Felix Auger-Aliassime is eager to cap a "special year" by leading Canada to Davis Cup glory on Sunday after playing a pivotal role in the semi-final win over Italy.

Standing in the way of Canada, who were runners-up in 2019 but have never won the event, are 28-time champions Australia after Lleyton Hewitt's team beat Croatia on Friday.

The Australians have had a day to recover from their efforts, while Canada's success came on Saturday and they must look to carry momentum into the title match in Malaga.

Lorenzo Sonego gave Italy a 1-0 lead over Canada by beating Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 in an opening clash that lasted three hours and 14 minutes.

That piled pressure on Auger-Aliassime in the next rubber, as he took on Lorenzo Musetti, but it did not show as he powered to a 6-3 6-4 victory to tie the overall match and set up a decisive doubles contest.

Canada captain Frank Dancevic chose Auger-Aliassime over Shapovalov to partner Vasek Pospisil against Matteo Berrettini and Fabio Fognini, and the decision paid off as they earned a 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 win.

It has been a super 2022 already for Auger-Aliassime, who has won his first four singles titles on the ATP Tour and climbed to number six in the rankings, and the year could be crowned from his perspective with the most prized team trophy in men's tennis.

"It's been a special journey, special year," said Auger-Aliassime. "I think this is the most complete team that we have had in the history of Canadian tennis. I feel we deserve to be in that position now.

"I have said it many times throughout the years, this is one of the goals I think for all the guys to go far and to win it all.

"I'm really proud of everybody's effort. It's been a great journey. It's the last day tomorrow of Davis Cup for this year, so we're ready to give it all."

South Africa cruised to a first away win over England since 2014 as the Springboks prevailed 27-13 at Twickenham despite being reduced to 14 men.

Meeting for the second time since the Boks beat England in the 2019 World Cup final, South Africa dictated the contest after falling behind early to Owen Farrell's penalty.

With director of rugby Rassie Erasmus absent due to his two-game ban for social media posts about alleged refereeing inconsistencies in the Springboks' 30-26 loss to France in Marseille, South Africa produced a convincing performance that backed up their status as favourites.

Faf de Klerk kicked six points in the first half, his two penalties sandwiched by a Damian Willemse drop goal and a sensational solo try from Kurt-Lee Arendse that saw him score for the sixth successive Test.

The visitors led 14-3 at half-time and, after Willemse and Farrell traded penalties, their command was furthered after England's Tom Curry was sin-binned.

Eben Etzebeth dotted down and De Klerk converted before knocking over another three-pointer, but South Africa's momentum was checked when Thomas du Toit was sent off for a no arms tackle on Luke Cowan-Dickie.

Henry Slade took advantage to score England's sole try, but that was scant consolation at the end of a game that suggested the gap between the two 2019 finalists has widened.

The Tennessee Titans will hope to gain a measure of revenge for their playoff defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals last season when they face off in a rematch of last season's AFC Divisional Round clash.

Tennessee earned the number one seed in the AFC last season but the Titans saw their season ended by the Bengals despite Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow suffering nine sacks behind a porous offensive line.

Burrow went on to lead the Bengals to the brink of a Super Bowl victory before the Los Angeles Rams' late turnaround saw them secure the Lombardi Trophy.

As the Bengals go on the road to renew acquaintances with the Titans, Burrow is on a hot streak once again, with Cincinnati's offense performing at its highest level of the 2022 campaign.

Indeed, the Bengals have scored 37 and 42 points in their last two games. The 79 points are their most over a two-game span since Weeks 12 and 13 in 2005.

The Bengals have won five of their last six games to improve to 6-4, with Cincinnati's offense averaging 397.2 net yards per game, the fourth-most in the NFL, in that span.

That run, which has kept the Bengals firmly in the mix for a second successive AFC North crown, has seen Burrow throw for 13 touchdowns, tied with the man he outduelled in last season's AFC Championship Game, Patrick Mahomes, for the most in the NFL since Week 6.

Burrow will also be buoyed by the performance of his much-maligned offensive line, which has allowed a pressure rate of 33 per cent this season, the fifth-best in the NFL.

Some of the Bengals' success in that regard is tied to the speed with which Burrow delivers the ball. His average time from snap to release is 2.49 seconds, the seventh-quickest among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts this season.

He will likely need to maintain that speed against a Titans defense that is ranked eighth in pass rush win rate, and Burrow may not have much opportunity to lean on the run game to take some of the burden off his shoulders.

The Titans have held opponents to 2.80 yards per rush since Week 4, the best average in the NFL. Tennessee's 387 yards rushing allowed over those seven games is the lowest total by any NFL team over a seven-game span in a season since the 2014 Detroit Lions.

With Bengals running back Joe Mixon out with a concussion, the Titans will be expected to shut down the Cincinnati run game with little difficulty.

Should they do so, it will turn this matchup into a repeat of the battle between Burrow and a continually underrated Titans defensive front. As the NFL world witnessed in January, that contest can be extremely engrossing.

Former Scotland rugby union international Doddie Weir has died at the age of 52.

Weir was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in June 2017, and his death was confirmed by his family on Saturday.

He was capped 61 times for Scotland, making his debut against Argentina in November 1990.

Weir was also a part of the British and Irish Lions' successful tour of South Africa in 1997, while his final Scotland cap came in a Six Nations defeat to France in March 2000.

After announcing his MND diagnosis, Weir helped raise millions for charity via the My Name'5 Doddie foundation.

A statement published on Scotland Rugby's website on Saturday from Weir's wife Kathy read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved husband and father, Doddie.

"Doddie was an inspirational force of nature. His unending energy and drive, and his strength of character powered him through his rugby and business careers and, we believe, enabled him to fight the effects of MND for so many years.

"Doddie put the same energy and even more love and fun into our lives together. He was a true family man. Whether working together on the farm, on holiday, or celebrating occasions with wider family and friends, Doddie was always in the thick of it.

"We are lucky to have shared our lives with him and we cherish all those memories. His love and warmth, his support and advice, his quick wit, and his terrible jokes. It is difficult to put into words how much we will miss him.

"MND took so much from Doddie, but never his spirit and determination. He battled MND so bravely, and whilst his own battle may be over, his fight continues through his foundation, until a cure is found for all those with this devastating disease.

"Hamish, Angus, Ben [Weir's children] and I would like to thank everyone for your support and for respecting our privacy at this difficult time."

Wales squandered a 21-point second-half lead to lose 39-34 to Australia at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff in a defeat that will further increase the pressure on head coach Wayne Pivac.

Jac Morgan scored two tries to help put Wales in a commanding position after 52 minutes, but Lachlan Lonergan completed a stunning late comeback to snap Australia's three-match losing run and inflict a ninth loss in 12 Tests on Pivac's side.

Morgan added to his double against Georgia by dotting down inside 10 minutes against Australia, either side of two penalties for Ben Donaldson, before Taulupe Faletau powered through a couple of Australian tackles to slide into the corner for a try on his 100th Test.

Gareth Anscombe added to that tally with a couple of penalties as part of a 10-point haul in the first half, though Folau Fainga'a touched down prior to half-time to reduce Wales' lead to two points.

Jake Gordon and Tom Robertson was sin-binned either side of half-time and Australia were made to pay when Morgan found the chalk from a driving maul, and the hosts were further ahead when Rio Dyer found the corner after a well-worked move.

Mark Nawaqanitawase revived Australia's hopes by twice crossing over and Wales themselves lost their discipline as Justin Tipuric and Ryan Elias were yellow carded, with the referee also awarding a penalty try after the latter deliberately collapsed a driving maul. 

Wales still had a two-point lead to protect with a minute remaining, but Lonergan walked in a dramatic last-gasp try following yet more good play from Nawaqanitawase, allowing Noah Lolesio to add the game-sealing extras.

For all the scrutiny on Tom Brady in what could be his final season in the NFL, the championship hopes of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may hinge heavily on a running back playing in his first.

Brady and the Buccaneers looked to finally be finding their groove on offense prior to their Week 11 bye, finishing with 419 net yards of offense as they knocked off the Seattle Seahawks in Munich in Week 10 to improve to 5-5.

Though Brady delivered arguably his best performance of the season throwing the ball, a critical development for the Bucs at Allianz Arena was the emergence of rookie running back Rachaad White, who thrived as the lead runner for Tampa Bay after Leonard Fournette suffered a hip injury.

White had 22 carries for 105 yards against Seattle having previously not topped eight carries or 27 yards in any of his first nine games. He became the first rookie running back to rush for 100 yards for Tampa Bay since Mike James in Week 9, 2013.

With Fournette doubtful to face the Cleveland Browns in Week 12, White will likely get the lion's share of the work in the Tampa Bay backfield again. After a breakout performance in Germany, can he blossom into an offensive weapon who can help propel the Bucs to a deep playoff run?

His season-long average of 3.7 yards per carry is not a point in his favour, however, White has demonstrated an encouraging ability to create yardage for himself.

Indeed, White is averaging 2.17 yards after contact per attempt in his first season after being selected in the third round out of Arizona State, that tally above the league-wide average of 2.07 for backs with at least 50 carries this season.

He bounced off defenders consistently in the defeat of Seattle, in which he racked up 2.71 yards after contact per attempt in a performance that was punctuated by his brutal stiff arm on Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs.

Among backs who had at least 10 carries in Week 10, only five backs averaged more yards after contact.

White's value is not just limited to his efforts on the ground, however. He offers significant upside as a receiving threat out of the backfield, as his burn rate, which measures how often a receiver wins his matchup on a play where he is targeted, illustrates.

For running backs with at least 25 targets in the passing game this season, White's burn rate of 64 per cent is the third best in the NFL. Though his tally of 135 receiving yards may not be overly impressive, his success in creating separation when he is utilised as a pass-catcher suggests that number would inflate considerably with more playing time.

White has the skill set to be a dynamic runner for the Buccaneers and serve as an outlet for Brady in the passing game, giving the 45-year-old an easy button when his connection with the likes of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin sputters as it has often done in 2022.

Against the Browns, however, it is the former capacity where White will look to enjoy the most significant influence.

The Browns have allowed a run success rate of 42.6 per cent this season, the fourth-worst in the NFL behind the Kansas City Chiefs (42.9%), Los Angeles Chargers (42.7%) and Detroit Lions (42.7%).

In addition, Cleveland's run defense has given up six rushing touchdowns of at least 10 yards, tied with the lowly Houston Texans for the most in the league.

While Fournette was injured against the Seahawks, White appeared to offer the Tampa Bay running game much more explosiveness when he took the mantle as the Buccaneers' primary tailback, suggesting he could be a better safety net who can alleviate some of the pressure on the arm of Brady by producing as a runner and a receiver in critical moments down the stretch and in the postseason.

That hypothesis will be tested in what should be an extremely favourable matchup for White and the Bucs' ground attack. If White takes advantage of this latest opportunity, Fournette may find himself operating in a supplementary role when he returns from injury.

Max Verstappen suggests any drivers in Formula One not prepared for a record-breaking race calendar next season should consider quitting.

The Red Bull man, who claimed a second world drivers' championship crown this term, capped his imperious year with victory at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix earlier this month.

But the Dutchman will face a longer fight to defend his title once more next term, with F1 poised for a possible 24-race campaign, two more than in 2022.

That has raised concerns over the fatigue drivers may face across a mammoth season, but Verstappen suggests those who do not feel they are cut out for the long haul should step back.

"If you're not prepared, then it's better to stop already, right?" he told The Guardian. "I think we're all racers, and we love racing.

"I think we are all prepared for longer seasons. I hope it will be tight. It's always nice to have a fight until the end. But yeah, I'm prepared for more races and for a longer fight hopefully."

Having seen the battle for his maiden title in 2021 go down to the wire in controversial circumstances, Verstappen ultimately secured his second crown with four races to go, at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Acknowledging it was nice to have a change of pace, the Dutchman also affirmed his hopes for a closer contest next term.

"You can't have that drama every single year, for sure," he reflected on 2021. "It's not good for me, it's not healthy for anyone in the team, both teams.

"Of course it's nice to have a season like I had last year, but it's also nice to have a season like I have this year.

"It just would be very tough if you have that every single year. But that also doesn't really happen in F1, so it should be okay."

Kevin Durant feels privileged to see LeBron James' exploits up close as the four-time NBA champion chases Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time points record.

James finished with 21 points on his return from an adductor injury in the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, as he inches closer to Abdul-Jabbar's NBA record of 38,387 points.

The 18-time All-Star is the NBA's second-highest scorer with 37,332 points to his name, and Durant is excited by the prospect of seeing the 37-year-old make history.

"To be the number one in anything, there's eight billion people in the world, we just figured that out last week, so to be the number one of all time at scoring the basketball, I'm sure it's going to be a range of emotions for him," Durant said on Friday.

"But to be in an era where we see this live is pretty cool as well. You probably can't even describe the emotions and feelings him and his family and his friends are going to go through, but it's cool to see it up close."

Durant sits 18th on the list with 26,110 points, putting him within 1,000 of six other players, but the 34-year-old is not thinking about his standing among the greatest to play the game.

"I never really thought of it," he said. "I heard the talks, especially early on in my career when I was doing stuff the LeBrons, the Michael Jordans have done in the league, as far as scoring.

"I know how tough it is to consistently do this year in and year out, day in and day out. A lot of stuff is out of your control. 

"But I just try to come in and be the best version of myself I can be, and whatever happens, happens."

Asked whether there was any particular player on the list he was aiming to beat, Durant added: "I never thought of it that way. 

"It's always about just keep adding, keep building up good days every day. Being consistent in who I am as a player, and seeing what happens at the end of the road. 

"I'm just grateful to get up and do something like this every day. Just keep adding to my skill and keep building my database for the game, I guess.

"That's what I look forward to every day. Whoever I pass and whatever records I break for myself, it is what it is. But I'm just trying to get up and be available, be the best I can every day."

Durant had a game-high 36 points as the Brooklyn Nets went down to a 128-117 loss against the Indiana Pacers.

The Los Angeles Clippers will be without franchise centerpieces Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for at least one more game after the duo were ruled out of Sunday's home fixture against the Indiana Pacers.

Leonard initially returned in October for his first action since tearing his ACL in the 2021 playoffs. It was short-lived, with his knee swelling up after two games, forcing him to miss another three weeks.

His latest stint saw him start three consecutive wins over the space of five days, but late in the fourth quarter of the third, against the Utah Jazz on Monday, he landed on an opponent's foot and rolled his ankle.

Meanwhile, George has missed three games since straining his hamstring against the San Antonio Spurs last Saturday – a game where he had 21 points in the first half before suffering the injury.

Making $42million each this season, the duo are the only players on the Clippers' roster making over $17m, and are relied on to lead their team on both ends of the floor.

Los Angeles have lost both of their past two games by double-digits, and will get no reprieve when the Pacers come to town. The visitors boast the fourth-best record (11-7) in the Eastern Conference after a surprising start to what was meant to be a rebuilding season, led by the league-leader in assists, Tyrese Haliburton.

It was only the ninth time in LeBron James' illustrious 1377-game career that he has committed nine turnovers in a game, but he was able to figure it out in "winning time" to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 105-94 on Friday.

James had missed the previous five games with an adductor injury, but returned to the line-up to help the Lakers collect their fourth win from their past five games.

He had six of his nine turnovers in the first half, and had only 13 points through three quarters, but he turned it on down the stretch to finish with 21 points (eight-of-17), eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block.

Speaking to the media after the win, James said he felt rusty in the early stages, but was pleased to deliver in his "favourite quarter".

"My rhythm, my timing was a little off on a few of my passes," he said.

"I had six [turnovers] in the first half, and cut it in half in the second half. I'll be a lot better, obviously, as the games go on I'll get my rhythm back.

"[But] the fourth quarter has always been my favourite quarter. That's winning time, that's closing time and to be out there and being able to execute and make plays in the fourth quarter, it's always a treat for me."

James was supported in style by Anthony Davis, who continued his red-hot form with another 25 points (10-of-13 shooting), 15 rebounds and three blocks.

It continues Davis' best statistical start to a season since arriving with the Lakers ahead of the 2019-20 season, averaging 27.7 points per game in November and a career-high 12.6 rebounds for the season.

"AD was the best player in the league over the last 4-5 games," James said. "Just his numbers and productivity on both sides of the floor. 

"It's not just offensively, but defensively he's been super engaged, and tonight once again he was amazing."

Davis is the anchor of the Lakers' defense, which was their calling card during their run to the 2020 championship.

They were the third-ranked defense in the league that year, and the number one defense in the 2020-21 season, before plummeting to 21st this past campaign.

With the additions of athletic defenders Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown Jr, as well as Davis' return to form, the Lakers are back up to the sixth-best defense this season, and guard Dennis Schroder made it clear James is a big part of that.

"Defensively, [James] was amazing," Schroder said. "Switching, holding off players and not letting them get to the rim.

"If we got him and AD committing on the defensive end like that, then we're going to go a long way."

Davis echoed that sentiment that James' performance was a two-way clinic.

"His voice, leadership, his playmaking, scoring ability – I think it all came into effect tonight," he said. 

"Especially down the stretch, pick-and-roll and calling plays and stuff. I think it was really good for us."

James and Davis being back in the line-up together should see the Lakers begin to work out their offense, which has been weighing the team down early and is the big reason they are 6-11.

Their offensive rating of 106.3 is the second-worst in the league, but if they can get that end of the floor to even league average, their defense has the potential to lead the Lakers to the playoffs.

Two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was once again the best player on the floor to lead his Milwaukee Bucks to a 117-102 victory against the breakout Cleveland Cavaliers.

Both teams entered the contest as a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, and despite a 29-point effort from offseason trade acquisition Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs had no answer for the Bucks' future Hall-of-Famer.

Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 38 points on 13-of-20 shooting, hitting 10 of his 14 free throws while adding nine rebounds, six assists and two blocks. 

While usual running-mate Jrue Holiday was not at his sharpest, shooting four-of-13 for his nine points, it was veteran center Brook Lopez who turned out to be the Bucks' second star.

Lopez scored eight points without missing a field goal, hitting both of his three-point attempts, and he was a force defensively, blocking six shots for the second time this season, and it was the fifth time from his 17 games that he has blocked at least five shots.

His 2.6 blocks per game is a new career-high in his 15th season, and the second-best figure in the league, trailing only Myles Turner (2.8) of the Indiana Pacers. 

Along with Antetokounmpo, the pair are anchoring the best defense in the league, conceding 105.9 points per 100 possessions – almost two points per 100 possessions better than any other team.

With the win, the Bucks are now 13-5 and 10-2 at home, while the Cavaliers fall to 12-7, and remain the third seed.

Lakers make it four wins from five

The return of LeBron James has helped the Los Angeles Lakers win their fourth game from their past five outings, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 105-94.

After missing five games with an adductor injury, James was more than a little rusty as he committed nine turnovers for only the ninth time in his 1377-game career. However, he still chipped in 21 points on eight-of-17 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists.

Enjoying his best statistical start to a season since arriving with the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting, grabbing 15 rebounds to increase his career-high average to 12.6, and he blocked three shots.

Pacers keep on winning

The Indiana Pacers are meant to be in a rebuilding year, but after their 128-117 win against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday they now own the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Myles Turner continued his career-best season with an efficient 23 points on nine-of-11 shooting, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking two shots, while pick-and-pop partner Tyrese Haliburton had 15 assists and four steals to go with his 21 points. Haliburton leads the league in assists at 10.9 per game, and is the only player averaging over 9.4.

Kevin Durant was not to blame for the Nets' loss, scoring a game-high 38 points (15-of-31) with eight rebounds and eight assists, while Ben Simmons scored 20 points on perfect eight-for-eight shooting.

Injury-plagued Charlotte Hornets wing Gordon Hayward is set for another extended stint on the sidelines after it was revealed on Friday he has a fracture in his left shoulder.

Hayward, 32, has only played more than 52 games in one of the past five seasons since his shocking broken leg in his first game as a member of the Boston Celtics back in 2017.

Averaging 16.3 points, 4.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in his 11 games this season, Hayward allegedly suffered the injury in Sunday's loss to the Washington Wizards.

However, according to his wife Robyn Hayward, Gordon went on to play 29 minutes in Wednesday's win against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring just seven points with four turnovers as he battled pain throughout.

In a comment on Instagram, she said: "He actually has a fractured scapula... that they had him play with last game.

Thursday's Thanksgiving showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants broke a 32-year-old record as the most-watched regular season game in NFL history.

According to Nielsen, the afternoon showcase on one of America's biggest holidays averaged 42million viewers, surpassing the December 3, 1990 Monday Night Football fixture between the Giants and the San Francisco 49ers.

The Cowboys ended up coming from behind at half-time to storm home for a 28-20 win, improving their record to 8-3 in the process.

Having not won a playoff game since 2018, the current Cowboys roster is arguably their best of the past decade, featuring franchise talents at quarterback with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb at wide receiver and edge-rusher Micah Parsons, who is the favourite to win Defensive Player of the Year.

All-in-all, it was the most-watched slate of games ever on Thanksgiving, with the three contests averaging 33.5m viewers to break the 1993 Thanksgiving record of 32.9m, when there were only two games played.