Stephen Perofeta has convinced Ian Foster he is ready for international rugby after earning a spot in New Zealand's match squad for Saturday's clash with Argentina.

The 25-year-old, a polished performer at fly-half and full-back, comes into a group lifted by victory over South Africa at Ellis Park last time out.

All Black head coach Foster named Perofeta as the only new face for this weekend's clash in Christchurch, as the third round of the Rugby Championship rolls around.

The Blues and Taranaki star said he felt "extremely grateful and blessed to be in this position", adding: "The opportunity has presented itself for a potential debut. I can't explain the feeling. I'm excited to say the least."

With Beauden Barrett unavailable because of a neck problem, Foster had no hesitation in selecting the uncapped Perofeta among the replacements, saying he had been "quite impressive" in camp.

"He's confident, he's happy to talk in front of the group, but the main thing is he is leading by learning on the park," Foster said, quoted on the All Blacks website. "He's got a double role to learn [at first five-eighths and fullback] but he's done that particularly well."

Argentina crushed Australia 48-17 in the second round of the championship, after losing to the Wallabies in their opener.

Foster has been impressed by the Pumas and said: "Clearly, for those who watched their last two games, they're playing a fast, expansive game, and with that typical Argentinian combativeness at the breakdown.

"Those things I don't think will change. But, I think they're playing with a bit more ambition. I'm pretty impressed with what they delivered in their last Test, and I'm sure they're going to be coming here having a no-fear approach for this game, and to give it everything they've got."

New Zealand team: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (captain), Ardie Savea.

Replacements: Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa'i, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Stephen Perofeta, Quinn Tupaea.

Casemiro declared he is "raring to go" after completing his £60million (€70m) move to Manchester United, while describing the Premier League as "a dream to play in".

The Brazil enforcer became United's fourth major signing of the transfer window on Monday, following Christian Eriksen, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez to Old Trafford after ending a nine-year spell with Real Madrid.

The five-time Champions League winner was in the stands to watch United pick up their first win of the season against Liverpool, as Erik ten Hag's side inflicted the Reds' first league defeat of 2022.

Casemiro could hardly contain his excitement when speaking to the club's media channels for the first time since his arrival.

"I felt great affection from the moment I arrived and I think it's a new challenge. I'm absolutely delighted," Casemiro said. "I feel like I'm 20 or 18 years of age! I'm raring to go.

"I feel it’s a great challenge and a new challenge for me, so I want to work hard to make it happen. 

"I played in a competition here when I was 15 at Sao Paulo. You come back here to play for Manchester United and not in your wildest dreams would you imagine yourself playing here. I'm the happiest man alive and I can't wait to get on the pitch and help my team-mates.

"The Premier League is a dream to play in. It's a wonderful league. The respect that fans have for players, the players have for fans, the passion of the clubs… when you go from the airport to the city, you feel that the city has football in the air.

"More than a city, I feel it's a footballing nation. I think English football is very physical and without doubt, it's very tough, but what I like most about the players, referees, fans in this country is that they are fair. Everyone is fair. 

"Every game is very tough. All of the teams are equally matched, the top team can lose to the bottom one and that's what the league is like. It's beautiful that it is so competitive."

Casemiro will find several familiar faces in United's squad, chief among them Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane, who both featured alongside the Brazilian in one of the most successful teams in Madrid's history.

The 30-year-old revealed he leaned on Varane for advice before making the move, as he hailed Ronaldo as one of the all-time greats.

"They are two players that I've had the pleasure of playing alongside," he added. "We could spend all day talking about Cristiano, he's one of the best players in the history of football. 

"With Varane, and all his time at Real Madrid, I think we spent seven years together. So it's an honour to play once again with these players, but not just these guys, I'm looking forward to meeting my new team-mates, to helping them and them helping me to.

"I've spoken to Rapha, he tells me he's happy, his family is very happy in Manchester, and I feel Manchester United have a great centre-back in him.

"As we know, Cristiano is up there as one of the best players in the history of football and I think he'll keep achieving things."

Meanwhile, Casemiro will also team up with Brazil international Fred in the Premier League, and he has no doubts over the ability of his fellow Selecao midfielder.

"Well, before coming here I spoke to Fred, he's a friend who I've played alongside in the national team for a good number of games and years," he said.

"He's a great player and that's why he plays for Manchester United and for the Brazilian national team, which is difficult to get into. So, I have a special relationship with him.

"Of course, he's a great player. Fred has a lot of qualities. I think he's a player that has good movement, he's very mobile, passes the ball well, has a good shot on him. He's a very important player at this club and I think he'll help me a great deal as he's Brazilian. Without a doubt, it's important to me."

Having not been registered in time to feature in the win over Liverpool, Casemiro could make his United debut when they visit Southampton on Saturday.

Barcelona have confirmed the departure of Samuel Umtiti on a season-long loan to Serie A side Lecce, with no option to buy.

The World Cup winner only penned a new extension with Barca earlier this year, albeit on reduced wages.

He will spend the 2022-23 campaign in Italy with newly promoted Lecce, who are looking to consolidate their position in the top tier.

Umtiti joined Barca from Lyon in 2016 and has made 133 appearances across all competitions for the club, winning two league titles and the Copa del Rey on three occasions.

In addition, he was a key member of the France squad that claimed World Cup glory at Russia 2018, though the centre-back has not played for his country since 2019 and is expected to miss out on selection for this year's tournament in Qatar.

He becomes the latest player to be offloaded by Barca as they seek to get their squad in order following a high-spending transfer window, despite well-documented financial difficulties.

Robert Lewandowski, Franck Kessie, Raphinha, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde have arrived, with Neto, Oscar Mingueza, Riqui Puig, Luuk de Jong, Adama Traore and Dani Alves among those to leave so far.

Barca are still yet to register former Sevilla defender Kounde, whose future at Camp Nou could well hinge upon whether Xavi's side are able to offload forwards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Memphis Depay before the deadline, while Martin Braithwaite is another player they would like to move on.

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's acquisition of Erling Haaland demonstrates that the Premier League champions are one of Europe's elite destinations.

City reportedly saw off competition from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich to sign the striker in a £51.2million (€60m) deal in May, and Haaland has started brightly, scoring three goals in his first three league games.

The Norway international is just the third player to score on both of his first two away trips in the Premier League for City, after Emmanuel Adebayor and Emile Mpenza, having followed up his opening-game double at West Ham with a goal in a 3-3 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday.

City's all-time record goalscorer Sergio Aguero, meanwhile, is the only other player to score twice on his Premier League debut for the club, having done so against Swansea City in August 2011.

Asked whether the former Borussia Dortmund forward represented the first established world class star to join City on his watch, Guardiola told BBC's Football Focus: "Yeah, maybe it's right. We cannot deny how incredible his numbers and talent are.

"From what I saw of him so far, he's a huge competitor in every training session, he's incredibly focused to do it, there's no doubt about that.

"But we had a lot of legends here, whose contribution has been [important] to the way we are right now. Sergio, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, David Silva, many of these."

Having lifted the Premier League trophy four times in his six full seasons in England, Guardiola suggested City can now attract players who would previously have preferred huge European clubs such as Bayern, Madrid or Barcelona.

"You're right, maybe we could not do it or they choose another club, because the charisma of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid was higher than us," he added.

"In the highest [level] of Europe, we are new, just one decade, and they have long, long histories.

"And maybe you're right. We know the most followed strikers or players now come here, that is the proof that we have done really well.

"I remember in pre-season, in the [United] States five years or six years ago, there were few blue shirts in the stands. These last games against Bayern Munich and [Club] America [in July], there was a lot.

"People follow the winners and we won a lot in these last years, and people support us around the world, which is incredible. It's a big honour."

Iga Swiatek is still a standout candidate to win the US Open, even if the WTA field has plenty of strength in depth, so says Laura Robson.

The latest iteration of the season's final grand slam gets under way on August 29, with Emma Raducanu looking to mount a successful defence at Flushing Meadows.

But with six different winners in the last eight WTA majors, the race is wide open to take glory in New York, particularly after three-time major winner Ash Barty called time on her career following this year's Australian Open.

That leaves former British number one Robson feeling any title fight is too tough to call, though she believes the strength of the field makes it all the more thrilling and unpredictable.

"I think it just shows that there's a lot of depth on the WTA side," she told Stats Perform. "You've got 15 players in any given slam [who could win], which for me makes it more exciting.

"I'm pumped when I see the draw come out, because things can open up so quickly. Had Ash Barty not retired earlier this year, then she probably would have been the front runner going into the rest of the season.

"It really could be anyone. Ons Jabeur is playing great tennis, [Elena] Rybakina and then [Paula] Badosa, on hardcourts is playing great as well."

Robson acknowledged it is tough to look past world number one Swiatek, though. The Pole claimed her second French Open crown earlier this year and has won 50 matches in 2022.

"She just looked like she was on fire," Robson added, before suggesting Swiatek's defeat at Wimbledon to Alize Cornet came merely because "she just ran out of gas".

"I think she's going to transition a little slower on to the hard courts then at the US Open. They're not quite the same surface that works best for her game.

"But at the same time, you know, she's got so much confidence at the moment that you can't really bet against her."

Play Your Way to Wimbledon, Powered by Vodafone is the largest individual mass participation tennis competition in the UK - delivered by Vodafone in partnership with the LTA and The All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Luis Diaz does not believe Liverpool's start to the Premier League season has been "problematic", but accepted the stumbling Reds must improve quickly. 

Liverpool have failed to win any of their opening three league games for the first time since Brendan Rodgers' first season at the helm in 2012-13, having fallen to a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United on Monday.

Goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford dealt the Reds their first Premier League loss of 2022, which followed back-to-back draws with Fulham and Crystal Palace.

Liverpool have now conceded the opening goal in seven successive Premier League games for the first time in their history, while a number of injuries to key players have led to calls for Jurgen Klopp to dip into the transfer market.

While Diaz recognises the need for rapid improvements, he was keen to avoid overstating Liverpool's troubles when speaking to Sky Sports.

"It's been a bit of a difficult start," he said. "It's not quite the outset we wanted for the season. We're a club that goes out to win three points from every game we play.

"I wouldn't say it's problematic for the players or for the manager, but certainly we all know we need to do better."

Reflecting on Monday's defeat at Old Trafford, the Colombia winger added: "We were fully aware of what kind of rivalry exists between the clubs and we knew we had a big task ahead of us. It didn't go our way on the day.

"We know now we have to just do our job and train hard, rest hard and look forward to the next game, when we can hopefully accumulate some points and get a proper start to the season."

Liverpool have now lost four games against United in all competitions under Klopp, with each coming against a different Red Devils boss; Louis van Gaal in 2017, Jose Mourinho in 2018, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021 and Erik ten Hag last time out.

Although there were few positives for Liverpool to take from the loss, Mohamed Salah's late consolation made him Liverpool's all-time top scorer against United with 10 goals, and Diaz described the Egypt star in glowing terms. 

"It's stupendous for me, being able to share my position in the team with Mo," he added. 

"I've seen him over many years on television at so many tournaments and I'd like to say I'm proud of myself, having reached this position where I can share with him these experiences, to wear the same shirt and be a team-mate of his. 

"It's really something special. Every day, playing alongside players like him, it helps you to improve, not just in a footballing sense as a player but also as a person.

"He's a great guy and there's a very special connection between him and me, and between all of us, in fact."

Liverpool welcome Bournemouth to Anfield looking for their first win of the Premier League season on Saturday.

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali hinted the Belgian Grand Prix could remain part of the sport's calendar beyond this year amid speculation the Spa race is set to be cut.

Belgium will host the first race since late July on Sunday, with Max Verstappen and Red Bull looking to consolidate strong leads at the top of the standings.

Several changes to the F1 calendar are planned ahead of the 2023 season, with the maiden Las Vegas Grand Prix set to take place alongside returns for races in China and Qatar.

The Belgian Grand Prix, which has been a fixture in the calendar for several decades, had been slated as one of the races that could make way, but Domenicali insists such a decision is yet to be taken.

"You never saw something [from] me saying that Belgium will be the last year," he said.

"I would be prudent on that comment, I would say, I would be very prudent. That's the only thing I would say. It's true that we are working and discussing with other promoters to see if they're ready for a full commitment already.

"There has been always a point that we have discussed to find the mix of the races where we're going to have at least one third in Europe, one third in the Far East area, and the other one in the Americas and Middle East. So we want to be balanced.

"Of course, we're talking about a business where investment, the financial contribution, is very important, but we have always said that the traditional races, the races that we know cannot bring the money that the others are bringing, have full respect from us.

"There is a lot of respect for these places. But if you recall, Belgium, there were some periods where it was not in the calendar, and they came back again. The memory sometimes is short. It's a great place, no doubt about it. And that's why we are discussing."

Meanwhile, Domenicali revealed talks are ongoing concerning the future of the French Grand Prix, and said a race in Germany could be set to return to the calendar. 

"We are talking with the French federation, and with the government, because more and more the future also is related to promoters that see that as investment for the country, for the community," he added.

"So the discussions are very, very open for a great future. 

"We really hope that Germany can be back around the table. But one thing is to say is we'd like to have the [German] Grand Prix. The other thing is to put on the table the things that are needed to discuss about the Grand Prix.

"So hopefully soon – with something that could happen soon – they will have a different situation to discuss with us."

The Los Angeles Lakers are finalising a trade to acquire Patrick Beverley from the Utah Jazz, according to reports.

Beverley previously spent four years in Los Angeles when representing the Clippers between 2017 and 2021, before impressing with the Minnesota Timberwolves last campaign.

The 34-year-old was influential in the Timberwolves' run to the Western Conference playoffs, where they were beaten by the Memphis Grizzlies, before heading to Utah as part of their trade for three-time all-star Rudy Gobert in July.

However, according to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Beverley is on the move again as the Lakers look to improve a team whose defence ranked 21st in the NBA last season.

Beverley, who was a second-round pick for the Lakers in the 2009 draft before being traded, averaged 6.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

Guard Talen Horton-Tucker and forward Stanley Johnson are reportedly set to head to Utah as part of the deal, with the Lakers attempting to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs last term.

The Lakers also agreed a two-year contract extension worth $97.1million with LeBron James last week, ending speculation over the 37-year-old's future.

The Los Angeles Dodgers made sure to put Monday's sorry home defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers well and truly behind them with another emphatic victory.

Having been blanked for the first time at home in 2022 in the first game of the series, the Dodgers hit back on Tuesday with a 10-1 rout of the Brewers, and they followed that win up in style a day later.

There was more resistance from Milwaukee this time around, but the Dodgers - who have the best record in Major League Baseball (86-37) and hold a huge 19.5-game lead in the National League West - still cruised to a 12-6 victory.

Pitcher Andrew Heaney appeared in his first win since April and was key as he struck out 10, one off his season best, while he has back-to-back 10 strikeout outings for the first time in over three years.

"It seems like he's got 10 punchouts every game and you don't know it until you look up at the scoreboard," Trea Turner said of Heaney. "There's always one guy that gets no run support and one that gets runs on every team. I guess he's been the lucky one."

"Feeling better, trying to get deeper in games and get more pitch efficient and stay away from a couple of mistakes that have cost me big-time the last couple games," Heaney said.

The Dodgers' emphatic win, which sees them clinch their season series against the Brewers 4-3, came on the back of huge victories for the Atlanta Braves and the Texas Rangers.

World Series champions Atlanta made light work of the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning 16-2, with Kyle Wright recording 21 outs from 73 pitches as he tied with Justin Verlander and Tony Gonsolin for the most victories in the majors. The Rangers, meanwhile, hammered the Colorado Rockies 16-4.

Quantrill does the damage in San Diego

Cal Quantrill returned to haunt his old team as the Cleveland Guardians stormed to a 7-0 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Playing in San Diego for the first time since he was traded to Cleveland in 2020, Quantrill struck out six and walked one.

"Apparently I really did care a lot. It just felt important," Quantrill told reporters of facing his former side. "I wanted that game to be clean. I didn't want to trail off."

Cubs and Cardinals set for series decider

The Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals will face off on Thursday with everything on the line in their five-game series.

That is after Zach McKinstry homered and drove in three runs to help the Cubs to a 7-1 triumph that ties the series at 2-2.

Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Rays claimed a fifth straight win by edging out the Los Angeles Angels 4-3, while the Philadelphia Phillies are in line for a four-game clean sweep of their series with the Cincinnati Reds after a 7-5 success.

Tyron Smith will be out indefinitely after the star left tackle suffered a torn left hamstring during Dallas Cowboys practice, according to reports.

Smith, an eight-time Pro Bowler, sustained the injury when he went to make a block on linebacker Leighton Vander Esch on Wednesday.

Initial scans have revealed Smith does not have an anterior cruciate ligament issue, which had been feared at first, though ESPN now claim that he suffered a hamstring tear that could leave him facing months, rather than weeks, out of action.

Smith will undergo more tests on Thursday, though seems likely to miss the Cowboy's season opener against Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Team-mate Connor McGoven spoke to Smith after practice.

"He gave me a nice reassuring grunt like he usually does," McGovern quipped. "That's the one thing playing next to him for so long, I can decipher his grunts. I think he's all right."

Smith's deal with the Cowboys runs through 2023, though the 31-year-old has not managed to play a full season since 2015.

Knee, ankle, neck and elbow injuries have plagued the last six seasons, while he also contracted COVID-19 last year.

Dominic Thiem's run at the Winston-Salem Open came to a halt as Jack Draper claimed a comfortable straight sets victory on Wednesday.

In the first meeting between Draper and Thiem, it was the 20-year-old Brit who sealed his place in the last eight with a routine 6-1 6-4 victory.

Draper charged ahead in the first set, creating five chances to break and taking two of them, while his sole successfully converted break point in the second set paved the way for the Winston-Salem debutant to serve out the match.

World number 55 Draper has now reached three Tour-level quarter-finals this season, while 2020 US Open champion Thiem had been on a run of making it to the last eight in his last three tournaments, in Bastad, Gstaad (where he made the semis) and Kitzbuhel.

Draper did not offer up a single break opportunity, and said: "I was really good behind serve, really solid. In the second set it was tough because he was coming up with some amazing shots. It was a real honour to be on court with Dominic. He's an amazing player.

"I started confidently, I started well. I was hitting through the ball, felt good in the conditions. It was a difficult start because I felt like everyone was supporting Dominic and I knew that I needed to come out confidently and sharp, and that's what I did."

Draper will meet Marc-Andrea Huesler in the quarter-finals, after the world number 102 overcame Ilya Ivashka.

Botic van de Zandschulp is the favourite after Grigor Dimitrov's retirement due to illness with the Dutchman progressing to the last eight by defeating Spain's Jaume Munar in straight sets. He will face Benjamin Bonzi after the Frenchman's 7-5 6-2 defeat of Thiago Monteiro.

Maxime Cressy will face Adrian Mannarino after coming from a set down to beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-3), while Richard Gasquet and Laslo Djere make up the other quarter-final tie after respective victories over Steve Johnson and Jason Kubler.

Bernarda Pera stunned former French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova at Tennis in the Land as the top three seeds tumbled out in Cleveland.

Pera has enjoyed an excellent 2022, winning her first career WTA title in Budapest and then following that up with her second at the Hamburg European Open.

And the Croatian-born American is two wins away from a third final after thrashing top seed Krejcikova 6-4 6-1.

It sets up an enticing last-eight clash with another former grand slam champion in compatriot Sofia Kenin.

Second seed Martina Trevisan from her clash with Zhang Shuai, while third seed Ekaterina Alexandrova lost 3-6 7-5 7-5 to Maidson Brengle.

Some high seeds also tumbled out at the Granby Championships.

Third seed Jasmine Paolini surrendered a lead in a three-set loss to Rebecca Marino and there were also defeats for fourth seed Anna Bondar and eighth seed Tereza Martincova to Tatjana Maria and Diane Parry respectively.

Marta Kostyuk, the 10th seed, had to come from a set down to beat Marina Stakusic but ninth seed Daria Saville lost just one game in her demolition of Katherine Sebov, winning 6-1 6-0.

Formula One's midseason break delivered drama that the title race so far perhaps had not.

The first half of the campaign had its own intriguing narratives, with Ferrari's frequent collapses and Mercedes' unprecedented struggles, but those strands only served to allow Max Verstappen to build a healthy lead at the top of the standings.

Attention has turned to those in the midfield in recent weeks, though, with Sebastian Vettel's imminent retirement prompting a series of developments that have not yet slowed.

Alpine have been at the heart of the drama, losing Fernando Alonso to Aston Martin in Vettel's place and then failing to secure Oscar Piastri as his replacement.

Piastri instead seems set for McLaren, who have announced Daniel Ricciardo will be leaving the team.

For Alpine then, there will be some relief that focus can now return to the track at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Verstappen set to resume his role at centre stage.

Qualifying key to Red Bull repeat

For those hoping to reel in Verstappen's 80-point lead, they will hope to get more opportunity to attack him than at Spa in 2021, when he started from pole and completed just two laps behind a safety car to claim victory amid a deluge at the circuit in Stavelot.

That result actually continued a recent trend in Belgium, where recovering from a poor qualifying session has proven increasingly tricky.

The past seven winners of the Belgian GP have started from the front row of the grid, with Verstappen among six of those to line up on pole.

Repeating the feat has not been quite so straightforward, however, as Verstappen will be looking to become the first driver to win this race from pole in consecutive entries since Ayrton Senna did so a remarkable four years in a row between 1988 and 1991.

Senna had five Belgian GP wins in total, behind only Michael Schumacher (six). Lewis Hamilton (four) will be bidding to join the Brazilian this weekend.

In-demand Fernando on top form

Alonso will hope his shock move to Aston Martin does not knock his final season with Alpine off course, as the Spaniard had refound form before stunning his team during the break.

The two-time world champion has earned points in each of his past eight races for his best run since another sequence of eight in 2018.

Alonso has not finished in the points in more than eight straight races since 2014, when he put together 15 in a row – the last of them being in Belgium.

But perhaps this could instead be a strong weekend for Alonso's future employers and the man he will replace.

Vettel's best qualifying performance at Aston Martin was fifth at Spa in 2021, finishing fifth on race day, too. Only in Azerbaijan last year (second) has he enjoyed a better result with the team.