Real were told to pay 360,000 (£249,000).

The next two transfer windows are in January 2017 and the summer of the same year. It means the clubs will not be able to register new players until 2018.
This summer, Real Madrid's new arrivals included Brazil midfielder Lucas Silva from Marseille, and striker Alvaro Morata returning to the club from Juventus for 30m euros (£25m).
Atletico signed France striker Kevin Gameiro, Croatia defender Sime Vrsaljko, Italy winger Alessio Cerci and Argentina midfielder Nicolas Gaitan.
In April 2014, Barcelona were banned from signing players in two successive windows after they also breached rules on the transfer of under-18 players.
Their ban, which ended in January 2016, did not stop the La Liga side from signing players.
They bought Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal in 2015, though both players were prevented from playing until the January 2016 window opened.

'Children abandoned on the streets in foreign countries'

Fifa bans the transfer of under-18s to different countries unless they meet strict criteria. It brought in the rules to help protect children from exploitation and trafficking.
The governing body said: "While international transfers might be favourable to a young player's sporting career, they are likely to be contrary to the best interests of the vast majority of players as minors.
"In the past, the trafficking of young players to clubs, mainly in Europe, by unscrupulous persons led to some minors, whose talent may not have met the expectations of the respective clubs, being virtually abandoned on the streets in foreign countries."
Now, under-18s can only be transferred abroad if:

• the player's parents move to the country in which the new club is located for non-footballing reasons
• both clubs are in the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and the player is aged between 16 and 18 - even then the buying club must meet more criteria relating to education, training, living conditions and support
• they live within 100km of the club.

Last year Fifa dealt with more than 2,700 applications for the transfer of a child to a club in another country. Almost 400 of those applications were rejected.

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Champions League: Uefa 'afraid' of big clubs, say European leagues

Uefa is helping powerful clubs turn the Champions League into a closed shop for super-rich teams because it is "afraid" of them, it has been claimed.

The European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), which represents Europe's 24 domestic football leagues, fears national leagues will suffer.
It wants the governing body to scrap proposed changes to the competition.
EPFL head Lars-Christer Olsson said: "Uefa has gone to bed with a limited number of clubs."
Uefa made changes to its elite club competition to head off the supposed threat of a breakaway competition being formed by the big clubs
But Olsson, who was chief executive of European football's governing body from 2003 to 2007, added: "Uefa was afraid for no real reason.
"For the majority of clubs, domestic leagues are more important than international competitions and more important than a breakaway league."
Uefa last month agreed to changes to the competition format which set aside more places for teams from Europe's top leagues - Spain, England, Germany and Italy - at the expense of smaller leagues.
There will also be a revamp of how Champions League cash is distributed.
From 2018, a club's "individual coefficient" - how it has performed historically in European competition - will affect how much money it receives.

That will see established former winners being better rewarded.
The European Club Association, which represents the clubs, backed the changes.
But Olsson said Uefa had pushed through the amendments "without taking into account the wishes and needs of everyone else".
He added: "We are asking Uefa to revoke the current decision and start the process all over again."
The Swede also cited organisational changes he said would move European football towards "a franchise system based on North American models", likening it to the NFL or the NBA.
Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster - an EPFL member - has described the Champions League changes as "regressive and protectionist".
"We risk an inexorable slide towards an NFL-style closed-shop system. Uefa has a duty to act on behalf of the entire game, not just a few, select clubs and leagues," he added.
Earlier, the EPFL board issued a statement that warned the changes would widen the gap between the richest clubs and the rest.
It has threatened to rip up an agreement with Uefa which stops domestic matches being played at the same time as Champions League and Europa League games.
That would leave domestic leagues free to schedule a full league programme directly against Champions League games.
Uefa rejected the EPFL's claims, pointing to a "wide-ranging" consultation including the leagues.
Acting general secretary Theodore Theodoridis said: "We are happy that the concepts of solidarity, fair competition, fair distribution and good governance remain at the core of European football."

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England-qualified players at Man Utd, Chelsea & Man City playing less

As Sam Allardyce prepares to name his first England squad on Sunday, statistics show English players at the three Premier League title favourites are spending less time on the pitch - and that trend looks like continuing this season.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City, who between them won the previous 11 titles before Leicester's triumph last season, have provided a large proportion of England's squads at major tournaments in recent years.
United, Chelsea and City players occupied 12 of the 23 places in England's squad for Euro 2012.
However, the percentage of minutes played by Englishmen for those clubs in the Premier League has fallen every season since.
From 30 players accounting for 37% of playing time in 2011-12, 21 players accounted for 25% two years later.
The number of players has remained consistent from 2014 onwards, but their time on the pitch has continued to fall - 22 Englishmen for United, Chelsea and City made up 20% of minutes played last season.
Only six players from United, Chelsea and City featured in England's squad at Euro 2016.

How Man Utd, Chelsea & Man City's English players are playing less...

This season and beyond...?

Although the 2016-17 season is only two games old, City, United and Chelsea feature in the bottom five Premier League teams in terms of the playing time for England-qualified players.
They have used a combined eight English players this term, which translates to 19.6% of playing time for City, 18.2% for Chelsea and 18.1% for United.
Joe Hart, England's first-choice goalkeeper at Euro 2016, is yet to feature in the league for Manchester City this season.
United striker Marcus Rashford, another member of Roy Hodgson's squad in France, has not played a league game, while team-mate Chris Smalling has managed only one minute of action.
It is possible that all three may feature this weekend, before Allardyce announces his England squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifier in Slovakia on 4 September.
A total of 104 England-qualified players have appeared in the Premier League this season, although that includes Liverpool's James Milner and Chelsea's John Terry, both of whom have retired from international football.
The only two clubs with worse percentages than United, Chelsea and City this season are Stoke and Watford, with 9% and 10% of playing time respectively.
Ryan Shawcross is the only Englishman to feature for Stoke, while Watford's only England-qualified players have been Troy Deeney and Ben Watson, who was sent off 12 minutes after coming on as a substitute against Southampton.
At the other end of the scale, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has used the most English players - 11 in the opening two games, accounting for 67% of playing time.
However, none of those players has a senior international cap between them.

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Europa League draw: Man Utd face reunion with Robin van Persie

Manchester United will face Fenerbahce, Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk in the group stage of the Europa League.

It pits United against their former striker Robin van Persie, who is now with Fenerbahce.
Southampton, the other Premier League side still in the competition, will play Inter Milan, Sparta Prague and Hapoel Beer Sheva.
League of Ireland side Dundalk have been drawn with Zenit St Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar and Maccabi Tel-Aviv.
The match dates for the group stage are 15 and 29 September, 20 October, 3 and 24 November, and 8 December.
United boss Jose Mourinho said he knew little about Ukrainian opponents Zorya, whose home ground is close to the Russian border, meaning they will play their fixtures 500 miles away in Odessa.
But welcomed being drawn with Fenerbahce and Feyenoord, who will have a reduced capacity at their De Kuip stadium due to trouble at previous games.
"We all know the competition is not the same as the Champions League but to have Manchester United playing against clubs with tradition like Fenerbahce and Feyenoord is good for us," he said.
"We know that it will be a difficult group, but I think that is a good thing. It is good for the fans and for the players because it will help motivation."
Full draw:
Group A: Man Utd, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Zorya Luhansk
Group B: Olympiacos, Apoel Nicosia, Young Boys, Astana
Group C: Anderlecht, St Etienne, Mainz, Qabala
Group D: Zenit St Petersburg, AZ Alkmaar, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Dundalk
Group E: Plzen, Roma, Austria Vienna, FC Astra Giurgiu
Group F: Athletic Bilbao, Genk, Rapid Vienna, Sassuolo
Group G: Ajax, Standard Liege, Celta Vigo, Panathinaikos
Group H: Shakhtar Donetsk, Braga, Gent, Konyaspor
Group I: Schalke 04, FC Red Bull Salzburg, Krasnodar, Nice
Group J: Fiorentina, PAOK Salonika, Liberec, Qarabag
Group K: Inter Milan, Sparta Prague, Southampton, Hapoel Beer Sheva
Group L: Villarreal, Steaua Bucharest, FC Zurich, Osmanlispor

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Manuel Pellegrini: Ex-Manchester City manager joins Hebei China Fortune

Former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has joined Chinese Super League side Hebei China Fortune.

City replaced Pellegrini, 62, with Pep Guardiola in June, despite the Chilean winning the Premier League in 2014.
Pellegrini joins fellow high profile coaches Sven-Goran Eriksson and Luis Felipe Scolari in China.
Hebei's squad contains Argentina's Ezequiel Lavezzi, former Arsenal forward Gervinho and ex-Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta.
They sit fifth in the CSL, with seven games remaining.

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Bledisloe Cup: New Zealand beat Australia 29-9 in Rugby Championship

Bledisloe Cup: Australia v New Zealand

Australia: (9) 9
Pens: Foley 2, Hodge
New Zealand: (15) 29
Tries: Dagg 2, Savea, Cane Pens: Barrett 1 Cons: Barrett 3

New Zealand won the Bledisloe Cup for the 14th year in a row as they beat Australia 29-9 in Wellington.

Australia were more competitive than in the 42-8 defeat in Sydney last weekend, but were 15-9 down at half-time with Israel Dagg scoring a brace of tries.
Julian Savea and Sam Cane added further scores for the world champions in the second half to make it two wins from two in the 2016 Rugby Championship.
In Saturday's other game Argentina host South Africa at 20:40 BST.
The Springboks won their home fixture against Argentina 30-23 last weekend.
The Rugby Championship is contested home and away between the four southern hemisphere sides, while the Bledisloe Cup - which is a best-of-three Test series - has been played between New Zealand and Australia since 1932.
The All Blacks next face Argentina on 10 September, with the Wallabies hosting South Africa later on the same day.
The third and final match of the 2016 Bledisloe Cup, which is not part of the Rugby Championship, takes place on 22 October in Auckland.

LINE-UPS

New Zealand: B Smith, Dagg, Fekitoa, Lienert-Brown, Savea, Barrett, A Smith, Moody, Coles, Franks, Retallick, Whitelock, Kaino, Cane, Read.
Replacements: Parsons, Crockett, Faumuina, Squire, A Savea, Perenara, Cruden, Tamanivalu.
Australia: Folau, Ashley-Cooper, Kerevi, Foley, Haylett-Petty, Cooper, Genia, Sio, Moore, Kepu, Douglas, Coleman, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock,
Replacements: Polota-Nau, Slipper, Ala'alatoa, Mumm, Skelton, Kuridrani, Hodge, Phipps.

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Belgian Grand Prix: Kimi Raikkonen impresses in third practice

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen set the pace in final practice at the Belgian Grand Prix as the Mercedes drivers were only fifth and seventh.
Lewis Hamilton was the fastest of the silver cars, despite a mistake-strewn final lap on a weekend when penalties mean he will start from the back.
Team-mate Nico Rosberg, who has a golden opportunity to close the title race deficit, was 0.107secs slower.
Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo was second fastest, followed by Sebastian Vettel.
Mercedes have so far not shown their true pace on an unusual weekend that has been dominated by Hamilton's engine penalties - which amount to 55 places following three engine changes, meaning he will start right at the back - and problems with tyre choices caused by the unexpected heat.

Spa-Francorchamps is more usually associated with unpredictable and often wet weather, even in August, but this weekend has been baking, with temperatures in the low 30Cs.
That means the tyres are suffering - a problem exacerbated by the fact that greater freedom for the teams in tyre choices than previously this year has meant they have leaned towards softer tyres.
The super-soft tyre has never been brought to Spa before, because of the demands of its many long, high-speed corners.
But Ferrari picked seven sets of the tyre out of their available 13, and only one of the more durable medium.
Mercedes have gone the other way, splitting their choices much more evenly between the super-soft, soft and medium.
That meant, with only four sets of the super-soft available, Mercedes did not use it at all until the final minutes of the session.
It was not immediately clear why Rosberg was 0.768secs off Raikkonen's pace, but Hamilton had a lift in the fast double-left hander at Pouhon and then made mistakes at flat-out Blanchimont and on the entry to the final chicane.
Mercedes executive director (technical) Paddy Lowe told BBC Sport that the team were likely to give Hamilton only the least possible running in qualifying - probably meaning only one run in the first session.
"We'll probably just run the minimum necessary in qualifying," Lowe said. "We want to give Lewis the strongest possible race from the back and with the maximum number of tyres."
Rosberg, despite his lack of headline pace in the final practice session, is expected to take pole, and there will be a tight battle between Red Bull and Ferrari for best of the rest.
Ricciardo's team-mate Max Verstappen, who was fastest on Friday afternoon, did only two laps on Saturday before being hit by a gearbox problem.
Hamilton is not the only driver with engine penalties.
McLaren's Fernando Alonso, who was 11th fastest and two places ahead of team-mate Jenson Button in the session, has a 35-place penalty and Sauber's Marcus Ericsson 10 places.

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Hope Solo: USA goalkeeper suspended for six months for 'cowards' comment

Goalkeeper Hope Solo will not play for the United States for six months after being banned for calling Olympic rivals Sweden "a bunch of cowards".

The 35-year-old World Cup winner made the remarks after her side lost 5-4 on penalties to the Swedes in the quarter-finals of Rio 2016.
US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said Solo's comments were "unacceptable".
Solo, who will not be eligible for the national side until February, said she was "saddened" by the decision.
Writing on her Facebook page, the Seattle Reign star said: "I could not be the player I am without being the person I am, even when I haven't made the best choices or said the right things."

At present, Solo will only miss two games for the US, against Thailand and the Netherlands next month. However, US Soccer has yet to finalise the fixture list.
They played 14 games in the same six months of the 2015-16 season.
In January 2015, Solo, who has made more than 200 appearances for the US, was suspended for 30 days following an incident during a training camp.
Media reports claimed she was in the car when husband Jerramy Stevens was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Sweden went on to reach the final in Rio but lost 2-1 by Germany.

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Richard Chaplow banned for verbally abusing Robbie Rogers during match

Former Premier League player Richard Chaplow has been suspended for two matches for verbally abusing openly gay opponent Robbie Rogers.

Rogers, 29, said he was subjected to a repeated "gay slur" during a match between his LA Galaxy II team and Chaplow's Orange County Blues.
Chaplow, who was also fined, admitted he had used "profane language".
But the former West Brom and Southampton player added: "I am being wrongfully linked to homophobic slurs."
Orange County said they "pursued the investigation vigorously" but found "no compelling evidence" to back up the allegation from US international and ex-Leeds United United midfielder Rodgers.
United Soccer League (USL) president Jake Edwards said: "We cannot, nor will we, condone any language that is counter to the values we have instilled throughout the USL."
Rogers, making his return from injury in Saturday's game, said he had not heard another "gay slur" in four years since returning to the MLS.
He said he spent the journey home from the match "wishing I had punched or head-butted" the player, who he did not name.
Chaplow joined US third-tier side Orange County in July.
He said the last 72 hours had been "dark and stressful", adding: "I have a family member that is part of the LGBT community. I fully understand the weight and pressures it brings.
"I would like to sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended by the profane language I used on the pitch in response to what I felt was an overreaction to a tackle. This was obviously not the correct way to represent myself or the club."

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Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool boss aims to emulate Reds legends' achievements

Jurgen Klopp hopes to draw on the experience of past Liverpool managers and oversee a sustained period of success at the club.

Klopp, 49, was appointed in October 2015, and led the Reds to eighth in the Premier League, as well as the finals of the League Cup and Europa League.
The German wants to replicate the success of Liverpool "grandfathers" such as Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.
"Sometimes you can use the experience of other people," he told the BBC.
"I don't live in the past but there is a reason why we are here - because of our fathers and grandfathers. These people are like the grandfathers.
"Life is so quick. What keeps you in the race is the experience."

• 'Enigmatic, charismatic and larger than life' - Lineker meets Klopp

Klopp was speaking to MOTD presenter and former Everton, Tottenham and Leicester City striker Gary Lineker in an interview for The Premier League Show, a weekly magazine programme that airs for the first time on BBC Two at 22:00 BST on Thursday.
Shankly won the First Division three times, the FA Cup twice and the Uefa Cup once while managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974.
Paisley won three European Cups, six First Division titles, the Uefa Cup and three League Cups from 1976 to 1983.

Klopp 'wants to drive on big bus through Liverpool'

Klopp signed a new contract in July that will keep him at Anfield until 2022. His side started the season with a 4-3 win at Arsenal but lost 2-0 at Burnley on Saturday.
"I would like to celebrate something each season over the next six years," he added. "Not the small thing, really celebrate something - driving on the big bus through Liverpool. That would be nice.
"I've said it before, but it is not important what people think when you come. It is important what they think when you leave. That is when you need to be judged."
Klopp moved to Liverpool after seven years at Borussia Dortmund.
The German club are famous for their 'Yellow Wall', a stand packed with 25,000 fans that creates one of the most intimidating and impressive atmospheres in world football.
However, Klopp says the atmosphere generated during Liverpool's dramatic comeback at Anfield against Dortmund in the Europa League quarter-finals in April eclipsed anything he had experienced before.
"When I was at Mainz, there were 20,000 people going nuts," he said. "Then I went to Dortmund and you would get 80,000. Not too bad, but then the last half-hour against Dortmund was the best I've ever had. I felt no-one could stop us."
In the interview, Klopp also gives an insight into his managerial philosophy.
He also says he understands why people might think he "is crazy", given his emotional antics on the touchline.
Klopp said his number one aim as a manager is to excite fans.
"Having memorable games in a row, that is my first target," he said.
"People being unable to wait for the next game, that is what football should be. If you can do this very often, then you will be successful."

Klopp keen for winter break

Having experienced the benefits of a winter break in Germany, Klopp is keen to see it introduced in the Premier League.
He highlighted England's performance at Euro 2016 in France as a reason why it would be beneficial for England, who were knocked out at the last-16 stage by Iceland.
"I know a lot of these players, they have a good attitude and want to work," said Klopp.
"Dele Alli, what a season, but then maybe it felt like 500 games in his legs, he was not 100%.
"Harry Kane... what a season and then he cannot show it at the European Championship. You need fresh legs."
Watch The Premier League Show online and on BBC Two at 22:00 BST on Thursday.

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Javier Manquillo: Sunderland sign Atletico Madrid full-back on season-long loan

Sunderland have signed Atletico Madrid full-back Javier Manquillo on a season-long loan.

The Black Cats have the option to make the loan signing a permanent four-year deal at the end of the season.
The Spaniard, 22, spent the 2014-15 season on loan at Liverpool and made 19 first team appearances.
After leaving Liverpool, Manquillo spent last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Marseille, where he played 43 times, scoring three goals.

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Joe Hart: Man City goalkeeper hails 'special night' after reaching Champions League

Joe Hart says helping Manchester City reach the group stage of the Champions League on possibly his last appearance for the club was "a special night".

Hart, expected to leave with Claudio Bravo close to signing, was applauded by home supporters throughout the 1-0 second leg win over Steaua Bucharest.
"We've a top manager and he's going to have his opinion on things," added Hart, after City's 6-0 aggregate win.
City boss Pep Guardiola said: "I know Joe is a legend for this club."
Hart, 29, was dropped by Guardiola for the first three games of the season but was handed the captain's armband before marking his first start of the season with a clean sheet.
At one point in the second half, the Etihad reverberated to chants of: "Stand up if you love Joe Hart".
He responded by shaking his head and touching the club badge on his shirt.
"That was a really special night for me," said Hart, who joined City in 2006 and has won two Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup.

"We all know there is a situation going on but I feel that inside, outside of all the circus, we are handling it well.
"Tonight was really nice. I really appreciate the people at Manchester City and it turns out they appreciate me.
"This is a special place for me, I've made no secret of that. Situations occur in football. We are men and we get on with it."
Asked if he might be leaving, Hart added: "That's not for me to say."
Guardiola is expected to complete the signing of Barcelona keeper Bravo in the next few days. Bravo flew into Manchester on Tuesday for a medical.
"I'm here to take decisions," said Guardiola. "I can't deny what I feel. I was honest with Joe, the club and myself.
"I can completely understand if the fans are not happy. Joe did a lot with this club in the years he's been here, more than I have done.
"I know part of what the club has become, one of the reasons is Joe. They won the Premier League, the cup. He helped to make this team one step above.
"I am so happy how the people treat him and love him."

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FA Cup: Ex-Man Utd player Jonathan Greening helps non-league team, plus other stories

 When Jonathan Greening collected his Champions League winner's medal at the Nou Camp in 1999, little did he know that 17 years later he would be in his wellington boots clearing fish from Tadcaster Albion's flooded pitch.

The Brewers midfielder, an unused substitute when Manchester United beat Bayern Munich in the most dramatic of circumstances in Spain, sprang into action when the Yorkshire town was ravaged by floods and his latest club suffered more than £300,000 worth of damage at the start of the year.
"The water was not just up to the ankle or knee - it was eight or nine feet deep and it was flowing rapidly," said Tadcaster chairman Matthew Gore, whose side entertain Northern Premier League Division One North rivals Scarborough Athletic in one of 160 FA Cup preliminary round ties this weekend.
"Jonathan was down at the ground in his wellies and overalls. There were fish in there and he was helping, along with many others, clear up."
 

After leaving Old Trafford, Greening's career highlights include winning the League Cup with Middlesbrough in 2004, leading West Bromwich Albion out at Wembley in the 2008 FA Cup semi-final and playing in the 2010 Europa League final for Fulham.The York-based 37-year-old is ending his career playing for free alongside his younger brother, Josh, a striker, in the eighth tier. He could not be happier.
"It's not about the money," Greening, who started his second spell at Tadcaster last December, told BBC Sport. "It's about the banter, your team-mates and it's nice to spend a bit of time with my brother.
"When we won the Northern Counties East Football League last season it felt as good as 2008 when West Brom were promoted to the Premier League after winning at QPR.
"I've been fortunate enough to have some amazing experiences in my career.
"I'd only been at Old Trafford a few months when I found myself on the bench for the Champions League final in 1999 because Paul Scholes and Roy Keane were suspended.
"I was given Luis Figo's dressing-room locker and he'd left all his cup medals in there. I couldn't believe he'd left them in his locker. It was a crazy night. You have to remember I was only 20 and I was a United fan."
Greening will miss the Scarborough tie as he is on a family holiday but will be available should Tadcaster, promoted from Northern Counties East last season, advance to the first qualifying round.
"He doesn't want paying," added Gore, who also has 38-year-old former Stoke, Leeds and Preston striker Richard Cresswell at the club.
"He said 'just cover my expenses as I have had enough out of football'. He still ended up giving his expenses back to the club at the end of last season."

• All the FA Cup preliminary round fixtures
• FA Cup extra preliminary round results

From Cafu to Clitheroe

There will not be many managers at this stage of the FA Cup who can boast of playing in an international against a Brazil team sprinkled with World Cup stars.
Nineteen years on, Clitheroe boss Simon Haworth clearly remembers the words Dean Saunders said to him before he stepped out for his first Wales start against the likes of Cafu and Rivaldo in Brasilia in 1997.
"Deano turned around and said 'they might be world champions but we will get chances'. He was right," said Haworth, who was aged 20 at the time and playing in the top flight for Coventry City under Gordon Strachan. "He missed a one-on-one and I had two headers which were saved."
Wales, under Bobby Gould, lost the friendly 3-0 to a team that three years earlier had won the World Cup in the United States.

 He made five appearances for his country and went on to play alongside Roberto Martinez, the recently appointed Belgium boss, and Michael O'Neill, the Northern Ireland manager, at Wigan before suffering a career-ending injury at the age of 28 while at Tranmere.
After coaching Shrewsbury Town's attacking players, Haworth, 39, is now cutting his teeth in management at Northern Premier League Division One North Clitheroe, who are at home to Consett, from the ninth-tier Northern League Division One, on Saturday.
"I'm loving it," added Haworth, who was appointed in May, and has former Wales and Derby defender Gareth Roberts as his assistant at Shawbridge. "Clitheroe is a great non-league club."
Three months into his reign there is evidence Haworth's attacking philosophy is rubbing off on his part-time players - Clitheroe scored 40 goals in seven pre-season games.
Familiar names, history for Guernsey
It is one of the most famous goals in FA Cup history.
In 1972, on a muddy pitch, Ronnie Radford felled giants Newcastle at Edgar Street to send non-league Hereford United into the fourth round.
On Saturday, the same venue hosts Alvechurch as Hereford FC, formed after the financial collapse of United in 2014, make their FA Cup debut.
The Bulls now play in the eighth-tier Southern League Division One South & West, while Alvechurch compete in the ninth-tier Midland League Premier Division.

Another Southern League Division One South & West club making their FA Cup debut is Salisbury FC, formed last year after the demise of Salisbury City.
Under the management of BBC Sport pundit Steve Claridge, the Whites entertain Bitton from the ninth-tier Western Football League Premier Division.
History will be made when Guernsey, who play in the eighth-tier Isthmian League Division One South, entertain Thamesmead Town at Footes Lane on Saturday.
It will be the first FA Cup tie to take place on the Channel Islands. "To bring the iconic competition to Guernsey will be something special," said boss Tony Vance.

 Almost 41... and still going strong
Jamie Cureton's CV makes impressive reading: almost 800 league appearances and close on 300 goals across all four divisions.
On Saturday the former Premier League striker, who turns 41 later this month, is set to appear in the FA Cup for Farnborough, who play in the eighth-tier Southern League Division One Central.
Released by Dagenham & Redbridge after they were relegated from League Two last season, Cureton has agreed to turn out for the Hampshire part-timers on a temporary basis as he looks to earn a full-time contract elsewhere.
The former Reading and QPR forward has already made an impact for his new club, scoring twice in three appearances.
"He's very fit for 40 and I know he wants to carry on playing in the Football League," said Boro boss Spencer Day, whose side entertain ninth-tier Hellenic Premier Division side Longlevens.
"He could have scored five on Saturday but he's fitted in very well and is playing with a smile on his face."

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