Premiership: Worcester 20-24 Harlequins

Harlequins earned a 15th straight league win over Worcester despite a spirited comeback from Warriors.

Charlie Walker danced through to give Quins an early lead at Sixways before Luke Wallace bundled over as the visitors led 17-3 at half-time.

Walker added his second try following Danny Care's fine kick along the turf.

Worcester earned a bonus point through Marco Mama's score, a penalty try and Phil Dowson's try but were unable to overturn a 21-point deficit.

There was little sign of what was to come from Warriors in the final 30 minutes when Walker's converted try put Harlequins 24-3 in front shortly after the break.

As the visitors started to lose their discipline in the muddy conditions, Warriors' pack began to dominate and ran in 17 unanswered points.

But with just over 10 minutes left for the hosts to find another try, Quins' defence held firm to move up to third in the Premiership table.

Worcester have not beaten Harlequins since a 15-9 victory at the Stoop in February 2005 and their task was made even more difficult when wing Walker exchanged passes with Ross Chisholm to score after just three minutes.


George Lowe was sent to the sin-bin for Quins for coming in at the side of the ruck, but Warriors were only able to add a Tom Heathcote penalty with their man advantage.

Flanker Wallace extended the lead following a big drive from the line-out which Nick Evans converted to take him past 1,500 points in the Premiership.

Harlequins continued their dominance after the break as Walker did well to pick up Care's clever grubber kick and touch down before Mama was driven over for Warriors.

However, as lack of discipline began to creep into Quins' game, Jamie Roberts was shown a yellow card, leading to a penalty try which Ryan Mills converted to reduce the arrears to just nine points.


Worcester captain Dowson crossed in the corner to set up a fascinating finale, but it proved to be the final score of a thrilling match.



Worcester director of rugby Dean Ryan:

"I'm really disappointed, I'm sick of being described as plucky losers as we have to change that tag and I'm fed up of being close.

"Our kicking was woeful in the first half, we were trying to thread the ball through the eye of a needle and the first 40 minutes just wasn't good enough.

"We haven't got the experience of a Nick Evans or a Danny Care, who moved us around with some pin-point kicking and Care's kick to create their third try was outstanding."

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea:

"For the first 45 or 50 minutes we were outstanding, we were disciplined and clinical and were still trying to play rugby in the difficult conditions.

"If we could play like that for the whole 80 minutes we would be some side. Then we got on the wrong end of the referee but it's a precious win as you have to be 10 points better than the opposition to win away from home.


"I couldn't see how Jamie Roberts could be sin-binned but credit to Worcester for sticking at it and to us for closing the game out."

Premiership: Northampton 8-3 Exeter

It was Exeter's first defeat in the Premiership since their loss

to Bath on 17 October

Exeter missed out on the chance to go top of the Premiership after an error-filled encounter against Northampton.

The only try of the game came when Saints' hooker Mike Haywood went over from a driving maul after 17 minutes.

JJ Hanrahan kicked a penalty to give Northampton an 8-0 lead going into the break at Franklin's Gardens.

Exeter failed to take a number of chances in the Saints 22 after half-time and only got on the scoresheet with Gareth Steenson's late penalty.

Exeter remain in second place behind Saracens after getting a losing bonus point, while Saints stay fifth.

Low-scoring Saints and Chiefs
Exeter equalled their record low for points in a Premiership match - the last time they scored just one penalty was in a 33-3 loss at Northampton in October 2011
Chiefs had scored 215 points in their previous seven Premiership games - an average of just under 31 a game
Northampton's try was just their 11th of the season in the Premiership - five of which came in their 42-16 win over Newcastle in October

In an ugly encounter in front of a modern-day record crowd of 15,430, Saints defence did well to stifle Exeter, stopping the previously free-flowing Chiefs from getting much ball, especially in the first half.

Haywood crossed for the only try after Jamie Gibson gathered a line-out close to the Exeter try-line and the front-rower was forced over with the help of his team-mates.

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Hanrahan hit the post with the conversion but found his mark nine minutes from half-time as Northampton's dominance in the scrum led to a penalty.

Hanrahan missed a chance to extend the lead just after the break and while Exeter had more ball, Saints doggedly forced turnovers every time Chiefs went close.

Steenson kicked a 74th-minute penalty for their only score of the game after winning a penalty at the breakdown, but it proved to be the final action of a dour game.

Releasing Jackson was first of Kelly's unpopular, bold moves

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Chip Kelly made it clear when he arrived in the NFL that he wanted players to do things his way.

DeSean Jackson found out the hard way.

Jackson had his the best season with the Philadelphia Eagles playing under Kelly in 2013. He had career-highs in receptions (82) and yards receiving (1,332) and tied his best with nine touchdown catches. Jackson went to his third Pro Bowl and helped the Eagles win the division and set several franchise records on offense.

Yet, Kelly cut Jackson a few months after the season.

Kelly has always maintained it was a ''football decision'' but teams don't part ways with their most productive players without cause.

Jackson is only 5-foot-10 and 178 pounds and Kelly prefers bigger, stronger receivers. There's one side of the football part of his decision. The other was his contract. He was scheduled to make $10.7 million in 2014. But the main reason Jackson was let go was he didn't fit the ''culture'' Kelly was building in Philadelphia.

Kelly wants team-first, unselfish players who put wins ahead of personal stats. Though he never said Jackson wasn't that guy, the receiver had a reputation for a diva attitude. Various reports said he pouted if he didn't get the ball, he was late for team meetings and he was insubordinate to Kelly.

Jackson later blamed the Eagles for these media reports, calling it a ''smear campaign.'' He's keeping the grudge to himself 21 months later.

View galleryReleasing Jackson was first of Kelly's unpopular, …
FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2013, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson, left, m …
''I'm happy to be here in Washington, and I'm not looking back,'' Jackson said this week. ''It's in the past and it's over and done with. I'm happy where I'm at now. I'm blessed to say I have a job and still playing at a high level.''

It was the first of several unpopular moves Kelly has made, and it cemented his image as an autocratic coach.

Jackson quickly landed with the Redskins after his release in March 2014, signing a three-year deal worth $24 million, with $16 million guaranteed.

He's played a key role in helping Washington go from worst to first in the NFC East. Now, he has a chance to really stick it to Kelly.

The Redskins (7-7) can clinch the division title with a win in Philadelphia on Saturday night. The Eagles (6-8) need a win to avoid elimination.

''We know we need to do something that we haven't been able to do in (three) years,'' Jackson said. ''So, we just want to take care of the opportunities that are handed to us. That's at stake right now, which is win a football game. Regardless of anything else, I'm not going to let it be bigger than what it is.''

Jackson's teammates know it's not just another game to him.

''This is one of the reasons we recruited DJ to come here and one of the reasons that he came here, is to be able to face those guys,'' defensive back DeAngelo Hall said. ''And there's no better situation than to face them for it all, for the division.

''I know he's jacked-up and ready to roll, and I think all of us, we'll have his back, too, so we'll be ready to go.''

Merson's predictions: Arsenal to beat Man City on MNF... and go on to win Premier League title

Paul Merson is tipping Arsenal to beat Manchester City on Monday Night Football, and thinks the Gunners will then go on to win the league.

In his weekly predictions column, Merse also sees Chelsea returning to winning ways against Sunderland following the sacking of Jose Mourinho, while tipping Manchester United to overcome Norwich.

The Magic Man predicts table-topping Leicester will stumble at Goodison Park against Everton, and believes former club Aston Villa will lose at Newcastle on Saturday Night Football.

Taulupe Faletau: Bath sign Newport Gwent Dragons forward

Bath will sign Wales back-rower Taulupe Faletau from Pro12 side Newport Gwent Dragons at the end of the season.

He had been set to join them in October but a move was blocked by Warren Gatland, his national team coach.

The Tonga-born 25-year-old has been capped 52 times by Wales, and represented the British and Irish Lions during the 2013 tour of Australia.

Faletau, who has been with Dragons since 2009, played four times as Wales reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

"The way Bath approach the game suits my style of play," he said.

"The opportunity to work with Darren (Edwards, Bath first-team coach) again after doing so with Wales Under-20s and the Dragons was also too good to turn down."

Faletau has won three Six Nations titles and two Grand Slams. A Welsh Rugby Union statement said it was committed to keeping its best players in the country when Faletau's transfer was turned down earlier this year.

However, he will now join the Premiership club once his contract has run out in the summer of 2016, a move head coach Mike Ford described as "evidence" of their ambition.

"When we talk about this club being ambitious, we're not just paying lip service," said Ford. "Signing a player of Toby's calibre is evidence of that.

"He is a world-class player who never takes a backwards step and he will add competition to an equally fantastic back row.

David Beckham says 2022 World Cup should be held in Qatar

David Beckham believes the 2022 World Cup should be held in Qatar despite uncertainty over its hosting rights.
Swiss and US authorities are looking at claims of corruption in the bidding for both the 2018 (Russia) and 2022 events.
In the Radio Times' Christmas issue, Beckham said: "Whether it's corrupt or not, those countries have been chosen. People need to get behind that.
"It's about bringing football to new countries. They should stick with it. They'll make it work."
In June a leading Fifa official said Russia and Qatar could lose the 2018 and 2022 World Cups if evidence emerges of bribery.
Russia and Qatar have denied wrongdoing in their bidding processes and the official, Domenico Scala, said he had not seen evidence of corruption





Fifa is currently in disarray and has announced plans to reform, but asked whether the governing body was turning a corner, the 40-year-old former England captain said: "No - they are just hitting the bend.
"It's such a mess that it's going to take a while to sort out.
"For me to see the game, the way it's been treated and looked after, is devastating. It's disgusting."
Last week Fifa plunged further into crisis when US authorities investigating corruption at the sport's governing body charged 16 officials.

In May there were seven Fifa arrests, while Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa counterpart Michel Platini - a Fifa vice-president - have been suspended for 90 days after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter.

Women's Big Bash League: Australian T20 tournament begins

The inaugural Women's Big Bash League has got under way in Australia - with nine current England players signed up by the eight franchises.

The WBBL, a Twenty20 tournament, runs until the final on 24 January.

It begins with Saturday's two games at Melbourne's Junction Oval as Brisbane Heat, with England's Lauren Winfield and Kate Cross, take on Melbourne Stars whose squad includes Natalie Sciver.

It is played in parallel with the men's Big Bash which starts on 17 December.

Eight of the 59 WBBL games will be shown on Australian free-to-air television, with many games grouped around weekends with free entry for spectators.

England vice-captain Heather Knight was named as Hobart Hurricanes skipper on Friday, while all-rounder Laura Marsh signed for the Sydney Sixers earlier this week, meaning that seven of the eight WBBL franchises feature English players.

As well as the top Australian players, other leading international stars taking part include New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates and big-hitting West Indian Deandra Dottin.

England skipper Charlotte Edwards features in a Perth Scorchers squad including fast bowler Katherine Brunt, as well as ex-England all-rounder Nicky Shaw, who retired from internationals in 2010 and has since played for Western Australia.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor lines up for Adelaide Strikers, having helped South Australia win the 50-over Women's National Cricket League last week.

England will launch its own T20 competition, the £3m Women's Cricket Super League, next summer.

Current and former England players in the WBBL
Team    England players
Adelaide Strikers    Sarah Taylor
Brisbane Heat    Kate Cross, Lauren Winfield
Hobart Hurricanes    Heather Knight
Melbourne Renegades    Danielle Wyatt
Melbourne Stars    Natalie Sciver
Perth Scorchers    Katherine Brunt, Charlotte Edwards, Nicky Shaw
Sydney Sixers    Laura Marsh
Sydney Thunder    none