Henry Slade has been left out of England’s World Cup squad in an unexpected selection twist from head coach Steve Borthwick.

Slade has been an automatic pick in the midfield for much of the last six years, appearing in 30 of the last 37 Tests since the 2019 tournament, but has been overlooked for the 33-man group.

Instead the versatile Exeter centre has lost out to Joe Marchant, who covers wing as well as 13 and played his way into the squad after emerging from the wreckage of Saturday’s defeat by Wales with his reputation enhanced.

The exclusion of Alex Dombrandt means that Billy Vunipola is the only specialist number eight bound for France next month.

Dombrandt started every match in the Six Nations but was unable to stamp his authority on the jersey and compounded his humdrum form with an unimpressive display in Cardiff.

Vunipola is chosen despite not having played since April because of two knee surgeries and missing the entire Championship after being frozen out by Borthwick on form grounds.

Lewis Ludlam, Ben Earl and Tom Curry cover number eight and are present among a large contingent of versatile back five forwards that includes rookie Leicester duo Ollie Chessum and George Martin.

Other big names to miss out are wings Jonny May and Joe Cokanasiga, both of whom played in the World Cup four years ago.

Dan Evans turned around a difficult season in style by winning the biggest title of his career at the Citi Open in Washington.

The British number two arrived in the US capital on a seven-match losing streak at tour level dating back to April but, after dropping his opening set of the tournament to Gregoire Barrere, he won 10 in a row to lift the trophy.

Evans followed up victories over Frances Tiafoe and Grigor Dimitrov by defeating Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-5 6-3, keeping his focus during a lengthy rain delay in the second set.

The 33-year-old hit 26 winners and only eight unforced errors and saved his only break points – four of them – in the final game.

The relief and delight on Evans’ face was evident at the end and, speaking on court, he said: “I wasn’t playing very well and I wasn’t happy with my game.

“To do the work I’ve done and to stick with it and come through is (amazing). The last game sort of summed up my week. I got out of trouble and it was an amazing week.”

It is a second ATP Tour title for Evans, who won his first in Australia at the start of 2021, and lifts him to a career high ranking of 21.

Evans had appeared at something of a loss during the grass-court season, branding his efforts against Sebastian Korda at Queen’s embarrassing and saying he was not looking forward to playing any match.

He parted ways with his Argentinian coach of two years, Sebastian Prieto, but looked full of confidence as he used his all-round skills to counter the power of Griekspoor.

One break in each set proved enough, with Evans piling on the pressure at the end of the first set and then, after rain and the threat of lightning sent players and fans from the court for more than 90 minutes at 2-2 in the second, winning the final three games of the contest.

Reflecting on his change in fortunes, Evans told reporters: “Last week I lost (against Dominik Koepfer in Atlanta), having three match points, served for the match.

“You try not to let emotions get in the way when you’re in the tournament. I was confident after the second round that I was playing well but I had to keep telling myself it was match by match and not so long ago I wasn’t playing great.

“It was really only the grass I didn’t play well. I played well in Barcelona on the clay and then I had some rough matches which I didn’t get the best out of. I lost in three (sets) a few times or tight matches.

“Then I was playing well and I just couldn’t get over the line. That’s where you lean on your team to keep you working hard and training and practising hard.

“It’s especially good to get the outcome I got this week. But I said to myself once I got into the semis that that was a good effort and then I sort of reset and wanted to win the tournament.”

Evans is a tantalising four points short of breaking the top 20 for the first time in his career but will need arguably an even better showing at the National Bank Open in Toronto this week to achieve that having reach the semi-finals of the Masters 1000 event 12 months ago.

Evans faces Canadian wild card Gabriel Diallo in the opening round and could meet British number one Cameron Norrie in round two.

James Anderson wants to prolong his Test career with England but David Gower believes the seamer "might just be lying to himself" on his future.

Anderson is the leading wicket-taker for seam bowlers in men's Test match history but struggled for large parts of the Ashes against Australia, who retained the urn with a 2-2 series draw.

The 41-year-old managed just five wickets across four Tests, one fewer than England's part-time off-spinner Joe Root, as Anderson struggled to trouble Australian batters.

Stuart Broad finished as England's leading wicket-taker after 22 dismissals and called time on his career, with Gower suggesting it may be time for Anderson to do the same.

"Jimmy wants to prolong his career literally as long as possible," former England captain Gower told Stats Perform. "He is so adamant that thoughts on retirement are not in his mind.

"I don't know Jimmy personally that well, but I suspect that's just because he loves being part of a team.

"Nowadays, you manage workloads, and that management has allowed Jimmy Anderson to still be playing international cricket at the age of 41. He loves it so much he doesn't want to give it away.

"The slight issue could be that people will look at his figures in this series. He's beaten the bat, yes, not as often as normal. He's had catches dropped off his bowling, which always infuriates and also makes the figures look worse, of course, but there's been just a little tiny downturn in the way he's bowled.

"At some stage, you have to say right we need to look ahead to the next generation. [Josh] Tongue, for instance, came in and looked pretty good. He's sharper than Anderson.

"Will Jimmy Anderson want to go to India where there's every likelihood that five pitches might be turning pitches? They're not going to be Jimmy Anderson pitches, I would suspect.

"If he wants to go to India, fair play to him. But selectors might at this stage be thinking now is the time that we have to have a quiet word in his ear.

"You maybe miss India, ostensibly, you could still keep the door open. He might be worried that they might tap him on the shoulder.

"He may say to the rest of the world: 'No, no, no, I'm absolutely fine, still got years left in me' – but he might just be lying to himself."

England captain Ben Stokes has repeatedly reiterated his desire to keep Anderson within the Test setup, with the former and coach Brendon McCullum placing their full backing in the seam bowler.

Regardless of whether Anderson – who has 690 wickets in red-ball internationals – continues, Gower believes the England veteran's legacy will remain intact.

"For Anderson, if this is the end for him, and it's still a very big if, you still look back on 20 years with extraordinary figures," Gower added.

"Even just look back to the winter, his figures in the winter, on very, very good batting pitches. In Pakistan, he played a full part in what was a great team effort winning a series, 3-0 in Pakistan, which in my time, that didn't happen.

"You had dead games on good pitches, maybe two-and-a-half innings in the entire game that was it, dull draws. England made those wins happen.

"They had to take wickets at key times and Jimmy was part of that. So you look back over 20 years and say it's an extraordinary, almost unbelievable record that sticks to his name."

Ben Stokes' development to become an "extraordinary leader" for England's Test side was not something David Gower could have foreseen previously.

Brendon McCullum and Stokes have formed a fearsome duo as England's captain and coach combination of their red-ball side, winning 13 of 18 Tests since joining together.

A stark upturn in fortunes for England's previously flailing side in the longest format of cricket has been led by Stokes and McCullum's insistence to play a free-flowing, attacking style against the red ball.

A 2-2 series draw in the most recent Ashes series further served to grow Stokes' stature as a captain, and former England skipper Gower acknowledged he could not have predicted this development before.

"I think Ben Stokes has proven himself to be an extraordinary leader of a cricket team and men," Gower told Stats Perform. 

"There is a lot about him that knowing him six or seven years ago, I just wouldn't have believed possible. But life has taught him all sorts of lessons.

"First of all, he has a great instinct for the game and a great instinct for pushing a game ahead to win. He loves winning and doesn't like losing, so will hurt for the ones they've lost, but hates drawing even more.

"That's an extraordinary attitude to have, because so many new captains, including his predecessor, Joe Root, would have taken a very different attitude to the possibility of a draw.

"He's created this culture along with McCullum, but he's got the instinct for the game."

Australia retained the Ashes after a 2-2 away series draw, having won the previous edition Down Under, after racing into a 2-0 lead in England with victories at Edgbaston and Lord's.

A first-innings declaration in the first Test at Edgbaston by Stokes, with Root on an unbeaten century and set to punish the toiling Australian bowlers, caused some questions.

Yet Gower refused to criticise Stokes for his decision to again try and push the red-ball outing towards a result.

He added: "The declaration at Edgbaston was derided by some and there's a fair case to argue there but was an interesting one, because [Stuart] Broad against [David] Warner was a tasty morsel at the start of an Ashes series.

"It could have laid down on marker but it didn't, but there you go, it's worth a go. But he has empathy for his players, he seems to understand his players.

"Good captains need to be on duty all the time. You've got decisions to make all the time. There will be mistakes, and there'll be ones you might revise with time to think about it, but you've got to go with your gut.

"Got to go with your instinct, and you've got to take people with you. And that is clearly evident with Stokes and McCullum, but Stokes as captain has taken that team with him all the way through."

While Stokes has largely been heralded for his influence as captain, Australian counterpart Pat Cummins came under scrutiny for a somewhat defensive plan to stem the flow of England's attacking output.

"You've got two very different teams, the makeup of the two teams is very, very different," Gower continued. "So Cummins' options were different.

"Cummins has one of the best attacks in the world at his disposal, and he is the leader of that attack. He also had a very good man, dare I say, in Steve Smith as his vice-captain.

"You need someone else besides you, who can advise and point things out and be in your ear to help you along.

"Both [captains] at various stages lead from the front. Stokes' 150 at Lord's was just awesome to watch. Cummins, at Birmingham with the bat, those crucial runs at the end. 

"He saw it through, lead from the front himself."

Gower also suggested the different options at the captain's disposal somewhat dictated their respective plans.

"The difference is England have six or seven batsmen who can force the pace," he said. "So they were always going to play that way, trust their instincts and accept the mistakes that come along with taking risks.

"Australia are always going to have to play at a different pace to England. That's why the 2-2 result at the end proves that there are various ways to skin a cat, and you can win games by being good at what you do. 

"Cummins and Stokes had different options. That's why in the end, I think it's so fascinating to see it all finish up with the series all square."

England boss Sarina Wiegman is confident the Lionesses are capable of getting creative should Nigeria target breakout talent Lauren James in their last-16 clash in Brisbane.

Chelsea forward James was awarded player-of-the-match against China in England’s final group stage contest after contributing two goals and three assists in the 6-1 victory.

Having shown the world just how dangerous she could be, it would not be a surprise if Nigeria head coach Randy Waldrum spent plenty of time planning a corresponding response to mitigate the potent threat posed by the 21-year-old.

Asked if she was prepared for that to happen, England boss Sarina Wiegman grinned and said: “Well, first of all we didn’t make the starting line-up yet.

“But I think some countries mark us and want to take out players. Not only one, but more players. So that’s good when you have so many good players on the pitch that they have to be aware of all those players.

“And we know when players are marked that you find other ways to build or create and hopefully create chances to score goals.

“So we are aware of that and we will be prepared for that.”

Wiegman could be bolstered by the return of midfielder Keira Walsh, who was carried off on a stretcher late in the first half of England’s 1-0 victory over Denmark in their second group stage game.

The knee injury sustained by the 2023 Champions League winner with Barcelona was not as serious as some suspected, and while Wiegman would not disclose Walsh’s specific diagnosis, the FA previously revealed it was not an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and on Sunday the England boss also confirmed it was not a ligament issue.

Walsh also stepped up her recovery on Sunday, joining the other 22 members of the England squad on the Central Coast Stadium pitch before the Lionesses flew to Brisbane ahead of their first match of the knockout stage.

On the eve of the Nigeria clash, Wiegman said: “She is doing well. She started her rehab straight after we knew what was going on.

“She has been on the pitch, she has been training today. Now we will wait until (we see) how she recovers from that training session and if she does well then she is available tomorrow.”

The 2023 World Cup saw the tournament expand to 32 teams for the first time, with some initially worried that the gap between the top and lower-ranked nations would be detrimental.

Yet the reality has so far been the opposite, with four of FIFA’s top 10 sides already eliminated including double-defending champions USA, who crashed out after losing a dramatic penalty shootout to Sweden.

Number two side and Euro 2022 finalists Germany, number seven Olympic champions Canada, and Copa America winners Brazil, ranked eighth, have all been eliminated.

Those giant-slayings – Canada’s at the hands of 40th-ranked Nigeria – also marked the last likely World Cup appearances for icons and pioneers in Brazil’s Marta, Canada’s Christine Sinclair and the USA’s Megan Rapinoe, who missed a penalty against Sweden and announced pre-tournament that she would be retiring at the end of the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season.

Wiegman added: “It is very, very competitive. The development of the game all over the world has gone really quickly, at a very good level.

“But I’m mainly focused on my team and on the next match with my team, so I’m  not into every game. I don’t have the full context, but that’s the main thing I have noticed.”

The British and Irish Lions suffered heartbreak on this day in 2021 as South Africa won a third Test decider 19-16 in Cape Town.

History cruelly repeated itself as far as the Lions were concerned as 37-year-old Springboks replacement Morne Steyn sealed victory with a late penalty.

Steyn had landed the kick that decided the 2009 series in South Africa’s favour and the veteran fly-half broke Lions hearts again two minutes from time.

The Lions led 10-6 at half-time through hooker Ken Owens’ try and some composed kicking from Finn Russell, who had replaced the injured Dan Biggar in the 11th minute.

Cheslin Kolbe’s converted try put the Springboks ahead before Russell levelled matters with a long-range effort.

Steyn and Russell then exchanged penalties before the South African had the final word in dramatic fashion.

Lions boss Warren Gatland, whose side had won the opening game of a three-match series played in empty stadiums because of Covid-19, said: “The boys gave it 100 per cent and from a coaching point of view, you can’t ask for more than that.

“It was never going to be easy travelling away from home to play the world champions and they were really tight contests.

“We’re disappointed but it could have gone any way.”

The Texas Rangers are now riding a six-game winning streak, but may be without All-Star third baseman Josh Jung for a while after he fractured his left thumb in Sunday's 6-0 victory over the Miami Marlins.

Jung was injured after a scorching line drive off the bat of Miami's Jorge Soler hit his glove in the sixth inning, though he was able to pick up the ball and start a double play before being removed from the contest shortly after.

The rookie is the second Texas All-Star infielder to hurt his thumb within the last three weeks. Shortstop Corey Seager missed nine games with a sprained right thumb before returning Aug. 2, but is still dealing with effects from the injury and missed Sunday's contest.

Ezequiel Duran replaced Jung and had one of four Rangers homers to back 5 2/3 scoreless innings from Andrew Heaney. Nathaniel Lowe, Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia also went deep to help Texas sweep the three-game series and hand the slumping Marlins a fourth straight loss.

Heaney held Miami to four hits and two walks to win his third consecutive start.

2022 National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara was dealt his 10th defeat of the season for Miami, which dropped to 5-16 since the All-Star break. The right-hander allowed five runs - four earned - while striking out seven in six innings. 

Surging Cubs down MLB-best Braves for sixth straight series win

Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson each drove in two runs as the Chicago Cubs remained hot with a 6-4 victory over the MLB-leading Atlanta Braves.

The Cubs scored three times in the fifth inning to erase a 3-2 deficit en route to their fifth win in six games. Chicago is 15-4 since July 18 and has now won six consecutive series after taking two of three from Atlanta over the weekend.

Sunday's win moved the Cubs within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.

Happ tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth with an RBI single before scoring the go-ahead run on a double from Cody Bellinger, who later crossed the plate on Jeimer Candelario's two-out single for a 5-3 advantage.

The rally helped Cubs starter Justin Steele improve to 13-3 on the season after the All-Star pitcher gave up four runs - three earned - and struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings.

Matt Olson hit his 39th home run - one shy of Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani for the major league lead, and knocked in three runs for the Braves.

Atlanta's Charlie Morton struggled again by surrendering five runs and issuing four walks in 4 1/3 innings. The veteran has now lost four straight starts and has a 7.32 ERA during that stretch.

Rookie Schneider makes history in Blue Jays' rout of Red Sox

Davis Schneider went 4 for 5 with a home run and four RBIs to continue a historic start to his major league career in the Toronto Blue Jays' 13-1 drubbing of the Boston Red Sox.

Schneider is now 9 for 13 with a pair of homers through his first three MLB games. The 24-year-old second baseman is the first player in MLB history to begin a career with nine hits and two home runs over three games.

Matt Chapman added two hits and three RBIs as Toronto completed a three-game sweep of its American League East rivals. The Red Sox are now five games back of the Blue Jays for the AL's final wild card spot.

Toronto also received a strong pitching outing from Chris Bassitt, who scattered seven hits and struck out six while allowing one run in seven innings.

Triston Casas accounted for the Red Sox' lone run with a solo homer off Bassitt in the fourth inning.

British number two Dan Evans claimed the biggest title of his career with a straight sets victory over Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the final of the Citi Open in Washington.

The 33-year-old overcame both his high-flying opponent and a rain delay as he secured his first ATP 500 crown – and just his second Tour victory – with a 7-5 6-3 win.

The opening set stayed on serve, with Griekspoor, who was chasing his third title of the season, saving two break points in the fourth game to hold.

World number 30 Evans held to love to lead 5-4, and then had to change his racket during the next game after breaking a string.

A long return from Griekspoor then handed Evans another break chance and set point, which was saved by a booming ace from the Dutchman who then levelled things up at 5-5.

Griekspoor, who had knocked out top seed Taylor Fritz in the semi-final, then found himself 15-40 down on his next serve after a fine passing shot from Evans.

With the pressure on, a wayward return into the net from Griekspoor handed the Briton the opening set in 50 minutes.

With the second set tied at 1-1 and Evans 30-love up in the third game, play was suspended as rain began to fall. It proved, though, only a brief delay and the players did not leave the court before the match resumed.

However, Swedish umpire Mohamed Lahyani was soon again out of his chair as the drizzle continued – with Evans, leading 2-1, looking less than impressed as he sat under an umbrella for another few minutes before play was allowed to continue.

Griekspoor levelled things up on serve, but the players were forced off because of a lightning warning in the area.

Play was suspended again just before 6.30pm local time, this time looking set for a more lengthy delay and with spectators also having to leave the stadium.

The players and spectators finally returned to court more than 90 minutes later, where Evans resumed right where he left off.

He cruised through his remaining service games and dictated play on return, not facing a break point until his final game on serve.

But Evans held his nerve, saving four break point opportunities before claiming victory with a service winner.

Evans entered the event on a seven-match losing streak but won 10 straight sets en route to the title, eclipsing second seed Frances Tiafoe and fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the process.

It is Evans’s first ATP title since Melbourne in 2021.

Justin Houston will be lining up for the Carolina Panthers' defence in 2023.

The four-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker signed a one-year contract with the Panthers on Sunday.

Houston spent the past two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and registered 9 1/2 sacks in 2022 to give him 111 1/2 in his career - fourth most among all active players.

Selected in the third round by Kansas City in the 2011 NFL draft, Houston's best season came for the Chiefs in 2014 when he earned All-Pro honours by racking up 22 sacks - just one-half sack shy of the NFL single-season record.

After spending his first eight pro seasons with the Chiefs, Houston spent the next two years with the Indianapolis Colts before signing with Ravens prior to the 2021 season.

Houston will be reunited with first-year Panthers coach Frank Reich and joins Carolina's new 3-4 defensive scheme to play opposite Brain Burns, a Pro Bowl selection in 2022.

The 34-year-old Houston, who has 182 quarterback hurries and 19 forced fumbles in 163 career games, previously played for Reich in Indianapolis.

Erik ten Hag praised Manchester United’s character after they fought back from conceding a “stupid” goal to end their pre-season campaign with a draw against Athletic Bilbao.

Facundo Pellestri’s stoppage-time equaliser, which was set up by Harry Maguire, secured a 1-1 draw with 10-man Bilbao at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

However for the second time in 48 hours, they had to come from behind after Maguire’s error had gifted the LaLiga outfit a first-half lead.

Ten Hag told the club’s official website: “In one weekend, two times we are losing, but you see this team have character and that’s what you need in a season as well.

“Sometimes you are down and then you have to show resilience and especially in such moments, you need determination. We have shown that this weekend, it was a good weekend for us.

“Yesterday I thought it was a very good level, today I have seen also very good spells.

“I think the start of the game was also very good and we should have scored a goal to go up, because it was a great chance from Jadon Sancho.

“We had some good moments after that as well and it was stupid how we went down, but as I said, we had a result and we came back so it was a good weekend for us.”

Maguire, who was replaced as United captain by Bruno Fernandes during a summer of speculation over his future, was included as one of 11 changes to the side which beat Lens 3-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday, but there was no place for injured £72million signing Rasmus Hojlund, a day after he had been presented to the club’s fans.

Ten Hag’s men might have got off to the perfect start when Pellistri played Sancho in behind the Athletic defence with just four minutes gone, but his attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton was called upon to claim Inaki Williams’ 15th-minute strike as the Spaniards responded and they though they had been awarded a 25th-minute penalty, seconds after United had seen their appeals waved away at the other end.

Referee Neil Doyle initially pointed to the spot after Nico Williams had been brought down by Alvaro Fernandez, only for the official to change his mind and award a free-kick, with which Heaton dealt comfortably.

However, the LaLiga side took the lead with 29 minutes gone when Oihan Sancet capitalised on Maguire’s slip-up to feed Nico Williams, who fired past the advancing goalkeeper.

Eighteen-year-old Dan Gore tested Simon as the second half got under way with neither side taking a backward step.

But Bilbao’s hopes of retaining their advantage were dealt a blow with 24 minutes remaining when last man Aitor Paredes was given a straight red card for hauling back Hannibal Mejbri after conceding possession to the Tunisia midfielder.

Hannibal passed up a glorious opportunity to level when he volleyed the ball over from Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross, but redemption arrived deep into stoppage time when Maguire headed down another Wan-Bissaka delivery for Pellistri to steer home the equaliser.

Ten Hag said: “We don’t give up. We fight until the end. Finally, we got the equaliser and I thought it was justified.

“We wanted a good result, to finish the pre-season well.”

Kylian Mbappe will be barred from training with Paris St Germain’s main first-team group as his contract dispute with the club continues, the PA news agency understands.

PSG return to their training base on Monday following their pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, but Mbappe will be part of the so-called ‘loft’ training group rather than the first team as his stand-off with the club drags on.

PSG sources remain convinced the player, who is out of contract next summer, has already agreed a free transfer deal with Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s management are understood to have refused to engage with an offer from the club to sign a new contract containing a guaranteed sale clause, which would allow him to join another club for a fee next summer.

From PSG’s perspective, there is no reason why he would turn down the offer, because it gives him the opportunity to leave when he wants and join the club he wants.

PSG had given Al Hilal permission to speak to the player after they tabled a world record bid of £259million last month, but Mbappe reportedly refused to even meet with delegates from the Saudi club who had flown to Paris.

Chelsea and Barcelona are understood to be two of the clubs trying to work out a player-plus-cash deal for Mbappe, who was part of France’s World Cup-winning squad in 2018 and also one of the stars of the last tournament in Qatar.

PSG kick off their 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign at home to Lorient on Saturday.

Bryson DeChambeau hailed “one of the best rounds of golf I have ever played in my life” after he shot a record-breaking 58 to win the LIV Golf Greenbrier title.

The 29-year-old American needed to par the last hole to become the first LIV player to break 60, but finished with a birdie two to claim his first title on the new tour.

DeChambeau later tweeted: “It’s been a long time coming. This is one of the best rounds of golf I have ever played in my life. I can’t thank my team enough and sticking with me through the process.

“Today may have been history, but this is just the beginning. Let’s keep it going.”

DeChambeau carded 13 birdies and a single bogey to finish on 23 under par after 54 holes, six shots clear of Mito Pereira in second place.

It was his first victory since the death of his father Jon at the age of 63 in November last year.

Speaking at the greenside, DeChambeau said in a video tweeted by LIV Golf: “He was with me out there all day today, no doubt.

“It has been a really difficult couple of years, but doing it this way and finishing out with a 58… it’s just amazing what I was able to do. I’m super excited.”