Ulster: Lowry; Kok, Postlethwaite, McCloskey, Ward; Morgan, Cooney; Warwick, Herring, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Treadwell; McNabney, Marcus Rea, McCann.

Replacements: Andrew, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, Matty Rea, Shanahan, Murphy, Telfer.

Red card: O'Toole

Munster: Haley; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Daly; Crowley, Patterson; Ryan, Niall Scannell, Archer; Ahern, Wycherley; O'Donoghue (capt), Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Clarke, Kilcoyne, Jager, O'Connell, Kendellen, Coughlan, Rory Scannell, Gleeson.

Yellow card: R Scannell

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Gloucester: Carreras; Wade, Llewellyn, Atkinson, Hathaway; Anscombe, Williams; Rapava-Ruskin, Blake, Fasogbon; Thomas, Alemanno, Clement, Ludlow, Ackermann

Replacements: Singleton, Knight, Gotovtsev, Jordan, Tuisue, Englefield, Harris, Barton

Harlequins: Green; Isgro, Beard, Anyanwu, Murley; Smith, Porter; Baxter, Walker, Kerrod; Lamb, Hammond; Cunningham-South, W Evans, Dombrandt

Replacements: Riley, Jones, Lewis, Herbst, Chisholm, Care, J Evans, David

Referee: Christophe Ridley

Harry Kane returned from injury as Bayern Munich stamped their authority over the Bundesliga in commanding style by thrashing fourth-placed RB Leipzig 5-1 on Friday in a game that featured two goals in the opening two minutes for the first time in the league's history.

Kane suffered a thigh injury against Borussia Dortmund last month. 

Having lost their first league match of the season to Mainz last week, Bayern delivered a command performance against a Leipzig side who struggled to build any attacking momentum.

Bayern top the standings on 36 points, seven clear of Bayer Leverkusen, who play Freiburg on Saturday. Eintracht Frankfurt are third on 27, ahead of Leipzig on goal difference.

It is the 26th time Bayern have topped the table at Christmas, having won the title in 23 of the 25 previous occasions they did so.

The game had a remarkable start when Kane's neat backheel sent Michael Olise clear and he crossed for red-hot Jamal Musiala to tuck in after 28 seconds.

Leipzig hit back almost immediately as Loïs Openda escaped down the right and his cross was swept home by Benjamin Sesco -- the first time in Bundesliga history that two goals have been scored in the first two minutes.

Bayern dominated the rest of the game and got their second in the 25th minute as former Leipzig man Konrad Laimar scored his first Bayern goal, side-footing in a volley from a clever Olise cross.

Joshua Kimmich smashed home a trademark long-range shot after 36 minutes to give the hosts a deserved 3-1 halftime lead, as Leipzig failed to muster another effort on goal.

The visitors showed a bit more attacking intent in the second half without looking dangerous as Bayern continued to create chances.

Olise curled just wide, Kane hit a powerful shot too close to goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi and Leroy Sané shot wide, before he latched on to a through ball by Alphonso Davies to slot in the fourth after 75 minutes.

Two minutes later Davies headed home the fifth from a perfect Kimmich cross.

A miserable night for Leipzig was completed when Benjamin Henrichs suffered a serious-looking injury in the final minute, collapsing to the turf away from play, and looked in real distress as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Friday, Dec. 20 marks five years since Mikel Arteta took charge of Arsenal. Over the course of his 257 games at the helm, Arteta has delivered 152 victories and restored the Premier League club as a credible contender for the game's biggest prizes.

Arteta arrived at Arsenal with a five-phase plan to transform the club. The Spaniard has always been coy about the details but the last step is surely to win major trophies. It would be the culmination of half a decade's work, and Arteta explained on Tuesday how he would reflect upon the milestone.

"I don't drink wine but it will be a special day, five years in this job of a club of this size is a big thing so I am very grateful," he said. "I won't do a celebration but I will reflect on it, and we will have some memories and look through pictures and comments and a few moments that we have spent together and recall it and value it because it is quite a long time."

Arteta's first step into management has been a dramatic rollercoaster, dealing with complexities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic during his first season, instigating a radical overhaul of the squad and going toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City side. Here are the key moments of his tenure so far.

August 2020: Winning the FA Cup

Nothing could validate the formative work of a young manager like delivering silverware at a club starved of success less than nine months into the job. Whereas Arsenal's 2017 triumph resembled a last hurrah for Arsene Wenger, the Gunners' win at Wembley three years later felt like a positive signpost for the future.

Arsenal had drifted as a club in Wenger's final years and it was a slide his successor, Unai Emery, was unable to halt. Arteta began to reverse that trajectory by instilling a structure and discipline which enabled him to become the first Arsenal manager to win a major trophy in their first season in charge since George Graham in 1986-87.

They did it the hard way, beating Manchester City in the semifinal and then Chelsea in the final. Against City, they had 30% possession, four shots in the whole game and won 2-0. Against Chelsea, they registered 41% possession, three shots on targets and scored twice in a 2-1 win. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored all of them.

September 2020: Arteta is 'promoted' to manager

Arteta was hired with the job title of head coach, a reflection of the desire to shift away from the overt autonomy which many inside the club felt had created the latter-day stagnation under Wenger. Nine new department heads were hired as football expertise was added to the club and responsibilities were carved up to create a new structure.

However, Arteta recognised the culture of the club needed changing amid concerns about the dressing-room dynamic and a drop in standards as Arsenal slid from top-four regulars to also-rans.

Explaining the decision at the time, then chief-executive Vinai Venkatesham said: "That's recognition of what he's been doing from the day he walked in the door, but also where we see his capabilities. He is doing a great job of coaching the first team and that's his primary responsibility, but there is so much more that he can bring and that's why we're making this change."

Sources have told ESPN that this move was designed to reinforce Arteta's authority ahead of what would, in time, become a brutal and uncompromising squad overhaul.

December 2020: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

Empty stadiums and, later, restricted attendances due to COVID-19 had made a connection between Arsenal supporters and Arteta's team more difficult. Arsenal went into this game in 15th place and were seven games without a win.

Bereft of the efficiency shown in that FA Cup win, social media was awash with frustration at the perfunctory nature of Arteta's approach. The wider mood wasn't helped by the club announcing earlier in the year plans to make 55 staff redundant as a result of the pandemic's financial impact.

Played on the anniversary of his first game as manager, it was the kids who turned up to party. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, both aged 19, and 20-year-old Emile Smith Rowe revitalised Arsenal in a 3-1 victory which showcased the potential in the club's next generation.

January 2021: Özil is forced out

Arteta spoke at his first news conference about changing the culture of Arsenal, and over time he began to question the character of several senior squad members.

News of a training ground bust-up between David Luiz and Dani Ceballos leaked to the press and Arteta vowed to find the mole, warning "there will be consequences." It was just one of many incidents where Arteta questioned the motivation and desire of his players and the Spaniard sought approval from the club's owners, Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE), to begin pushing players out of the club.

The identity of the mole was never publicly revealed but in January, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Özil became the first of what would end up over the next couple of years to be a total of nine players who would have their contracts ripped up. This wasn't cheap -- sources told ESPN that Özil received around 90% of 7 million owed to him over the remainder of his deal -- and owners KSE privately found this one of the most painful aspects of their time at the club. But it was another sign of their steadfast commitment in Arteta's judgement.

Özil was heralded as the new Dennis Bergkamp when arriving from Real Madrid for what was then a club-record fee of 42.4m in 2013. He became their highest-paid player on 350,000 a week but, as a result of Arteta's judgement, left the club in ignominy.

August 2021: Worst-ever start... but big spending begins

Arsenal ended August with a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City, and lost their opening three matches without scoring a single goal for the first time in their history. But in the middle of that run, midfielder Martin Ødegaard joined the club for 30m from Real Madrid. Defender Ben White and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale also arrived as Arsenal pursued a policy of signing promising players under the age of 23. They ended 2021 as the biggest spenders in the Premier League.

This was also the summer Arteta convinced set-piece coach Nico Jover to join them from City. Since Jover joined Arsenal, they have scored more goals from corners than any other Premier League club.

December 2021: Aubameyang is stripped of the captaincy

This was another sign of Arteta's ruthless streak. He had played a key role in convincing Aubameyang to sign a new contract less than 18 months earlier and yet, in front of the "All or Nothing" documentary cameras, Arteta stripped him of the captaincy.

There was no major bust-up but a series of issues regarding discipline and timekeeping. Sources told ESPN the final straw was his late return from a club-approved overseas trip to see his mother but it was the latest in a string of incidents: he was fined for missing a COVID-19 test before a Europa League fixture; he was "reminded of his responsibilities" after footage emerged of him receiving a tattoo despite strict social distancing regulations; he was dropped for the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur hours before kick-off after reporting late for a team meeting on the day of the game.

Aubameyang was sent to train away from the first-team squad and would eventually join the list of players whose contracts were ripped up, joining Barcelona on a free transfer on Feb. 2 as the relationship deteriorated completely.

August 2022: Spending continues as Saka and Ødegaard flourish

After narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification at the end of the 2021-22 season, Arsenal spent again, chiefly through the acquisitions of both Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City. Sources told ESPN at the time that City were willing to part with the pair, not just because they were deemed surplus to requirements but also that they did not view Arsenal as a significant threat.

That would change as the Gunners won 22 of their first 27 games across all competitions to establish themselves, not just as top-four challengers, but City's main title rivals. They did so chiefly through the emergence of Saka and Ødegaard as two of the league's brightest attacking talents.

March 2023: Arsenal 3-2 Bournemouth

Arguably the loudest Emirates Stadium has ever been. Needing a goal to complete their comeback from 2-0 down against Bournemouth, Arteta sent on winger Reiss Nelson for his third league appearance of the season. In the 97th-minute, he steadied himself to meet a loose ball and thrashed a shot past Neto to send the home fans into pure ecstasy.

April 2023: Saliba's injury exposes squad depth

Arsenal held an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League when defender William Saliba suffered a season-ending back injury against Sporting CP. The Gunners exited the Europa League that night and were ultimately reeled in by City as Arsenal wilted under the physical and mental pressure.

Saka played 3,131 Premier League minutes across the season with Ødegaard clocking up 3,068. In attacking areas, City boss Pep Guardiola was able to rotate much more: Bernardo Silva amassed 2,119 minutes, Jack Grealish 2,063, Riyad Mahrez 2,063, Phil Foden 1,702. Even the headline act of Kevin De Bruyne (2,368) and Erling Haaland (2,686) were used far less than Arsenal's two key attackers.

July 2023: Signing Rice for 100m

Arsenal's aggression in the market to capitalise on their unexpected title push was palpable. They smashed their transfer record to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United, but in addition Kai Havertz was acquired from Chelsea for 67.5m and Jurriën Timber from Ajax for 34m. The shift in the club's mindset was clear: Arsenal's time had come. The three signings also continued a shift towards a more physically robust squad profile. Arsenal's set-piece prowess owes plenty to Jover's ingenuity but also the fact Arsenal are now a stronger and taller team than they were when Arteta took over.

October 2023: Finally beating City

Arteta inherited a poor Arsenal record against the top sides. In November 2020, the Gunners won a Premier League game at Manchester United for the first time in 14 years. In May 2021, they won at Stamford Bridge for the first time in a decade. In January 2023, the Gunners beat Tottenham away for the first time in eight years.

They were routinely thrashed by City but, finally, in October 2023, Arsenal beat Guardiola's side at Emirates Stadium as Martinelli's deflected 86th-minute winner was enough to secure a statement victory. All four of Arteta's substitutes combined in that move to secure his first league win over the club where he had begun his coaching career as part of Guardiola's staff.

April 2024: Losing to Villa and Bayern in four days

Arsenal only lost one league game in the second half of last season but, such was City's relentless form, their 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa was enough to cost them the title. They were knocked out of the Champions League four days later at Bayern Munich and both results hinted at the need for further attacking reinforcements this summer.

Arteta this week bristled at the suggestion in a news conference that he had only won one trophy. "And the Charity Shield twice as well, no? So, it's three," he replied. The Community Shield, as it is now known, isn't taken particularly seriously by serial winners. That is the next -- and final -- step Arsenal and Arteta need to take.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The Baltimore Ravens waived disgruntled wide receiver Diontae Johnson on Friday, ending his drama-filled seven weeks with the team.

Johnson, who was acquired by the Ravens from the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29, can be claimed by a team starting Monday at 4 p.m.

Johnson's time with the Ravens amounted to 1 catch, 6 yards receiving, 39 snaps and a lot of frustration. He was suspended by Baltimore for one game after he refused to play Dec. 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles and was then excused from team activities this past week.

His departure comes at a time when the Ravens could use him the most. Baltimore might be very thin o experienced wide receivers after ruling out Nelson Agholor (concussion) and listing Rashod Bateman (foot) as questionable for Saturday's pivotal AFC North game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The lack of proven depth at wide receiver led the Ravens to send a fifth-round pick to the Panthers for Johnson and a sixth-round selection. Johnson, who was the leading receiver for Carolina at the time, failed to get significant playing time in four games for Baltimore and its No. 3 passing attack in the league.

In the 24-19 loss to the Eagles, Johnson suited up but then decided not to play, according to the team. The Ravens needed him because Bateman was ruled out in the second half of that game with a knee injury.

Three days later, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta announced that Johnson had been suspended for one game, describing the disciplinary action as a "difficult decision." When the suspension ended, Baltimore said it was mutually decided that Johnson would be excused from team activities for this week.

Now, the Ravens have moved on, closing out one of the most puzzling trades in team history. A third-round draft pick in 2019 by the Steelers, Johnson has totaled 422 catches for 4,726 yards and 28 touchdowns for Pittsburgh, Carolina and Baltimore.

Baltimore is dealing with other issues at wide receiver as well. There had been hope Agholor could get cleared from the concussion protocol for Saturday's game. But on Friday the Ravens downgraded their No. 3 wide receiver to out, an untimely loss for quarterback Lamar Jackson and the NFL's top-ranked offense.

In addition to not having Agholor and Johnson, Baltimore could be without Bateman, who was walking with a protective boot in the locker room Thursday.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh declined to comment on Bateman's status Thursday.

"I really have nothing to report on any of that stuff," Harbaugh said. "We'll be working through all of those things in the next few hours and few days even, but we'll be in good shape and be ready to roll on [Saturday]."

The Ravens' only healthy wide receiver on the 53-man roster who has caught more than 10 passes this season is Zay Flowers, who leads Baltimore with 66 receptions for 916 yards. The other wide receivers are Tylan Wallace, who has 10 catches for 191 yards, and rookie fourth-round pick Devontez Walker, who made his first career catch -- a 21-yard touchdown -- Sunday.

The Steelers also won't be at full strength at wide receiver. Pittsburgh ruled out leading receiver George Pickens (hamstring) for a third straight game.

Saturday's game in Baltimore is the biggest matchup in the AFC North this season. If Pittsburgh (10-4) wins, the Steelers will clinch their first division title since 2020. If Baltimore (9-5) wins, the Ravens will tie the Steelers atop the AFC North and have a 45% chance of capturing the division, according to ESPN Analytics.

NOTRE DAME DEFENSIVE coordinator Al Golden is not one to talk about his past, certainly not his past at Miami, where he held his last head coaching job nine years ago.

Those days are so long ago, he says, and he is in such a different place now. But here is the thing: There would be no Al Golden at Notre Dame without Al Golden at Miami.

Golden had to leave college ball to find himself. He went to the NFL because he needed to try something different. And it rejuvenated him -- to the point that he wanted to give college the ol' college try again.

Now in his third year, Golden has built a physical, aggressive, opportunistic Notre Dame defense based on NFL principles he picked up during assistant coaching stops with the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals. His schemes are complicated, but rely on sound technique, fundamentals and communication -- 11 players in sync, understanding what each must do to get the job done.

Headed into its first-round playoff game against Indiana on Friday night (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), the Notre Dame defense ranks first in team passing efficiency defense, tied for first in turnovers gained (28), first in defensive touchdowns (6), third in scoring defense (13.6), third in passing yards allowed (157.9), fourth in interceptions (17), tied for seventh in fumbles recovered (11) and ninth in total defense (296.8).

The Irish have held 10 of their 12 opponents to 16 or fewer points -- their best showing since the 2012 season. As a result, a coach who had to rediscover his love for the game after the lowest moment of his career has been named a finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant in the country.

Golden would rather talk about his players, the opportunity in front of the Irish and the job coach Marcus Freeman has done more than anything else. Each time a question is posed about the experiences that led him here, Golden stops and says, "You're making it about me again."

But those around him know that Notre Dame wouldn't be in this spot without him. Whether he likes it or not, this season has been a little bit about Al Golden.

GOLDEN WAS AT home on Dec. 4, 2015, watching "Thursday Night Football" between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. Six weeks earlier, he had been fired as Miami head coach, following the worst home loss in school history, a 58-0 drubbing by Clemson. Golden had no plans, other than to spend time with his family.

So he watched, in disbelief, as Aaron Rodgers threw a 61-yard Hail Mary to Richard Rodgers to give the Packers a come-from-behind 27-23 win. Three days later, Golden got a phone call from Lions head coach Jim Caldwell with a simple request: Come work for me. Now.

Caldwell was quarterbacks coach at Penn State when Golden played tight end for the Nittany Lions from 1988-91, so their connection went way back. But Golden asked for more time. "Circle back at the end of the season," Golden told him.

Caldwell did, convinced Golden would like coaching in the NFL. He was right.

Golden spent four seasons with the Lions, first as tight ends coach under Caldwell from 2016-17, then as linebackers coach from 2018-19 after Matt Patricia replaced Caldwell as head coach.

"I just wanted a different challenge," Golden said.

To that point, Golden had spent his entire career in the college game, working as a position coach, then a defensive coordinator. He got his first head coaching job at Temple in 2006. He worked a miracle there, turning around one of the worst programs in America and taking it to 17 wins in his final two seasons and their first bowl appearance in 30 years in 2009.

Considered a rising star in the profession, Miami hired him in 2011, eager to return to its past glory, believing his no-nonsense attitude would help get the job done.

Even in the South Florida heat and humidity, Golden wore a button-down dress shirt and orange tie, an homage to his college coach, Joe Paterno -- becoming one of the last coaches in America to dress in business attire on the sideline.

But as great as his plans to restore Miami might have been, Golden could never quite get the Hurricanes over the top, nor could he meet the demands of a fan base that expects championships every season. He never beat rival Florida State during his time there, nor did he win 10 games in a season. After ending 2014 with four straight losses to finish 6-7, fan discontent grew.

Miami fans sent airplanes over the stadium with banners proclaiming, "Fire Al Golden" at nearly every home game toward the end of his tenure. The situation became untenable.

Following the 58-0 loss to Clemson, Golden was fired. The entire experience drained him, making him question what he wanted to do and where he wanted to be. Every step he had taken to this point had been carefully ordered, climbing rungs one at a time to reach the ultimate goal: head coach. At one point, some even thought him a possible candidate at Penn State.

Miami was the first time in his career he had ever been fired.

Enter his quest for something a little different.

"You get to a point when you experience that as a head coach, and it doesn't go the way you want, you pour your heart and soul into it ... I bet if you ask the guys that I work with right now, could you ever imagine that guy being burnt out? I bet you they would be like, 'Are you kidding me?' The guy works like an animal," Golden says during a fleeting moment of introspection.

"But you get tired of it. I just needed a change."

So he got the change he wanted moving to Detroit. He found his joy, spent more time with his family and, he says, "fell in love with coaching again."

He moved on to the Bengals in 2020 as linebackers coach, believing he could make a difference with a franchise eager to grow and turn a corner, especially after drafting Joe Burrow to lead them in the 2020 draft. In 2021, the Bengals made a run to the Super Bowl and Golden was having the time of his life.

But as the Bengals were making their late season run, Freeman had been promoted from defensive coordinator to Notre Dame head coach. He needed a defensive coordinator who could pick up where his group left off and build it further, not tear it down and start from scratch.

He had friends on the Bengals staff who told him Golden was an integral part of their defensive growth, and suggested they talk.

"We had a brief conversation, and I was intrigued," Freeman said. "After three or four conversations, I was convinced that he was a guy that I wanted to lead our defense."

Golden finally got his chance to visit South Bend between the AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. That cemented it for Golden and Freeman.

"It started with the philosophy and the fundamentals and the values that we both have, and what successful defense is," Freeman said. "It's not this one blitz or this one coverage, it's a philosophy of doing the little things right."

"To be with the Bengals at that time and be a part of that was just really something special," Golden said. "But when Notre Dame calls, you have to listen. So here we are."

EVERY DAY BEFORE practice, Notre Dame works on ball disruption drills, from punching the ball out to stripping the football and other techniques.

Then at the end of each week, they meet again to discuss ... ball disruption. Indeed, during his job interview with Freeman, Golden shared how he taught ball disruption in the NFL, in addition to tackling and situational football.

"He places a premium on that," safety Jordan Clark said. "That's how you impact the game. That's why you see the results that we've had this year."

Notre Dame has improved in this category since Golden arrived. In 2022, the Irish forced 15; last year, 24; this year, 28.

Another reason for the results is that Golden, 55, has been able to add more to his scheme, the more his players have a firmer understanding and grasp of what to do. He also has empowered his players to find solutions when mistakes or problems crop up.

"His defense and installs are definitely hefty, but I love it, because that's exactly what you're going to get in the NFL," defensive tackle Rylie Mills said. "The more you can prep for it now, then when you get there, it is going to be so much easier. He throws everything he's got at us, and it's helped us reach another level."

The defense this year brought back a veteran group eager to learn more: from Mills to safety Xavier Watts to Howard Cross III to Jack Kiser. But the unit has had to deal with its fair share of injuries too, losing starting cornerback Benjamin Morrison for the season and two linebackers in Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore, in addition to key reserves in the secondary. Eight different players have made their first career starts in 2024. Cross has missed the past month with a sprained ankle but is expected to play against Indiana.

The injuries have meant young players such as Leonard Moore, Adon Shuler and Bryce Young have had to step up and play more. Yet the defensive effort has not fallen off.

"Somewhere on this journey, we went from an experienced group to a group that has really brought on a lot of young people that have stepped up for us," Golden said.

Even new players, who have just been integrated this offseason, feel that. Clark chose to transfer to Notre Dame from Arizona State, in part to learn from Golden.

"You know that what you're learning here is going to be the same things that you would do at the next level because you're playing in an NFL system," Clark says. "His insight, his teaching, is invaluable. Being able to garner that knowledge from him, although incredibly difficult and frustrating at first, makes all the difference. I think that is a big part of why we're still playing this far into the season."

GOLDEN HAS GIVEN up the shirt and tie for half zips and sweatshirts. His comfort on the sideline is obvious. He came back to college at a time when there was a dramatic shift toward a more pro-style model with NIL and the transfer portal -- changes that have driven many college coaches either to the NFL or out of coaching.

Golden had no qualms about any of that when he arrived in 2022, wanting most of all to help impact young players the way he did earlier in his career -- and assist Freeman as he became a head coach for the first time. At times, Freeman will rely on Golden for advice based on his own experiences -- including navigating an expanded playoff, which Golden took part in during his time in the NFL.

There are even parallels between the pressure Golden faced to bring a national championship back to Miami, and the pressure Freeman faces to do the same with the Irish -- who last won a national title in 1988.

As for his own long-term future, and whether he wants one more shot to prove himself as a head coach, Golden says, "I'm having too much fun just being in the moment.

"I just want to do the best job I can, and if that leads to opportunities in the future, that leads to opportunities in the future," Golden said. "But I'm not seeking anything. I've always believed you try to improve where you are and leave it in a better place, and the rest of it takes care of itself. So that's my focus, and that's how I come to work every day, just loving the challenge that is being here at Notre Dame."

KURTIS ROURKE'S GO-TO shirt around the Indiana football facility reads, "BRING YOUR EH GAME," featuring the red and white Canadian maple leaf flag. In 2019, his first year of college in America, Rourke bought NBA League Pass, so he could watch the Toronto Raptors' run to an NBA championship. Rourke's sports hero remains Terry Fox, the Canadian who ran a marathon 143 straight days in 1980 after having his right leg amputated due to cancer.

"I'm very proud to be Canadian," said the Indiana star quarterback, who grew up in Oakville, Ontario, and attended all but one year of high school there. "I don't shy away from talking about it, talking about where I'm from and where I was raised because that really shaped me into who I am."

Rourke, who propelled the Hoosiers to a school-record 11 wins during the regular season, will lead Indiana into its biggest game in program history Friday night. The Hoosiers, picked to finish 17th out of 18 schools in the Big Ten's preseason poll, face Notre Dame (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN) in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Rourke won't just be playing for the Hoosiers. He'll be representing an entire country. No quarterback of Canadian origin has played in a college football game of this magnitude. That includes Rourke's older brother Nathan, who quarterbacked Ohio University to three straight bowl wins and now starts for the Canadian Football League's BC Lions.

"I hope Kurtis understands how many people here are rooting for him," Nathan said. "Hopefully, he'll feel that."

This millennium, Kurtis Rourke is one of only three Canadian quarterbacks to start at the Power 4 level, according to ESPN Research, joining Christian Veilleux (Pittsburgh) and Jesse Palmer (Florida).

Veilleux is from Ottawa but played high school ball in Maryland. He started his career at Penn State before transferring to Pitt. He now plays for Georgia State. Palmer, an ESPN college football analyst (and host of "The Bachelor"), played 27 games with 14 starts for former Gators coach Steve Spurrier from 1997 to 2000.

Canadians at other positions who attended high school in their home country, like Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard, have enjoyed opportunities in ways Canadian quarterbacks never have. CFL rules that Canadian high schools employ -- a longer and wider field, 12 players on each side, unlimited motion -- have turned off American college football coaches from pursuing Canadian high school passers.

"If you're athletic and you're big and you're strong and can bench a lot and run a good 40 time, you can be coached on the intricacy of playing those [non-QB] positions," Palmer said. "But for a long time, with the rules the way they are, the stigma was, you can't dedicate the development time [for quarterbacks]. Kurtis' success is removing that stigma ... and that's going to provide Canadian quarterbacks with more opportunities south of the border."

Rourke is also giving "The Great White North" a college football player and team to pull for. College football remains a niche sport in Canada. Ice hockey, basketball, soccer and pro football reign over all else.

Dave Naylor has covered football in Canada for more than three decades and now works for TSN, Canada's largest sports TV channel. He said Rourke is already a household name there due to Nathan's CFL success. But Naylor added that Kurtis could become one of the biggest stories in the country if Indiana knocks off the Fighting Irish to keep its magical season rolling.

"When Canadians see something Canadian blow up in the American media, that's their signal to pay attention ... it gets people here excited," said Naylor, who will be in South Bend reporting from the game. "And as well as opening up the eyes to American coaches with what Kurtis Rourke is doing, there's all these little Kurtis Rourkes across Canada that are going to see this. That's significant."

AS A CHILD, Nathan found his dad's old VHS highlight tape of the Green Bay Packers' 1996-97 Super Bowl-winning team. Immediately, he was mesmerized.

"My mom only allowed us to have an hour of TV growing up," Nathan said. "That was what I wanted to watch instead of like cartoons. I just wanted to be Brett Favre."

Kurtis just wanted to do whatever his brother was doing. So when Nathan was 7 and Kurtis was 5, they both started playing football.

"I developed a love and passion myself," Kurtis said. "But it definitely got started with Nathan."

That passion stuck for both. Andrew Saulez, a teacher and basketball coach at Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School, where the Rourkes attended, remembered them always asking if they could watch game film if they completed their classwork.

"And as soon as they finished, they'd be breaking down game film," Saulez said. "They were students of the game. They fell in love with getting better and the grind."

Nathan quicky became a star quarterback for Holy Trinity. He soon realized the grind was different in the States, though. Hoping to catch the attention of college football coaches, he began attending American camps the summer before his junior season.

"You could see the gap, in terms of the development and how far I was behind some of these guys," he said. "I saw the separation. They were just a lot better. And because I was from Canada, I wasn't going to get recruited at really any type of level."

But Justin Dillon, who operates 730 Scouting, which helps Canadian high school football players relocate to America to compete for college scholarships, saw potential in Nathan. Before Nathan's senior year, Dillon told him he could help facilitate a transfer to Edgewood Academy (Elmore, Alabama), which needed a quarterback.

"The weird thing is, I've never met [Dillon], money was never exchanged," Nathan recalled. "He just wanted to help. But to this day, I couldn't pick him out of a crowd."

Arrangements were made for Nathan to live with a host family. Yet two weeks before Nathan was set to move, that host family canceled. So Kurtis and his mom uprooted their lives to relocate with Nathan to Alabama instead.

For Nathan, it was a dream opportunity. He led Edgewood to a state championship. For Kurtis, moving a thousand miles away during his sophomore year proved miserable.

"I knew how much it meant to Nathan," Kurtis said. "But it was still a really tough time because I didn't really have any friends. I was just trying to survive."

The culture shock didn't make it easier. Kurtis couldn't understand why players wore jerseys to school on game days. He was also just 5-foot-5 then, leaving him a benchwarmer on the football and basketball teams.

But their move to Alabama eventually opened a door for Nathan. Later, it would open one for Kurtis, too.

NATHAN THREW 59 touchdowns with only three interceptions during his lone season at Edgewood. Still, signing day came and went without any FBS scholarship offers.

"It was crushing," he said. "My family had upended their lives to come and support me in this last-ditch effort to try and get into a Division I school and get a scholarship."

But Nathan didn't give up. He enrolled at Fort Scott Community College and won a starting job. After earning all-conference honors, he finally got two offers, from Akron and Ohio, where he started three seasons and broke a school record for career passing efficiency.

Kurtis, meanwhile, moved back home for his high school junior year.

"When he came back to us, he was 7 inches taller and 40 pounds bigger," said Holy Trinity football coach Joe Moscato.

Kurtis kept growing. As a senior, he led Holy Trinity to a regional championship. But he faced the same obstacles getting noticed in America that his brother had. So Kurtis stayed in high school for the 13th grade, often utilized by students in Canada.

Ohio quarterbacks coach Scott Isphording remembered Kurtis visiting Athens to watch Nathan play. Even though Nathan had become an All-MAC quarterback, Isphording initially had doubts about Kurtis, especially because of the competition he faced in Canada. But each time Isphording saw him, Kurtis seemed to be an inch taller. Finally, Isphording traveled north to scout Kurtis.

"The first throw was a thing of beauty," Isphording recalled. "Just wow, where did that come from?"

Still, nobody else showed much interest, outside Buffalo offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, who's now Penn State's playcaller. But the Bulls remained skeptical. With Nathan stumping for him, Ohio eventually offered Kurtis a scholarship.

"They only knew who I was because of Nathan," said Kurtis, who from the time he moved to Alabama to when he enrolled at Ohio had grown nearly a full foot.

After backing up his brother for one season, Kurtis succeeded him as Ohio's starter. In 2022, he was named MAC Player of the Year after leading the league with 3,257 passing yards and 25 touchdowns.

This past offseason, he entered the transfer portal and coach Curt Cignetti brought him to Indiana, where he emerged into one of the top passers in the country, ranking third nationally only behind Heisman finalists Cam Ward and Dillon Gabriel in QBR (85.7).

"I owe a lot to Nathan," Kurtis said. "We've done a lot for each other. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to support him in Alabama. It ultimately led to where I am, truly."

PALMER'S FATHER, BILL, played for the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders. But Palmer discovered college football in America through card collecting. NFL players would have their alma maters printed on the back of trading cards.

Palmer later bought college football magazines, including one featuring former Florida quarterback Shane Matthews on its cover. A local Ottawa store sold college gear. Palmer visited often. At one point, he even owned an Indiana Hoosiers hat.

"That's how hardcore I was," he said. "I really got into it."

Like the Rourkes, Palmer dreamed of playing college football. He dubbed his high school highlights on VHS tapes and sent them to the top passing schools in the country. The first coach to reach out was Nick Saban, who then was at Michigan State. But Palmer committed to the Gators a week after getting a call from Spurrier.

After arriving in Gainesville, Palmer quickly realized how different American football would be.

"During a goal-line drill, we were trying to throw a football into the end zone," he said. "It was like I was playing in a closet."

At Ohio, Kurtis initially struggled adjusting to American rules, as well. In Canada, the game goes on for one more play after the clock strikes zero. In America, the game's over.

"The first time we were doing a two-minute drill here, Kurtis wasn't aware of that," Isphording said. "I said, 'Kurtis, when the clock hits triple zeroes, that's the game.'"

Larry Jusdanis is believed to be the first Canadian university quarterback invited to the NFL combine. He played in the CFL from 1995 to 1998 and knows well the hurdles Canadian quarterbacks face on either side of the border. The CFL mandates that 21 of 45 players on a roster be Canadians. But until 2020, that designation didn't apply to the starting quarterback, leaving CFL teams with little incentive to play a Canadian quarterback over an American.

"It was rare for a [CFL team] to go get a Canadian quarterback and develop him," Jusdanis said, "because they could go to the U.S. and get one that's played football since age 6 or 7."

To help Canadians develop in Canada and still get noticed while acclimating to American football, Jusdanis launched Clarkson Football North in 2016. The Mississauga, Ontario, school is Canada's version of IMG Academy, the Florida prep school that prepares athletes to play in college. Football North schedules several high school powerhouses in the States, including Ohio's Massillon Washington, St. Ignatius and St. Edward this past season. Jusdanis noted his school has now produced roughly 60 FBS players, including Ohio sophomore quarterback Callum Wither.

Jusdanis said the Rourkes are "breaking down barriers" for future Canadian quarterbacks, both in college football, CFL and, potentially, the NFL, too.

Off his breakout season with BC in 2022, when he threw for 3,349 yards and totaled 32 touchdowns, Nathan is now the highest-paid player in the CFL ($749,200). Kurtis could earn way more if he makes it in the NFL. ESPN Football analyst Mel Kiper currently ranks him as the No. 6 quarterback for the upcoming NFL draft.

"Nathan became a big, big deal in this country. ... because it's been so rare for a Canadian to start at quarterback in the CFL," Naylor said. "Now Kurtis [in the playoff] is taking another chip off the rock, that long-running narrative these guys can't play."

Murray Drinkwalter has officiated high school football in Ontario for more than four decades. The Rourkes are two of the best quarterbacks he's ever seen in person.

"But there've been some other great Canadian quarterbacks that never had a shot down south," Drinkwalter said. "You'd be surprised by the amount of people up here that are following Indiana football."

The Rourke brothers said they want to inspire young Canadians to play quarterback. And they're hoping their success will clear the way for future Canadian quarterbacks, who won't have to jump through the hoops they did.

"I have tremendous pride in where I'm from," Nathan said. "And it's been awesome to watch Kurtis. I'm super proud of him, not just as a brother, but as a fellow Canadian."

Kurtis knows his brother won't be the only Canadian watching him play in South Bend.

"I know there haven't been too many opportunities for Canadians like this," he said. "It won't be front of mind. But it's definitely in the back of my mind -- that I'm doing this for Canada."

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Left-handed reliever Hoby Milner agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Friday, joining the team he grew up watching in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and where he still lives.

The sidearm-throwing Milner, who turns 34 next month, can earn $500,000 in performance bonuses for innings: $100,000 each for 35 and 45, and $150,000 each for 55 and 65.

Milner has appeared in 201 games the past three seasons for Milwaukee. The only lefty with more games in that span is Tanner Scott, with 213 for Miami and San Diego.

Milner was 5-1 with a 4.73 ERA in 61 games for the Brewers this year. He made the only start of his big league career in an opener role, throwing two innings against Texas on June 25 in Milwaukee.

He has a career record of 10-5 with a 3.82 ERA over nine big league seasons with Philadelphia (2017-18), Tampa Bay (2018-19), the Los Angeles Angels (2020) and Milwaukee (2021-24).

The 6-foot-3 Milner was selected by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2012 amateur draft after playing two seasons at the University of Texas. He played high school baseball in Fort Worth.

Saints beat Saracens three times last season on the way to their first title in a decade, including a dramatic 22-20 win in the play-offs, with Sleightholme scoring a try in two of those games.

And he already has four in eight appearances this term - plus two against Australia and one each against South Africa and Japan during the autumn internationals.

Sleightholme played for England alongside clubmates Tommy Freeman and George Furbank - though the latter is doubtful for the Six Nations after fracturing his arm against Bulls.

"Playing international rugby is one thing, playing with some of your best mates is another - it was a huge thing for me," he added.

"I made my debut in the summer in New Zealand and couldn't really have anybody there - no-one could get over - but having my family at the autumn games was really cool.

"That's the level I want to be performing at and I'll just keep trying to get better every week and keep pushing for that."

Scrum-half Alex Mitchell will play his 100th game for Northampton against Saracens, with Alex Coles leading the team in Furbank's absence.

George Hendy will start the game at full-back after scoring one of their tries in the win over Bulls.