I've written about what is the goaltender end of times that is approaching the fantasy hockey realm in a dynasty column before. In fact, it was January 2019 when I highlighted the number of goaltenders approaching the age 35 cliff in the next couple of seasons.

I don't know if someone decided to speed up the process, but the current fantasy landscape for goaltenders is one of confusion, transition and surprises.

Thirty days isn't a season, but it's a decent enough sample size. During the past 30 days, here are your top 10 goaltenders on the ESPN Player Rater:

1. Tristan Jarry, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Joonas Korpisalo, Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders
4. Jake Allen, St. Louis Blues
5. Pavel Francouz, Colorado Avalanche
6. Ilya Samsonov, Washington Capitals
7. Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver Canucks
8. Alexandar Georgiev, New York Rangers
9. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning
10. Carter Hart, Philadelphia Flyers

I don't even know where to start pointing out what a crazy list this is... How about the fact that five were/are backups. Or that only five of these goaltenders simply registered on ADP charts at the start of the season, with only one of them inside the top 100 (Vasilevskiy). Setting aside the names completely, how about just considering that seven of these goaltenders were near the bottom of the ESPN Player Rater ranks after October.

Goaltending has not been friendly to fantasy this season. So you might not be surprised to learn that goals are trending up again league-wide. So far this season, there have been 3.06 goals per team per game. That's higher than last season's 3.01 and almost as high as the 2005-06 mark of 3.08, which is the highest mark in the 2000s. In fact, those three seasons are the only time the number has climbed higher than 3.00 since 1995-96.

My instinct is to suggest sticking to your guns, and waiting for the expected names to rise back up the ranks. But this upside down world of goaltending does, anecdotally, feel more extreme than in previous seasons when we've had rough patches. I think what might be different about it is that the list of the top 10 goaltenders over the past 30 days is young. Very young. The oldest among them is Varlamov, who is also the only one over 30. Six of the goaltenders are 25 or younger.

So I guess my strategy is to split the difference. Don't go dropping Pekka Rinne or Marc-Andre Fleury, but don't necessarily keep starting them over Francouz or Georgiev. Use the youngsters for now, and keep the veterans handy for when the tide hopefully turns back in their favor.

Not everyone is doing this, as evidenced by some of the availability numbers for the goaltenders that have been hot lately. Jarry, Varlamov and Markstrom are available in about a quarter of leagues; Allen, Georgiev and Samsonov in about three-quarters of them; and Francouz in about 60 percent.

Forwards on the move

Taylor Hall, W, Arizona Coyotes (down nine spots to No. 45): Congratulations to Hall, who is likely playoff bound. Of course, it's not good news for his fantasy outlook, as the Coyotes aren't a run-and-gun offense and won't become one with this addition. They rank 23rd in the league in goals per game and are fourth in goals against per game - it's pretty clear what the strategy is here. Phil Kessel's offensive nosedive is the canary in the coal mine here, and it's current status doesn't bode well for Hall. Hall has four points in six games with the Coyotes, which feels about right ... which makes him not among the fantasy elite.

Defensemen on the move

Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche (up 29 spots to No. 55): Immediately back to serving as the Avs power-play quarterback, Makar returned from his first injury absence in the NHL after being sidelined for 20 days. The fact that this team returned the rookie to his big minutes and important stature with no hesitation is just one more sign that this 21-year-old is a stud on the blue line for fantasy. Despite his absence, Makar is still on pace for 69 points this season.

Alexander Edler, D, Vancouver Canucks (up 55 spots to No. 132): While he doesn't get used on the power play, Edler is still full of fantasy stats thanks to the Canucks offense. He's been back from injury for three games and is back up to his usual 23-plus minutes of action. While he isn't going to have quite the impact a Makar would have, Edler is still giving out D3 numbers and is available in a good chunk of leagues (35 percent or so).

Goaltenders on the move

David Rittich, G, Calgary Flames (up 20 spots to No. 57): Hats off to Rittich who is one of the few goaltenders who has been steadily OK this season. That may not sound like high praise, but consistent goaltending has not been easy to come by this season. With a little luck tomorrow, Rittich could finish with six wins in each of the first three months of the season - an exclusive club that would feature only Frederik Andersen, Jordan Binnington and Rittich. With all the mercurial goaltending statistics going around, "OK and steady" is a good combination.

Joonas Korpisalo, G, Columbus Blue Jackets (up 10 spots to No. 158): If it weren't for what looked like a very concerning lower-body injury on Sunday night, Korpisalo would have risen even higher here. He left in the shootout and was hobbled heading back to the dressing room, but we don't know more than that yet. Here's hoping it is nothing, because Korpisalo has taken the reigns of this Blue Jackets team and done as much for their turnaround as anyone. After a very poor showing in October, Korpisalo hasn't allowed more than three goals in a game since Nov. 21. The team has earned points in his last 10 starts. He is available in about 30 percent of leagues.

New to rankings

Tristan Jarry, Viktor Arvidsson, Devan Dubnyk, Pavel Francouz, Jake Allen, Ondrej Palat, Tyler Myers, Andrew Mangiapane, Mats Zuccarello, Jordan Eberle, Justin Faulk.

Just missed

Cam Fowler, Charlie Coyle, Denis Gurianov, Tyler Toffoli, Chris Driedger, Ondrej Kase, Patric Hornqvist, Boone Jenner, Andres Johnsson, Ryan Graves.

Dropped out

Jake Muzzin, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Mike Smith, Carter Hutton, Corey Crawford, Brian Elliott, Juuse Saros, Jason Zucker, Ilya Mikheyev, Joel Armia, Brendan Lemieux.

It's the end of the decade and the seventh straight edition of 30 wishes for the New Year.

Flicking through some of the past editions -- from 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 -- it's evident how some wishes are basically Sisyphean tasks (you know, the guy pushing the boulder up the mountain and never quite getting there) and others are "evergreens" because, frankly, you can never have enough of a good thing.

Reading below, some stuff will be topical and some will sound familiar. If you love the game, you may find that you'll agree with some, but don't feel compelled to agree with all. Football is a broad church.

Happy 2020!

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1. That the battle against racism in football continues. We must also remember two important things: that what happens in lower leagues, semi-pro and amateur football also matters and that simply because there are no evident racist actions, doesn't mean racism isn't there. Racism extends to prejudice, thought and denial of opportunity.

2. That every time we hear about financial skulduggery, backhanders, agents with too much power, dubious owners and executives taking money out of the game and so on, let's remember that transparency solves a lot of those problems. Often, you can't regulate your way to good governance. But simply making everything public -- starting with who owns what and who pays who, for what and how much -- would at least lead to scrutiny from fans and media. That in turn could lead to public shaming and better oversight than we're getting now. Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

3. That we get some clarity over the case of Rui Pinto and Football Leaks. Even as the self-described whistleblower faces charges in his native Portugal, we're still no closer to definitively knowing whether he acted alone, whether he got his data from other hackers and whether anyone was ever extorted. This is a case with far-reaching implications that go well beyond football.

4. That folks realize that the expanded 2021 Club World Cup is just that -- a World Cup for clubs -- and, frankly, it doesn't really matter if some of the teams from lesser confederations aren't particularly good. There are some really bad countries at the real World Cup, too, and it doesn't ruin things, does it? If we take it as an opportunity grow the elite club game outside of Europe and South America, and not simply as some kind high-end rival to the Champions League, we won't be disappointed.

5. That despite what I wrote in the previous point, the Club World Cup doesn't become a money-spinning pawn in the seemingly endless feud between FIFA and UEFA.

6. That whatever your view is on video assistant referees (VAR), you leave this nonsense about "ruining the spectacle," "robbing fans of spontaneous celebration" and "killing football" to one side. It's true that VAR -- especially the way it has been implemented in the Premier League, with no pitch-side reviews and a maniacally obsessive focus on marginal offsides -- can be improved. (Explaining decisions in real time would be a start.) But this idea that "the spectacle" matters more than correcting obvious human error -- and thereby insuring something closer to justice -- in what isn't a spectacle but a sporting event is inane. As for "killing football," the sport is much tougher than that.

7. That people also realize that with all the flaws and problems we have today, football is pretty darn good. The players are better, stronger, faster and, on average, far more gifted. There are more opportunities for players from every corner of the world to reach the highest level than ever before, there is more choice than ever before, and it's our planet's lingua franca as much as anything else.

8. That the women's game, on the back of a phenomenally successful World Cup, be given a real chance to continue growing while finding its own path. It might not necessarily mean copying the men's game with its professional leagues and investors looking for financial returns. Above all, the priority ought to be access, something most women in the world do not yet enjoy.

9. That the Premier League revisit their holiday calendar. We've had managers complaining about fixture congestion, we've had rubbish games, we've had weird kickoff times. Yes, it's "tradition" but guess what? You can keep the tradition of playing on New Year's Day and Boxing Day -- just lose the fixtures in between. Professional footballers should be like airline pilots, with mandatory rest periods. Say, at least 72 hours between games.

10. That Manchester United regain their mojo. Even if you're not a fan and even if you hate them, you have to admit: you miss them just a little, don't you? Seven years in the wilderness haven't hurt the brand or their revenue -- heck, it might take 70 years to do that. But there are kids who are now teenagers who only know them as a fallen giant.

11. That folks beyond Spain start to give Karim Benzema the credit he deserves. He's endured Jose Mourinho saying that playing him was like "hunting with a cat," he's been frozen out of the France team (and yes, it was partly his fault) and he played Andrew Ridgley to Cristiano Ronaldo's George Michael for years at Real Madrid. But he's showing this season that he's not just about unselfishness and sacrifice. He can be a goal scorer and a leader, too.

12. That if (and, yeah, I'll admit, it's probably when, not if) Cristiano Ronaldo breaks Ali Daei's international goal-scoring record, it won't be used as a stick with which to beat Lionel Messi. It's been a great rivalry, but if you can only see Ronaldo through the lens of Messi, then you've got issues.

13. That if (and, yeah, time is on his side, so it's probably when) Messi wins another Ballon d'Or, it won't be used as a stick with which to beat Ronaldo. Yes, it's been a great rivalry but if you can only see Messi through the lens of Ronaldo, then you've got issues.

14. That if (and yeah, I can read the table, it's probably when) Liverpool win the title and end their 30-year drought, folks will remember that apart from Alisson and arguably Virgil Van Dijk (mainly because of his fee), not one of Jurgen Klopp's players joined as a bona fide superstar. Klopp, his staff and the club made them better, and that is the highest credit you can give a manager, more than silverware.

15. That Flamengo build on their success and it ends up lifting the entire Brazilian league. It was an unreal 2019 that ended with Jorge Jesus' crew nearly beating Liverpool for the world title. Don't leave it there. Yes, there are veterans who won't be around much longer, but if you have a formula that works, stick to it.

16. That if Milan is to be the last stop in Zlatan Ibrahimovic's seemingly never-ending career, he goes out with a bang and not a whimper. But equally, that Milan realizes that he can only ever be a Band-Aid.

- Watch Serie A all season long on ESPN+ (U.S. only)

17. That Manchester City's decision-makers (let's face it, that means one guy, Pep Guardiola) learn the lesson from the summer of 2019: injuries happen, you need an insurance policy. There's a parallel universe where Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte don't get hurt and they're neck and neck with Liverpool, but it's not the one in which we live. Failing to sign a central defender, even an average one, after Vincent Kompany left is akin to jumping out of a hot-air balloon with an umbrella rather than a parachute.

18. That Manuel Neuer thinks long and hard about what he wants to do, remembering that he owes Bayern very little. He hasn't been the same since his injuries and the days of being the best Germany keeper around, let alone the world's best, are long gone. But he's only 33 and the club bringing in Alexander Nubel to challenge for his place is a bit of a slap in the face. Maybe it's time for a new challenge elsewhere.

19. That Euro 2020 (live on ESPN+, June 12 to July 12) lives up to billing as a continent-wide feast of football. The doom-mongers who moan about travel don't seem to get that this is a chance to bring the Euros to countries and fans that would otherwise only ever see it on TV. It will feel different, sure, but that's OK.

20. That Mauricio Pochettino makes a rapid return to management at a club that suits him. The way things ended and the lack of silverware shouldn't mask the tremendous strides that were made and the impact he had on Tottenham. If he can adopt the mantra "I never lose, I either win or I learn," he'll come back stronger.

21. That Erling Haaland remembers that even if things don't work out straight away at Borussia Dortmund he won't even be turning 20 until the summer. Strikers, especially target men, develop differently (and often in spurts). He'll find his level, sooner or later; there's plenty of runway ahead to take off.

22. That Chelsea's great youth experiment this season serve as a lesson to others -- without unrealistic expectations. The transfer ban has forced Chelsea to field eight academy graduates this season (it will be nine once Ruben Loftus-Cheek returns) and yet they're fourth in the table and through to the knockout phase of the Champions League. On the one hand, it shows what a strong youth program can do; on the other, some of their performances only underscore the value of patience and experience.

23. That the newer, kinder, gentler Jose Mourinho sticks around for a while. He's been on his best behavior and said all the right things. Time will tell whether he succeeds at Tottenham, but if he does, maybe he'll realize that you don't need to live in a permanent state of war and acrimony to keep your edge.

24. That Arsenal understands that if Mikel Arteta is going to work out, it may well be a case of needing to take a step back before you can take two steps forward. This squad is top-heavy with highly paid veterans, the club has limited room to maneuver, and it's not at all clear they're suited to what we imagine he'd like to do.

25. That Barcelona start thinking about a Plan B, because Messi won't be around forever. And ideally, it's a plan that doesn't involve assuming Ansu Fati will automatically replace him (the kid can't legally drive until Halloween) or bringing back Neymar (enough). Messi, Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets will be 33 at the start of next season. It's time to think seriously, and realistically, about succession.

26. That Atalanta's experience -- top scorers in Serie A this year and last, third-place finish last year, fifth at the end of 2019 -- inspires other mid-tier clubs to be brave. Atalanta have done it without big spending and superstars (although on his day, Alejandro "Papu" Gomez comes close) but simply by being committed and going all out. Credit the club for finding the right mix of retreads and bargains, credit Gian Piero Gasperini for making it work, and above all, credit the owners for being brave.

27. That Chris Wilder continues to get love for his creativity and his football. He's exactly the sort who, supposedly, would never get a shot in the Premier League. He's English, he was a middling footballer, he took over a club filled mostly with no-names in the third tier and he's taken Sheffield United in the top half of the Premier League. What's more, he's done it with innovative tactics (not just the overlapping center-backs). Exactly what some thought couldn't happen.

28. That Matthijs De Ligt's critics chill out and remember that the list of 20-year-old central defenders starting and excelling for clubs at the very top is exceedingly short. For every John Terry and Raphael Varane you care to name, there are dozens of guys we consider among the best in the world today who were nowhere near a starting spot at a club the size of Juventus at that age. Patience, please.

29. That the United States Soccer Federation figure out how to harness the growth of the sport (and Major League Soccer) so that they can field a decent men's national team. They're co-hosting a World Cup in six years, and after missing out on the 2018 World Cup entirely, 2019 saw them beaten not just by Mexico (twice) but also the likes of Canada, Jamaica and Venezuela. And this is after nearly a quarter of a century of MLS on which to build.

30. That kids who fall in love with the sport be given the chance first and foremost to support their local club before jumping on the big juggernaut club bandwagon simply because it's pumped relentlessly onto their screens. Yes, this is cut-and-pasted from last year. But it's worth repeating. And it's the one wish over which we have the most control.

LSU linebacker Michael Divinity will return for the College Football Playoff National Championship against the Clemson on Jan. 13 after missing the team's last six games.

Coach Ed Orgeron said Divinity was reinstated Tuesday morning. The senior left the team on Nov. 4 -- before the Tigers' game against Alabama -- for personal reasons, although Orgeron also has referenced eligibility during Divinity's absence from the field.

"Obviously, Mike has been a tremendous pass-rusher for us," Orgeron said during a conference call with reporters. "I know we're definitely going to use him. He'll be back in a role, what he's doing, and we'll see what fits best. He's definitely going to play for us, and we'll definitely use him in the best situations we can."

Divinity, who returned to practice on Nov. 18, also missed two of LSU's first three games for what Orgeron called "coach's decisions."

He has three sacks, a forced fumble and 22 total tackles in five games this season.

Divinity started 11 games in 2018, recording 54 tackles, including 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, to go with eight quarterback hurries, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

On Saturday, Divinity tweeted "I'm back. See y'all back in my city on January 13th" after LSU's win against Oklahoma in the CFP semifinal.

Orgeron on Tuesday also expressed confidence that passing game coordinator Joe Brady would return to LSU in 2020 with an enhanced contract. Brady, who won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach, has been mentioned as a potential coordinator candidate in the NFL, where he spent time with the New Orleans Saints before joining LSU earlier this year.

"I do feel that Joe is going to be a Tiger," Orgeron said. "I feel like everything is just about wrapped up, and I feel good about where we are. You know football, you never can tell what's going to happen, but I feel confident saying Joe is going to be here with us at LSU. ... We're very close."

Orgeron also confirmed he received a phone call from President Donald Trump on Monday morning. He said Trump complimented LSU on its season and how the team has rallied the state in recent months.

"They told me the president's office called, and I thought it was the president of the university," Orgeron said. "He said, 'No, the White House.' I said, 'OK, here we go.'"

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt will return to the active roster for Saturday's wild-card game against the Buffalo Bills, a team source told ESPN's Stefano Fusaro on Tuesday.

Watt has been out since tearing a pectoral muscle Oct. 27.

"When I got hurt I just assumed I was done [for the season]," Watt said after returning to practice on Dec. 24. "I didn't even know there was a possibility. And then literally a couple days after the surgery, I was feeling so good that ... I just started asking questions. I said, 'Is it remotely possible?'

"We left the door open for a possibility. And from there, it was just literally, day by day, just ... doing whatever I can do. And we arrived here."

Watt said he understands there is an increased risk of tearing the muscle again, but it is worth it to have the chance to play again this season. He played in all 16 regular-season games in 2018, finishing with 16 sacks, which ranked second in the NFL.

In addition, Texans wide receiver Will Fuller will be available against the Bills, a team source told Fusaro.

Fuller has been dealing with a groin injury he suffered Dec. 21 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Officially, coach Bill O'Brien said Fuller "is progressing" and is "heading in a positive direction to be available," but did not commit to Fuller playing Saturday.

The Texans could use Fuller's speed against the Bills' secondary, combining him with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who will return after missing last Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans with an illness.

The Texans play host to the Bills at 4:35 p.m. ET Saturday (TV: ABC/ESPN).

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman pointed to the "progress" the team has made on and off the field that has set the foundation for the future as justification for being retained for a third year, despite the firing of head coach Pat Shumur.

His list of reasons include:

• Finding a franchise quarterback. "I really believe we've done that," Gettleman said after leading the selection of Daniel Jones No. 6 overall in the draft earlier this year.

• Redoing the team's scouting system, both college and pro personnel. The Giants installed a new grading system for prospects since Gettleman's arrival.

• The hiring of "four computer folks" for software who are assisting in the overhaul of the backend of their college and pro systems.

• Hiring of a full-time staff psychologist to help players.

• Ramping up the "analytic and technology piece."

The 68-year-old Gettleman even mentioned meeting recently with a "big time analytics guy" in his quest to learn and be open-minded.

This is what Gettleman seems to have presented to ownership during substantive discussions over the past few weeks. It earned him some more time.

"We're doing a lot of things behind the scenes. ... That is where we are going," Gettleman said. "I know sometimes it's difficult with the instant gratification piece. That is where we are going. I feel good about the direction we're in."

The Giants went 4-12 this season and were 9-23 in two years under Shurmur and Gettleman. Shurmur was fired Monday on what co-owner John Mara described as being as much a gut instinct as anything else. Mara said he felt the Giants should have won more games, even given the admittedly flawed roster that Gettleman assembled.

Gettleman said they were "fine" with bringing back Eli Manning at $23 million against the salary cap this season for three starts. And that nobody will know if the trade of Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns was the right move for another two years.

Gettleman said he understands that scrutiny is part of his position, and that he's interviewing for his job every day and needs to do better.

"Not good enough," he said of his own job review. "It will get better."

Mara noted during his news conference Monday that Gettleman needed to increase his batting average on personnel decisions. There were also some hints that the Giants could make changes in personnel or the way they do things.

"We're all on notice," was Gettleman's response.

Gettleman said that if a new head coach convinced ownership to increase the coach's personnel power, Gettleman would be willing to do whatever is in the best interest of the New York Giants.

Gettleman will try to get it all right moving forward working alongside the new head coach. He has no choice.

He was complimentary of Shurmur, calling him "as fine a man as I've ever worked with." He made the point that everything over the past two years was a collaborative decision.

One decision that Gettleman was forced to defend was the midseason trade for defensive lineman Leonard Williams. The Giants sent a third-round pick in 2020 and fifth-round pick in 2021 to the Jets that can become a fourth-round selection if Williams re-signs before the start of the league year.

That was a headscratcher with the Giants at 2-6 at the time of the trade. Williams is an impending free agent. Gettleman defended the move, saying essentially that they paid for eight games of information on Williams with draft capital.

Worst case, Gettleman said he assumes they can get a third-round compensatory pick the following year if Williams leaves as a free agent. That would only be possible if the Giants, who are expected to be more than $70 million under the salary cap heading into free agency, aren't big spenders.

"Bottom line is we felt it was worth the deal," said Gettleman, adding that Williams told him Monday he wants to return.

Gettleman made the point that Williams is only 25 years old, and that the Giants rookies played the most snaps in the NFL this season.

Just another reason he feels good about the direction in which the Giants are headed, and that success is in their future.

But in Gettleman's mind, it all "depends on how quickly the puppies come along." Beginning with Jones and his two draft classes.

General manager John Dorsey and the Cleveland Browns have "mutually agreed to part ways," according to a team statement.

Dorsey met Tuesday with Browns owner Jimmy Haslam.

The 59-year-old Dorsey was the Kansas City Chiefs' general manager from 2013 to 2016. He became the Browns' general manager in December 2017 as the team was finishing an 0-16 season.

Dorsey had overseen the past two drafts and free agency in 2018 and 2019.

He selected Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft and picked star running back Nick Chubb with the team's second-round pick that year. He also made trades for starting wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry and signed troubled running back Kareem Hunt as a free agent.

The Browns improved to 7-8-1 last season but regressed to 6-10 this year, costing first-year coach Freddie Kitchens his job, as the Browns missed the playoffs for the 17th straight season -- the NFL's longest current drought.

"While John helped greatly improve our team's talent and we are excited about the core players on our roster, we fully recognized that our team did not meet its potential on or off the field and additional changes in leadership give us the best opportunity for success in the future," Haslem said in the statement. "As the role of the general manager continues to evolve in this league, we felt there were areas that needed to be reassessed. Over the last 48 hours, we've had discussion with John about his role but could not come to an agreement on a position that would enable him to remain with the organization."

Dorsey said in the team statement: "When I took this job, the history of this storied franchise and the passion of our fans was an integral part of my decision. It is that same understanding and desire to see these fans enjoy the success they are so deserving of that helped me conclude, along with Jimmy and Dee [Haslam], that it was best to part ways as they embark on the search for a new head coach. I know how critical the relationship is between a general manager and head coach and I also know how critical it is that the Browns have a strong leader in their next coach."

Wishing you a 2020 which is happy, healthy and packed with PBs!

Happy New Year, from everyone at AW! We wish you a happy and healthy 2020 which is packed with PBs.

Olympic and Paralympic year is here! But before we get stuck into 2020, you can join us in looking back over some of the stories from the world of the athletics during the past 12 months with our review of 2019. Click here to have a read.

UK merit rankings for the year can be found here (men) and here (women), while international merit rankings are here (men) and here (women).

AW editor Jason Henderson also highlights which events are struggling or thriving in the UK – click here.

Got a New Year’s resolution? Some of the stars in our sport have and you can read them here.

The current edition of AW magazine is the bumper 112-page December 19 end-of-year review special. If you’ve not got a copy but are keen to have a read, why not check out our digital edition? It’s available here.

Thank you to our readers for your continued support in 2019. Our next issue is out on January 9!

Russia's Maria Sharapova will compete at the Brisbane International in January after receiving a wildcard.

The 32-year-old former world number one played just 15 matches in 2019 because of a long-term shoulder injury.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova last played a competitive match in the first round of the US Open in August.

"Brisbane, I've missed you and I'm so excited to be starting off my year 2020 at your tournament, in your city," Sharapova said in a social media video.

"I've missed the fans, I've missed the event so much, and I am so looking forward to seeing everyone."

Also set to compete at the event, which runs from 6 to 12 January, is defending champion Karolina Pliskova, world number one Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka and Venus Williams.

The tournament is seen as a warm-up for the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open in Melbourne, which starts on 20 January.

With her ranking of 133 in the world, Sharapova will need a wildcard to gain direct entry to the main draw of the Australian Open - a tournament she won in 2008.

She failed a drugs test at the 2016 Australian Open, leading to a 15-month ban from tennis.

Wales centre Ashley Beck has signed a new contract at Worcester Warriors until the end of the 2021-22 season.

Beck, who joined from Ospreys in 2018, endured a disrupted first year at the club after breaking his ankle against Stade Francais in October.

But the 29-year-old has made a full recovery and started every Premiership match so far this season, scoring once.

"The club's ambition is to be a top six side and I want to be part of helping achieve that goal," he said.

"We have a fantastic squad, I really like the boys and everything about the club. As a family we are settled here and we are very happy."

Beck is the 12th Warriors players to sign a new contract since November.

Sale Sharks boss Steve Diamond has been fined for insulting match officials but escaped a touchline ban.

He was charged with misconduct over comments made following their Champions Cup defeat by Exeter 8 December.

An independent hearing upheld the charge and fined Diamond £2,553.

"These comments had the potential to bring the sport of rugby union, the Heineken Champions Cup, and/or EPCR, into disrepute," an European Professional Club Rugby statement read.

"The committee took into account Steve Diamond's timely admission of wrongdoing, in addition to his numerous subsequent public comments and apologies to the team of match officials for any offence caused."