England winger Jack Nowell's chances of playing at the Rugby World Cup hang in the balance, according to Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter.

Nowell, 26, has not played since injuring his ankle in their Premiership final loss to Saracens in June, but was included in England's 31-man squad.

"I think he's going to be touch and go for involvement in the World Cup," Baxter told BBC Radio Devon.

"But let's cross our fingers and hope that he can come through."

Nowell has not featured in any of England's three warm-up Tests against Wales (two) or Ireland, with a final preparation game against Italy to come in Newcastle next Friday, 6 September.

Eddie Jones' side open their World Cup campaign against Tonga in a little over three weeks on Sunday, 22 September.

Nowell, who toured New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions in 2017, has scored 13 tries in 35 Tests for England and was part of the squad at the last World Cup in 2015.

He scored a hat-trick in his only tournament appearance against Uruguay, England's final pool match after they had already been eliminated.

They met on Halloween in 2012 at a bar in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jacob Trouba was dressed up as Superman; Kelly Tyson was Superwoman. They obviously found each other.

"She was a senior, I was a freshman," Trouba says. "Make sure you put that in there, she'll love that."

Even as the couple began dating, their future was cloudy. Tyson, a neuroscience major at the University of Michigan, was going to Sydney, Australia, after graduation for her masters degree. Trouba, a defenseman for the Wolverines' hockey team, was already a first-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets.

"We really couldn't think long-term," Tyson says. "We already knew we were going in different directions."

They broke up. Trouba visited Tyson in Australia. They got back together. But for the next six years, their relationship would be strained by their careers. Trouba became a regular for the Jets by 2013 and was bound to Manitoba for at least eight months of the year. Tyson took a job in Washington, D.C., but dreamed of medical school. It didn't make sense for her to apply to programs, or eventually take her boards, in Canada. After all, with the precarious nature of an NHL career, she didn't know how long her boyfriend would even be in Winnipeg.

This summer, Trouba was traded to the New York Rangers, and subsequently signed a seven-year, $56 million deal. For the first time in their relationship, the couple, who were engaged in 2018, could begin planning a future together -- in the same place. As Trouba told the Winnipeg Sun in June, "it's a great opportunity for myself and my fiancée," because "her career is as important as my career."

The comments reverberated across the internet and Trouba was celebrated as a feminist. The 25-year-old was taken aback by the reaction; this is the way he has always felt. He wasn't ungrateful for his time in Winnipeg, but the truth is, it was a lot easier on his personal life to play for an American team.

"Fans think of things in a different aspect -- that's just the nature of sports," Trouba said. "It's about winning a championship, it's not about caring about people's lives, really."

Trouba says he didn't publicly mention his and Tyson's situation earlier because "I never wanted to throw her in the fire where everybody goes after her; I can take the brunt of it, especially being confident in the choices that I'm making."

Their story, as the couple explains it, is simply a modern NHL romance that has endured extended time apart, long flights, frustrated phone calls and eventually, sacrifice.

"I think I work hard, but she works pretty dang hard too," Trouba says. "She's up early and staying up late studying and she deserves to see her dreams come true just as much as I do, and I want to help her just as much as she's helped me."

Adds Tyson: "I think he's part of a generation where the social construct of a woman's aspirations -- career, life, et cetera -- isn't so set and rigid. I never had to ask him to make sacrifices for me. It was just expected because we were making them for each other and together."

Trouba played a big part in Winnipeg's transformation from bottom-feeder in the Central Division to near-wagon status. The Jets reached the Western Conference finals in 2018, and Trouba's game-tying goal to erase a 3-0 deficit against the Nashville Predators during that playoff run was a career highlight. As was the opportunity to play in the NHL with childhood buddy Andrew Copp; the two had been teammates since they were 12 years old.

But Trouba's time in Winnipeg wasn't always smooth. After his third season, the defenseman requested a trade -- he didn't want to play on the left side, and on the right side, he sat behind Dustin Byfuglien and Tyler Myers on the depth chart. Trouba missed the first 15 games of the season, then signed a bridge deal to stay. He says he has no regrets.

"I can't think of anything I would really want to change," Trouba says. "The contract stuff didn't bother me all that much -- it was something that I believed in, I thought I was doing the right thing, and that's all I can fall back on. I thought I was making the best decision for me and my career, and I was happy with the result."

"Everything he does, he does with a purpose, but he's put up with a lot," Tyson says. "There's a notion out there that he's a selfish person. He's really good at blocking outside noise, but when I hear it, I get so frustrated. He's the most selfless person I know. Any time he could tell I was struggling a bit or stressed with school, I would wake up to a text from him: 'I'm so proud of you, you're working so hard, it will all be worth it.'"

Through it all, Trouba relied on Tyson as a confidant. Tyson had quit her job in Washington to join Trouba in Winnipeg. The move wasn't easy. "She was pretty stir crazy up there," Trouba says. "She didn't have a lot to do."

"I wasn't going to be happy sitting in Winnipeg without a career," Tyson says. "And he wasn't going to be happy seeing me do that. So it wasn't productive for either of us."

Tyson spent her year and a half in Winnipeg applying to medical schools, and narrowed her search to schools in Florida. Trouba had already made Fort Lauderdale his offseason base; he had a trainer and now has a home there. If Tyson went to school nearby, it could maximize the couple's time together with limited disruption.

Tyson began at Nova Southeastern University in 2017. The first year, she tried to visit Trouba as much as her schedule would allow. "There are plenty of couples in the NHL that do long distance," Tyson says. "But being in med school was an extra layer."

Plus, traveling from South Florida to Winnipeg can be thorny, and lasts about 14 hours door-to-door, including connections in Chicago or Minneapolis. She tried to study on the plane, but was often exhausted. "The only flight that would get her back in time for her classes in Florida left at 6 a.m. on Sunday," Trouba says. "I'm sure it wasn't great for her at times, traveling more than 20 hours in a weekend just to see me."

Last season, Tyson made the trip only three times. "It was a learning curve for both of us, and good for both of our growth because you have to completely change the way you communicate," Tyson says. "And you have to be completely cognizant of each other's schedules way more."

Tyson illustrates a common scenario: Trouba would call Tyson when he woke up; she was sitting on her own studying. Trouba would go to a pregame skate, nap, and call Tyson again. She was still in the same place studying. He went to his game, and called her when he returned. She was still in the same place studying.

"It was an incredibly challenging time being apart from each other, but I think there's a really awesome and fulfilling thing about seeing the person you love succeed at what they love to do, and that kept us each going," Tyson says. "It's been exhausting, but when we started to complain, we always remind each other how fortunate we are to even be in our positions, and there are far more important or challenging things going on in the world today than what we were going through ... and sometimes I would tell him to shut up and let me complain for a few minutes."

Trouba and Tyson got engaged in 2018, but decided to put off the wedding until next year. They knew this summer would be difficult, with Tyson in the heat of medical school and Trouba being a restricted free agent; the contract situation was bound to come to a head in Winnipeg.

When Trouba got a call this summer from Jets GM Kevin Chevaldayoff explaining he was going to be traded, he walked into Tyson's room -- she was studying -- and simply gave her a thumbs up. She screamed.

"We didn't really know how to react," Trouba says, "We always envisioned it happening, but never in our wildest dreams ever figured we could be in this situation."

Trouba is excited to be part of a Rangers team trending up; with his arrival, plus No. 2 draft Kaapo Kakko and splashy free agent Artemi Panarin, New York's rebuild appears to be over soon.

"Culture was a big thing in Winnipeg. That got changed around, and the attitude, the work ethic of the team is a big reason why we started winning," Trouba says. "It was awesome to be part of that transformation, when everyone is a little happier to be at the rink. I haven't met everyone in New York yet, but it feels like that team might be getting on the same level too."

Tyson is excited that she can hop on a plane whenever she wants, with much less of a hassle to visit her fiancé. She'll stay in Fort Lauderdale during the season doing her rotations, and the following year will "hopefully" do her residency in New York.

"There's so much opportunity in New York, especially in the medical field," Tyson says. "It also poses its own challenges because it's a very desirable and competitive place to be."

But after the past six years, Superman and Superwoman seem poised to take on Metropolis.

BARCELONA -- Lionel Messi was among a long list of special guests as Barcelona officially opened the new Johan Cruyff Stadium on Tuesday with a match between their U19s and Ajax's youth team, two of the clubs the late Cruyff represented during an esteemed career.

Barca also unveiled a statue of the Dutchman, who played for and managed the club, outside their Camp Nou home on Monday.

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The new stadium is located at the club's training ground in Sant Joan Despi, a suburb outside the city of Barcelona. The capacity is 6,000 and it will be the home of Barca B, the women's team and the U19s when they play in the UEFA Youth League.

Those teams had previously played their home matches at the Mini Estadi, which is located next to Camp Nou. That stadium will now be knocked down and replaced by an arena for the club's basketball and futsal teams.

All of the ongoing work is part of the wider Espai Barca project, which will eventually see Camp Nou updated, with a roof added to the stadium and the attendance breaking the 100,000 barrier.

Messi, Busquets and Pique watch on from the centre circle as Jordi Cruyff takes a 'ceremonial' kick off to open the stadium named after his father pic.twitter.com/kU5iXHBpTL

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) August 27, 2019

Club captain Messi, along with Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto, stood in the centre circle prior to Tuesday's match as Cruyff's son, Jordi, took a ceremonial kickoff to officially open the stadium. Cruyff's wife Danny and his daughter Susila were also in attendance.

On the pitch, Naci Unuvar, who only turned 16 in June, scored two brilliant goals as Ajax beat a Barca side coached by former goalkeeper Victor Valdes 2-0.

Other guests included Frenkie de Jong, who followed Cruyff's path from Ajax to Barca this summer, Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars, Patrick Kluivert and Carles Puyol.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu lauded the opening of the stadium as "a historic moment which will remain in the club's memory forever."

Cruyff, who died of cancer in 2016, first signed for Barcelona as a player in 1973, joining the club from Ajax. He went on to manage both clubs, too, with his playing philosophy still very much present in everything the two teams do.

Bury, one of English football's oldest clubs, were expelled from the Football League on Tuesday after failing to resolve their financial problems or find a new buyer, the EFL said in a statement.

C&N Sporting Risk pulled out of its proposed takeover of the League One side just a few hours before the deadline to meet the league's requirements.

Bury joined the Football League in 1894, nine years after they were founded, and won the FA Cup in 1900 and 1903. They are the first team to be expelled since Maidstone in 1992.

Multiple media reports suggested at least three late offers had been submitted to buy Bury but the league, which had already suspended five scheduled fixtures for the club this season, decided to end their participation in the competition.

"Having fully considered all available options, including a number of late expressions of interest provided to the EFL, the EFL Board has unanimously determined with enormous regret that Bury's membership be withdrawn," said the statement.

"The EFL Board had maintained that there could be no further suspensions to the fixture list and that these ongoing concerns and the integrity of the competition were a significant factor in the decision."

In a separate decision, the EFL ruled that fellow third-tier side Bolton Wanderers, another club with acute financial problems, had 14 days to resolve their situation or face the same outcome.

On Monday, administrators warned the club was on the brink of going out of business after the deal hit a setback. In a statement, administrators said a deal had collapsed after current owner Ken Anderson failed to sign off on the agreement.

The administrators added they were working on resurrecting a deal, but that the club was on the brink of liquidation with the business "not in a position to carry on trading."

After the EFL announced they were giving the club 14 days to find a solution, the club's administrators said they will "work through the night" to complete a deal.

Meanwhile, Bury owner Steve Dale had informed the EFL last weekend that he had accepted an offer from C&N Sporting Risk.

The firm are a data and analytics company owned by Rory Campbell, son of Alastair Campbell, the ex-communications chief for then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Henry Newman, a former joint manager of lower league Barnet.

C&N said its withdrawal came after conducting due diligence.

Debbie Jevans, EFL executive chair, said: "Today is undoubtedly one of the darkest days in the League's recent history. The EFL has worked determinedly and tirelessly to avoid this outcome and it is with a heavy heart that this situation has been forced upon us.

"No one wanted to be in this position but following repeated missed deadlines, the suspension of five League fixtures, in addition to not receiving the evidence we required in regard to financial commitments and a possible takeover not materialising; the EFL Board has been forced to take the most difficult of decisions."

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

The Lahore High Court appears to have cleared the last hurdle in the way of the PCB's long-pending domestic reforms, after dismissing a petition to block changes in the board's new constitution. It allows the PCB to implement its new constitution in full, as well as to reform the governing board and launch its restructured domestic set-up starting September 14.

Following an interim judgement by the court on August 23, the new constitution stood suspended for five days. The writ petition's main complaint was against the PCB election commissioner and deputy election commissioner's order against district-level elections and the scrutiny of cricket clubs. Another petition about the termination of four coaches by the PCB added to the muddle, and a third application - this one against a new constitution - appeared to further complicate the intention behind the petitioner's filings.

The court observed that if the petitioner had any grievances regarding the implementation of any order, they should approach the PCB to remedy it, and in case the PCB didn't comply, the court could be approached again.

"Nearly 20 petitions have been dismissed," Taffazul Rizvi, the PCB's legal advisor, told ESPNcricinfo. "The writs were frivolous and not even worth the paper they were written on. The petitions were bereft of any legal ground and they were filed with the connivance of terminated PCB employees and district presidents.

"The PCB will not be held hostage by anybody and the new constitution will be implemented with full effect. Any misguided attack on the new constitution will be defended with full legal justification."

The case assumed significance because it almost took the PCB to a similar situation as in 2013, when Zaka Ashraf, the then chairman, was dismissed by Islamabad High Court. The court later not only dismissed him but tweaked the constitution on its own. After going back and forth several times, the upshot of that power tussle was Najam Sethi ending up as the chairman of the PCB, a position he continued to hold till last year.

The new PCB constitution, notified on August 19 by the Pakistan government, altered the entire structure of the board, with the overhaul of the domestic structure the other major update. This is the fifth time since 1995 and the fourth in the last 12 years that the PCB constitution has seen amendments. The new legislation curtailed the almost dictatorial powers the chairman of the PCB has, passing most of them on to the newly appointed managing director to share power more effectively and reduce conflicts of interest.

The changes were initiated by the board's chairman Ehsan Mani. Until now, chairmen had the authority to act as executives of the board who tried to implement policy that they had proposed themselves. It also toned down the powers of its own patron-in-chief, the country's prime minister, who now has no power to dissolve the board or remove the chairman.

"The PCB welcomes the judgement of the Honourable Lahore High Court Judge Mr Justice Shahid Waheed, who dismissed the application to suspend the PCB Constitution 2019," Mani said.

"It was obvious to all the knowledgeable and passionate cricket fans and followers that the intentions of the petitioners were malafide and were aimed at disrupting Pakistan cricket activities and bringing embarrassment to the PCB and the country.

"The 2019-20 season will be a season of celebration for Pakistan's cricket fans as we host Sri Lanka for three ODIs and as many T20Is from 27 September to 9 October. Furthermore, high-powered delegations from Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board will be visiting in September and October respectively as part of our preparations for their future tours to Pakistan."

Russia lost a World Cup warm-up match against Championship club Jersey Reds 35-22 in Moscow.

The island side, who finished fourth in English rugby's second tier, led 28-12 at half-time in Moscow after tries from Leroy Van Dam, Luc Jones, Greg Dyer and skipper Apakuki Ma'afu.

Auguy Slowik then crossed early in the second half for the islanders.

Russia scored two tries in each half, with Sale lock Andrei Ostrikov going over for one of them.

The fixture was arranged through Russia head coach Lyn Jones, whose son Luc plays for Jersey.

Russia, ranked 20th in the world, are in a pool with Scotland, Ireland, Samoa and hosts Japan at the World Cup which begins next month.

Usman Khawaja will lead the Australians in their three-day tour match against Derbyshire starting Thursday, with Alex Carey called in from Sussex to keep wickets and therefore give Tim Paine a breather between the Leeds and Manchester Ashes Tests.

Steven Smith has been confirmed to make his return from concussion in the match, while David Warner, Nathan Lyon, Travis Head, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have all been rested.

The match will give Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle the chance to press for recalls ahead of the Old Trafford game - the fourth Test of the series - while also offering time in the middle for Khawaja, Marcus Harris, Matthew Wade, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Bancroft.

Carey has not been formally added to the Ashes squad.

New Zealand have surprisingly left Northampton-bound prop Owen Franks out of their 31-man Rugby World Cup squad.

Franks, 31, has won 108 caps but misses out with Atu Moli, yet to make an All Blacks start, among those preferred.

The holders have only two specialist fly-halves in their squad with Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga included.

Centre Sonny Bill Williams, number eight Kieran Read and second row Sam Whitelock will attempt to win a third successive Rugby World Cup.

The trio were also part of the successful campaigns in 2011 and 2015.

Franks agreed a deal to join Northampton this summer at the end of his Crusaders contract.

However, he will now be free to start work at Franklin's Gardens earlier than expected after his omission from head coach Steve Hansen's final selection.

"He is one of the great All Blacks," said Hansen.

"His professionalism both on and off the field has been magnificent over the years, but unfortunately we believe the game requires us to have big mobile number ones and number threes and in this case, we just think the other guys that we've named are more so than he.

"Therefore we had to make a tough decision."

Centre Ngani Laumape is also left out as Hansen keeps faith in the experienced and versatile Ryan Crotty, who is on his way back from a thumb injury.

Flanker Liam Squire, who last appeared for the All Blacks in November's defeat by Ireland, misses out after injuries and personal problems hampered his season.

New Zealand World Cup squad

Forwards: Dane Coles, Liam Coltman, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Atu Moli, Angus Ta'avao, Ofa Tuungafasi, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Luke Jacobson, Kieran Read (capt), Ardie Savea, Matt Todd.

Backs: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Brad Weber, Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo'unga, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Ben Smith.

LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has joked about returning to Manchester United after claiming he is still good enough to play in the Premier League.

Ibrahimovic, 37, has scored 46 goals in 49 games for Galaxy since arriving from Old Trafford in 2018 but after United sold Romelu Lukaku this summer with Alexis Sanchez set to follow, he hinted at a comeback.

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"I could play easy in the Premier League, so if United need me, I'm here," he said. "But Galaxy has me, so I'm sorry.

"Nah, I did my job in Europe. I enjoyed it, I have 33 trophies that I brought with me here and hopefully I can get something here. And then we will see where that adventure finishes."

The former Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Barcelona and Juventus striker added that he still checks for United's results and was aware of the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

"I look, I look, I look," he added. "I saw the last game and I think they were unlucky. If they score the penalty, it's a different game but a game in England is not finished until its finished.

"Anything can happen, especially in the last minutes where everything is in the heat of the moment."

Ibrahimovic said he is not surprised to see Wayne Rooney depart Major League Soccer but is not sure what he will do when his own contract is up at the end of the year.

"No, I'm not surprised [that he's going back]," Ibrahimovic said. "Absolutely not.

"I think he came, he tried, he did his best and, yeah, he had patience. You need a lot of patience and it has finished, the patience. I mean, my deal is until December 31. What happens afterwards I don't know.

"I'm in a different position than Wazza. Wazza is much younger than me. I am old but still dominating, still making the difference. Let's see what happens. I have to be feeling good physically."

Rooney and Ibrahimovic have both made headlines in recent weeks for criticising MLS and he called on the league to make improvements.

"I think MLS is an exciting league," he said. "It's a growing league -- a lot of things to come in place.

"New teams coming in. I mean, you have teams playing away for half the season and then they play at home because the stadium was not done. There's a lot of things happening.

"I enjoy it but there is a lot of things to become better, to come up in level, which it will time by time. We're in the U.S., where nothing is impossible.

"I think it will take time [to become a major soccer force] but they have all the possibilities they can.

"But there is a lot of rules here with the budget. I mean, you saw Rooney, he tweeted something with the travelling. It's not easy all those things."