LONDON: England made 12 changes for the return match against France in their final World Cup warmup.
Only scrumhalf Shaun Perry, lock Simon Shaw and wing Josh Lewsey kept their places for Saturday's game in Marseille, after starting in the 21-15 loss to France at Twickenham last weekend.
England: Mark Cueto, Josh Lewsey, Dan Hipkiss, Andy Farrell, Jason Robinson, Jonny Wilkinson, Shaun Perry, Perry Freshwater, George Chuter, Phil Vickery, Simon Shaw, Steve Borthwick, Martin Corry, Tom Rees, Nick Easter. Reserves: Lee Mears, Matt Stevens, Joe Worsley, Lawrence Dallaglio, Andy Gomarsall, Olly Barkley, Paul Sackey.
EDINBURGH: Scotland coach Frank Hadden fears the World Cup could be blighted by a succession of injury problems because of the rule restricting squads to 30 players at the tournament.
Hadden, who named his squad on yesterday's deadline day when outside-half Gordon Ross was a notable omisssion, said standards of play at rugby union's showpiece event, which starts in France next month, could suffer if injury-hit sides were forced to play people out of position just to get 15 fit players on the field.
SYDNEY: Australia winger Lote Tuqiri and prop Matt Dunning have been issued with official warnings over their behaviour after a World Cup training camp in Brisbane last week.
The two players were involved in an all-night drinking session which ended at around 5.30am and will be on a midnight curfew during the tournament in France starting on September 7.
TORONTO: Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova made a triumphant return in her first match since Wimbledon, defeating Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) yesterday at a $1.34 million-WTA (R7m) tournament.
Kuznetsova, the 2003 US Open champion, has not won a WTA title or advanced past the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam event this season.
TORONTO: World No 1 Justine Henin says she is getting enough thrills on the court this season that there has been no need to jump out of planes to get her adrenalin fix.
Back in action for the first time since a semi-final loss to Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon, Henin's appearance at the Toronto Cup this week signals the start of her build-up to the US Open, leaving the Belgian little time to pursue her hobby - skydiving.
MASON: Rafael Nadal's troublesome right knee has improved, along with his outlook.
The world No 2 was encouraged after he practised yesterday for his opening match at the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters. The knee that has limited him since his epic Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer is rounding back into shape.
"I have to be careful with the knee," the Spaniard said, shortly after a morning workout. "But I'm happy about how the knee worked in Montreal. It wasn't a problem, and I come here with the same expectations."
SYDNEY: The prospect of an Australian team competing in the 2009 Tour de France has moved closer to reality, according to local media reports yesterday.
Top Australian riders including Robbie McEwen, Cadel Evans, Stuart O'Grady and Michael Rogers could join forces in the sport's most prestigious race for a team financed by a company owned by internet entrepreneur Tony Smith.
LOS ANGELES: David and Victoria Beckham have unpacked and are "loving" their new Beverly Hills home a month after the English soccer superstar relocated his family to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"I've never seen the kids and Victoria so happy," Beckham said yesterday after practising for the first time since he was introduced on July 13.
"The kids have reacted in the right way, they've adapted in the right way. That's the best part for me, to have a happy family," he said.
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