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Rafael Nadal beaten by Stefanos Tsitsipas in Madrid Open semi-final

Published in Tennis

Saturday, 11 May 2019 16:01

Rafael Nadal's bid for a sixth Madrid Open is over after he was beaten by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semi-final.

Greek 20-year-old Tsitsipas, the eighth seed, came through 6-4 2-6 6-3 in a thrilling encounter.

He will play top seed Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final after the Serb earlier overcame Austrian Dominic Thiem 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-4).

Nadal's defeat on the Madrid clay comes just two weeks before he bids for a 12th French Open title in Paris.

Tsitsipas, one of the most exciting young players in the game, beat Roger Federer at this year's Australian Open and, though he had never beaten Nadal, produced a brilliant performance to see off the Spaniard on his favourite surface.

Nadal's defeat was his third straight semi-final exit on clay after losing to Fabio Fognini in the Monte Carlo Masters and Thiem in the Barcelona Open.

Tsitsipas said: "It means the world, it's really nice to be able to play this way, it's an unbelievable feeling.

"I had to show mental discipline, and being tough and decisive in those crucial moments was key, I had to take all opportunities because Rafa is a fighter, he doesn't give you many points."

Tsitsipas, who beat Djokovic in the Rogers Cup in Toronto last August, said he was looking forward to another match with the Serbian.

"I'll have to be mentally prepared for Djokovic, I'm sure he wants the title as badly as me."

The Greek made a fine start against Nadal, breaking the Spaniard's serve three times in the opening set, but the 17-time Grand Slam champion looked to have swung the match in his favour by winning four straight games at the end of the second.

Tsitsipas saved break points early in the third and then earned a break of his own to move to move 3-2 in front before another soon after took him 5-2 ahead.

Nadal then denied Tsitsipas when his opponent was serving for the match before the contest ended with a thrilling final game.

Nadal saved Tsitsipas' first match point at 30-40 before hitting a sensational pick-up winner and a fine drop shot to see off two more, leaving his home crowd gasping in disbelief.

But when the Spaniard hit a volley into the net on the following point to give Tsitsipas a fourth match point, the Greek closed out the match.

Djokovic finding form before Paris

World number one Djokovic reached his third Madrid final earlier on Saturday with a gruelling win over Thiem.

The match lasted two hours and 24 minutes and secured Djokovic a first clay-court final of the season.

Thiem, the runner-up in the previous two Madrid finals, led by a break in both sets but Djokovic fought back to win.

Elsewhere, Roger Federer has confirmed he will play in next week's Italian Open as he continues to build-up to his first French Open for four years.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion played his first clay-court event in three years in Madrid, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Thiem.

Federer has never won in Rome and will receive a first-round bye for the tournament which begins on Monday.

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First Champions League trophy for Tarnobrzeg

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 11 May 2019 14:33

Suffering defeat in all three of their previous Champions League finals, however, KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg were well placed heading into the 2nd leg of this year’s final having established a narrow, but important, 3-2 lead in the opening leg.

Making a dream start, visitors Tarnobrzeg sailed into a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2nd leg as Han Ying and Elizabeta Samara emerged victorious in their respective encounters with Doo Hoi Kem (11-5, 11-9, 11-7) and Fu Yu (11-3, 7-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-4).

With home advantage on their side the Dr. Casl players weren’t willing to give up on the prospect of a second successive title with Ni Xia Lian and Doo Hoi Kem holding the upper hand in fixtures three and four against Li Qian (11-5, 11-6, 11-7) and Elizabeta Samara (2-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8) to level the scores at 2-2.

Successful in the opening encounter of the evening and Han Ying was the player celebrating in the closing fixture of the match, condemning Fu Yu to her second straight games defeat (11-4, 11-8, 11-9) to complete a 3-2 victory for Tarnobrzeg and an aggregate win of 6-4 across the two legs.

Halted at the final hurdle two years ago but the 2018-2019 Women’s Champions League title belongs to KTS Enea Siarka Tarnobrzeg.

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Notable names add to earlier success, Liu Jing and Gu Xiaodan maintain form

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 11 May 2019 15:34

Gold medallist in Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro, the three most recent Paralympic Games, on the second day of action Liu Jing had won the class 2 title; partnering Nadejda Pushpasheva, on the concluding day of play, the class 1-2 team title was secured.

The top seeds, in a group organised event, they finished ahead of the no.3 seeds, the Brazilian combination formed by Catia da Silva Oliveira and Maia Limp de Azevedo; Florence Gossiaux-Sireau of France in partnership with Argentina’s Maria Garronne ended the day in third position.

Similarly, Gu Xiaodan added to her success in the individual events; competing in the same category and partnering Zhou Ying, the duo secured the class 4 team title. The top seeds, at the final hurdle they recorded a 2-1 win in opposition to the no.2 seeds, the Serbian combination of Borislava Peric-Rankovic and Nada Matic.

Gold for China but it was not the situation in class 3 nor in class 5; events in which they held the top seeded positions. In class 3 the trio comprising Xue Juan, Li Qian and Yang Zhonghui experienced a 2-0 defeat in the final against Korea Republic’s Yoon Jiyu and Lee Migyu.

Meanwhile, in class 5, the outfit formed by Zhang Bian, Zhang Miao and Pan Jiamin had to settle for second place in a group administered event. In the vital concluding match of the itinerary, they suffered 2-1 reverse at the hands of the combination formed by Sweden’s Anna-Carin Ahlqhuist and Israel’s Caroline Tabib.

Matters concluded in Lasko, attention now turns to Wladyslawowo; the three day Para Polish Open 2019 commences on Thursday 30th May.

Thermana Lasko Slovenia Para Open 2019: Latest results and main draws

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Korea Republic pairs upset seeding, familiar name excels

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 11 May 2019 15:43

Korea Republic dominated class 1, they provided both finalists but it was the unseeded second team duo of Nam Kiwon and Park Sungjoo who emerged the winners; at the final hurdle they recorded a 2-0 win in opposition their colleagues, the top seeded partnership formed by Joo Youngdae and Kim Hyeonuk.

Similarly, in class 4, compatriots Kim Younggun and Kim Junggil, although major contenders for honours, did not start as favourites; they were the no.2 seeds. In the final they upset the odds; a 2-1 win was the margin of victory in opposition to the top seeded Turkish combination of Abdullah Ozturk, Nesim Turan and Suleyman Vural.

Success for the Korea Republic, there was also success for China; notably more gold for the irrepressible Feng Panfeng. The winner two days earlier of the class 3 singles title, in the same category he joined forces with Zhai Xiang and Guo Fei to secure team gold. The top seeds, at the final hurdle they accounted for the no.3 seeds, the combination formed by Ireland’s Colin Judge and Jenson Van Emburgh from the United States.

More gold for Feng Panfeng and for the player he had beaten in the singles final, there was a degree of consolation; Thomas Schmidberger partnered German colleague Valentin Baus to success in class 5. The top seeds, in the final the duo combined to record a 2-0 win against the no.2 seeds, Norway’s Tommy Urhaug and Great Britain’s Jack Hunter-Spivey.

Delight for Thomas Schmidberger and Valentin Baus but the happiest man was seemingly Jack Hunter-Spivey. A 2-0 win had been posted at the semi-final stage in opposition to the no.4 seeds, the Chinese trio led by Cao Ningning, the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gold medallist; in Lasko supported by Zhan Dashun and Shi Yanping. It was for the British player very special on a special day.

“It’s always a pleasure playing with Tommy and it’s great to get to the final of such a strong competition. I feel that I’ve played very well this week; I’ve been training hard and I’m starting to see the rewards. Beating Baus in the singles event is a great win for me as he is a great player and now I’m showing that I’m on the same level as the top players in the world. Overall I’m really happy with my performance and a big win over China in the team event on my birthday makes it even more special.” Jack Hunter-Spivey

A delighted Jack Hunter-Spivey, it was also a delighted Fabien Lamirault and Stéphane Molliens; the top seeds, the French pair secured the class 2 title; they overcame the no.3 seeds, Slovakia’s Jan Riapos and Martin Ludrovsky 2-0 in the final.

Proceedings over in Lasko, attention now turns to Wladyslawowo; the three day Para Polish Open 2019 commences on Thursday 30th May.

Thermana Lasko Slovenia Para Open 2019: Latest results and main draws

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Titles for China but Ukraine and Russia provide stand out names

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 11 May 2019 15:50

Winner of the class 6 title earlier in the week Maryna Lytovchenko joined forces with Romania’s Gabriela Constantin to secure the top prize in the class 6-7 team event; furthermore, the success was very much contrary to expectations.

The no.3 seeds, in a group administered event, they finished ahead of the top seeded Russian duo comprising Raisa Chebanika and Maliak Alieva; the no.2 seeds, the pairing formed by Turkey’s Kubra Korkut and Germany’s Bente Harenberg concluding matters in third position. A quite outstanding effort and even more outstanding when taken into consideration the fact that they did not surrender a single individual match; the score-line 2-0 was recorded on each occasion.

Meanwhile, in class 11, the category for players with a learning difficulty, Elena Prokofeeva added to her earlier success by partnering colleague Anzhelika Kosacheva to gold. The top seeds, at the final hurdle they recorded a 2-0 win in opposition to Japan’s Kanami Furukawa and Sayuri Mio.

Otherwise, in the women’s team standing events, it was success for China. Imposingly Mao Jingdian, Huang Wenjuan and Li Guiying combined to secure the class 8 title and repeated earlier success. In the group stage they had recorded a 2-0 win again the German pairing of Juliane Wolf and Stephanie Grebe, in the final they did exactly the same.

Gold for China as status predicted, it was the same in class 9 but not in class 10. In a group organised class 9 competition, Xiong Guiyan and Liu Meng finished ahead of Poland’s Karolina Pek and Malgorzata Jankowska; rather differently in class 10, not listed amongst the top outfits, Fan Lei, Zhao Xiajing and Hou Chunxiao emerged victorious. At the final hurdle they claimed a 2-1 win in opposition to the Turkish trio of Neslihan Kavas, Merve Demir and Ümran Ertis.

Play concluded in Lasko, attention now turns to Wladyslawowo; the three day Para Polish Open 2019 commences on Thursday 30th May.

Thermana Lasko Slovenia Para Open 2019: Latest results and main draws

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French duo surprise winners, defy seeding to claim gold

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 11 May 2019 15:59

First place in the group secured without the loss a single individual match, next a quarter-final success by the same 2-0 margin in opposition to Japan’s Nariaki Kakita and Naoya Nagashita was recorded; on the last day of play the form was maintained.

They posted a 2-1 win against the Spanish outfit comprising José Manuel Ruiz, Juan Bautista Perez Gonzalez and Jorge Cardona, prior to securing a 2-0 win in the final against the combination of Montenegro’s Filip Radovic and Great Britain’s Kim Daybell.

Defeat for Kim Daybell but the recently qualified doctor was in a philosophical frame of mind.

“I think we played good doubles considering we have never played together before; we could have nicked the doubles in the final and Filip was unlucky not to win his singles. I’m pleased with the way I’ve played this week although my results could have been better in the singles. As it is qualification year for Tokyo everyone is playing at a very high level and the margins are very tight, playing anyone in the top 15 you know you it is going to be a battle.” Kim Daybell

Success for Mateo Boheas and Gilles de la Bourdonnaye very much contrary to expectations; in the remaining men’s team standing events, the highly rated outfits prevailed.

Spain’s Alvaro Valera added to the class 6 men’s singles title secured earlier in the week by joining forces with colleagues Jordi Morales and Alberto Seone Alcazar to win class 7 gold; the top seeds, a 2-1 victory margin in the final against the no.2 seeds, China’s Yan Shuo and Liao Keli, sealed the title.

Similarly, in class 11 it was success for the top seeds; Belgium’s Florian Van Acker and Hungary’s Peter Palos joined forces, a 2-0 margin being the outcome in the final against the no.2 seeds, Japan’s Takeshi Takamori and Koya Kato.

Titles for the top seeds, in class 6 it was gold for the no.2 seeds, as it was in class 8. In class 6, China’s Huang Jiaxin and Chen Chao recorded a 2-1 win in the gold medal contest against the no.2 seeds, the combination formed by Romania’s Bobi Simion and Italy’s Matteo Parenzan. Meanwhile, in class 8, it was a 2-0 success for China’s Zhao Shuai, Chao Qun and Peng Weinan when facing the top seeds, Ukraine’s Viktor Didukh, Ivan Mai and Maysym Nikolenko.

Impressive from the second seeds, in class 9 it was impressive from the no.3 seeds. At the final hurdle Japan’s Koyo Iwabuchi anf Nobuyuki Suzuki secured a 2-0 win against the top seeds, Sweden’s Emil Andersson and Daniel Gustafsson to claim gold.

Proceedings over in Lasko, the focus now turns to Wladyslawowo; the three day Para Polish Open 2019 commences on Thursday 30th May.

Thermana Lasko Slovenia Para Open 2019: Latest results and main draws

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Ospreys to face Scarlets for European Cup spot after Saracens win 2019 title

Published in Rugby

Saturday, 11 May 2019 11:04

Ospreys will host Scarlets on Saturday, 18 May for a place in next season's European Champions Cup after Saracens beat Leinster to the 2018-19 title.

The Pro14 play-off between the west Wales rivals was confirmed as the English Premiership club beat Ireland's flag-bearers 20-10 in Newcastle.

The outcome also ended Cardiff Blues' hopes of making Europe's top flight.

Sarries' win meant Liam Williams becoming the 11th Welshman to earn a European winners medal.

The 10th Welshman to earn a winners' medal was Leigh Halfpenny, who helped Toulon as they beat Clermont Auvergne to the crown in 2015.

Halfpenny and Davies will now be hoping Scarlets can give them the chance to play in next season's European top tier.

Relief for Wales

Concluding the season's Pro14 business next weekend will also be welcomed by the Wales management.

Warren Gatland's preparations for the 2019 World Cup in Japan could have been affected by any delay.

The 42-man training squad will report for duty four weeks after playing their final matches of the domestic season.

That will now be 27 May for Dragons and Blues players, and 18 June for Ospreys and Scarlets.

For the latest Welsh rugby news follow @BBCScrumV on Twitter.

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Alex Goode named European Player of the Year after Saracens win Champions Cup

Published in Rugby

Saturday, 11 May 2019 13:57

Alex Goode was named European Player of the Year after helping Saracens win a third Champions Cup in four years.

Mark McCall's side came from 10-0 down to beat holders and four-time champions Leinster 20-10 and regain the trophy.

Goode beat fellow nominees Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Garry Ringrose and Mako Vunipola and received the award on the pitch after Saturday's final.

"It's a special team," Goode told the BBC. "The second half was our best performance in any game I've known."

"It's the only club I've ever known and it means so much to me to win with Sarries."

Saracens won their first Champions Cup in 2016 with a 21-9 win over Racing 92 and defended their title the following season with a 28-17 victory over Clermont.

Goode, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Tuesday, has been repeatedly overlooked by England head coach Eddie Jones and last represented his country in 2016.

England World Cup winner Matt Dawson, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said: "Alex Goode has had a number of super seasons but it's been to Saracens' benefit him not playing for England because he's always around the squad and is one of the senior players."

On Thursday Danny Cipriani, who has only made two England appearances under Jones, won the Rugby Players' Association Player of the Year award.

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Billy Vunipola caps off difficult month with Saracens victory in Champions Cup

Published in Rugby

Saturday, 11 May 2019 14:24

Saracens number eight Billy Vunipola thanked his team-mates after capping off a difficult month with the match-winning try in the Champions Cup final.

Vunipola left the field to boos after helping Saracens beat Leinster to win a third European title in four years.

The 26-year-old has been in the headlines after defending Israel Folau's social media post in which he said "hell awaits" gay people.

"There's a lot of love in that changing room," Vunipola told the BBC.

"I've felt that recently with everything that's been going on. The way we look after each other makes a massive difference.

"Today I want to make it about the team. It's not about me or what I stand for. It's about the badge I represent and the players I stand with and who stand with me."

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall praised Vunipola for his contribution to the hard-fought 20-10 victory in Newcastle.

"It's obviously been a complicated five or six weeks, for him and for the squad," he said.

"But what we needed from him was to do his talking on the field, not off the field. He's been really good and his team-mates have supported him very well."

Vunipola left the field with a shoulder injury following his try, but later suggested it was nothing serious.

The England forward has a history of shoulder and arm injuries and said he may have hurt it as he barged past Leinster's defence to get over the tryline off the back of a scrum.

"If I didn't go for the try, I probably wouldn't have hurt my shoulder but those are the sacrifices you make for the team," he said.

"It's a bit sore but I think I'm just being a bit soft."

Who scores tries like that?

Former England scrum-half Matt Dawson was covering the final for BBC Radio 5 Live. Here's how he described Vunipola's try:

"This is a big game for big players - and Billy Vunipola is one of the biggest in world rugby. He has the ability to make the difference at key moments. He's a Test-match animal. The type of player you want in your side. Who scores tries like that? You think of Lawrence Dallaglio against Wales with players hanging off his back. What a player!"

Adversity 'let Saracens loose'

Saracens came from 10-0 down to beat holders and four-time champions Leinster and regain the trophy.

They became the first English side to win the tournament three times after beating Racing 92 21-9 in the 2016 final and defending their title with a 28-17 victory over Clermont the following season.

Mark McCall's side lost both their starting prop forwards to first-half injuries and were reduced to 14 men when Maro Itoje was given a yellow card for offside.

Leinster capitalised on the disruption as Tadhg Furlong barrelled over to give them a 10-point lead, but Saracens fought back and tries from Sean Maitland and Vunipola sealed the victory.

England captain and Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell insisted that Itoje's earlier absence had galvanised the team.

"When things got thrown at us it let us loose a bit," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "From thereon in it got better and better.

"We focus on ourselves. We let everything that's going on around us make us better. This is a tight-knit group and that's what makes us good."

Saracens captain Brad Barritt, who was named man of the match, said: "We have spoken in the last few weeks about being a tough team. Leinster are an unbelievable team with few weaknesses.

"We wanted to throw the kitchen sink at them and not hold back. We soaked up pressure and responded."

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Saracens hit back to beat Leinster and win third European title

Published in Rugby

Saturday, 11 May 2019 14:00

Saracens came from behind to win their third European title in four years with a 20-10 victory over Leinster in the Champions Cup final at St James' Park.

The Irish side held a 10-point lead until the 39th minute but Sarries drew level when Sean Maitland's try cancelled out Tadhg Furlong's opener.

Both defences stood firm after the interval but Owen Farrell kicked Saracens in front just before the hour.

Victory was sealed when Billy Vunipola crashed over from the back of a scrum.

Farrell kicked the conversion as the Londoners scored 20 unanswered points and put in a dominant second-half performance, despite losing both their starting props to injury in the first half.

Saracens - who become the first English side to win three Champions Cups after ending their European campaign unbeaten - will play a Premiership semi-final later this month as they continue to pursue the double, while Leinster remain on course to defend their Pro14 title.

Farrell wins the battles of the 10s

The 2019 Champions Cup final was dubbed as the battle of the fly-halves as international heavyweights Owen Farrell and Johnny Sexton renewed their rivalry, in front of nearly 52,000 spectators at Newcastle United's home ground.

Both players were 100% successful off the tee but it was Englishman Farrell who was the more influential as Saracens avenged last year's quarter-final defeat.

The England captain produced moments of excellence to draw his side level at half-time, having only conceded seven points with Maro Itoje in the sin-bin after waves of relentless Leinster running.

Farrell kicked the penalty to get Sarries on the scoreboard before his deft pass allowed Maitland an easy run-in to score their opening try, in a move BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Matt Dawson believed was "straight off the training ground".

Sexton ran more metres and made more passes than his opposite number after opening the scoring with an early penalty, but Farrell's game management in the critical moments allowed his side to gain an advantage.

The trophy's journey back to England was all-but confirmed when Vunipola dived over with 13 minutes remaining as the England forward continues to impress after a controversial few weeks.

Vunipola was booed again, this time by the vociferous Leinster support, for his controversial social media post defending the now-sacked Australian international Israel Folau's assertion that "hell awaits" gay people.

Saracens will be hoping Vunipola's late injury to his left shoulder is not too serious as they return to domestic rugby looking to claim more silverware.

Leinster's early work undone

With just a minute remaining of the first half, the plan for defending champions Leinster had been effective.

The Irish province were more mobile at the breakdown and they looked to bully Saracens into submission up front, as the north London side lost props Mako Vunipola and Titi Lamositele to injury as early as the 29th minute.

Itoje was sent to the bin for his part in an accumulation of penalties close to the Sarries line just a minute later, before Furlong powered over from close range for the game's first try.

But when Saracens - with captain Brad Barritt leading from the front - regained their composure, Leinster found it difficult to contain their fast and fluid game.

Saracens made 12 offloads compared to Leinster's four as they looked to keep the ball alive and stretch the game with strike runners Liam Williams and Maitland.

The English side were more clinical in the right areas, and while Leinster had 56% possession, they struggled for creativity and were unable to penetrate Saracens' defence - scoring only three points while Sarries had 15 players on the pitch.

Saracens set to dominate for years?

England World Cup winner Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live:

That was a magnificent turnaround by Saracens. Who says they can't win it again and again and again over the next few years?

Most of the team will be around for several years yet. It's a ridiculously talented squad with great coaches and infrastructure. They have been absolutely brilliant today.

BBC rugby correspondent Chris Jones:

At 10-0 up Leinster looked in control, but in a week of sporting comebacks, Sarries dug deep, scoring a brilliant try through Sean Maitland. In the final quarter Sarries were astonishingly relentless and Billy Vunipola's powerful try was the killer blow as Leinster ran out of steam.

It's three Champions Cups in four years for Saracens and, given the hunger and age of this squad, this legacy will only grow.

Man of the match - Brad Barritt

'It's a game of small margins' - what they said

Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell said: "It's a massive occasion for the whole club. It's not just about the lads on this pitch, everybody that's behind the scenes makes this club what it is.

"We were playing against a really good team who've got to back-to-back finals and they tested us. But this is a tight-knit group and that's what makes us good.

"Billy's played well and that's what he does on a regular basis. It's not just off-field stuff, it's other things as well and we've allowed it to make us tighter. You saw that today."

Leinster fly-half Johnny Sexton said: "It's a game of small margins. We were 10-3 up and had the ball in their half and decided to go for an attacking play.

"I thought we could have won it and scored ourselves which would have put the foot on their throat, but they are a champion side and they scored instead.

"At the start of the second half we started really well but we didn't take our chances close to their line. They made their pressure tell and we didn't.

"There were a few decisions that didn't go our way and we felt there was a knock-on before that second try."

Line-ups

Leinster: R Kearney; Larmour, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe; Sexton (capt), McGrath; Healy, Cronin, Furlong, Toner, Ryan, Fardy, O'Brien, Conan.

Replacements: Tracy for Cronin (51), J McGrath, Bent for Furlong (70), Ruddock, Deegan for Toner (74), O'Sullivan, R Byrne, O'Loughlin.

Saracens: Goode; Williams, Lozowski, Barritt (c), Maitland; Farrell, Spencer; M Vunipola, George, Lamositele, Skelton, Kruis, Itoje, Wray, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Gray, Barrington for Lamositele (29), Koch for M Vunipola (29), Isiekwe for Skelton (62), Burger for B Vunipola (75), Wigglesworth for Spencer (56), Tompkins, Strettle.

Attendance: 51,930

Referee: Jerome Garces (Fra)

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