On their fifth week in Japan the Rugby Union Weekly team go inside the Wales and England camps, and travel across to Oita and Tokyo to cover the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

On Saturday, England beat Australia 40-16 to set up a semi-final against a New Zealand side that beat Ireland 46-14 in Tokyo.

Meanwhile on Sunday, Wales came back in dramatic fashion to beat France 20-19 and South Africa knocked out hosts Japan after a 26-3 victory.

Listen to full commentary of both semi-finals across BBC Radio 5 Live plus text updates on the BBC Sport website and app.

Download and subscribe to 5 Live's Rugby Union Weekly now on BBC Sounds.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Somewhere upstairs, Bob Akin was smiling.

The sports car legend whose name was synonymous with Porsche, Coca-Cola and winning had to be happy as a pair of Porsche 911 RSRs decked out in the throwback Coke livery made famous by the Akin Porsches of the 1980s and ‘90s, wrapped up a 1-2 finish in the GT Le Mans class for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

Akin’s son Bobby and his family were on hand at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to witness it all in the Motul Petit Le Mans. And they were moved.

“It couldn’t be better,” Bobby Akin said. “Last race of the season, celebrating a championship, the race team was based here in Atlanta when the Coke deal was going on, so there’s so many connections that are overwhelmingly positive and special.”

With its fifth-place finish in class, No. 912 Porsche GT Team co-drivers Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor clinched the driver, team and manufacturer championships. No. 911 co-drivers Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet finished sixth in the race to secure second in the driver and team battles on a tiebreaker over No. 3 Corvette drivers Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia.

For the season, the two Porsches collected six wins and six additional podiums to forge the 1-2 championship finish. For Bobby Akin, seeing the red-and-white Coke liveries that matched that of the No. 5 Porsche 962 that his dad co-drove to victory 33 years ago in the Sebring 12 Hours, filled him with emotion.

“When I first got wind that this might even happen – and it was just an idea quite some time ago between Porsche and Coke – I was so touched that they’d even attempt to put it together,” the younger Akin said. “With companies the size of Porsche and Coca-Cola, they’re not easy to pull off. It took a lot of dedication. Just the concept that they cared and they wanted to do it was amazing to me.”

The retro livery was revealed with a spectacular video showing the No. 911 in its typical full-season paint scheme driving from Porsche North America headquarters to Coca-Cola, since both are based in Atlanta. While at Coke, the car’s livery is magically transformed to the throwback Coke livery with the opening of a bottle of the soft drink.

“When they unveiled the car in Atlanta, I must tell you there were tears in my eyes,” Bobby Akin said. “To see that car and that livery and all the memories that it brought back. I was 14 at the time and I remember being picked up at the airport at Daytona to go over and see the car – the (Porsche) 935 at the time, I think, in ’80 when it first raced in the Coca-Cola colors all the way through to the last 962 14 years later.

“That was one of the most special times in my life. My dad and I were such close friends, and I can’t tell you what it meant to me. It’s truly an honor for me and my whole family in his honor. It’s just amazing. I think the right word is stunning.”

Akin said he made sure his children, who didn’t get to know their grandfather before he died in 2002, were at Michelin Raceway to feel Bob Akin’s spirit as well and the essence of family. Bobby Akin added that he and his immediate family remain part of the Porsche family to this day.

“You say Porsche family and I mean that,” he said. “It is amazing because, as big as they are, it’s still a family. There’s still that bond that they’ll reach out, out of the blue, because of something to do with the family. Myself as well, I’ve found things that I think Porsche might want for the museum or something and I’ll call them and they’re like, ‘Oh, we’d love that!’

“There is that constant reminder that it is a family, and Coca-Cola is the same way. One of the things I learned from my dad early on is that great brands need to treat that brand with reverence. One of those things is not having the short-term view all the time.

“Of course, they have to be nimble and change with evolving businesses, but they never forget the reverence of the brand and to protect that brand because it’s what they have. Part of that is they don’t really forget where they came from and all the people and all the things that came together in the past that made it possible to go forward. It’s really cool to see when that happens and to be a part of it.”

Cristiano Ronaldo reassured Juventus supporters and his legions of fans worldwide that at 34 he's not ready for retirement yet.

"Age is just a number. It does not mean that at 34, 35, 36 you are at the end of your career," Ronaldo said at a news conference ahead of Juventus' Champions League match against Lokomotiv Moscow on Tuesday. "I can show that with my performances, how I play, the way I play, the way I still feel good, sharp, thinking about the game, more mature. This makes the difference."

In the second season of a four-year deal at Juventus, Ronaldo had sparked concern among his fans when he said in an interview published a few weeks ago that he was starting to enjoy seeing himself "outside of football, so who knows what will happen in the next year or two?"

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Ronaldo recently scored his 700th goal as a professional while on international duty with Portugal and has been nominated for a record sixth Ballon d'Or award -- which would break his tie of five with Lionel Messi.

But Ronaldo said he's more interested in winning a Treble with Juventus.

"We want to win Serie A, we want to win the Cup, the Champions League," he said. "Juventus should think big. We are going to try to win all the trophies, we know it will be difficult, especially the league and the Champions League, but I think it is possible. Everything is possible.

"In terms of individual, I have nothing to say as this is individual. It is not the most important thing," Ronaldo added. "The most important is the collective awards. If you win the collective awards you have more chance to win the individual awards. The Golden Ball is for me in second place."

While retirement may not be on Ronaldo's mind yet, family time is a big part of his life now.

"To win games, to score goals, to enjoy myself, to arrive home and see my kids happy and say, `Congratulations daddy for scoring a goal.' That makes me happy," he said. "This is my motivation to come to train, for the games, to entertain people and the fans with my passion."

Lionel Messi has Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk as rivals for the 2019 Ballon d'Or award, but not Neymar.

When the long list of 30 candidates was announced Monday in the city where Neymar has played for more than two years at Paris Saint-Germain, the Brazil star's name was missing from the nominations by a global voting panel of journalists.

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Messi and Ronaldo's 10-year grip on the individual award organised by France Football magazine was broken by Luka Modric last December.

Modric is also absent one year after he swept the Ballon d'Or and The Best FIFA Men's Player awards after a stellar 2018 with Real Madrid and Croatia.

Messi won his sixth FIFA award last month, edging Van Dijk, who starred in Liverpool's Champions League-winning team.

If Van Dijk wins, he would be the first defender to top the poll since Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.

The Liverpool centre-back was among seven teammates nominated, including Alisson Becker and Roberto Firmino, who also won the Copa America with a Brazil team that managed without an injured Neymar.

World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe is favored to add a Ballon d'Or to her FIFA award won last month.

The United States star is joined on a 20-woman list by teammates Tobin Heath and Alex Morgan. Defending the title is Ada Hegerberg, winner of the inaugural women's award, from Europe's dominant club team Lyon.

Arsenal slumped to a dismal defeat in the Steel City on Monday night, as Sheffield United moved into the top 10 in the Premier League on the back of the 1-0 win. Old frailties were exposed in the first half, when Lys Mousset converted a smartly worked corner into Bernd Leno's net, with an exasperated Granit Xhaka playing the United man onside. Dani Ceballos and Alexandre Lacazette would be introduced in the second half, and despite adding a new level of threat to Arsenal's attack, neither could help force the vital equaliser on a thoroughly disappointing night for the visitors.

Positives

Nicolas Pepe enjoyed a fruitful evening, while the young guns of Bukayo Saka and Joe Willock also impressed in spells, signalling a bright future for the club even if darker clouds blight the present-day squad. Ceballos' second-half cameo will be cause for optimism, with the Spaniard now returning to full fitness following an injury scare while on international duty.

Negatives

As has so often been the case, poor defending, specifically from set pieces, were Arsenal's undoing. Surprisingly, David Luiz wasn't at fault. Instead a lack of organisation on corners once again exposed a glaring weakness for Arsenal -- something they will surely need to address if they wish to get back into the top four.

Manager rating out of 10

6 -- The team selection appeared to be a balanced one prior to kick off, with injury concerns for Caballos and Lacazette leaving Unai Emery with few options. However, the Arsenal boss did take the bold step of introducing Ceballos at half-time, a move which certainly introduced more creativity to the side's midfield.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

GK Bernd Leno, 5 -- Had a fairly quiet game with little to do in the first half. The first Sheffield United goal can also hardly be attributed to a Leno mistake, but handing issues were once more on show tonight.

DF Calum Chambers, 6 -- A tough night for Arsenal's stand in right-back. He struggled to prevent crosses into the Arsenal penalty box, something which eventually led to United's goal. The Englishman's performance did improve in the second half as he pushed forward into a wing-back role.

DF Sokratis, 6 -- Was caught out positionally on one or two occasions, and will perhaps feel slightly frustrated with his role in Sheffield United's opener. Otherwise, a decent night's work for the centre-back, who received a yellow card late on.

DF David Luiz, 6 -- it could be argued that Luiz was Arsenal's best defender throughout the first half, with a series of solid tackles and smart interceptions. It wasn't spectacular, but with such little expected from the Brazilian, it's a notable improvement when compared to recent performances.

DF Sead Kolasinac, 7 -- The Bosnia international was very threatening down the left-hand side, playing in a number of dangerous crosses -- with Pepe ailing to convert a particularly teasing ball. Will perhaps count himself unlucky that he didn't end the game with an assist.

MF Granit Xhaka, 6 -- A mixed evening for the ever-divisive Swiss midfielder. Xhaka was guilty of playing Mousset onside for United's goal, and was guilty on a number of occasions of squandering possession. That being said, had It not been for a fine save from Dean Henderson, Xhaka would have scored yet another spectacular long-range effort.

MF Matteo Guendouzi, 6 -- Was partially at fault for Sheffield United's first goal, as he was beaten in the air fairly easily. Going forward his passing was solid, but overall a disappointing day for the promising Frenchman.

MF Joe Willock, 6 -- The promising attacking midfielder started the game brightly from a neutral position, but once Sheffield United got themselves in front, his influence on the game began to fade. Ultimately leading to Ceballos' introduction at half-time.

FW Bukayo Saka, 6 -- Had one or two lively moments, with incisive dribbles and smart link-up play. The Englishman was yellow carded for a simulated dive in the penalty area, following a mazy run.

FW Nicolas Pepe, 7 -- The Ivory Coast star was Arsenal's biggest attacking threat for large spells, but will be disappointed to have missed a close range effort from a wonderful Kolasinac cross. He was once again bright in the second half, but was largely reduced to long range efforts that didn't threaten Henderson enough.

FW Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 5 -- A rare off-night, he cut a frustrated and isolated figure at times. Each ball that was played through either seemed to be just too long, or miscontrolled -- but the full-time whistle ended a thoroughly frustrating evening for the prolific Gabon international.

Substitutes

MF Dani Ceballos, 7 -- The Spain international had a notable impact after coming on at half-time, but missed a crucial chance midway through the second period. While his impact did change the shape of the game, it couldn't nudge the score line on this occasion.

FW Alexandre Lacazette, 5 -- Much like his striking counterpart, the Frenchman failed to impact the match late on.

FW Gabriel Martinelli, N/A -- Brief cameo with one threatening run down the left flank.

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are set for their first action since the Ashes after they were named in the New South Wales squad for the Marsh Cup match against Tasmania on Wednesday.

The pair have been kept on ice since the end of the series in England. Cummins played all five Tests as well as the entire World Cup while Hazlewood played in four of the Ashes matches following his return from a stress fracture of the back.

After the one-day game Hazlewood is expected to come into the Sheffield Shield side for New South Wales' next match against South Australia in Adelaide while Cummins is part of Australia's T20I squad to face Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

New South Wales will field six players who were part of the Ashes with David Warner, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon also in the Marsh Cup squad. Warner will be playing his first domestic one-day match since 2013 before also switching to Australia colours, along with Smith and Starc, for the T20Is.

The fixture has been moved to North Sydney Oval after the problems with the SCG surface. The match is between the bottom two sides in the Marsh Cup with both having managed just one win from their first four matches.

NSW squad Peter Nevill, Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Jack Edwards, Matthew Gilkes, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- When the New York Jets last played on Monday Night Football, only five weeks ago, Sam Darnold was at his New Jersey apartment, hanging out with his parents in the family room and eating take-out Italian. No offense to Dad and Mom, who were visiting and spent part of the day stocking his refrigerator with microwavable bowls of Mom's homemade chicken noodle soup, but this wasn't his idea of cool.

He belonged at MetLife Stadium, 30 miles away, but the 22-year-old quarterback was fighting mononucleosis, not the Cleveland Browns. The frustration and helplessness formed a volatile mix, and it exploded when his replacement, Trevor Siemian, suffered a grotesque ankle injury. Darnold went to his bedroom, shut the door and, after a few seconds of silence, screamed. Then he went MMA on his pillow.

When he finally was allowed back in the team's facility a few days later, Darnold tried to be a resource to his replacement's replacement, Luke Falk, but he was told by the medical staff that he couldn't spend long hours in the building. Go home and rest, they told him. He made a fuss, insisting he was fine. When he finally relented, he went back to his apartment and slept for three hours. He was not fine.

It was a painstaking process, one that included naps, long walks, stationary biking, ultrasounds, blood tests, more naps, smoothies and a lot of chicken noodle soup, but Darnold's nightmare ended two Sundays ago in spectacular fashion. With one completion, and then another and another, he reenergized his forlorn franchise, upsetting the Dallas Cowboys 24-22 for the Jets' first win.

"As a young kid at that position -- I won't even say kid, I'll say young man -- sometimes it can get tough on you," said well-traveled wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who has played with Peyton Manning and Deshaun Watson. "To be able to come back and click on his first day back, I was amazed. I was excited."

That Darnold was able to return so quickly from mono, and play so well after only six practices, was a tribute to his preparation and natural instincts for the position. Because mono is rare in the NFL, it was uncharted territory, with an undercurrent of potential danger. Reporters questioned him about his spleen size and whether he was worried about a rupture. (Unbeknownst to the public, his spleen had returned to its normal size the previous week, but he was held out against the Philadelphia Eagles because his blood test didn't pass muster.)

He eventually conquered the illness, but now another challenge awaits, another viral threat that has been known to debilitate young quarterbacks.

Bill Belichick.

Big-play ability needed vs. Patriots

Darnold will have his first real test against the New England Patriots (6-0) on Monday at MetLife (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). He faced the Patriots last season, but it was a Week 17 clunker that involved a lame-duck coach (Todd Bowles was fired later that night), a skeleton lineup and a host of players who had already mentally checked out. In other words, he never had a chance. The Jets lost 38-3.

The circumstances are much different this time, as the Jets (1-4) -- rejuvenated by Darnold -- have a chance to play their way back into contention. It won't be easy against the Patriots, who are putting up historic defensive numbers. Consider this: They have 14 interceptions and only one touchdown pass allowed.

"Their defense is good -- they have been all year -- but just like any other team, they're not unbeatable," said Darnold, displaying a hint of bravado.

The Patriots are doing it the old-fashioned way, with a heavy dose of man-to-man coverage. They've used man-coverage schemes 67% of the time, the second-highest rate in the league, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. In theory, it should be easy for a young quarterback to decipher man-to-man, as opposed to zone. Thing is, the Patriots have talented players who can cover, and Belichick -- the genius underneath the hoodie -- always adds wrinkles to the scheme.

"They do a good job of putting the quarterback in doubt on what to do," said Jets coach Adam Gase, who called the Patriots' defense the best in the league.

New England confuses even the most experienced quarterbacks by disguising its looks. The Patriots' third-down "zero" package is a big part of their game plan -- an all-out blitz with no deep safety -- but they can switch out of that as soon as the ball is snapped. Belichick toys with young quarterbacks. He twists their minds into pretzels. He makes them think they have to throw quickly.

"It can force you into making mistakes because you have to prepare for the big stuff and play at a pace like the real thing is happening, and they can speed you up into mistakes," said ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, a former NFL quarterback.

Belichick will try to inhabit Darnold's brain and force him into bad decisions, but the kid -- uh, young man -- has the ability to play beyond his years. His 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ryan Griffin last week had a schoolyard element to it. Thomas was supposed to be his "hot" receiver on a blitz, but Darnold made a sight adjustment at the line and signaled Griffin to be ready for a quick pass. When Griffin turned, the ball was there, perfectly placed.

Darnold figured to be rusty after a five-week layoff, but his accuracy was laser-sharp. He completed 23 of 32 passes for 338 yards even though 31% of his attempts were into tight windows -- the league's second-highest rate in Week 6, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

"He wasn't acting like they were [special throws]," Gase said. "He was just like, 'Yeah, this is what I do.'"

Darnold's teammates like to talk about "The Flick," his ability to deliver a pass without a conventional windup -- just a "wrist" throw. Thomas called it "a sneaky flick, and it's like, 'Whoa, whoa!' It reminds me of Aaron Rodgers sometimes when he flicks it."

Just as he finished his sentence, Thomas saw Darnold walking by in the locker room.

"Hey, Flick," Thomas called out.

Darnold smiled and kept going to a meeting.

Darnold's quiet confidence

This is a barometer game for Darnold because in the AFC East, quarterbacks are measured by how they fare against the Patriots. He's the fourth Young Hopeful to get a crack at the Patriots in the Tom Brady era. In the early 2000s, Chad Pennington showed real promise but couldn't stay healthy. Mark Sanchez delivered a signature moment (a 2010 playoff win in New England) and a regrettable low (the Butt Fumble), ultimately fizzling. Geno Smith was a disaster.

Now, it's Darnold's turn.

"I think, for us, when you get locked in on trying to break the dynasty or tear them down, that's when you start losing control of yourself and losing control of your emotions during the game," Darnold said. "If we get outside ourselves and try to take down Tom Brady, take down Belichick -- those are all legit things -- but for us, it's really just about focusing on what we need to do."

The Jets, who haven't made the playoffs since 2010, can't dismantle the dynasty in one night, but a win -- one stinkin' win -- would do wonders for the psyche of the franchise. They have dropped seven in a row and 15 of the past 17 to the Patriots, and many of the games were noncompetitive. The Jets need a hero, a player who can inspire them to overtake the Evil Empire.

"He has to own his team," former Jets quarterback and current CBS analyst Boomer Esiason said of Darnold. "The first thing you have to do to own your team is you have to play like he did last week. You have to prove to everybody you can make a difference and raise the level of play of the skill players. Every quarterback needs to become the face of the franchise. With Sam, you can see it. There's just a different vibe, just watching him. It's because they believe in the guy."

Darnold isn't a loud presence, but he exudes a quiet confidence. Gase calls it "swagger without really trying." It's worth noting, though, that Darnold has been more vocal since returning from mono, according to teammates. He certainly raised eyebrows when he told reporters the offense will be "unstoppable" once his top weapons are healthy and back on the field -- an out-of-character comment.

People close to Darnold say the mono, with symptoms that started as far back as the preseason, hit him hard and left him in a dark place. When he returned to the field last week, it was pure joy. Gase studied his quarterback during pregame warm-ups and saw fire and ice. Then, on the first play, Darnold flicked a 17-yard pass Thomas.

"After that throw," Gase said, "I was like, 'Wow, let's go have some fun.'"

HOUSTON -- To nobody's surprise, three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer is officially the Game 1 starter for the Washington Nationals. He'll face off against Houston Astros starter Gerrit Cole, who is riding a streak of 19 consecutive winning decisions, in the first showdown between two powerhouse starting rotations.

Both pitchers have excelled so far in the postseason. Scherzer is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and 27 strikeouts in three starts and one relief appearance (20 innings). In the division series against the Dodgers he allowed one run in seven innings, and against the Cardinals in the NLCS he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, finishing with one hit, no runs and 11 strikeouts over seven frames.

Cole, meanwhile, has won all three of his postseason starts and has allowed one run in 22 2/3 innings with 32 strikeouts. The two hard-throwing right-handers arguably have the best pure stuff of any starters in baseball. Cole had the second-highest average fastball velocity among starting pitchers at 97.1 mph and set a record for starters by striking out 39.9 percent of the batters he faced in the regular season.

Scherzer had the 10th-highest average fastball velocity at 94.9 mph and the third-highest strikeout rate in the regular season.

"I've been in the situation, faced really good pitchers here in the National League over the years: Clayton Kershaw, Jacob deGrom, those guys," Scherzer said. "You just know you've got to come out there, you're going to be throwing up zeros. And you've got to try to match the intensity from your opponent. And Cole's had a terrific year. So obviously it's going to be one heck of a challenge."

Overall, Scherzer went 11-7 with a 2.92 ERA in 27 starts in the regular season. He did miss time in July and August with a back strain and bursitis in the scapula beneath his shoulder and had a 4.74 ERA after returning from the injured list in late August, but he has appeared to be at full strength in October. It was the first season in his career in which he failed to make 30 starts. Cole went 20-5, leading the AL with a 2.50 ERA and 326 strikeouts.

Cole said he most admires Scherzer's determination that has helped him build a potential Hall of Fame resume.

"I feel like that word kind of covers how he competes, how he prepares, Cole said. "You have to be determined to be durable. My gosh, he's as durable as they come. You have to be determined to be prepared. And he's as prepared as they come. And then his presence on the mound is determined. He's got a job to do, and he wants to go out and do it and just put the blinders on and get after the ball."

The Nationals struggled to a 19-31 record early, but have excelled ever since, including a sweep of the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series.

"I love this team we have here in '19," Scherzer said. "I speak to our group the most of how much clubhouse chemistry we have, we're just playing good baseball together. We're really firing on all cylinders. And there's just -- we've got some mojo going, that's the easiest way to describe it. That we just seem to be playing great baseball together, and anybody who gets their number called just continues to step up and perform for the team."

Game 2 will feature Stephen Strasburg against Justin Verlander.

The Astros enter as the heaviest betting favorite to win the World Series since 2007, but MVP candidate Alex Bregman says facing Scherzer and Strasburg obviously will be a big challenge.

"They have multiple plus pitches. They throw all of them. They have confidence in all of them. They are super tough," Bregman said. "They are two of the best pitchers in the game. Patrick Corbin is unbelievable as well and so is [Anibal] Sanchez. It's going to be a fun series."

The Astros faced some unconventional strategy in the first two rounds as the Rays and Yankees both relied heavily on their bullpens. They'll face a more old-school approach in the World Series.

"If you want to do well against the Nats, you've got to beat their starters, and then make them make decisions as the game goes on," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "If you sit back and kind of wait for the bullpen or wait for them to make a decision, you'll look at Strasburg and Scherzer throwing 120, 130 pitches and you'll be too deep in the game to make up a difference. Those guys getting 21, 24, 27 outs is a real possibility for them. And that makes it tough either way."

Nationals manager Dave Martinez didn't announce a Game 3 starter, leaving open the possibility that Patrick Corbin could pitch in relief if needed in Game 1. He's made three relief appearance along with two starts in the postseason. "We shall see," Martinez said about Corbin perhaps coming out of the bullpen before he starts a game.

COSTA MESA, Calif. – Yamaha is partnering with Attack Performance to field a MotoAmerica Superbike team next season featuring four-time and reigning champion Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. is following a team structure model used by Yamaha Motor Europe in World Superbike with the announcement of its two-year agreement today with Attack Performance, the Richard Stanboli-owned team fielded bikes for Josh Herrin and J.D. Beach in 2018 and 2019, respectively, in one-rider teams in the MotoAmerica Superbike division.

Along with sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive the full support of both Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. and Yamaha Motor Europe.

“When we started planning the new direction for our Superbike team, the first company we thought of was Attack Performance,” said Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team manager Tom Halverson in a team release. “They have the skill, desire and passion needed to win. Combining our resources, knowledge and personnel with theirs should make for a super-competitive organization. We will work closely together to make everything gel before the first race so we can start the season off strong. From there, we are confident that the team and riders will only get stronger and be in contention for another MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

“Of course, having Cameron (Beaubier) back is key, and we are so pleased he has decided to stay in the U.S. and race with us for at least two more seasons. We are also very happy to have Jake Gagne join us as Cameron’s teammate. Jake is a very talented and popular rider, and I’m sure he will take full advantage of this opportunity and be in the hunt right away.

“Lastly, we wish Garrett (Gerloff) all the success he deserves. We will miss him in the paddock and on the track, but we are also very happy he is able to pursue his dreams and race with Yamaha on the world stage.”

It was announced earlier today that Gerloff will be moving to the World Superbike Championship with the GRT Yamaha team.

Beaubier, however, will be back, the 38-time AMA Superbike race winner hoping to earn a fifth MotoAmerica Superbike crown.

“I’m looking toward 2020,” Beaubier said. “There will be some changes within our team, but we will always have the same goal. I’ve been working with my crew chief Rick Hobbs ever since I started racing in Superbike back in 2014, but he is retiring this year. We had an amazing run together, and we are on to a new chapter. I am really excited to be working with Attack Performance. The guys at Yamaha, with the addition of Richard Stanboli’s knowledge, I feel confident that they will build a weapon out of the 2020 R1.”

“Everyone at Attack Performance is very excited to expand our partnership and collaboration with a great company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.,” Stanboli said in the team release. “We have worked with a number of OEMs over the past two decades, and our most recent experience with Yamaha has been nothing but rewarding. The R1 has been a fantastic machine that allowed us, as a private team, to effectively race for the top step of the podium and compete for the championship. In 2020, we will bring to bear everything we have learned, in combination with Yamaha’s wealth of knowledge, to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. We will settle for nothing short of the top spot at every single event.

“We are also excited to work with two champions, Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne. Cameron is a proven competitor who is a true deal closer. We have all watched him beat the competition with closing-lap charges that are nothing short of amazing. Jake is also a Yamaha champion with a wealth of talent and potential. His best days are right around the corner, and we are eager to help him.”

Gagne, who like Beaubier is 26 years old, raced a Scheibe Racing BMW to eighth in the MotoAmerica Superbike points a season after getting a taste of the World Superbike Championship with the Red Bull Honda team. In addition to his 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 title, which he won while racing a Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne was crowned AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion in 2014 on a Yamaha YZF-R6.

“I could not be more thrilled to go Yamaha Superbike racing,” Gagne said in the team release. “I want to extend a massive thank you to Keith (McCarty, Motorsports Racing Division Manager for YMUS), Tom (Halverson), Jim (Roach, Technical Division Manager for YMUS) and the entire Yamaha family for their belief and nonstop support. It’s a dream come true to be aboard the championship-winning machine and surrounded by such a huge amount of experience and knowledge. I’ve been fortunate to have had my most successful racing years aboard a Yamaha, so I feel like I’m back at home.

“Also, I’m really looking forward to working with Richard Stanboli at Attack Performance. I’m filled with motivation, and I’m really looking forward to a productive off-season of training and riding. I know the Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team will be a very strong force the next two years, and I’m really looking forward to stepping in alongside my new teammate and reigning champ Cameron Beaubier. I know we will both do our best to bring home wins and move the whole package forward. I’m counting down the days till I get to swing a leg over the R1 and start spinning laps with the team. Thanks again to the entire Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team and all the great sponsors and supporters, as well as MotoAmerica and all the fans who keep us going.”