World Rugby will allow community teams to use 10 players, play shorter matches and change the size of the ball as part of flexible new rules described as a "landmark" move for the sport.

Up to 10 rules can be changed, including tackle height and pitch size.

World Rugby said unions will be able to "pick and choose" to use as many of the 10 rule variations as they wish.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: "The community game is the heart and soul of our sport, it is the foundation upon which our house is built and today represents a landmark for rugby around the globe with the introduction of optional community law variations for our national member unions."

The Game on Global initiative builds on models already in place in England, New Zealand and Wales and aims to ensure grassroots rugby rules facilitate participation.

What rules can be changed?

From 1 January 2022, national unions will be able to adopt flexible rules on:

Jurgen Klopp has questioned the outcome of the 2021 Ballon d'Or award and said both Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah have been unfairly overlooked after Lionel Messi won the trophy for a record seventh time.

The award, held by French magazine France Football and voted for by selected journalists around the world, was cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the honour has once again been bestowed on Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina forward Messi.

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Bayern Munich forward Lewandowski finished second in the polling, while Liverpool's Salah was placed in seventh position.

Although voters are urged to vote on the player's individual and collective performances during the calendar, and their fairplay, a third element of the vote is focused on the "overall judgement of the player's career."

Liverpool manager Klopp said that criteria favours Messi ahead of all other candidates, including Lewandowski and Salah.

"I'm really not sure about it [Ballon d'Or], 100%," Klopp said when asked in a news conference ahead of the Merseyside derby. "You can always give it to Messi for his career, but if you don't give it to Robert Lewandowski this time, after this year, it's quite tricky for him to get it all.

"And Mo [Salah] should have been higher up, definitely. I was surprised by his position to be honest. I saw the vote somewhere, I don't know exactly [how it is voted for]. It's journalists yes? Then don't ask me, it's your fault. Speak to your colleagues if you think it should have been different."

Liverpool face Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday in the first Merseyside derby of the season and the first since former Anfield manager Rafael Benitez took charge of the Blues.

Although the fixture is regarded by both sets of supporters as the biggest of the season, Klopp said the players involved cannot treat it the same way.

"We know there are some special things around derbies but it's a football game as well, that's how we approach it," Klopp said.

"We understand the supporters' soul and we try to fill their wishes. Derbies are in focus, but we approach it like a [normal] football game."

Lyn Jones has stepped down as Russia coach after three years in charge.

The qualifying tournament for the 2023 tournament has been disrupted by Covid-19 postponements.

Former flanker Jones, who won five caps for Wales, has also coached Neath, Ospreys, London Welsh, Dragons and Namibia.

"I have great respect for the work done by Lyn Jones, though there were serious problems with Covid and it was difficult for the head coach to travel to Russia," said Igor Artemyev, chairman of the Russian rugby federation.

"Lyn began to rejuvenate the national team and in the future that can bring good results."

Jones took over from compatriot and former Dragons colleague Kingsley Jones, with Shaun Connor joining him as backs coach.

Russia lost 30-10 to hosts Japan in the opening match of the 2019 World Cup and also went down to Ireland, Scotland and Samoa.

Russia, who are ranked 25th in the world, have beaten Romania and Netherlands this year and lost to Georgia, Portugal, Spain and Chile.

The 2021-22 NHL season is well underway, and the opportunity to win the Stanley Cup has players across hockey begging to see their rivals go belly up. While the action heats up in this dog-eat-dog league, it's time for a different kind of ranking: a countdown of the best NHL team dogs.

For those who might be scratching their heads (or ears): Several teams around the NHL have team dogs, many of whom are training under different organizations to become service dogs. These precocious pups are seen around team facilities, cuddling up to the players, posing for photos with fans (hopefully non-rabid ones) and being doggone cute social media darlings.

Disclaimer: All of these dogs are good, and none of them are bad. The ranking is based on an intricate and highly scientific system of factors, from cuteness to name to various puppy hijinks and more.

On to the rankings!

T-10. Harvey the Hound, Calgary Flames, and Bernie, Colorado Avalanche

OK, these are not actual dogs, but they get a virtual belly scratch here. Fun fact: Harvey was the first NHL mascot, and was introduced by the team in 1983. Harvey is a cute name, and the alliteration with "hound" works, but it's not the most hockey-centric moniker.

As for Bernie, he's a lovable St. Bernard-based mascot with a surprisingly detailed backstory. What would move Bernie up higher in the rankings is if he had an actual canine counterpart. We don't think we're barking up the wrong tree with this suggestion, Avs management.

9. Bark André-Furry, Vegas Golden Knights

KNIGHTS WIN!
Final: @BlueJacketsNHL 2@GoldenKnights 3
~ Bark?#VictorySausage #GoKnightsGo #VegasBorn #CBJvsVGK #HockeyFightsCancer pic.twitter.com/HHEIKFNmWf

— Bark-André Furry (@BarkAndreFurry) November 21, 2021

Bark is a therapy dog affiliated with the Golden Knights. He's a Jack Russell terrier who's full of attitude. Bark's name is certainly top notch: a play on legendary Knights netminder Marc-André Fleury (now with the Blackhawks). In terms of cuteness and general fluff, of course, Bark's bringing a lot to the table, and we're sure the Knights have their tails a-wagging to have Bark between the pipes.

8. Monte, New York Islanders

Our new pup is all geared up for tonight's game! ?

What are you all rocking tonight? pic.twitter.com/7fJTO83N6I

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 14, 2021

Puppies are the most pure, joyous, beautiful creatures on the planet, and the Isles' pup is almost painfully cute. Seriously, try looking at a picture or video of him for a while and your heart starts to hurt. But it's a good hurt, not the same hurt as, say, the kind Isles fans have been feeling with the team's disappointing start to the season.

7. Flex, Edmonton Oilers

With the #Oilers Community Foundation as a sponsor, Flex is being raised by one of our employees with the goal of one day graduating to become a certified Assistance Dog! ?? pic.twitter.com/woXm9bL4l7

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 3, 2021

In September, the Oilers added Flex to their roster, and this 5-month-old Labrador is showing as much promise as Oilers captain Connor McDavid. Flex's name could be more ice-centric, but her good looks and work ethic have her well on the way up the charts.

6. Smash, Nashville Predators

It's #NationalDogDay!!! pic.twitter.com/WevsDhLxEW

— Lord Banner of Smashville (@PredsNHLPup) August 26, 2021

Smash's name evokes "Smashville," and in theory, predators should be intimidating and scary. Smash is neither. He's enthusiastic, has a great smile, and his tongue looks like it could slurp up a Stanley Cup-sized bowl of water. Smash also recently made friends with a certain champion team dog. That's what we like to see, friendly sports-dog-like conduct!

5. Bolt, Tampa Bay Lightning

I've been told game-day outfit pictures are supposed to go on the internet ? pic.twitter.com/rEu5JrPd3v

— Bolt ⚡️ (@boltspup) October 13, 2021

Bolt's got a shockingly clever name, and is one of the squishiest-looking pups out of the bunch. He's also the most recent Cup champion, so one could say that makes him the top dog.

4. Barclay, St. Louis Blues

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A post shared by Barclay (@stlbluespup)

Barclay has been with the Blues since 2018, including their Stanley Cup-winning squad in 2019, when, per the Blues' website, Barclay was crowned "the first ever Stanley Pup champion." Barclay's name comes from Blues legend Barclay Plager, which is a touching tribute.

3. Rick, Buffalo Sabres

Meet Rick! ?

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with @WNYHeroes and their Pawsitive for Heroes program to make Rick a member of the Sabres family this season.

Learn more: https://t.co/SGa1EaYGEz pic.twitter.com/XGdYNE4lK7

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 9, 2021

Sabres fans haven't exactly had an easy go of things in recent years. And this season in particular has been especially painful. From a surprisingly successful start that quickly fizzled, to the Jack Eichel trade, Sabres fans have been looking for something pawsitive on which to focus. Behold Rick, the Newfoundland puppy in all his fluffy, adorable glory, named for iconic Sabres play-by-play announcer Rick Jeanneret. Finally, Sabres fans have a reason to celebrate.

2. Celly, Minnesota Wild

patiently waitings for my friendssss @mnwild to playyyy ? pic.twitter.com/w7EW6m4vWG

— @mnwildpup Celly (@mnwildpup) November 2, 2021

Celly has the strongest team dog hockey name, paws down: "Celly" is a nickname for a goal celebration. And Celly is as adorable as his name sounds: His ears stick straight up like a hockey stick, and his energy is unmatched. Plus, at a Wild preseason game, Celly was caught making a steal that rivals teammate Kirill Kaprizov's smooth moves.

1. Biscuit, Washington Capitals

would u look at that they had one with my name on it !! pic.twitter.com/vUcmj7raQl

— Biscuit (@CapsPup) November 5, 2021

Biscuit truly has it all: good looks, a killer hockey name ("biscuit" being a nickname for the puck) and a strong start when it comes to team dog antics. Biscuit has been dishing out kisses, running on the ice, pumping iron, touring monuments, meeting his predecessor Captain and tweeting up a storm. We think Biscuit has a bright future in this league, and we can't wait to see what he'll do next.

Honorable mentions: The graduates

An NHL paw-er ranking wouldn't be complete without mentioning the team dogs who have since moved on to their service obligations and beyond:

Captain, Washington Capitals
Luna, Arizona Coyotes
Finn, San Jose Sharks
Ranger, New York Rangers
Tori, New York Islanders
Radar, New York Islanders
Flambo, Montreal Canadiens
Rookie, Ottawa Senators
Breezer, Minnesota Wild
Hobey, Minnesota Wild

Honorable mention: Non-dog category

The Dallas Stars get a nod here for their adoption of a calf in 2019, which was subsequently named Mike Moodano (as a play on franchise icon Mike Modano):

Mike Moodano.

That's it. That's the tweet. pic.twitter.com/PTshZOBlrE

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 19, 2019

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils don't have a team dog (yet), but they've got a good sense of humor about it:

We finally got a team dog!

His name is Barren. pic.twitter.com/QAgk93gJqH

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 8, 2020

Belenenses have asked the Portuguese league for their game against Benfica to be played again in order to clean a "dark page" in the country's football.

The Primeira Liga game at the Jamor stadium was abandoned three minutes into the second half on Saturday with Belenenses trailing, 7-0, and not having the minimum seven players that are required on the pitch.

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The Portuguese League has opened an investigation into the matter which it said has left an "extremely negative image" for the country's top football competition.

The league has been heavily criticised for allowing the 12th round match to go ahead because a COVID outbreak that had ruled 17 Belenenses players out.

Asked about their request for the game to be played again, Belenenses president Rui Pedro Soares said: "I hope it does happen. It's the only way to start cleaning this dark page. It is also necessary to ensure the conditions so that this does not happen again."

On Monday, Portugal health secretary Graca Freitas announced that 13 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant are among Belenenses players and staff, and that one of those players had recently returned from South Africa. The diagnoses were made after the Lisbon club played Saturday's game.

Also on Monday, the Portuguese league questioned why the nine Belenenses players that were available for the game against Benfica were not considered high-risk contacts by health authorities but the Portuguese health authorities (DGS) responded that it was not up to the health authorities to postpone game.

The league claimed in a statement that their delegate did suggest postponing the game during a pre-game meeting but that possibility was rejected by both club delegates.

However, Belenenses have threatened to take legal action against the league over that claim which they consider to be "a lie."

"The report is a lie, it's profoundly undignified," Belenenses supremo Soares said. "It is false and we are going to file a criminal case.

"It is not within Belenenses power to ask for the game to be postponed. I had players with a variant that made oil drop 10%, stocks plummeted. A third of the cases of the new variant in Europe are ours."

Benfica said in a statement that it "deeply regrets having been involved, without any responsibility whatsoever, in one of the saddest episodes in the history of Portuguese football. It added: "Benfica calmly awaits the conclusion of the disciplinary process and will abide by the decisions taken by the competent authorities."

A massive deflection saw the Australian women's soccer team grab a late equaliser against the United States as their second friendly match ended 1-1 on Tuesday.

Kyah Simon's 88th-minute strike cruelly bounced off Becky Sauerbrunn and into the net, cancelling out Ashley Hatch's earlier goal.

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After losing 3-0 in their previous encounter, Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson made a number of changes to his side, opting for experience, especially in defense.

It worked to an extent, with the U.S. midfield of captain Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle not having the influence they enjoyed in the first friendly.

"It's not an easy task to come here against a super good team in a hostile environment," U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski said in defending his midfield duo. "We had the opportunity to create opportunities a little bit faster, but they chose to break them down a little bit more.

"But it was a good opportunity to try new things and I was happy they were brave to try something like that and happy with the outcome that we had."

After scoring after just 24 seconds on Saturday in Sydney, in their first appearance in Australia since 2000, the USWNT took just over three minutes to take the lead in Newcastle. Hatch again took advantage of some poor Matildas defending to bag her second career goal in as many matches.

Tameka Yallop gave the ball away and Margaret Purce streamed forward before cutting the ball back for an untracked Hatch, who coolly slotted past Lydia Williams.

Lynn Williams fumbled an attempted header wide in the 11th minute while Hatch headed straight at Williams from close-range in the 16th.

Many of the Matildas' best chances broke down through poor crosses but Kyra Cooney-Cross was inches away from her first international goal in the 21st minute when she looped a long-range shot onto the post.

Horan almost made it 2-0 in the 34th minute but for Courtney Nevin's last-ditch challenge.

Australia had a golden chance to level the scoring three minutes after half-time when Hayley Raso went on a blistering run then slipped the ball to Sam Kerr, who made space under pressure but dragged her shot wide.

In the 58th minute, Lynn Williams tried her luck from range and forced Lydia Williams into a fantastic save. As the game further opened up, Catley made a superb challenge to stop Morgan Weaver in her tracks in the 80th minute.

"The last game, their goalkeeper kept them in the game. In this game, our goalkeeper kept us in the game," Gustavsson said.

Eight minutes later Wheeler, a substitute in the 86th minute, bravely slid in on Ashley Sanchez and as she spun away pinched the ball before passing to Catley. She in turn found Kerr, who worked it to Simon.

The 30-year-old, who missed a sitter in Saturday's loss, saw her strike deflect off Sauerbrunn before beating Casey Murphy in the USWNT's goal to salvage a draw.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.