Tom Curry will not make his England comeback against Wales on Saturday due to a leg injury and has been replaced in the squad by his twin brother Ben.

Curry had hoped to return for the Six Nations battle at the Principality Stadium this weekend after a spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring tear.

But the back rower, who played for Sale Sharks in a win over Northampton Saints on Saturday, will not feature in Cardiff after withdrawing from the squad.

Ben Curry has been drafted in by head coach Steve Borthwick, while Ben Earl has been omitted after coming off the bench in the round-two win over Italy.

Fit-again lock Courtney Lawes is poised to make first England appearance since captaining his country in the series victory in Australia last year. Wing Ollie Hassell-Collins misses out with a knee issue.

Warren Gatland delayed naming his team on Tuesday amid uncertainty over potential strike action from Wales players, but the head coach said he was confident the issues would be resolved and the game would go ahead.

Lonzo Ball will not return before the end of the NBA season, meaning the Chicago Bulls point guard will have missed the entire 2022-23 campaign.

Ball last played in January last year and has since been sidelined by a knee injury that has required multiple surgeries.

Indeed, Ball has played only 35 games since being traded to the Bulls and then signing a four-year, $85million contract in August 2021.

The Bulls have struggled in his absence this season, down in 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-33 record, and the team have told the 25-year-old to now focus on next year.

"Despite making significant increases in strength and function over the past several months, Bulls guard Lonzo Ball continues to experience performance-limiting discomfort during participation in high-level basketball-related activities," said Arturas Karnisovas, the Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations.

"Considering the required time period to achieve the necessary level of fitness to return to play and the current stage of the NBA season, Ball will not return this season.

"The focus for Ball will continue to be on the resolution of his discomfort and a full return for the 2023-24 season."

Kevin De Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte have been left out of Manchester City's squad to play RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday.

John Stones is also absent from the group, although he has been missing since January with a hamstring injury.

There was no immediate explanation for De Bruyne and Laporte not travelling to Germany, with Pep Guardiola due to meet the media later on Tuesday.

Both players started Saturday's 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest. De Bruyne was substituted in the 88th minute, while Laporte completed the match.

Meanwhile, Leipzig were hoping to have Christopher Nkunku available after he returned to action for the first time since November.

Having played at Wolfsburg at the weekend, Nkunku could not complete Leipzig's full training session on Tuesday, the club said, due to a muscle issue.

Warren Gatland has delayed naming the Wales team to face England but is confident the Six Nations game will go ahead on Saturday amid uncertainty over potential strike action.

Wales players remain in a contract dispute with the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) and have been considering making themselves unavailable to do battle with England this weekend.

A new six-year financial agreement between the Welsh Rugby Union and the four professional regions – the Dragons, Cardiff, the Ospreys and the Scarlets – has not been signed off as talks continue.

Gatland was due to announce his team for the clash at the Principality Stadium on Tuesday but the head coach had to change his plans.

The players have reportedly stated they want the issues to be resolved by Wednesday and New Zealander Gatland expects a positive outcome.

He said when explaining why he had not named his side: "I think with the uncertainty that was happening, there's a lot of meetings. I just wanted clarity for the boys with tomorrow then we come back [to train] on Thursday.

Gatland added: "I'm confident it'll go ahead. The players have probably had about half a dozen meetings in the last few days. It's been a bit of a challenge but sometimes that galvanises people.

"The players have been given assurances that things will be sorted out, but unfortunately they have not. It finally came to a head.

"I think it's a genuine threat [of taking strike action], no doubt about that. But having spoken to a few people today, I'm fairly confident it will be resolved."

Gatland praised the professionalism shown by his players in such a period of uncertainty.

He continued: "In fairness to the players, they've trained well amongst it all. There's been things going on but in training they've applied themselves well."

Wales are bottom of the table after losing to Ireland and Scotland at the start of Gatland's second spell as head coach.

Leeds United have turned to former Watford head coach Javi Gracia in their bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League, appointing the Spaniard on a "flexible contract".

Leeds have faced several setbacks in their bid to replace Jesse Marsch since sacking the American earlier this month, seeing an approach for Rayo Vallecano's Andoni Iraola blocked.

Feyenoord's Arne Slot also ruled himself out of contention, leaving interim coach Michael Skubala to oversee their last three games – a defeat at Everton following a return of one point from a double-header against Manchester United.

Defeat at Goodison Park last time out left Leeds two points adrift of safety in 19th place, and Gracia will need to make an instant impact against bottom club Southampton on Saturday.

His appointment – and involvement ahead of that match – is subject to obtaining a work permit, a Leeds statement said on Tuesday.

The vague terms around the length of Gracia's contract suggest Leeds might move again for one of their top targets in the near future.

Gracia oversaw an 11th-placed Premier League finish and an FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City in his only full season at Watford, having kept the Hornets up after his January 2018 arrival. 

The 52-year-old then led Valencia to a 13th-placed finish in LaLiga in the 2020-21 campaign, before winning the Qatar Stars League in his last job with Al Sadd. 

Since beating Chelsea 3-0 in August, Leeds have collected just 12 points from 20 Premier League games – the worst return in the English top flight during that span.

The Elland Road outfit are without a Premier League victory since beating Bournemouth 4-3 in early November, losing six of their last 10 games in the competition.

Ruud Gullit has been "pleasantly surprised" by Erik ten Hag's early success as Manchester United manager and believes the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo was key.

Ten Hag left Ajax to take the United job prior to this season, only for the Premier League giants to endure a difficult start to the campaign.

Their fortunes have since turned around dramatically, however. United are third in the Premier League, still in the FA Cup and Europa League and through to the EFL Cup final.

The Red Devils will play that final against Newcastle United on Sunday, a repeat of the 1999 FA Cup final in which Gullit was the Magpies' manager.

Victory in that game would give Ten Hag silverware to go with the clear progress United have made, but Gullit has already been suitably impressed by his fellow Dutchman and his handling of Ronaldo.

The United great pushed for a move away from the club, which was finally granted during the World Cup break after he took part in an interview criticising Ten Hag and others at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo is now playing for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, while Ten Hag's United are flying high.

"I am pleasantly surprised," Gullit told Marca. "The Dutch league is not the same as the English one, but Ten Hag has a philosophy that sticks.

"In addition, he managed well in the Cristiano case. Ronaldo didn't want to play, he wanted to leave, and he made the decision not to play.

"That gave the team the feeling that 'hey, with this guy, if you do well, you play'.

"Now, they compete well, young players are involved and they feel they have a chance. Even [Harry] Maguire is fine."

Gullit added of the Ronaldo saga: "The situation was handled like this, and now he is in a place where he is happy. Ronaldo is happy, and so is Ten Hag."

Simone Inzaghi could not assure Romelu Lukaku he would start again against Porto despite ending his goal drought on Saturday.

Lukaku has scored only three times since returning to Inter at the start of this season.

It has been a difficult campaign for the Belgium forward, who also failed to net at the World Cup in Qatar.

But a penalty against Udinese on Saturday gave Lukaku his first Serie A goal since August ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg against Porto.

That does not mean Lukaku is certain to start, however, as coach Inzaghi said in his news conference there were "doubts" about his line-up.

Edin Dzeko would be the obvious alternative to Lukaku, having netted 11 in all competitions this season, although the pair started together against Udinese.

Asked specifically about Lukaku and midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, Inzaghi said: "Lukaku has been working for longer and is improving. He is putting a great deal of effort into it.

"As for both, tomorrow we will try to make the best choices for Inter.

"Those who do not start will still be useful in the game. In games like these, the final minutes are those in which decisive actions can occur and spaces are freed up to exploit."

Inter have not been past the last 16 of the Champions League since the 2010-11 season, when they were playing as defending champions.

But having emerged from a difficult group that also included Barcelona and Bayern Munich, confidence is high.

"We face this tie with great confidence," Inzaghi said. "We reached it with an incredible path – on paper, Barcelona and Bayern Munich were teams that everyone wanted to avoid.

"You can see what Barca are doing in La Liga, and we know what Bayern are."

Lewis Hamilton will be eager to put pressure on Mercedes team-mate George Russell and the rest of the grid as soon as the 2023 Formula One season begins.

That is the view of Hamilton's former team-mate Jenson Button after a 2022 campaign where Mercedes surprisingly finished third in the constructors' championship, 244 points behind winners Red Bull.

Hamilton was sixth in the drivers' standings, two places and 35 points behind Russell in the latter's first season with the team.

Russell recorded the only Mercedes win of the season in the penultimate race in Sao Paulo, though Hamilton also produced a strong finish that included a run of three consecutive second-place berths.

After a rare campaign where the seven-time world champion finished behind his team-mate in the championship and went the whole campaign without a race win, Button is expecting a fast start.

"I think he'll start this year flat out," former world champion Button told Sky Sports about Hamilton.

"He's going to be on it from the word go.

"I look forward to seeing that - it's going to put a lot of pressure on George Russell, but I think it's a good pairing and I look forward to that fight.

"Mercedes have given him a winning car for so many years.

"Last year they obviously didn't, but the car did win a race, so you'd say at the end of the year, they were strong.

"And I think Lewis was on it. His performances were very consistent through mid to end of season, very, very quick."

The new season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5.

Ahead of the campaign at the team's car launch last week, Hamilton, 38, insisted he expects to sign a new deal, with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Team boss Toto Wolff reiterated that confidence, but Button warned that situation could change if Mercedes produce a car that is uncompetitive once more.

Button added: "It's something we all go through at some point in our career and it's a reason a lot of people retire – because they're not in a winning car any more.

"That's why I left. You can deal with the pressure you put yourself under and the calendar if you're in a winning car. 

"When you're not, it's like, 'you know what, I've had enough, I want to get out'."

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has been discharged from hospital and is "recovering well" after suffering a concussion in Saturday's defeat to Southampton.

Azpilicueta was carried off on a stretcher during the second half of Chelsea's 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge, having taken a boot to the face from Saints' Sekou Mara while defending a corner.

The 33-year-old was transported to St Mary's Hospital in west London after receiving treatment during a lengthy stoppage in play.

Boss Graham Potter moved to allay fears regarding Azpilicueta's condition after Chelsea's latest defeat, revealing the Spaniard was conscious and speaking to his wife.

Azpilicueta then took to social media to express gratitude towards the club's medical team and the hospital's staff, saying: "A massive thank you from the bottom of my heart."

On Tuesday, Chelsea issued a further update on their captain, which read: "Following a concussion injury sustained during Saturday's game against Southampton, Cesar Azpilicueta has been discharged from hospital and is recovering well at Cobham.

"The club's medical team are closely monitoring Cesar's condition, adhering to the important concussion protocols in place to ensure his safety.

"Cesar observed training today, before he starts working towards returning to the pitch."

Chelsea's latest defeat was their third in their last six home league games (W2 D1), before which they had lost just three of their previous 25 top-flight contests at Stamford Bridge (W13 D9).

The misfiring Blues are mired in 10th place and sit 11 points adrift of the Premier League's top four, with Potter facing significant scrutiny just five months into his tenure at the club. 

Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny has extended his contract with the Premier League leaders through to June 2024.

Elneny is the longest-serving player in Arsenal's squad and has made 155 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions since his 2016 arrival from Basel.

The 30-year-old is currently sidelined after being forced to undergo surgery on a knee injury in January, but he has made five Premier League appearances this season and is regarded as an experienced leader in Mikel Arteta's squad.

Elneny's contract was previously due to expire at the end of the season, but the Egypt international is set to stay in north London until at least the end of next campaign following his renewal.

"I'm so happy, I love this club and our supporters so much and I'll give everything to help us be the best we can be, every day I'm here," Elneny told the club's website.

"It makes me so proud to have represented this amazing club since 2016. 

"The spirit and togetherness we have in our squad right now is so positive, and I'm so happy I have extended my contract."

Elneny's injury provoked Arsenal to dip into the transfer market to acquire fellow midfielder Jorginho from Chelsea in January, as they push for a first Premier League title since 2004.

Napoli should be considered favourites to win the Champions League after dominating Serie A this season, according to Milan great Ruud Gullit.

Luciano Spalletti's dynamic Napoli side have been one of the stories of the European season, boasting a 15-point lead at the Serie A summit after losing just once in their first 23 league games. 

The Partenopei have also excelled in the Champions League, top-scoring in the group stage with 20 goals to finish above Liverpool and tee up a last-16 tie with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport ahead of Napoli's trip to Germany for the first leg of that tie, Gullit suggested Europe's elite clubs may struggle to match Spalletti's men. 

"In a television broadcast I said that they are the favourites to win the Champions League. I haven't changed my mind," the former Netherlands international said of Napoli.

"They play a style of football that we all like to see; fast, rapid and vertical. 

"The English clubs are strong, the same for Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid are capable of crazy feats, but this Napoli team are totally different." 

Napoli's last Scudetto came in the 1989-90 season, when Diego Maradona inspired them to edge a hard-fought title race against a legendary Milan side featuring Gullit.

Asked about the differences between Napoli teams past and present, Gullit said: "That team depended on Diego. This is a complete team, which expresses total football. They can win the Scudetto and go far in Europe."

Gullit's former employers Milan are also looking to mount a challenge in Europe, having beaten Tottenham 1-0 in the first leg of their own round-of-16 tie.

Having recently endured a seven-game winless run, Milan sit fourth in Serie A and trail Napoli by 18 points, but Gullit refuses to write the Rossoneri off. 

"They are fighting and suffering," he said of Stefano Pioli's men. "Up to now, everything hasn't been as easy as it was last year. 

"In this first part of the season things have been more difficult than everyone expected, but in football you never know. In the Champions League they won the first leg of the round of 16 against Tottenham. Let's see how it ends."

England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes is not "stressing" over the impact Jonny Bairstow's prospective return could have on his place in Ben Stokes' set-up.

Foakes missed two of England's three Test victories in Pakistan in December, but he returned with a second-innings knock of 51 as the tourists won their opener in New Zealand last week.

While captain Stokes has repeatedly described Foakes as the world's best gloveman, Bairstow's return from the broken leg he suffered last September could put his place at risk.

With Harry Brook making scores of 89 and 54 against New Zealand, he looks unlikely to be the man to make way for Bairstow – who has won 49 of his 89 England caps as wicketkeeper.

While Foakes is aware of the debate concerning Bairstow's likely return later this year, he is shutting out the noise in a bid to maintain his own good form.

"Naturally you're going to think about things but at the stage I'm at, there's no point stressing over it," Foakes said.

"I'm having some good form in my career and I'm just trying to enjoy that, rather than stressing about what else might happen.

"My England journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster from day one and I've had a lot of times out of the team where I've thought, 'how do I get back in?'

"I guess thinking about those things doesn't help my game at all."

Ahead of the second Test in New Zealand starting on Thursday, England have won 10 of their 11 contests under captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, with their aggressive style being affectionately dubbed 'Bazball'.

While Foakes acknowledges he lacks the attacking range possessed by some of his team-mates, he feels there is still a place for his more considered approach. 

"I don't think it's smart for me to go and try to be Ben Stokes or Harry Brook. I'm not, as you'd say, 'Bazball'," he added. 

"I can't do what a lot of these guys do. If I did that from ball one I'd just get out, so it doesn't make sense for me to try. 

"In bridging the gap between our explosive starts and then batting with the tail, I've got to bat a different way."

Reported Manchester United and Chelsea target Victor Osimhen has refused to rule out a move in the next transfer window, though the Napoli star is focused on delivering silverware before then.

Osimhen has hit 18 goals to help Napoli build a 15-point advantage at the Serie A summit – only Manchester City's Erling Haaland (26) has outscored him in Europe's top five leagues this term.

The Nigeria international scored in a seventh consecutive league game in Napoli's 3-0 thrashing of Sassuolo last week, and his electrifying form has reportedly attracted Premier League suitors. 

United and Chelsea have both been credited with an interest in Osimhen, who Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis insists is not for sale.

While helping the Partenopei clinch the Scudetto for the first time since the Diego Maradona era is his current focus, the striker has left the door ajar for a move at the end of the campaign.

"When you are doing so well, top clubs around the world are watching, mostly in the top five leagues," Osimhen told ESPN.

"To be able to be attract interest from these top clubs shows that I am doing great, and it gives me the motivation to do even more for myself and my team.

"But I am focused on Napoli right now and they have the final say. I just want to help my team to win matches and win trophies.

"At the end of the season, we will see what is going to happen, but that is not up to me. It is for the club to decide."

Napoli travel to Eintracht Frankfurt for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, having top-scored in the competition's group stage with 20 goals – though only one of those came from Osimhen.