Wing Anthony Watson is out of England's Autumn Nations Cup opener against Georgia with an ankle problem, but back Elliot Daly and prop Joe Marler are in contention after injury.

Meanwhile, with scrum-half Willi Heinz ruled out, Northampton's Alex Mitchell is part of Eddie Jones' 36-man squad.

England face Georgia at Twickenham on Saturday before matches with Ireland and Wales.

The inaugural tournament involves eight team, split into two pools.

Pool A comprises England, Ireland, Wales and Georgia, while France, Scotland, Italy and Fiji are in Group B.

SAPULPA, Okla. — Coming down to the final turn on Friday night, Seth Bergman held off the charges of Blake Hahn and Tyler Thomas for the win in the Creek County Speedway Fall Fling with the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Sooner Region presented by Smiley’s Racing Products.

Jumping out to a commanding lead, Bergman kept a nearly two-second gap on the field through the first half of the 30-lap feature. Losing little time through traffic, Seth’s tempo changed drastically as the caution lights came on with seven laps to run.

Restarting with a trio of slower cars between himself and Blake Hahn, who had rolled the hub from eighth to second, the Oil Fire Whiskey No. 52 made quick work of the lapped cars.

Going under caution again with six laps left, Hahn set his sights on the lead. Working under the No. 23, Hahn had the lead nearly in hand before the caution lights came on again on lap 27 when championship contender, Jeremy Campbell, rolled to a stop with a shredded right rear. Only trailing by two markers going into the night, the flat marked the end of his championship run.

Back to green for the final three laps, the assaults on the lead came from all directions as Blake Hahn and Tyler Thomas went after the point. Hahn low, Thomas high, the pair tore at each other with two to go. Advantage to Thomas, the BT Machine No. 91t pulled wide for the lead off at one end of the Creek County Speedway, dove low at the other, with both attempts coming up just shy of the pass.

To the white flag, Bergman made his Stagg Insurance No. 23 as wide as possible. With no room for error through the final two turns, he was barely able to pull away off the final turn for his 11th career ASCS Sooner Region win.

Getting the run off the bottom, Hahn went back to second at the line with Thomas holding on for third. After spinning on the opening laps, Brandon Anderson fought back to finish fourth with Andrew Deal in fifth.

The finish:

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 23-Seth Bergman[1]; 2. 52-Blake Hahn[8]; 3. 91T-Tyler Thomas[3]; 4. 55B-Brandon Anderson[2]; 5. 15D-Andrew Deal[4]; 6. 8-Alex Sewell[5]; 7. 20-Noah Gass[6]; 8. 9-Chase Randall[7]; 9. 5T-Ryan Timms[12]; 10. 1-Sean McClelland[13]; 11. 23G-Steven Shebester[17]; 12. 32G-Kolton Gariss[20]; 13. 17B-Ryan Bickett[18]; 14. 9$-Kyle Clark[10]; 15. 10C-Jeremy Campbell[9]; 16. 20G-Jake Greider[11]; 17. 31-Casey Wills[19]; 18. 14E-Kyle Bellm[15]; 19. 5$-Danny Smith[14]; 20. 95-Matt Covington[16]

SEBRING, Fla. – In March, Mario Farnbacher flew from his home in Germany to Florida to prepare for the 68th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts.

Thirty-four weeks after the race was postponed, he’s back in Florida, ready to compete in the famous endurance race. Needless to say, it wasn’t the way he had it planned.

“We had a normal Sebring test in February, and then I flew back over (to the U.S.) for the usual 12 Hours of Sebring,” Farnbacher explained. “That’s when everything started to get crazy. Everything got shut down. That’s when I knew we would get delayed.”

The reason for the delay, of course, was because of safety concerns surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season was rearranged and restarted in July, and – nearly eight months after the originally scheduled Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – Farnbacher will finally compete in it.

This time, though, he’s trying to wrap up a drivers’ championship. Farnbacher and his full-time co-driver, Matt McMurry, will team with Shinya Michimi next week as Farnbacher and McMurry attempt to share the driver championship in the GT Daytona class in the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Acura NSX GT3.

The team also is trying to help Acura win the manufacturer’s championship in GTD (it leads Lexus by two points) and the team championship (it leads the No. 16 Wright Motorsports team by seven points).

Since the season resumed in July with the IMSA WeatherTech 240 At Daytona, Farnbacher rarely has taken a weekend off. Aside from his IMSA duties, he competes with Team Honda Racing in the Intercontinental GT Challenge presented by Pirelli.

“I kept doing the same thing,” Farnbacher said of his duties once racing resumed. “Ultimately, I was very busy since August on. Every weekend I was somewhere else with IGTC series, so in the end, I was on the road, jumping from racetrack to racetrack.”

Last week, that racetrack was WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Farnbacher and McMurry knew they needed a positive result to have a shot at championships in Sebring. They got it, winning the GTD battle and finishing 15th overall to keep themselves in position.

“We needed to execute right away if we wanted to have a shot at the last race,” Farnbacher said. “We pushed the whole way. On the first day, it didn’t look good, to be honest, but then overnight before qualifying we turned around the car 180 degrees. Apparently, it worked out pretty well.”

With 256 points, Farnbacher and McMurry are seven points ahead of Patrick Long and Ryan Hardwick, who co-drive the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R, in the driver standings. Telitz is one point behind Long and Hardwick. Hawksworth is two points behind Telitz and 10 behind Farnbacher and McMurry.

The key to Farnbacher and McMurry being on the point for the driver championship may have been McMurry’s pole-winning qualifying effort at WeatherTech Raceway.

“I was super surprised about it because last year at Laguna I didn’t expect too much,” Farnbacher said. “It was surprising that the car performed there with the Michelin soft compound. Matt made a really good qualifying session, which was the base for everything. From there, I just took over after his stint and drove it home.”

For Michimi, returning to Sebring – a track he calls one of his favorites in the U.S. – is a welcome challenge.

“There’s definitely pressure, but I’ve been in championship situations before, so I’m going to utilize that to help me through this,” he said. “At the same time, once you put the helmet on and start the car engine, it all goes away and you just do the job you’re assigned to do.”

The assignment next week belongs to an entire team and two drivers hoping to repeat as champions. Last year, Farnbacher teamed with Trent Hindman to win the GTD title in the No. 86 car while McMurry was claiming the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) crown with PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports. Teamwork, they point out, is the crucial element.

“We all have to pull on one string,” Farnbacher said. “I think we’ve been quite good at this. We all have the same driving style, I would say. I think the combination of everything – the family atmosphere and pushing each other and motivating each other – all this stuff together brings success to the team, as well.”

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Fr8Auctions has extended its sponsorship support of Brett Moffitt in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Fr8Auctions has committed to be the primary sponsor of the No. 02 Our Motorsports Chevrolet in four races next season, including both events at Talladega Superspeedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“I’m incredibly thankful to have a long-time sponsor like Fr8Auctions step up each and every year to support me across all the racing series I drive,” said the 28-year-old Moffitt.  “Marcus Barela has been there for me through the ups and downs and is committed to seeing my Xfinity Series program take a step up in 2021.”

In 2020, Fr8Auctions served as a primary sponsor of the Our Motorsports No. 02 car in nine races, plus as a primary sponsor and associate sponsor of Moffitt’s No. 23 Chevrolet Silverado truck at GMS Racing in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series.

Fr8Auctions has sponsored Moffitt since 2015 and was a key partner during his 2018 Truck Series championship season run.

“Brett has been like family to me and Fr8Auctions since he won the NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year in 2015,” said Marcus Barela, owner of Fr8Auctions. “We believe Brett is one of the top racers in the sport and look forward to continuing our partnership into next year’s Xfinity Series, which now includes two races at both Talladega and Atlanta.”

CONCORD, N.C. – Even though Brad Sweet effectively locked up his second World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championship Friday night, there was no real celebration.

That’s because Sweet knew, even as he climbed out of his car at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, that the job was only half done.

Sweet may have cinched up the driver’s title with an unassailable 50-point margin over Logan Schuchart, needing only to start Saturday’s feature to officially secure the honors, but the owner points race remained very much in flux thanks to David Gravel’s third-straight Charlotte victory.

With the win, Gravel just Jason Johnson Racing’s deficit in the teams championship down to just 22 markers entering the 54th and final race of the season Saturday at the four-tenths-mile dirt track.

That means Sweet will need to finish 10th or better to give Kasey Kahne Racing its third World of Outlaws owner’s title. And that meant, for the Grass Valley, Calif., native, there was no time to rest.

“Locking it up a night early definitely eases the pain of coming to the race track Saturday and knowing there’s another one to fight for,” Sweet noted. “There’s still an owner championship up for grabs and we want to get that just as bad as we wanted to get the driver championship. We’re still keeping our heads down and staying focused. Obviously Gravel won the race and gained on us, so it’s still pretty tight.

“We’ll have to be on our game, that’s for sure.”

Sweet’s path to the title rode several peaks and valleys, particularly through the course of the summer.

He won eight times, but also had a string of four DNFs that kept both Logan Schuchart and Donny Schatz close enough to strike until the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 found its stride again down the home stretch.

Friday night showed a glimpse of that recaptured speed. Sweet started fifth and ran among the top five all 30 laps in the feature, battling for a podium spot late in the going before lap traffic and dusty conditions shuffled him back slightly at the end of the race.

It bolstered Sweet’s confidence and has him eager to “finish the job” during the last race of the year.

“We had a great race car all night. I don’t see any reason why we can’t come back and capitalize again tomorrow,” Sweet noted. “I know we’ve never won here at Charlotte, but we’ve been close and we know this team is capable. If we come back Saturday like we did tonight, I think we’ll have a shot.”

For Sweet to lock up the title a round early, even after the dismal summer months his squad endured, there was a sense of pride. It came down to racing smart, not taking too many risks and pouncing when necessary.

He’ll look to do all three of those things one more time during the Last Call finale, and perhaps secure a maiden victory at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in the process.

“Sometimes you get into stretches on this deal where you just have to get the best finish you can every night,” Sweet explained. “I felt like there were some nights this year where maybe we could have raced for the win and just didn’t want to put ourselves into a bad situation.

“We might not have gotten as many wins as we’d have liked to this season, but we had to make sure we were finishing because every race is important,” he added. “I’m glad to come out on top, but I don’t feel satisfied yet until Saturday night is over and we hopefully have that owner championship as well.”

With no PRI Trade Show this year due to COVID-19, PRI hit the road for the PRI Road Tour! If you can’t catch the PRI Road Tour on one of the planned stops, follow along with SPEED SPORT as we get you up to speed. Check out episode two now!

How will Augusta National play next week? Rory McIlroy has an idea.

In speaking with ESPN.com’s Bob Harig, McIlroy revealed that he and his father, Gerry, traveled to Augusta for a scouting trip on Oct. 27-28, getting in 27 holes of preparation on the second day.

Here’s what stood out most to McIlroy:

“A lot more Bermuda [grass] in the fairways and in the surrounds of the greens,” McIlroy told Harig via phone from Augusta, where he arrived Saturday morning. “The greens are exactly the same as they always are. But for the fairways, it just hasn't been cold enough for the Bermuda to die off. That's going to make things very interesting around the greens. Chipping will be a lot trickier.

“[The fairways], instead of being thin it can be a little grainy or a thicker patch. But it was soft. There were a lot of mud balls and looks like some rain during the week so that can be an issue. It's just going to play very different. They haven't done anything to the golf course – it's just the way it's playing.”

The forecast calls for at least 40% chances of rain each day beginning Tuesday. Once the tournament begins, Eta, currently a tropical depression, could impact play, with some tracks having the remnants of the storm going through Georgia over the weekend.

McIlroy enters the Masters, the final missing piece for his career grand slam, having finished T-21 or better in his last five PGA Tour starts, including a T-8 at the U.S. Open. McIlroy snapped his streak of five straight top-20s at Augusta National last year, when he finished T-21.

Substitute Lionel Messi made the difference with two goals for Barcelona in the second half as they beat Real Betis 5-2 on Saturday.

Messi was named on the Barcelona bench for the first time since September 2019, having played every minute of Barcelona's last 37 games, and was brought on for the second half with the sides level at 1-1 after goals from Ousmane Dembele and Antonio Sanabria.

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The Argentina international quickly set up a goal for Antoine Griezmann and then scored a penalty before Lorenzo Moron pulled one back for Real Betis. However, Messi had more in the tank and scored his first non-penalty goal of the season. Pedri added a fifth to ensure a Barcelona win.

Dembele opened the scoring with a powerful left-footed shot past Claudio Bravo on 22 minutes.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer avoided a third defeat this week as his side beat Everton 3-1 on Saturday, easing questions over his leadership.

It looked to be another bad day at the office for United after back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Istanbul Basaksehir during the week when Everton opened the scoring through Bernard. However, United rallied with Bruno Fernandes finding the net twice and Edinson Cavani getting his first United goal to secure a win.

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The victory comes at a crucial time for Solskjaer with Saturday's win just his third in the Premier League and United in 13th position. While Solskjaer has said he has the support of the board, sources have told ESPN that Mauricio Pochettino and Julian Nagelsmann are both being monitored by the club as replacements.

Both sides had their chances in the opening 20 minutes but it was Bernard who broke the deadlock on 19 minutes after a long pass from Jordan Pickford was flicked on to him by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Bernard shuffled around Aaron Wan-Bissaka before directing a right-footed shot into the corer of David De Gea's net.

However, their lead only lasted six minutes as United picked up the pace. Luke Shaw sent a cross into the box and Fernandes headed it home.

The Portugal international found the net again on 32 minutes when his cross into the box rebounded off the post and into the goal.

Initially, it appeared that Marcus Rashford had got a touch to the ball to guide it in but replays showed that all the plaudits should go to Fernandes.

United had a penalty shout on the hour mark when Pickford missed the ball and kicked Harry Maguire. However, VAR adjudicated that there was no foul.

The introduction of Alex Iwobi appeared to give Everton an injection and they enjoyed their most successful spell in the final 15 minutes but couldn't translate the pressure into a goal.

Everton were caught on the counterattack on the 95 minutes when Fernandes launched into a run down the middle of the pitch. With Cavani to his left, he passed the ball to the striker who picked his spot and put the ball past Pickford for his first United goal.

"Most importantly for me as a No. 10 is serving my teammates, as I did in the end for Cavani," Fernandes said after the game.

Tottenham and USWNT forward Alex Morgan has made her first competitive appearance since giving birth to her daughter, Charlie, in May.

It came as Morgan made her Tottenham debut in the Women's Super League 1-1 draw against Reading on Saturday.

Brooke Chaplen and Ashleigh Neville both scored headers to secure a point for either side.

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Morgan came on as a substitute on 69 minutes for Rianna Dean.

Chaplen got Reading off the ground on 13 minutes when she headed a cross from Emma Mitchell straight down the centre of the goal.

However, the lead only lasted 12 minutes as Neville brought Spurs level on 25 minutes with a header, assisted by Dean.

Morgan joined Spurs from Orlando Pride on the final day of the summer transfer window on a year-long loan and did not have to quarantine upon arrival at the club.

However, a "small setback" in training meant that Morgan had to wait until November to make her debut.

"A small setback keeping me from doing what I love,' Morgan tweeted in October.

"Can't wait to get on the field with this team in the next few weeks. Literally can't wait."

She was named on the bench for Spurs' 4-0 FA Cup quarterfinal loss to Arsenal in September but didn't make an appearance.

Spurs are ninth in the WSL after a poor run of games with four losses and one draw in their last five league matches.