Manchester United were drawn against Belgian side Club Brugge in the Europa League round of 32, while Arsenal will meet Olympiakos.

United, who won the competition in 2017, finished top of their group and were top seeds for the draw, as were last season's runners-up -- which means both sides will play the first tie away from home.

United met Brugge in the 2015-16 Champions League preliminaries when Memphis Depay and Wayne Rooney inspired them a 7-1 aggregate victory.

Arsenal and Olympiakos have met eight times in the Champions League, with four victories apiece. In their last match in 2015, Olivier Giroud's hat trick in Athens gave Arsenal the three-goal victory required to progress from their group.

Meanwhile, Ajax will face Getafe and Inter Milan were drawn with Ludogorets. Record holders Sevilla will meet Cluj.

First legs will take place on Feb. 20 with the return legs a week later on Feb. 27.

The Europa League final will be on on May 27 in the Polish city of Gdansk.

Europa League round of 32 draw in full

Wolves vs. Espanyol

Sporting Lisbon vs. Istanbul Basaksehir

Getafe vs. Ajax

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Porto

FC Copenhagen vs. Celtic

APOEL vs. FC Basel

Cluj vs. Sevilla

Olympiakos vs. Arsenal

AZ Alkmaar vs. LASK

Club Brugge vs. Manchester United

FC Ludogorets vs. Inter Milan

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. FC Salzburg

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Benfica

Wolfsburg vs. Malmo

Roma vs. Gent

Rangers vs. Braga

A 69-ball 71 in the first ODI against West Indies signaled a welcome return to run-scoring form for Rishabh Pant, and he said afterwards that playing "according to the situation" was his takeaway from his time in international cricket and that "there is nothing called natural game".

The natural-game aspect has been a constant around Pant, the 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, who has been blamed for throwing his wicket away with seemingly irresponsible shots. On Sunday, Pant batted with some degree of restraint but still scored at a rate of over a run-a-ball, lifting India from 80 for 3 to 194 in collaboration with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 70 in 88 balls.

ALSO READ: When Thala Dhoni's Chennai chanted 'Pant! Pant! Pant!'

"When me and Iyer got together, we wanted to get a partnership going," Pant said at the press conference after West Indies won by eight wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-match series. "We wanted to be together till the 40th over as we had lost three early wickets, and the 50-overs game is a long one. We thought if we are able to do that, we and the rest of the team would be able to capitalise on that.

"When we were kids, we would hear that 'play the natural game', but since I have played the international game, I have realised that there is nothing called natural game. You have to play according to the situation and what the team needs. A good player is one who can mould his game according the situation and the team's demand."

"It's my learning curve, and I am thinking that I want to do whatever I can to get a good score on the board and in the end I got some runs"

Pant, through his lean run over the past few months, has often been taunted by fans who have chanted "Dhoni, Dhoni" while he has been out in the middle, but in Chennai, Dhoni's "home" in the IPL, there was a pleasant change for the youngster as the spectators shouted "Ree-shabh Pant, Ree-shabh Pant".

"It is very important," Pant said of the crowd support. "I was looking to improve every day but not getting there. I am not saying that I got there [today], but I am just trying to improve. It's my learning curve, and I am thinking that I want to do whatever I can to get a good score on the board and in the end I got some runs."

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, among others, have voiced their support for Pant in recent weeks, while Ravi Shastri, speaking to India Today recently urged fans and critics to be patient with the young man.

"See, the guy is 20-22. He came in and in Test match cricket, he has got two or three hundreds already overseas," Shastri said. "It's a learning curve as far as Pant goes. He is destructive with the way he bats, he is a match-winner on a given day. But there are times when you come in to the game like the way he has and done what he's done, you suddenly become a known quantity from unknown. That's when the pressure starts building on you as a young player. Living up to expectations becomes a thing."

Shastri also suggested that a return to the domestic circuit, where the Ranji Trophy is currently on, might be good for Pant. Speaking about his shot selection, one of the aspects of his batting under the most scrutiny, Shastri said, "But there's time. He doesn't have to do it all the time on the cricket field when he is playing for India. Sometimes, domestic cricket is good. There is less pressure in domestic cricket and playing domestic cricket and rediscovering themselves.

"He's lucky that he has age on his side. India is lucky that they have got multi-taskers. You have got [KL] Rahul who can keep, Sanju Samson, MS in the background. [Wriddhiman] Saha in the Test match. There is talent there.

"He will come back tougher and stronger, if there is a need for that to happen. He doesn't need to be spoken about as much as he is spoken about now. No! He is young, give him time. In five years, if he doesn't set the world on fire, then talk about it."

Responding to a question on the criticism he has had to deal with, Pant said, "As a player, I only want to follow my processes. I am aware of the talks - some are good and others not so good, but the more I concentrate on my job the better it is. You have to believe in yourself. It doesn't matter what people say about you. At times, you will get runs, while that might not happen on other days. But the process is always important.

"The team management has told me to calm myself and keep improving the game and fitness. Basically improve in all aspects."

Ireland have ditched their planned home Test for the summer of 2020, as well as cancelling a T20I series against Afghanistan, with Warren Deutrom issuing a warning about the "financial headwinds" faced by the board since promotion to Full Member status in 2018.

Bangladesh had been due to play only the second Test match in Ireland, following a memorable debut at Malahide in 2018, but that fixture has now been converted to a T20 international. With the expected cost of hosting a Test estimated at €1m (US$1.14m), Cricket Ireland has chosen to prioritise white-ball cricket ahead of consecutive T20 World Cups, in 2020 and 2021, and the start of qualification for the 2023 50-over World Cup.

Deutrom, Cricket Ireland's chief executive, said that Ireland had suffered a shortfall in their expected funding allocation from the ICC, and had been required to make "tough decisions" about their commitments for 2020. The high cost of insuring home games and assembling temporary infrastructure at grounds such as Malahide, as well as the postponement of the 2019 Euro T20 Slam, have contributed to the board's straitened financial circumstances.

"The first area of prioritisation for 2020, has been white ball cricket over red ball," Deutrom said in a statement on the Cricket Ireland website. "Like all Irish cricket fans, we would love nothing more than to be competing on all three fronts - Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Unfortunately, our financial constraints have led us to cut the home Test match next year.

"As the Test does not form part of the World Test Championship, the one-off match lacks context. For effectively a 'friendly', the expected costs for hosting the Test would be over €1 million, with little expectation of creating revenue streams to cover the costs of hosting."

In addition to limited-overs series against Bangladesh and New Zealand in the first part of the summer, Ireland will also host Pakistan for two T20Is ahead of their tour of England. But the proposed visit of Afghanistan has been shelved.

"Those tough decisions also include having to prioritise some white-ball cricket over others," Deutrom said. "With Bangladesh and NZ coming over for important ODIs, it makes sense to extend their tours with complementary T20Is. Similarly, Pakistan is the No. 1 T20I team in the world and have proven popular visitors here over the years.

"However, we have notified the Afghanistan Cricket Board that we shall not be in a position to host them for the five planned T20Is in 2020. We have been regular and frequent opponents of the Afghans every year for a long time now, and we shall be again in future. However, needs must at this juncture to ensure we are operating as a responsible governing body operating within our means.

"The ODIs and remaining T20Is next year both have greater context and direct connections to two upcoming World Cups. The T20Is will form essential match play experience leading into the T20 World Cup in October, while the ODIs will become important with the start of the new World Cup Super League next year, which is the next 50-over World Cup's qualification process. This will mean that in 2020, three of the Bangladesh ODIs and the three New Zealand ODIs next year directly count towards world cup qualification."

Plans to host New Zealand at Bready, which made its debut as an ODI venue last year, have reportedly been put on hold - although Deutrom said that Cricket Ireland is "still working on finalising" its match allocation for 2020. Malahide and Stormont are likely to see the bulk of Ireland's international schedule, with the Clontarf ground in Dublin out of action due to renovation work.

Deutrom also indicated that Ireland were reliant on changes being made to the ICC's funding model from 2023. Although Cricket Ireland is still hopeful of a funding boost from the Euro T20 Slam - a joint venture with Cricket Scotland and the Netherlands' KNCB that was put back until 2020 - he said that "significant investment in permanent infrastructure" was required before regular Test cricket could become a reality.

"The ICC have been supportive in giving us this opportunity, but the reality to date has been Cricket Ireland dealing with significant financial challenges," Deutrom said. "The costs associated with delivering to Full Membership standards and fulfilling a much greater number of international fixtures each year has not been matched by expected revenues and a number of key unforeseen financial blows.

"With an allocation amounting to less than half of that of Zimbabwe, our expected revenues from the ICC funding model for Full Members have not been realised. Although we generate a higher percentage of our own income outside of ICC funding than a number of more-established nations, the fact is that it is insufficient to help us transition smoothly to our current status."

South Africa have named six uncapped players in their squad for the first two Tests against England, the first of which begins on Boxing Day. Fast bowlers Beuran Hendricks and Dane Paterson, opening batsman Pieter Malan, allrounder Dwaine Pretorius, wicketkeeper-batsman Rudi Second and middle-order batsman Rassie van der Dussen are all in line for a debut.

Aidem Markram has also been named in the squad after he had fractured his wrist while on tour on India and hasn't played since, but Lungi Ngidi, who suffered a Grade 1 hamstring tear ahead of the Mzansi Super League (MSL) playoff, was not considered. The squad includes only a single specialist spinner in Keshav Maharaj, with Dane Piedt and Senuran Muthusamy both left out from the party that toured India. Theunis de Bruyn, the No. 3 batsman, was the biggest casualty from the India whitewash and has been dropped while allrounder Andile Phehlukwayo has been recalled.

Squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Pieter Malan, Aiden Markram, Zubayr Hamza, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second, Rassie van der Dussen

More to follow...

CINCINNATI -- When this one was over, and they'd beaten the worst team in the league by 21 points, the Patriots got to enjoy a familiar feeling. Their victory over the 1-13 Bengals locked up a postseason berth, meaning the Patriots will participate in the NFL's postseason for a staggeringly impressive 11th year in a row.

"We always give ourselves a chance, and because of that we have a chance next week to play for a [division] championship," safety Devin McCourty said, looking ahead to Saturday's home game against the second-place Bills. "That's why you play, to put yourself in position to play these types of games."

It hasn't been a normal season for New England. Its offense has sputtered. Its defense has dominated. The Patriots have feasted on bad teams but gone a combined 0-3 against the other three first-place teams in the AFC. With the playoffs two weeks away, they remain in good position to secure their usual first-round bye. But that's not yet assured, and given the way their passing game looks, neither is success in the weeks that would follow it.

So, this being an Overreaction Monday column, we thought we'd start with the defending champs, who continue to look wobbly even as more than two-thirds of the league's teams would happily trade for their problems.

For more, check out NFL Live at 2:30 p.m. ET Monday on ESPN and in the ESPN App.

The Patriots are going to be just fine

They intercepted Andy Dalton four times. They rushed for 175 yards on 32 carries. They didn't turn the ball over. Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes. If you were looking for evidence that all was well with the Patriots, you could pick through Sunday's box score and find it.

New England is 11-3 and a game ahead of the Bills in the AFC East. There was, as more than one player said after the game, plenty of good stuff to take away from this game.

The verdict: OVERREACTION. Brady doesn't look sharp. Julian Edelman doesn't look healthy. The offensive line isn't holding up, and receivers aren't getting open quickly enough for Brady to beat the pressure with his customary rapid release.

These things are somewhat easy to hide when you're playing a 1-13 team. But as the Patriots showed in their games against Baltimore, Houston and Kansas City -- the teams they'll need to beat if they want to get back to the Super Bowl for the fourth year in a row -- they're tougher to hide against the tougher competition.

The scoreboard made this look like a get-right game for the Patriots, but if you watched it, you saw a lot of the things that have been making you worry whether this passing game can get things together in time for January. Saturday against Buffalo offers another tough test from a tough, hungry defense. Check back Saturday night.

Urban Meyer will be the next coach in Washington

The former Ohio State coach, who has been connected via whispers and rumors to a potential opening in Dallas, was at Washington's game against the Eagles on Sunday, sitting in the owner's box. While there, he watched former Buckeyes quarterback Dwayne Haskins throw a 75-yard touchdown pass to former Buckeyes receiver Terry McLaurin and the home team nearly pull off the upset.

Could Meyer be trying to leverage Cowboys owner Jerry Jones into a bigger offer (assuming Jones changes coaches)? Could Washington owner Dan Snyder be putting on the hard sell the way he did once upon a time with Steve Spurrier, Mike Shanahan and others? The intrigue is thick.

The verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. Why not? Washington will have the least attractive of the coach openings this offseason, but somebody is going to take it. Given what we know of Snyder's affinity for Haskins, you figure it's going to have to be somebody who believes in the young quarterback.

We assume that Meyer, who recruited Haskins and coached him to great success in college, fits the description. I don't know what's going to happen, but how can you rule this out? Especially with him sitting right there???

Ryan Tannehill is going to get a contract extension from the Titans

The Titans lost their big divisional matchup against the Texans on Sunday, but Tannehill recovered from the tough first half to drag them right back into it at the end.

Tennessee is 6-2 since elevating Tannehill to the starting quarterback role, and in spite of Sunday's loss it remains in contention for a playoff spot and potentially even a division title.

The verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. The Titans are surely moving on from former first-round pick Marcus Mariota after five years. And while the free-agent quarterback market is going to be fascinating this offseason, Tannehill has played well enough to convince them the answer might already be in their building.

If you're wondering what kind of deal Tannehill could get, industry insiders already are speculating that it could look like the one the Jaguars gave Nick Foles last offseason. That was $88 million for four years with $41.25 million fully guaranteed over the first couple of years. Of course, the Titans also have the option to franchise Tannehill if they really want to keep him in the building.

Who would have thought, when they acquired him from the Dolphins in March, that they might have replaced Mariota without even meaning to?

The Texans have locked up the AFC South

The flip side of Texans-Titans was the fact that Houston now holds a one-game lead on Tennessee with two games to play. It has been a wild few weeks for the Texans, who crushed the Patriots at home in Week 13 then laid an egg against the Broncos in Week 14. But they won the game they needed to win to keep themselves on top in the division, and they're in the driver's seat with two weeks to go.

They play in Tampa Bay next week while the Titans get the Saints at home, and then the two face off again in Houston in Week 17.

The verdict: OVERREACTION. Of course, you'd rather have the Bucs than the Saints next week if you're in this race. And if Houston wins, the Week 17 game won't even matter, since its division record would give it the tiebreaker edge over Tennessee.

The Texans are the heavy favorite here, and their experience gives them an edge as they try to close it out. But I can't shake that Broncos game from last week, in which they weren't even competitive against a team they should have beaten. I can't sit here and assume they'll beat the Bucs.

I was in Nashville earlier this year when the Titans beat the Chiefs, so I can't sit here and assume they have no chance against the Saints at home next week. There remains a very real chance the Week 17 game in Houston is a division title game, and Tennessee is playing as well as any team in the league, Sunday's close loss notwithstanding.

The Cowboys are clearly the better team and will beat the Eagles next week to win the NFC East

Philly came back at the end to beat a division bottom-feeder for the second time in six days. Gutsy couple of efforts from Carson Wentz & Co., for sure, against the Giants and Washington, but these aren't games that are supposed to be difficult for playoff teams.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, righted their ship with a dominant performance against what had been a hot Rams team, leaning on their tried-and-true run game to build a huge first-half lead.

The Eagles host the Cowboys on Sunday in a matchup of 7-7 teams tied for first place. If Dallas wins it, Week 17 won't even matter, and the Cowboys would clinch their second straight division title.

The verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. Dallas should be the better team, given the relative health of both rosters at this point. And for all the grief the Cowboys have taken this season for underachieving, for bad losses and for unimpressive victories, you could say all of the same things about Philly, which entered the season with a ton of promise.

This was supposed to be a close race, but both teams were supposed to be very good, and neither has been. Stack up the rosters right now, and it doesn't look as if next week should even be close.

We can't assume anything with either of these underachieving crews, but nothing the Eagles have done this season makes you feel very confident that they'll take care of business in their biggest game of the year.

The Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers have separated themselves as the top two teams in the league. With identical 24-3 records, the juggernauts are on a collision course ... for Thursday night.

In a potential NBA Finals preview and, much more importantly, an early head-to-head battle for Power Rankings supremacy, the Bucks are hosting the Lakers in a national TV showdown.

As for our latest list: After our dynamic duo checks in, plenty of movement follows in this week's edition.

Throughout the regular season, our panel (ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Andre' Snellings, Royce Young and Bobby Marks, and The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

Previous: Week 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Camp | Free agency | Post-Finals

1. Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 24-3
Week 8 ranking: 1

The Bucks haven't lost since Nov. 8, and they weren't challenged much last week, registering four wins over teams with a combined win rate of 31.4% this season. That changes this week, as they start off with games against the Mavericks and Lakers, who combined have a win rate of 78.8%. -- Snellings

This week: DAL, LAL, @NY, IND

2. Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 24-3
Week 8 ranking: 2

The Lakers won their 14th consecutive road game Sunday against the Hawks. The NBA record for most consecutive road wins is 16 by the 1971-72 Lakers. The current squad have to win road games against the Pacers on Tuesday and against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Thursday to tie the long-standing record. -- Spears

This week: @IND, @MIL, DEN

3. LA Clippers
Record: 20-8
Week 8 ranking: 4

The absence of Kawhi Leonard and Lou Williams explains the loss to the Bulls, if you're just scanning box scores and wondering what in the world happened there. And it came at the conclusion of a six-game, nine-day road trip against primarily Eastern Conference teams. The Clippers did check off Leonard's return to Toronto and another return for Paul George to Indianapolis, handling business along the way. -- Young

This week: PHX, HOU, @SA, @OKC

4. Miami Heat
Record: 19-7
Week 8 ranking: 6

They didn't win, but the Heat showed they are more than capable of hanging with the Lakers. A few plays here, a couple bounces there, and Miami would've had another marquee win to solidify its status as a legitimate contender. It came up short in the clutch, which is normally this team's strength: On the season, the Heat have a plus-22.3 rating in clutch time (third in the league) -- and on top of that are 5-0 in overtime games this season. -- Young

This week: @MEM, @PHI, NY

5. Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 20-8
Week 8 ranking: 10

Joel Embiid's 38-point, 13-rebound stat line was not the only impressive feat in Thursday's win at Boston. For the first time this season, Philadelphia won on the road against a team over .500. Two under-the-radar developments during the Sixers' 13-3 stretch of games since Nov. 15 is the play of Tobias Harris and the increased usage of first-round pick Matisse Thybulle. In the past five games, Harris is averaging 23.4 points and shooting 49.0% from the field and 38.1% from 3. Thybulle had been averaging 24.6 minutes in his previous five games before exiting Sunday with an upset stomach. -- Marks

This week: MIA, DAL, WSH

6. Boston Celtics
Record: 17-7
Week 8 ranking: 3

The losses last week at Indiana and at home to Philadelphia proved that the Celtics are entrenched within the second tier of teams in the Eastern Conference. While we certainly can applaud their 17-7 record, the loss to Philadelphia exposed their lack of bench depth. Apart from 20 points from Enes Kanter, the Celtics only had a Brad Wanamaker basket to show for the reserves. If Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown struggles (they shot a combined 8-27 from the field in the Philadelphia loss), Boston does not have a safety net besides Marcus Smart coming off the bench. -- Marks

This week: @DAL, DET, CHA

7. Toronto Raptors
Record: 17-8
Week 8 ranking: 7

The Raptors lost their fourth straight game against elite competition this week, falling by 20 points to the Clippers on an emotional night with Kawhi Leonard receiving his championship ring. This followed losses in their most recent matchups against the 76ers, Rockets and Heat -- who have a combined win rate of 70%. The Raptors bounced back with a win over the Nets, and Toronto starts this week with three very winnable games. -- Snellings

This week: CLE, @DET, WSH, DAL

8. Dallas Mavericks
Record: 17-8
Week 8 ranking: 5

Luka Doncic's sprained right ankle comes at an especially tough time for the Mavs. The Luka-less rally that fell short in overtime against the Heat was the opener of a five-game run through the beasts of the East, with the Bucks, Celtics, 76ers and Raptors up this week. Backup point guards Jalen Brunson and J.J. Barea combined for 30 points, nine rebounds and 13 assists in 47 minutes against Miami. -- MacMahon

This week: @MIL, BOS, @PHI, @TOR

9. Denver Nuggets
Record: 17-8
Week 8 ranking: 8

Sunday's win over New York was a "line drive in the scorebox" kind of game for Denver. It was ugly for large stretches, but in the end, it was a third straight win as the Nuggets have gotten their feet back under them after a rough patch a week ago. Nikola Jokic played one of his best games of the season against Steven Adams and Oklahoma City on Saturday, and, like the Nuggets tend to do, they found winning plays in the clutch. But maybe more importantly, they've found some more regular run for Michael Porter Jr., who had tangible impact against (Knicks disclaimer incoming) the Knicks. -- Young

This week: ORL, MIN, @LAL

10. Houston Rockets
Record: 17-9
Week 8 ranking: 9

James Harden is such a ridiculous scorer that his 55- and 54-point games on the Rockets' two-game road sweep weren't at all shocking. It's not even his highest-scoring two-game stretch of the past few weeks! But who would have imagined that Harden would need a total of only 11 free throws? Harden's dozen 50-point games in the 2019 calendar year are as many as LeBron James has in his career. No other active player has scored 50 points more than six times, done by Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard. -- MacMahon

This week: SA, @LAC, @PHX

11. Indiana Pacers
Record: 18-9
Week 8 ranking: 11

The Pacers have continued to play well this season, slotting in as the sixth Eastern Conference team with a greater than .600 win percentage and a positive scoring margin of at least 5.0 points. They've been doing this without former All-Star Victor Oladipo, who still is recovering from a knee injury; and it appears that they will have to continue to play without him for the "near future," based on recent comments from coach Nate McMillan. -- Snellings

This week: LAL, SAC, @MIL

12. Brooklyn Nets
Record: 14-12
Week 8 ranking: 13

In Brooklyn's two losses to Charlotte and Toronto this week, the Nets shot a combined 22-of-84 (26.2%) from 3, including 4-of-23 in the second half alone against the Hornets, a game Brooklyn led by 11 at the break. The Nets would bounce back in a 20-point win over the Sixers on Sunday, hitting 9-of-24 3s (37.5%). The rout also saw the return of Wilson Chandler from a 25-game suspension. -- Marks

This week: @NO, @SA, ATL

13. Utah Jazz
Record: 15-11
Week 8 ranking: 12

The Jazz's lack of depth has reached an alarming stage, an issue exacerbated by Mike Conley's sore hamstring. As The Salt Lake Tribune's Andy Larsen tweeted: Utah's starting five outscored the Warriors by 25 points in 21 minutes; all other Jazz lineups were minus-17 in 27 minutes. The Jazz haven't figured out how to generate offense without a finishing/scoring threat at the 5, a role Derrick Favors used to fill when Rudy Gobert rested. Utah averages only 90.3 points per 100 possessions in Ed Davis' 170 minutes. -- MacMahon

This week: ORL, @ATL, @CHA

14. Sacramento Kings
Record: 12-14
Week 8 ranking: 21

Keep an eye on forward Marvin Bagley after his return from a fractured with right thumb. In his third game, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA draft had 17 points and 6 rebounds in 22 minutes in a win over the Warriors on Sunday. Starting point guard De'Aaron Fox could also return from a severely sprained right ankle as early as Tuesday against Charlotte. -- Spears

This week: @CHA, @IND, @MEM

15. Oklahoma City Thunder
Record: 11-14
Week 8 ranking: 18

After an impressive three-game winning streak, the Thunder climbed into the actual playoff conversation, sitting seventh in the Western Conference for a week. A one-point loss on the road to the Kings and then being outclassed by the Nuggets in Denver now have OKC in a tie for eighth. More importantly, it's officially trade season, and the Thunder figure to factor heavily in various rumors and rumblings leading into the Feb. 6 deadline. -- Young

This week: CHI, MEM, PHX, LAC

16. Phoenix Suns
Record: 11-14
Week 8 ranking: 16

Center Deandre Ayton will be eligible to return to action on Tuesday against the host Clippers after serving a 25-game suspension for using a banned diuretic. The No. 1 pick of the 2018 draft has only played in one regular-season game this season. Monty Williams has been supportive of Ayton, and the Suns head coach told ESPN's The Undefeated: "At this point, it's bigger than basketball." -- Spears

This week: POR, @LAC, @OKC, HOU

17. Orlando Magic
Record: 12-14
Week 8 ranking: 17

The Magic were tested this week with three games against elite competition, and they struggled in losing by a combined 41 points to the Rockets, Lakers and Bucks -- before bouncing back with a win over the lowly Pelicans. The Magic got excellent news with the return of Nikola Vucevic from an ankle injury on Sunday, as their lone All-Star is the key to Orlando remaining in playoff contention this season. -- Snellings

This week: @UTAH, @DEN, @POR

18. Charlotte Hornets
Record: 12-17
Week 8 ranking: 23

The Hornets completed their best week of the season with wins against Washington, Brooklyn and Chicago. The victory over the Nets was important for two reasons. The Hornets overcame a 20-point deficit and also beat a team over .500 on the road for the first time this season. While the 40-point Devonte' Graham performance against Brooklyn was the signature highlight, the Hornets' defense at Chicago was the best overall moment. During that game, Charlotte held the Bulls to 73 points on 30% shooting from the field and 20.6% from 3. -- Marks

This week: SAC, @CLE, UTAH, @BOS

19. Detroit Pistons
Record: 11-15
Week 8 ranking: 20

The Pistons earned a big win in Houston to finish their week, capping a stretch of five wins in seven games, with their only losses to the Bucks and Mavericks. Blake Griffin left the Rockets game early with knee soreness, which is of concern, but Derrick Rose picked up the slack with 20 points and 12 assists -- just two games after hitting the game winner against the Pelicans. Rose is averaging 16.4 points and 6.0 assists per game on the season and is a leading Sixth Man of the Year candidate thus far. -- Snellings

This week: WSH, TOR, @BOS, CHI

20. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 10-16
Week 8 ranking: 15

It's one step forward and two steps back for Portland. And the one step forward was more like a shuffle of the feet. The Blazers have lost three of four, with the win being over the Knicks. The three losses have come by an average of 16.6 points, preventing any opportunity for Damian Lillard to do his big-shot thing. Carmelo Anthony was a Band-Aid, but a likely temporary one. The offense is a little better since adding him (up 3.2 points per 100), but the defense isn't (down 2.0), as the Blazers rank 21st in defensive rating. -- Young

This week: @PHX, GS, ORL, MIN

21. Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 10-15
Week 8 ranking: 14

The Timberwolves are in free-fall mode, losers of seven straight games to drop out of the top eight in the Western Conference. Their defense has abandoned them of late, as they have allowed their opponents to score a whopping 127.4 points per game and hit 51.3% on field goal attempts during the losing streak. -- Snellings

This week: NO, @DEN, @POR

22. Chicago Bulls
Record: 10-18
Week 8 ranking: 24

Zach LaVine has shown improvement in his already-talented offensive game by becoming a stronger 3-point shooter. The 6-foot-6 guard is shooting a career-high 41.1% from 3-point range and also is nailing a career-high 3.1 treys per contest. The six-year NBA veteran made all seven of his 3-pointer attempts during a win over Atlanta on Dec. 11. -- Spears

This week: @OKC, @WSH, @DET

23. San Antonio Spurs
Record: 10-15
Week 8 ranking: 19

Lonnie Walker is taking advantage of a larger role and seems to be earning some trust from coach Gregg Popovich. Walker is averaging 21.7 minutes over the past five games, after getting double-digit minutes only twice in the first 20 games, when he had seven DNP-CDs. Walker, a 2018 first-round pick, has averaged 13.8 points on 54.2% shooting in those five games and is one of only three Spurs with a positive plus-minus (plus-10) during that span. -- MacMahon

This week: @HOU, BKN, LAC

24. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 9-17
Week 8 ranking: 26

Don't forget about 23-year-old Dillon Brooks when discussing the Grizzlies' intriguing young core. Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and steal of the draft Brandon Clarke are Memphis' cornerstones, but Brooks has a chance to be a long-term part of that group. He just lit it up during the Grizzlies' 3-1 week, when Brooks averaged 22.5 points per game with a 61.7 true shooting percentage. -- MacMahon

This week: MIA, @OKC, @CLE, SAC

25. Washington Wizards
Record: 7-17
Week 8 ranking: 22

All bow to Davis Bertans, your 3-point overlord. There's not much to be excited about right now with the Wizards (they've lost seven of eight), but Bertans' recent 3-point light shows have been somewhat uplifting. In December, Bertans is hitting 5.3 3-pointers a game on almost 50% shooting. -- Young

This week: @DET, CHI, @TOR, @PHI

26. New Orleans Pelicans
Record: 6-21
Week 8 ranking: 25

After such a promising offseason, the Pelicans appear to be falling out of contention for a playoff spot before Zion Williamson makes his debut. The Pelicans hit a new low in New Orleans, as their 12-game losing streak is the franchise's longest since the Hornets moved to the Big Easy. The Pelicans have been outscored by 154 points during the dozen-game drought. -- MacMahon

This week: BKN, @MIN, @GS

27. New York Knicks
Record: 6-21
Week 8 ranking: 30

Our own Kevin Pelton explained it best after the Knicks won on the road against Sacramento: Where would this New York team be if point guard Elfrid Payton had not been injured? In a two-game road win streak, Payton had a plus-9 plus-minus on the court, averaged 15 points per game while shooting 51.9% from the field and 46.2% from 3. While Payton did not start in either contest, he did average 8.6 minutes during the fourth quarter, second highest on the team. -- Marks

This week: ATL, @MIA, MIL

28. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 6-20
Week 8 ranking: 29

The Cavaliers will not be measured this season on wins or losses but on two other things: player development and putting their young players in a position to play meaningful minutes in close games. While the 17-point loss to Milwaukee on Saturday would not qualify, the six-point loss to Houston and the win on the road at San Antonio do. In the Houston game, rookie Kevin Porter Jr. scored a career-high 25-points, including six 3-pointers. The next night in San Antonio, Collin Sexton tallied 28 points on only a single turnover in the Cavaliers' overtime triumph. -- Marks

This week: @TOR, CHA, MEM

29. Atlanta Hawks
Record: 6-21
Week 8 ranking: 27

Atlanta's John Collins will be eligible to play next Monday at Cleveland after completing his 25-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. The struggling Hawks, who are tied with the Knicks for the worst record in the Eastern Conference, could desperately use him. Collins averaged 17.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in five games this season. -- Spears

This week: @NY, UTAH, @BKN

30. Golden State Warriors
Record: 5-23
Week 8 ranking: 28

The injury-plagued and struggling Warriors scored a season-low 79 points against Sacramento on Sunday despite forcing their foes to an NBA season-high 29 turnovers -- Golden State is 0-9 this season when scoring 99 points or less. The good news is the new Chase Center has kept Warriors fans interested, as the franchise's sell-out streak continued to 355 games. -- Spears

This week: @POR, NO

Last week, Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon agreed to free-agent deals worth a combined $814 million. Yes, baseball has come a long way from the first free-agent class in the 1976-77 offseason, when an infielder named Paul Dade signed with the Cleveland Indians and, Sports Illustrated later reported, figured he could "start to enjoy life a little." He bought a new 25-inch color television.

Now we have Madison Bumgarner going to the Diamondbacks on a five-year, $85 million deal -- further proof that geography has little to do with where a player ultimately lands. (Many predicted Bumgarner would go to the Braves because he's from North Carolina.) It's an intriguing signing for Arizona given that Bumgarner has a 4.61 ERA on the road over the past three seasons (and 5.29 in 2019).

With the three big stars signed and delivered, Zack Wheeler in Philadelphia with the fourth $100 million-plus deal of the winter, Bumgarner staying in the National League West and seven other players landing $20 million-plus deals, let's check in on where we're at in free agency.

Keith Law's top 50 free agents

The big fish

Josh Donaldson (No. 7 on Keith Law's top 50 free agent list): Five likely playoff contenders need a third baseman -- the Braves, Nationals, Rangers, Twins (sliding Miguel Sano to first base) and Brewers -- plus possibly the Phillies if they keep Scott Kingery in a super-utility role. A healthy Donaldson proved last season he's still one of the best all-around players in the game, and even though he's 34, his broad range of skills and athleticism mean he should age well.

Best fits: Braves, Nationals, Rangers

Prediction: Braves. I love the idea of the Twins doing something very un-Twinslike and signing a big star in free agency, but I'll go with a return to the Braves. They'll have to go outside their payroll comfort zone to re-sign Donaldson, and it probably will take a four-year contract, but the front office shouldn't let that be a deterrent. This is a really good team that needs a cleanup hitter. Right now that would be ... what, the Nick Markakis/Adam Duvall platoon?

Second-tier starting pitchers

Hyun-Jin Ryu (No. 5): Ryu pitched like an ace for most of last season before tiring in September, but he still led the NL with a 2.32 ERA and threw 182 ⅔ innings, his most since 2013. That wasn't a stone-cold fluke either, as he has a 2.21 ERA in 44 starts over the past two seasons. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters at the winter meetings that he discussed a new deal for Ryu with agent Scott Boras, but Ryu told reporters in Korea, "If the Dodgers wanted to re-sign me, they would have told my agent. I haven't heard from him yet."

Best fits: Dodgers, Angels, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Twins

Prediction: Angels. The Blue Jays and Cardinals have been linked to Ryu, with Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reporting that Ryu is one of the Jays' top targets this offseason. But the Jays have spent more than $40 million on a free agent just once in the past decade. I say Ryu stays on the West Coast as the Angels keep him in Los Angeles.

Dallas Keuchel (No. 30): I like Keuchel a little better than Keith did in his rankings, and while Keuchel went 8-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 19 starts with the Braves after not signing until early June, there are some possible concerns with him. He allowed a .338 OBP, his highest mark since his breakout season in 2014. His strikeout rate dipped below 20% for the second straight season after peaking at 23.7% in 2015, his Cy Young season. He compensates with a high ground ball rate and by shutting down the running game (no stolen bases allowed in 2019). He's also the bulldog type that teams love.

Best fits: White Sox, Angels, Twins, Cardinals, Padres, Phillies

Prediction: Twins. Jake Odorizzi accepted the Twins' qualifying offer and Minnesota re-signed Michael Pineda, but those two and Jose Berrios are the only proven starters on the Minnesota roster.

Bats for a corner

Nicholas Castellanos (No. 13): Castellanos is one of the most divisive free agents of recent years. He can certainly hit -- 88 extra-base hits last season, including 58 doubles, the most since Todd Helton hit 59 in 2000. Turning 28 in March, he's also the youngest of any of the top 50 free agents. While his bat is excellent, it's not really elite, as he ranked 48th in the majors in wOBA. That's the concern, because all his value comes in the batter's box as he's a below-average defender in the outfield.

Best fits: White Sox, Rangers, Diamondbacks, Indians, Rockies

Prediction: White Sox. This could be a situation similar to that of Mike Moustakas the past two offseasons: a nice player without an obvious match. The Diamondbacks are desperate for an outfielder, but they have placed a big emphasis on outfield defense and Castellanos may be out of their price range anyway. My personal choice would be the Rockies, if only to see how many doubles he could hit at Coors Field. The Rangers just traded Nomar Mazara and the Indians cleared away Corey Kluber's salary, so Castellanos fits in either place. But I'll go with the White Sox, even though they just acquired Mazara. Castellanos can fill the hole at DH and play some right field against left-handers.

Marcell Ozuna (No. 14): Ozuna was solid in his two seasons with the Cardinals, averaging 2.5 WAR while hitting .263/.327/.452. He played through some shoulder issues and has elite exit velocity and hard-hit rates, but he hits too many balls on the ground to take advantage of that. We mentioned Castellanos' 88 extra-base hits last season -- that's almost as many as Ozuna had over two seasons in St. Louis (94). Ozuna projects as an average corner outfielder moving forward, with the slim chance he can match what he did in 2017 with the Marlins. The market for that type of player hasn't been robust in recent years, and Ozuna is tied to a qualifying offer, which helps explain the minimal buzz around him so far.

Best fits: Diamondbacks, Reds, Giants, Tigers, Cardinals

Prediction: Reds. Heading into the offseason, predictions suggested a contract in the neighborhood of three years, $45 million for Ozuna, but it will be interesting to see if that deal arrives. One team reportedly in on Ozuna is the Reds, who have Jesse Winker and Aristides Aquino in the outfield. Adding Ozuna would give them a little more certainty and allow for a nice Winker/Aquino platoon.

Four more to watch

Julio Teheran (No. 29): Your classic durable innings-eater, Teheran made 30 or more starts in each of the seven seasons he was in the Atlanta rotation. Rick Porcello, coming off a bad season, is a comparable pitcher and signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Mets. Teheran went 10-11 with a 3.81 ERA with the Braves, and he should get at least a two-year deal based on his durability. He has settled in as a pitcher who walks too many (4.3 walks per nine innings the past two seasons) but can be tough to hit (.213 average allowed past two seasons). It's a fine line, but he's been able to make it work.

Best fits: White Sox, Twins, Angels, Phillies

Prediction: Angels. The Angels are running out of options on the pitching market. Given that nobody made 20 starts or pitched more than 102 innings for them last season, they should welcome Teheran's 30 starts and 175 innings.

Edwin Encarnacion (No. 24): He hit .244/.344/.531 with 34 home runs in just 109 games -- his eighth straight season with at least 32 home runs. Heck, he's up to 414 career home runs; don't rule out the possibility of him reaching 500 in his career. Incredible. He does turn 37 in January, so the demise could happen overnight.

Best fits: White Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, Indians, Yankees

Prediction: Blue Jays. Encarnacion started 57 games at first base last season (mostly with the Mariners), but he's pretty much a DH-only guy, so I ruled out any NL teams. I guess the White Sox are the obvious pick here, except I have them signing Castellanos. I imagine the Indians will give most of their DH time to Franmil Reyes. So maybe it's Toronto or Detroit on a bargain-bin deal.

Brock Holt (No. 26): Holt bounced back from serious health issues to become one of the best utility players the past two seasons, hitting .286/.366/.407. He played mostly second base for the Red Sox in 2019, but also started games at first base, third base, shortstop, left field and right field. He's a lefty bat and hit .318/.394/.438 against right-handers in 2019, so he could be deployed as the strong side of a platoon at second base. The Red Sox signed Jose Peraza, so it's unlikely the popular Holt returns to Boston.

Best fits: Indians, Yankees, Nationals, A's

Prediction: Indians. The Indians' website lists Mike Freeman as their starting second baseman -- and Freeman was just removed from the 40-man roster following the Corey Kluber trade. Holt won't be so costly as to be out of Cleveland's price range. The Nationals have holes at second base and third base (one spot should go to rookie Carter Kieboom) and Howie Kendrick is best suited for first base these days, so Holt could be a fit at second for them.

Will Harris (No. 36): The best reliever on the market -- depending on how you evaluate Dellin Betances -- Harris is 35, but he has been one of the most consistent relievers in the game for the past half-decade, with a 2.36 ERA since joining the Astros in 2015. Only Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman have a lower ERA since 2015 among relievers with at least 250 innings.

Best fits: Astros, Mets, Yankees, Nationals, Phillies, Twins

Prediction: Nationals. Really, this could be just about any team. The Yankees have been making noise about adding another bullpen piece, but I'll go with the Nationals as Harris replaces Daniel Hudson to go with Sean Doolittle on the back end.

Others of note

Starting pitchers: Wade Miley, Gio Gonzalez, Homer Bailey, Ivan Nova, Rich Hill, Taijuan Walker

Relief pitchers: Betances, Steve Cishek, Tyler Clippard, Hudson, David Hernandez, Jeremy Jeffress, Brandon Kintzler, Sergio Romo, Craig Stammen, Pedro Strop

First base: C.J. Cron, Justin Smoak, Mitch Moreland

Second base: Jonathan Schoop, Cesar Hernandez, Brian Dozier

Third base: Todd Frazier, Maikel Franco

Shortstop: Jose Iglesias

Outfield: Yasiel Puig, Avisail Garcia, Corey Dickerson, Cameron Maybin, Hunter Pence, Kevin Pillar, Domingo Santana

Mad Dog still barking at 47 as Selby leads his team of giants to victory
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad International Correspondent

IntroWASHINGTON, D.C. (December 15, 2019). Firm favourites Egypt eased through their opening tie in the WSF Men’s World Team Squash Championship in Washington DC – but hosts USA did not make it easy for the title-holders in front of a partisan home crowd surrounding the all-glass showcourt at Squash on Fire.

The biennial World Squash Federation championship is being staged in the USA for the first time in its 52-year history. Twenty three nations are competing in the 26th edition of the event at Squash on Fire, the new state-of-the-art eight-court facility in the US capital.

Egypt fielded a full-strength team for the eagerly-awaited opener in Pool A, featuring Ali Farag, Karim Abdel Gawad and Tarek Momen, ranked 1, 3 and 4, respectively, in the world.

Their US opponents were not only ranked considerably lower, but each had never before faced his American opponent.

Momen, the reigning World Champion, put the top seeds ahead with an 11-2, 11-9, 11-8 victory over the US No.2 Chris Hanson.

In the following battle between the top strings, Todd Harrity dropped the first two games as world No.1 Farag, a former Harvard graduate, powered ahead. But US champion Harrity thrilled the crowd by fighting back to take the third and reduce the deficit.

The new momentum was short-lived, however, as Farag stormed back to clinch an 11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 11-4 win after 37 minutes.

There was excitement in the third string when event debutant Andrew Douglas, a 21-year-old from New York, took the opening game against Gawad, the PSA World Tour Finals champion. But, again, the home player was unable to maintain the momentum as the Egyptian raised his game to close out the match 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 and give his country a 3-0 win.

“I’m really pleased with our start,” said Farag afterwards. “We had a strong team in front of us in the USA. Todd has been playing well so it was good to get that win myself and also for Tarek to give us that head start.

“It’s good to get the first win under our belt. Having the likes of Karim, Abou (Mohamed Abouelghar) and Tarek next to me gives me a lot of confidence and a lot of things to look up to. We lift each other up and hopefully we can bring home the title.”

US national coach Paul Assaiante was upbeat about his team’s performance: “We played three people who have all been world champions.

“We had a couple of guys coming off some injuries and we were hoping they could play their way through – and in all cases I think they felt better about themselves coming off the court. All three guys came off the court with their eyes a little bigger! They did a really nice job – I’m very proud of them.

“It was a super crowd, very appreciative of the squash from both sides. And now we have Switzerland on Tuesday. Today they played with no pressure – and on Tuesday it’ll be all pressure, against a team, in the United States, that on paper we should have a chance against! Today was fun; on Tuesday it will be less fun.”

There was much anticipation in the Pool C tie between France and Colombia, as it marked the return after a 14-month injury break of the French former world No.1 and World Champion Gregory Gaultier.

The ‘French General’ appeared to back to his former form as he despatched Colombian Ronald Palomino 11-1, 11-5, 11-2, before his team-mates Gregoire Marche and Baptiste Masotti made it a maximum points win for the third seeds with straight games wins over Juan Camilo Vargas and Erick Herrera, respectively.

“It has been a really tough year for me after having two surgeries,” explained Gaultier, who is celebrating a record tenth successive appearance in the championships. “My second surgeon did a great job and gave me the hope to play squash again. It was still 50-50 a couple of months ago between doing no sport and being able to do something. All the work I have been doing with my physios and all the work I have put in every single day has been worth it.

“It’s an amazing feeling, it has been 20 years playing for my country and playing in this shirt for my first match means a lot to me and it has always been an honour. We will see how it goes, we have a pretty solid team and we are looking forward to doing something good.”

Fourth seeds New Zealand, predicted to record their best finish for 30 years, began their 2019 campaign in determined style, beating Ireland 3-0.

But it was the third string clash which caught the imagination of many of the event’s followers – when Kiwi Evan Williams, a 30-year-old ranked 93 in the world, took on Steve Richardson, an Irishman who has not only never played a match on the professional tour, but is aged 47.

The event’s oldest participant made his debut in the championships in 1995 – before anybody in the 2019 field – and is undoubtedly one the game’s most capped internationals. Richardson kept his opponent on court for 33 minutes, but ultimately went down 11-7, 11-7, 11-5.

“I wanted to come here and compete,” explained the 2002 Irish champion. “I’m competitive in matches but physically we’re on different planets these days! I’ve got to realise that when I’m in matches I’ve got to stop it being a physical contest and make it more a mental contest.

“It’s good to able to compete – but it’s also about priorities. I still want to come here and do my best – the only difference between a professional and an amateur is the time to prepare. It doesn’t make them better squash players!”

On making his World Teams debut for Ireland in 1995, Richardson said: “It doesn’t seem like 24 years ago – it seems more like 10!

“The difference between me and the other guys is that squash is fun for me – it always has been and always will be.”

Australia are the 2019 event’s seventh seeds and expected to finish in second place in Pool F. But the record eight-time champions were shocked in the opening match of their tie against Kuwait when the 21st seeds’ second string Abdullah Al Muzayen beat former world No.11 Cameron Pilley 11-7, 11-6, 11-5.

The 33-year-old left-hander from Kuwait City has been hampered by political issues back home and has competed in just one international event over the past 18 months – resulting in a drop in his ranking to 512. But the former world No.33 showed signs of his former self as he stunned Pilley in one of his best scalps in several years.

“I played well,” admitted underdog Al Muzayen. “This is one of my best wins, for sure, and it will give me a lot of confidence.”

Order was restored for Australia when Ryan Cuskelly and Rex Hedrick both recorded straight games wins to give the 7ths seeds a 2-1 victory over Kuwait.

England, expected to reach the final for the fourth time in a row, faced Canada in their opening tie – an encounter which turned out to be the nations’ 10th meeting in the championships since 1983. Captain Daryl Selby led the five-time former champions to a 3-0 win, beating Nick Sachvie 11-3, 11-8, 11-4 in 35 minutes.

“Any time you can captain your country it fills you with pride,” said Selby, the 37-year-old former World No.9. “I’ve been playing for more than 30 years and I’ve done it a few times at the Europeans, but this is the first time at World Championships.

“We’ve got a great team with a really good spirit, I say a big team, but I feel small in this team – they’re all over 6ft and I’m the little guy which doesn’t happen very often! We’ve got a lot of heart and we won’t be easy to beat this week.

“Nothing is won on paper. Sport is a beautiful thing, you can say this team is going to beat that team but it doesn’t always happen like that. A team championship is different and there are a lot of good teams out there, not just us and Egypt. It’s a going to be a tough and good week and I think there are going to be fireworks this week.” 

Men’s World Team Championship 2019, Squash On Fire, Washington DC, USA.

FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND:

Pool A:

[1] EGYPT bt [12] USA 3/0

Tarek Momen bt Chris Hanson 11-2, 11-9, 11-8 (27m)
Ali Farag bt Todd Harrity 11-6, 11-7, 10-12, 11-4 (37m)
Karim Abdel Gawad bt Andrew Douglas 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 (41m)

Pool B:

[2] ENGLAND bt [14] CANADA 3/0

Daryl Selby bt Nick Sachvie 11-3, 11-8, 11-4 (35m)
James Willstrop bt Michael McCue 11-8, 11-5, 2-11, 11-7 (37m)
Declan James bt David Baillargeon 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6 (52m)

[11] WALES bt [23] NIGERIA 3/0

Peter Creed bt Sodiq Taiwo 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (24m)
Joel Makin bt Babatunde Ajagbe 11-5, 11-8, 11-2 (31m)
Emyr Evans bt Adewale Amao 11-13, 11-6, 11-9, 11-2 (41m)

Pool C:

[3] FRANCE bt [13] COLOMBIA 3/0

Gregory Gaultier bt Ronald Palomino 11-1, 11-5, 11-2 (23m)
Gregoire Marche bt Juan Camilo Vargas 11-6, 11-2, 11-7 (36m)
Baptiste Masotti bt Erick Herrera 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (24m)

[10] MALAYSIA bt [22] REPUBLIC OF KOREA 3/0

Ivan Yuen bt Chang-Wook Woo 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 (25m)
Eain Yow Ng bt Ko Youngjo 11-9, 11-2, 11-5 (28m)
Mohd Syafiq Kamal bt Joong-Won Hwang 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (34m)

Pool D:

[4] NEW ZEALAND bt [18] IRELAND 3/0

Campbell Grayson bt Oisin Logan 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 (32m)
Paul Coll bt Arthur Gaskin 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 (33m)
Evan Williams bt Steve Richardson 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (33m)

[9] SCOTLAND bt [20] SINGAPORE 3/0

Alan Clyne bt Chua Man Chin 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 (25m)
Greg Lobban bt Samuel Kang 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (30m)
Rory Stewart bt Brandon Tan 11-1, 11-4, 11-6 (22m)

Pool E:

[5] GERMANY bt [16] ARGENTINA 2/1

Valentin Rapp lost to Leandro Romiglio 11-4, 4-11, 5-11, 9-11 (70m)
Raphael Kandra bt Robertino Pezzota 11-7, 11-7, 11-3 (25m)
Rudi Rohrmuller bt Gonzalo Miranda 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 (30m)

[8] SPAIN bt [19] SOUTH AFRICA 3/0

Iker Pajares Bernabeu bt Christo Potgieter 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (28m)
Borja Golan bt Jean-Pierre Brits 11-3, 11-9, 11-6 (31m)
Carlos Cornes bt Gary Wheadon 11-5, 11-3, 13-11 (30m)

Pool F:

[6] HONG KONG CHINA bt [17] JAMAICA 3/0

Max Lee bt Lewis Walters 10-12, 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 (39m)
Leo Au bt Christopher Binnie 11-7, 11-3, 11-7 (20m)
Yip Tsz Fung bt Bruce Burrowes 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (16m)

[7] AUSTRALIA bt [21] KUWAIT 2/1

Cameron Pilley lost to Abdullah Al Muzayen 7-11, 6-11, 5-11 (29m)
Ryan Cuskelly bt Ammar Altamimi 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (31m)
Rex Hedrick bt Yousif Nizar Saleh 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 (32m)

Pictures courtesy of  WSF

Exeter boss Rob Baxter says he is not a "career coach" after ruling himself out of an England role until at least 2023 by signing a new contract.

Baxter had been backed as a successor to current England boss Eddie Jones.

The new deals also rule Exeter head coach Ali Hepher out of a position with England in the near future.

"International rugby isn't the be-all-and-end-all for everybody - especially when you are maybe a younger coach," Baxter said.

A former Chiefs captain, Baxter has coached at Sandy Park for the past decade, establishing the club as one of the pre-eminent sides in England and winning the Premiership title in 2017.

"The opportunity to work at a club as good as this is quite rare," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"The grass is always greener on the other side and I'm not sure that counts too much when you are coaching here because it feels fantastic to be here."

'I'm not a career coach'

The Rugby Football Union have used a number of different models when selecting their coaches - from promoting from within to chasing high-profile overseas figures - but they have not recruited a head coach from the club game at any point in the last 20 years.

Baxter appeared an ideal candidate to break that mould, but he has confirmed he will not be looking beyond Exeter as things stand.

"I am not what you would call probably a career coach - well I don't feel like I am - I'm not someone always looking for the the next opportunity or place to go or things to do," he explained.

"A lot of people are - and that's fine - but that doesn't count to me. There are an awful lot of things for me personally here based around my family and the importance of the club to me and the things I've done in the past."

'Not dysfunctional with RFU'

However, Baxter has moved to allay fears over a perceived fracture between club and country when it comes to elite coaching.

"Over the past four and five years the coach development within the RFU has been in touch with all of us as senior coaches, and it would have been in touch with all English-qualified coaches at other clubs as well," he added.

"That's all fine - it isn't a completely dysfunctional scenario with no-one talking to you from the RFU, so if people think that then they will get it wrong."

Mark van Bommel has been sacked as manager of PSV Eindhoven following a string of bad results which saw them drop to fourth in the Eredivisie table.

Last season, the Dutch giants were on course to land the title in Van Bommel's first season in charge, having led the table for most of the way. However, they missed out on the last day of the campaign, following a late resurgence from Ajax.

But this term has been difficult, with PSV having been eliminated from the Champions League at the play-off round before failing to qualify from their Europa League group.

"Performances and results have been far below what is expected at PSV," general manager Toon Gerbrands said. "Matches are measuring moments but we also keep a close eye on the progress down the road.

"We always try to help and support each other at PSV and that's what we have done the past few months. The club's interest will always be of prime importance. Following a review of the current status in and around the first team, we have come to this painful decision. We have all tried hard to turn things around but unfortunately failed to do so."

In the league, PSV have lost four of their 17 matches so far, with Van Bommel's final match a 3-1 defeat away to rivals Feyenoord.

The result saw them drop to fourth below Willem II in the table -- 10 points behind joint leaders Ajax and AZ Alkmaar -- and means they have picked up just 18 points in their last 26 matches.

A former PSV captain, Van Bommel spent a total of seven seasons with the club, in between spells at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan, and won four league titles as well as the KNVB Cup.