RUGBY UNION: England will enter the autumn without four of their biggest names after head coach Eddie Jones was unconvinced by their recent resurgence on club duty.
With the 2023 World Cup in mind, Mako and Billy Vunipola, Jamie George and George Ford have been overlooked for the 34-man squad picked for next month’s Tests against Tonga, Australia and South Africa.
The Vunipola brothers and fellow forward George have been left out despite excelling for Saracens since their initial snub from the extended training squad named a month ago.
Jones confirmed that Owen Farrell will continue as captain.

TENNIS: Andy Murray admitted today that Cameron Norrie’s stunning season has taken him by surprise.
The Johannesburg-born 26-year-old achieved something that has so far eluded Murray, beating Nikoloz Basilashvili to win the unofficial fifth major in Indian Wells overnight and is now ranked 15th, having started the season at 71.
“Every week he’s winning matches, he’s played six finals, and this year he’s looking like he’s going to win more matches on the tour than he had in every season that he’d had beforehand combined,” Murray said. “So that shows you how much of an improvement he’s made. I knew he was good, but to be top 20 in the world and pushing for a spot in the tour finals is an incredible effort.”

GOLF: World number 20 Billy Horschel has set himself the target of almost doubling the prize money on offer at the tournament he established this year aimed at boosting diversity in golf.
The 34-year-old American hosted the inaugural Billy Horschel APGA Tour Invitational at Sawgrass in July, with 18 players contesting a pro-am and 36-hole tournament.
The Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) was established in 2008 as a non-profit organisation with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf.

RUGBY UNION: Leicester have confirmed that former club captain Tom Youngs has taken indefinite leave from the club to care for his wife Tiffany, who is battling an illness.
The 34-year-old Tigers hooker was granted leave ahead of the Premiership season starting last month and he has not featured so far this term.