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Captain Alun Wyn Jones will become Wales' most capped player after coach Warren Gatland named an unchanged side to face Australia in Tokyo on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Ospreys lock will win his 130th Wales cap to surpass the previous record of prop Gethin Jenkins.

Gatland has kept faith with the starting side that defeated Georgia 43-14 in the opening Pool D game.

Australia have made four changes to the side that beat Fiji 39-21 in their opening match.

Wales have made one change on the bench with centre Owen Watkin coming in for full-back Leigh Halfpenny.

Gatland said he had considered bringing Ross Moriarty into the back row but refrained from doing so.

"We felt we wanted to give that team another opportunity," said Gatland.

"We thought we played pretty well in the first-half against Georgia so we felt it was not fair to drop anyone,"

Watkin's addition to the bench provides cover at centre, as Hadleigh Parkes broke a small bone his hand in the victory over Georgia.

"Owen has been coming off the bench for us and doing a good job," said Gatland.

"Hadleigh has a small fracture in his hand so has not taken much of a part in training this week.

"It is just making sure we have cover there in case that hand does give him problems during the match so then we can make a change."

Gatland also praised his record-breaking captain Jones.

"He's a great competitor," said Gatland.

"Since he's been captain we don't have as many fights at training because he used to start most of them! That's how competitive he was.

"People who get to the top have a drive and a desire to want to be successful and he's definitely done that. To become Wales' record Test player with 130 caps is special. Hopefully there are many more to come.

"He doesn't say a lot, he just leads from the front at training and matches and sets a great example for the senior players but in particular the younger players.

"We're lucky to have him in the team and captaining the side."

Australia half-backs Will Genia and Bernard Foley return instead of Nic White and Christian Lealiifano.

Dane Haylett-Petty comes in at full-back while Kurtley Beale drops to the bench.

Adam Ashley-Cooper replaces the suspended Reece Hodge on the right wing to win his 120th cap.

Hodge was banned for three matches for a dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato.

"It was not too dissimilar to what we thought," said Gatland.

"We probably did not think Foley would start but his experience and running threat is something we are going to have to keep an eye on.

"With Foley there they will probably kick a bit more than they have been.

"With Beale they lose a bit of their attacking threat because he is definitely a threat for them.

"As in the past he will probably come off the bench relatively early and will be a handful for us.

"I think it's (Australia selection) is a sign of respect. That's how far we've come as a team over a number of years.

"I don't think this was always the case with Wales. Teams probably wouldn't consider our attacking threats or any threats at all."

Wales: L Williams; North, Jonathan Davies, Parkes, Adams; Biggar, G Davies; Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Ball, Alun Wyn Jones (C), Wainwright, Tipuric, Navidi.

Replacements: Smith, Dee, Lewis, Shingler, Moriarty, T Williams, Patchell, Watkin.

Australia: Haylett-Petty; Ashley-Cooper, O'Connor, Kerevi, Koroibete; Foley, Genia; Sio, Latu, Alaalatoa, Rodda, Arnold, Pocock, Naisarani, Hooper (C)

Replacements: Uelese, Slipper, Kepu, Coleman, Salakaia-Loto, White, To'omua, Beale.

Facebook has gained exclusive digital content rights to the ICC's global events in the Indian subcontinent. The deal, which is set to run until 2023, will bring eight major ICC events - two Men's T20 World Cups (2020 and 2021), two Women's T20 World Cups (2020 and 2022), the 2021 Women's ODI World Cup, the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup, and the World Test Championship finals of 2021 and 2023 - onto the social networking platform.

Financial details of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

The TV rights for all ICC events until 2023 belong to Star, who signed an eight-year deal in 2015.

Facebook will carry digital content including match recaps, key moments, and other feature content in the region across four years. As part of the deal, it will also carry post-match recaps for the rest of the world in this period.

"The combination of one of the world's most-watched sports with one of the world's largest platforms is exciting for the future of our game," ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said. "The record-breaking growth in digital consumption at this summer's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup demonstrated the continued power of cricket to connect and engage more deeply with diverse audiences around the world.

"Throughout the competitive bid process, we received tremendous interest from a range of platforms, all of whom recognise the phenomenal reach of cricket. In Facebook, we have a genuine partner who shares in our ambition to continue to grow and deepen engagement with cricket fans globally using its platforms."

According to an ICC release, the recent Men's World Cup garnered 4.6 billion video views across its digital and social-media platforms.

Eagles CB has movement after hit by teammate

Published in Breaking News
Thursday, 26 September 2019 23:02

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox was taken off the field on a stretcher late in the fourth quarter Thursday against the Green Bay Packers.

Maddox has movement in all extremities, the team announced. For precautionary reasons, he was sent to a hospital for further evaluation.

The entire Eagles team gathered around him while he was being tended to on the turf after being accidentally hit in the head by teammate Andrew Sendejo.

Teammates said he was joking and laughing while on the stretcher, and that helped ease their minds as they turned their focus to the end of the game.

"I was cracking jokes just to make him laugh," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "He laughed -- a lot, actually.

"It's a scary thing when it's one of your teammates -- especially somebody young like him, who's been playing really well for us. He was good. He was moving around, so that was a good sign."

Maddox's replacement, Craig James, came up with a pass deflection that resulted in a Nigel Bradham interception to secure the Eagles' 34-27 win.

"We pretty much just clicked into the mentality of, 'We've got to win it for him,'" Bradham said. "That was a critical loss for us, a guy that plays multiple positions.

"We were playing for him. He took a critical hit on that play, and hopefully everything turns out all right for him."

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The only thing that could stop Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers' offense Thursday was the little blue injury tent adjacent to their bench.

The Pro Bowl receiver was having the most productive game of his career -- 10 catches for 180 yards -- before being forced off the field because of a toe injury midway through the fourth quarter.

"It's tough, because I feel like those are the type of moments that I'm built for," Adams said.

With Adams being examined, the Packers had first-and-goal at the 1-yard line.

They threw all four times: Incomplete. Incomplete. Incomplete. Incomplete.

Game over.

Well, that didn’t officially end the Packers’ chances in a 34-27 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. Aaron Rodgers & Co. -- sans Adams -- actually had one more possession, but the Eagles picked off a deflected pass near the goal line in the final minute.

To that point, it had been the Adams show.

Rodgers practically told the Eagles this coming in, and they still couldn’t stop it. Five days after the Packers quarterback proclaimed “four targets ... is obviously not enough” for Adams, Rodgers rectified that.

Adams caught six passes in the first quarter, the most by a Packers player in a first quarter since Greg Jennings in 2011. By halftime, he had eight catches for 158 yards -- 12 more yards than the entire Philadelphia offense.

But when the Packers needed Adams for the final two drives, he was out.

Troubling trend: So this is what happens when a real offense -- with a real quarterback -- comes to town.

Three weeks of praise heaped upon the Packers’ defense might have been the overreaction of the first month of the NFL season.

At least that’s what it looked like Thursday, when Carson Wentz and the Eagles rolled into Lambeau Field. And wait until the Packers have to play Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys next weekend. Or Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs later next month.

Good thing the Packers (3-1) feasted on the likes of Mitchell Trubisky, Kirk Cousins and an aging Joe Flacco for three important early-season victories before the schedule turned tougher.

The Packers’ pass rush disappeared. They entered the game with 12 sacks -- tied for third in the NFL through Week 3. They had none Thursday night.

They came in allowing 11.7 points per game. They gave up nearly twice that in the first half.

And the run defense. Oh, the run defense. The Eagles gashed the Packers for 176 yards on the ground.

“That’s been our in biggest issue, and we’ve talked in the room about it,” Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said the day before the game. “We’ve got to get a handle on the explosive plays -- not just the runs but the passes. The praise we’re receiving as a defense, our guys know that we’re nowhere near where we can be. The film doesn’t lie.”

Promising trend? Maybe Green Bay's first loss of the season won’t be the end of the world. If the Packers had won, Matt LaFleur would’ve been the first rookie head coach in franchise history to start a season 4-0. He would’ve been the fourth NFL rookie head coach to do it in the past 15 seasons. But two of the previous three didn’t make the playoffs in that season: Josh McDaniels (2009, 6-0) and Dan Quinn (2015, 5-0).

Eye-popping Next Gen Stat: Adams reached 20.7 mph on his 58-yard reception. That was his fastest max speed on a reception in the past four seasons, according to NFL Next Gen Stats research.

Weather Stops Must See Sprints In Illinois

Published in Racing
Thursday, 26 September 2019 16:17

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Mother Nature has scored a victory against the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series’ attempt to compete at Illinois’ Rockford Speedway this weekend.

Track and series officials announced Thursday evening that the sprint car portion of this weekend’s National Short Track Championship program at the quarter-mile bullring has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.

Potential weekend schedule adjustments due to a projected washout on Friday, as well as additional wet weather expected to span from Sunday through the middle of the coming week and heavy travel distances for many of the Must See Racing teams, all contributed to the decision.

The National Weather Service is calling for a 100 percent chance of rain on Friday, as well as a 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms for Sunday’s matinee program.

“This early decision, while difficult and disappointing, is our genuine best effort to do the right thing for everyone involved,” said Must See Racing President Jim Hanks. “Whenever possible, we try to avoid unnecessary and avoidable lost time and travel expenses for both our race teams and valued fans.

“Based on a forecast that predicts a realistic chance of rain for the day on Sunday, as well as additional rain coming into the weekend that may compact the schedule further, the track and MSR have determined that it is the best decision to cancel the sprint car portion of the event, rather than ignore the risk and forecast of probable inclement weather.”

The Rockford rainout is the third such weather-related postponement or cancellation for Must See Racing this season, after a postponement from June 1 at Michigan’s Berlin Raceway and the cancellation of the Lake Erie (Pa.) Speedway event that was scheduled for June 15.

With the Rockford weekend scrapped, the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series now looks toward its championship doubleheader, Oct. 18-19 at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C.

Windom Leads Them All In Gas City Sprint

Published in Racing
Thursday, 26 September 2019 19:25

GAS CITY, Ind. – Chris Windom made a statement on Thursday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway, leading from start to finish en route to winning the second annual James Dean Classic.

Windom, who qualified sixth but ended up on the pole thanks to the feature inversion, took off on the initial start and never looked back. He kept a hard-charging Justin Grant at bay throughout the 30-lap distance for his first USAC sprint car victory at the Gas City quarter-mile and his fourth of the season.

“It definitely feels good to check this one off the list,” said Windom in victory lane. “I’ve had a lot of podiums here without a win in these USAC races. Starting on the front row was key tonight. The track was hooked up all night long and it was tough to pass cars, but I’m glad we were able to get it done.”

The road to victory wasn’t all smooth for the Canton, Ill., native, however – as he explained afterward.

“This is a testament to my guys; we actually blew a drive shaft out of it right before the feature and had to bust our butts to get it changed,” Windom noted. “We got it back together, though, and got us a win here finally. It’s always sweet, but when we can overcome something like that and win the race without even really being able to look at the track beforehand … it’s a pretty neat deal for all of us.”

Windom’s march was only slowed by a trio of caution flags, which began on lap seven after Thomas Meseraull spun to a halt in the infield after the engine expired on his No. 00 sprinter.

The second caution of the night waved with six to go, when Scotty Weir looped his car around in the fourth corner, followed by a final caution for debris that set up a three-lap sprint to the checkered flag.

None of that was of any consequence to Windom, however, as he pulled away on the final restart and crossed the finish line in front by .808 seconds in the end.

Tyler Courtney, who rolled off seventh, made a last-lap pass of Grant to secure runner-up honors and left Grant to settle for the final step on the podium as part of a NOS Energy Drink sweep of the top three spots.

Kevin Thomas Jr. crossed in fourth and USAC National Sprint Car Ironman Chase Stockon was fifth.

Point leader C.J. Leary, Brady Bacon, hard-charger Jason McDougal, Isaac Chapple and Max Adams completed the top 10.

To view complete race results, advance to the next page.

Flyers' Patrick (migraines) to miss start of season

Published in Hockey
Thursday, 26 September 2019 17:32

The Philadelphia Flyers say forward Nolan Patrick will miss the start of the regular season as he continues to deal with migraines.

According to the team, Patrick was diagnosed with migraine disorder after consulting with the Flyers' medical staff and a specialist from the University of Michigan.

The 21-year-old will not accompany the Flyers on their trip to Europe for a preseason game in Switzerland on Monday and then their regular-season opener against the Blackhawks in Czech Republic on Oct. 4. He is listed as week-to-week.

Patrick was the team's first-round pick in 2017. He recorded 13 goals and 18 assists in 72 games last season.

NAPA, Calif. – Tony Romo is halfway to cancelling his weekend plans.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current NFL analyst for CBS is currently slated to be in the announcers’ booth Sunday when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Chicago Bears. But he might have to call an audible if he continues on his current pace, as the 39-year-old turned some heads with a 2-under 70 in the opening round of the Safeway Open.

Romo is the ultimate longshot this week, listed at 50,000-to-1 to win according to the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook. His previous record while playing as an amateur on a sponsor exemption is less than sterling: three missed cuts in three starts, with no score lower than a 74 at the AT&T Byron Nelson in May.

But that changed Thursday in Napa, where Romo rolled in a 50-footer for birdie on his first hole of the day and birdied each of his final two holes to get into red figures and move inside the top 20 after the early wave.

“Every time I play in one of these events, get lucky enough to get an exemption, I kind of get a chance to see what you’re not good at,” Romo said. “Very apparent it was putting over the last year so just a lot of work put into it. I’ve been putting well, so it was nice to come out here and keep that going.”

Romo’s scorecard included five birdies against three bogeys, and he rolled in 122 feet worth of putts. He was the low man in his threesome, beating playing partner Beau Hossler by four shots and Michael Gellerman by seven shots. His opening-round score also beat Hideki Matsuyama (Even) as well as last week’s winner Sebastian Munoz (1 under) and defending champ Kevin Tway (1 under).

It was a stark change for Romo, a plus-1.1 handicap who has spent most of his time in three previous Tour starts lingering near the bottom of the leaderboard.

“If you’re going to do something, you want to do it well. It’s embarrassing to stink, and I stunk a lot,” Romo said. “Same thing I did in football. You just start from the beginning, you’re not very good, not very good, and then all of a sudden you make the leap somewhere and all of a sudden you can be more efficient and you can do things a little bit better.”

Friday will mark the first time that Romo enters the second round at a Tour event with realistic hopes of making the cut. How does he view the prospect of staying the weekend in Napa and potentially causing a late switch in the CBS booth for Sunday’s football coverage?

“It’s a good problem to have,” Romo said.

NAPA, Calif. – Perhaps no player on the PGA Tour better embodies the esoteric vibe of Napa more than Adam Scott.

You can almost picture it: Scott sitting alongside a row of vineyards, wearing a light layer while swilling a nice pinot and steering an erudite discussion on the topics of the day. With the bustle of Silicon Valley just a short drive away, the entire wine enterprise around these parts is built on the premise that nothing good should ever be rushed.

So in saunters the affable Aussie, thoughtful and contemplative as ever, to what seems like an ideal setup.

“I get the feeling that it’s fairly mellow,” Scott said. “I probably should stick around for a bit longer to be able to enjoy all it has to offer.”

The mere fact that this is Scott’s first Safeway Open appearance may on the surface seem strange given the symmetry between player and surroundings.  But in years past this event kicked off the new wraparound season, two years ago following directly behind the Presidents Cup, so it was never on the radar for a player who is not shy about taking breaks when needed.

But with a beefed-up fall leading into a pivotal Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne, Scott shifted some pieces around and added Napa to his schedule. That decision has worked out so far, with the Aussie out to an early lead after firing a 7-under 65. A typical weakness became a strength Thursday for Scott, who made a 53-foot bomb for eagle on No. 5 and added three other makes from outside 8 feet.

True to form, Scott took a healthy sabbatical after a T-5 finish last month at East Lake. He spent time with his wife and two kids, scrambled to get out of the Bahamas ahead of Hurricane Dorian, and generally spent little time pondering fairways and greens.

“I think it’s easy to walk away from hitting balls for a couple weeks, but it’s not easy to switch your mind out of thinking about your swing or thinking about your chipping or your putter or what driver setting you want this year,” Scott said. “But I did. I kind of had it all lined up to where I could walk away and walk back into it last week and feel at least confident enough that I’m not going to be horrible when I tee off today.”

At age 39, Scott is at something of a crossroads as he embarks on a new season. He remembers all too well what it was like to spend his prime toiling in the shadow of Tiger Woods, and he’s now an elder statesman compared to some of the Tour’s new wave of stars.

But he quietly cobbled together a strong season last year, closing with top-10 finishes in all three playoff events. After starting the year ranked 41st in the world, Scott is now up to 15th and within reach of his first top-10 spot since May 2017.

What he hasn’t gotten amid that ascent, though, is a win. Scott’s last worldwide victory remains the 2016 WGC-Mexico Championship, the last year it was played at Doral and one week after he won the Honda Classic. Since then, there have been a number of near-misses, including runner-up results this year at Torrey Pines and Muirfield Village.

“It’s not like I’ve been leading by six every week and losing. It’s hard to give yourself chances out here,” Scott said. “I would like to have a lead going into Sunday and see what I can produce, to be honest, because I’ve been four and five (shots) back and I have a good front nine and then you’re in the mix. It’s a lot to ask all the time when you’re as far behind as I kind of was.”

There’s still plenty of time before that scenario might come to fruition, as Scott knows more than most that one round a week does not make. But it’s a strong start for one of the game’s most laid-back stars, who just might be spending a little more time in wine country if he keeps up this pace.

NAPA, Calif. – As the clock continues to tick on U.S. Presidents Cup captain Tiger Woods’ window to add four more players to his roster, there’s at least one participant who sees merit in the reigning Masters champ writing down his own name.

Adam Scott has been a fixture on International Presidents Cup teams for nearly two decades, and he raced out to an early lead with an opening 65 at the Safeway Open. Asked if it matters whether or not Woods picks himself for one of his captain’s selections for the upcoming matches at Royal Melbourne, Scott didn’t hesitate.

“It does because he’s Tiger. I mean, he matters. That’s the bottom line,” Scott said. “It’s better when he plays than when he doesn’t, even if he only plays two matches. It’s better for the event if he does. I guess he has to decide if it’s better for his team or not.”

U.S. Presidents Cup captain Tiger Woods may have declared himself a captain's pick for the matches at Royal Melbourne.

Woods and International captain Ernie Els will each round out their 12-man roster with four picks following the WGC-HSBC Champions in early November. Notable candidates for Woods’ selections include Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson and reigning U.S. Open champ Gary Woodland.

Woods’ self-selection seemed like a mere formality after his green jacket performance in April, but an underwhelming summer and knee procedure last month have cast some doubt on his best course of action. He’s expected to play just one tournament before making his selections, the Zozo Championship next month in Japan, and will likely add only the Hero World Challenge before the matches in Australia.

Scott described a potential singles’ match with Woods in Melbourne as “an incredible memory for my career,” but he echoed the uncertainty regarding Woods as a potential playing captain.

“It’s hard to know exactly where Tiger’s at with everything,” Scott said. “When he wins the Masters you think he’s going to win another five majors straightaway, and then right now we don’t know exactly how his health is. He’s played kind of infrequently, and how many more of these Cups are there for him?”

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