Football news  

Ireland: Elano exit boosted City

Midfield player delivers attack on former playmaker saying club and Robinho particularly benefited from Galatasaray move

• Power struggle over Robinho's future at City

• Hughes hits back over Bridge

Seedorf: Capello is like a bulldozer

Dutch AC Milan player says Italian has ruthlessness to make his team one of favourites for World Cup next year

• Young leaves England running for cover

• Milner hopes versatility will complete dream

Young leaves England running for cover

Aston Villa defender refused to join Fabio Capello’s squad for match against Brazil after Glen Johnson withdrew

• Milner hopes versatility will complete dream

• Benítez gains from selective replay policy

Milner hopes versatility will complete dream

England forward's ability to play in several positions will count in his favour in bid to win a place in World Cup squad

• 2018 team must win over people who matter

• Coe warns over faltering World Cup bid

Rugby news  

Haskell and Hartley aiming at new targets

Forward pair picked to start for England against Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday after impressing against Australia

Hopley: ‘rugby morphing into American football'

Players’ Association chief worried his members are suffering more injuries with growing emphasis on power and collisions

Ireland stick with winning look for Australia

Declan Kidney has kept all but two of the grand slam-clinching side together for their first international of the autumn

Troubled Samoans aim to give Wales stern test

England injury woes are small in comparison to troubles of Wales’s opponents, whose country has been hit by a tsunami

Cricket news  

Pietersen hopes for new deal from fans

England batsman ready to return international fray after ‘worst year of career’ and wants a turnaround in his fortunes

Year ends on low point for England women

Charlotte Edwards’s side are in unusual position of only having pride to play for when they face West Indies in St Kitts

England XI well beaten by South Africa A

Alastair Cook top scores with just 22 as touring side lose Twenty20 match by four wickets after posting meagre total of 89

Richards: England must look to county game

West Indies great says England should look for homegrown talent rather than rely on players who grew up in South Africa

More sport news  

Murray wins but Federer crashes out

The Briton beats James Blake in three sets in the second round in Paris, while the world No 1 loses to Julien Benneteau

Hatton can escape brother's shadow

Boxing: title bout against Lovemore N’dou on Friday is opportunity for 28-year-old to make a name for himself in his own right

Pacquiao-Cotto may be start of carousel

Boxing: most fans want Floyd Mayweather to take on the Filipino but logic is not often applied in sport’s matchmaking

Hayne finds new life after escaping bullet

Tennis: Australia wing with propensity to attract lurid headlines has settled to new contentment after turbulent times

Racing and Betting News  

Twiston-Davies aims for last laugh

Trainer has a typically strong team for the three-day meeting at Cheltenham, with Ballyfitz being the stable's big hope in the Paddy Power Chase

Cheltenham stewards to explain themselves

Alan Lee's weekly Diary includes news of an experiment involving stewards and Harry Findlay gearing up for a run at Exeter

Walsh hopes luck holds for date with Denman

In-form jockey has first to negotiate Cheltenham meeting that has twice in succession ended with him in hospital