The New York Yankees released veteran right-hander Danny Farquhar, who was trying to work his way back onto a major league roster after suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm during a game while pitching for the Chicago White Sox last season.

Farquhar, 32, signed a minor league contract with the Yankees during the offseason and after an extended spring training was sent to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In three innings in Scranton, he gave up seven runs, including three home runs, and ran up a 21.00 ERA.

Farquhar collapsed in the White Sox dugout on April 20, 2018, with a brain hemorrhage. He spent more than two weeks in the hospital, then returned to the ballpark June 1, 2018, to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field.

Farquhar was cleared to resume baseball activities last June and became a free agent after the 2018 season.

World Rugby has abandoned plans for a new Nations Championship starting in 2022 after failing to gain the required support from unions.

The governing body needed unanimous approval from the 10 unions that make up the southern hemisphere's Rugby Championship and Europe's Six Nations.

World Rugby says there was a "lack of consensus on key issues" including timing and the tournament's format.

The project had secured equity support worth £6.1bn over 12 years.

"We remain fully committed to exploring alternative ways to enhance the meaning, value and opportunity of international rugby," said World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont.

"This includes our continued commitment to competition and investment opportunities for emerging nations to increase the competitiveness of the international game with a view to possible Rugby World Cup expansion in 2027."

The Nations Championship would have seen a top division of 12 teams from both hemispheres play each other once in a calendar year, either through traditional competitions like the Six Nations or the Rugby Championship, or in summer or autumn Test windows.

The top two teams would have then met in an end-of-year showpiece final.

However, a major sticking point was the concept of promotion and relegation, with Six Nations unions such as Scotland and Ireland believed to be unconvinced on the sustainability and vibrancy of the second division.

The proposals would have also seen the November international schedules redrawn, with smaller nations fearing any new calendar would reduce the opportunities available to them.

However, a 12-team first division would have seen regular exposure against the top nations for the likes of Fiji and Japan, who would each have benefited from as many as 11 matches each year against top-tier nations.

The players' union was also believed to harbour reservations over the travel required in the summer international window, when northern hemisphere teams traditionally play in the south.

England hooker Dylan Hartley is set to miss out on the World Cup after struggling with a knee problem.

Regular captain Hartley led England to back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2016 and 2017 under head coach Eddie Jones, but hasn't played since December.

Jones is also set to shun hundreds of caps worth of experience when he names his first training squad on Thursday.

Scrum-half Danny Care and flanker Chris Robshaw are understood to be among the high-profile omissions.

Thursday's 29-man party will only include players not involved in the Premiership semi-finals, with Harlequins' uncapped forward Alex Dombrandt in line to be named after a strong performance against the Barbarians earlier this month.

With all English-based players given a mandatory rest period of five weeks, those from beaten semi-finalists Gloucester and Northampton will join the camp next week.

Jones then names his final training party, including players from finalists Exeter and Saracens, on 4 July.

'Hartley not in right condition'

Hartley, 33, was an ever-present part of Jones' regime before he missed the tour of South Africa last summer because of concussion.

He has struggled to nail down a regular place since, and has not featured for either club or country in 2019 because of a recurring knee problem.

Although as a Northampton player he was not due to join the camp until the end of the month, it is understood he is not in a fit enough condition to be involved.

Sources close to Hartley say he will continue to rehabilitate his injury in the hope to be fit and available in August, but in reality the odds are now firmly against him making the tournament in Japan.

'Omissions a gamble'

Even though they have fallen out of favour of late, Care, 32, and 33-year-old Robshaw's exclusions come as a major surprise and represent a gamble from Jones.

Care, England's second-most capped scrum-half with 84 appearances, was a regular part of the squad before being left out of the tour of South Africa in summer 2018.

Despite playing against both the Springboks and New Zealand that autumn, as well as scoring a try against Japan, he was dropped for the match with Australia and did not feature in the last Six Nations.

Gloucester's Willi Heinz, Saracens' Ben Spencer, Wasps' Dan Robson and regular starter Ben Youngs are set to be the scrum-halves called into camp.

Along with Care, another experienced operator in 36-year-old Richard Wigglesworth is also thought to have been overlooked.

Flanker Robshaw was also a squad mainstay before having knee surgery in October and missing the autumn internationals.

The former England skipper has not played for his country since, with Mark Wilson and Brad Shields commandeering the blind-side flanker position.

Meanwhile, Northampton's uncapped back-rower Lewis Ludlam, 23, is understood to have shot into late contention.

Marler considering coming out of retirement

Meanwhile, prop Joe Marler is considering coming out of retirement for the showpiece in Japan.

The 28-year-old, who has 59 caps, announced the end of his international career in September in order to spend more time with his family.

But he is thought to be weighing up a return, and is again a part of England's Elite Playing Squad - which is not made public.

If he decides to make a comeback, Marler would not be named in the training squad until the start of July given he played for the Barbarians against an England XV on 2 June.

Owning a professional sprint car team is about as lucrative as owning a gym membership.

Sure, there’s always the exception, like when you have Donny Schatz driving or you’re that dude whose calves are like bricks because he eats, breathes and sleeps at the gym.

However, for the average person, it would likely be a better use of money to light it on fire, as at least that way it can keep you warm.

The thing is that, as humans, we aren’t scared away by dumping buckets of money into projects. Thankfully for the sprint car world, there are still car owners willing to spend.

Mikey Kuemper, who took co-ownership of the Steve Kinser Racing No. 11k along with veteran World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series driver Kraig Kinser prior to the start of the 2018 season, estimates the average expenses for a team running the World of Outlaws tour is several hundred-thousand dollars per season.

“A full year, if you had three (crew) guys plus the driver, you’d be probably close to $300,000 to $400,000,” he said. “Last year, we spent $120,000 or $150,000. I can’t remember off the top of my head. That’s with us doing it the cheap way.

“The tire bill alone is $80,000 to $100,000. Hotels would be $20,000 to $25,000. Another big thing is diesel, which is $50,000 to $60,000 a year. Then you have the crew. Most teams have two guys in addition to the crew chief.”

Kuemper noted that a World of Outlaws crew chief makes roughly $800 to $1,200 per week. A car chief is in the $600-to-$800 range weekly, he said, and the tire person makes between $400 and $600 per week.

Those are a few of the costs — and it doesn’t include arguably the biggest expense of engine repairs and maintenance — associated with running a World of Outlaws-caliber race team.

While sponsorship money and race winnings vary from team to team, two of the key selling points of running full time with a traveling series are tow money and point fund money.

The World of Outlaws boasts a point fund of $650,000 spread throughout the top 20. The money is split 50-50 between car owner and driver, and a team has to be platinum members in good status — essentially show up to every race during the season — to be eligible.

Theoretically, the top 10 in the standings receive $500 tow money per race. Full-time competitors outside the top 10 receive $400 in tow money per race. There is a champion’s bonus, as well.

However, for multi-day shows, the team receives 50 percent on each day after the first.

“The way we have it worked up is five spots are guaranteed from the previous year’s points,” World Racing Group President Tom Deery said. “The top five are guaranteed $500. The next five in points get $500. The next 10 are eligible for $400. Whenever there is a second or third day, it’s 50 percent of that amount.

“I don’t know if there is a science or a formula (in determining those figures). We did a little map to figure out how many miles the teams traveled in the year and what that type of platinum benefit would represent against that.”

Additionally, platinum teams receive up to seven free pit passes for each race.

“It’s a pretty good benefit package right now,” Deery said. “When you figure it on a 90-event schedule, that’s $750 (for tow money and in free pit passes) an event off the top of your head. That’s close to $65,000 a year and then you add the point fund on top of it.”

Let’s crunch some numbers. Take the high end of what Kuemper said his team spent last year —$150,000. The World of Outlaws website has $87,725 listed as the team’s race winnings. If they had maintained a top-10 position in the points throughout the season, that equates to approximately $30,000 in tow money. Kuemper noted that the team’s point fund money for finishing 10th in the standings was $30,000.

Therefore, for a team that cuts costs by only having a crew chief — Kuemper — and a driver — Kinser — while avoiding hotels on most nights, they came out approximately $2,000 in the red, not counting sponsorship money.

“The tow money is what helps us get up and down the road,” Kuemper said. “The point fund money is what you use to help buy new stuff during the offseason so you head into the next year fresh. Paying more per race to start and to win is the biggest (reason for running with the World of Outlaws). You can offset the cost. You’re racing more and traveling more, but you’re still making more in the long run.”

CONCORD, N.C. – A game of bumper cars on a late restart left Carson Ferguson frustrated with a runner-up finish during round three of the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout on Tuesday.

Ferguson led 21 of the 25 laps in the headlining 25-lap Pro division feature, but was shuffled out of the lead on a four-lap dash to the finish.

VIDEO: Ferguson Chasing Summer Shootout Title

In fact, the North Carolina young gun was gone from the field by nearly a straightaway before the final caution waved for debris from Bryson Ruff’s machine that was hit into the racing groove on the back side of the Charlotte Motor Speedway frontstretch quarter-mile.

On the race-deciding restart with four to go, Ferguson had Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star Bubba Wallace and Canadian Ryan Mackintosh in his rear-view mirror as he chased his second win in three starts.

Knowing he was going to have to play defense, Ferguson drove his No. 48 Ladyga Motorsports car deep into turn one on the final restart, but couldn’t get far enough away.

As the field entered turn one, Wallace shoved Ferguson through the corner in an attempt to muscle his way past the pole-sitter. After washing wide on corner exit, Ferguson retaliated in turn three, and shoved Wallace’s No. 76 in return.

As that duo played bumper cars in turn one the next time by, they got a little extra help from Mackintosh, who snuck past on the inside in a three-wide gambit to ultimately take the lead in his No. 03.

Ferguson quickly drove away from Wallace’s battered machine and ran down Mackintosh. With three laps to catch the leader, he drove into each corner deeper and deeper.

Off the final corner, Ferguson pulled alongside when Mackintosh broke loose. The duo took the checkered flag locked in a near-photo finish, with Mackintosh ahead by .049 seconds.

Ferguson chalked up the finish of the race to classic short track racing, though it didn’t come without a few post-race fireworks first.

After dominating the first 21 laps, Ferguson showed his displeasure immediately. He ran Mackintosh wide after the checkered flag waved and then brake-checked him multiple times on the cool-down lap.

The anger between the top three culminated in a shouting match in post-race tech.

“It was going to be our night tonight, but that’s short track racing, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” noted Ferguson. “You know when Bubba is behind you, it’s going to be coming. I was just holding on for the ride going into one.

“He moved me up the track,” Ferguson continued. “I got back to him in three. And (the move) going into one was just uncalled for. I had my back tires lifted off the ground by Mackintosh. I try to race everybody with respect, but after that, I guess you have to run some people the way they run you.”

Though he didn’t come away with the victory, a pole qualifying effort and runner-up finish in the feature did plenty to help erase the seven-point deficit Ferguson had to Joey Padgett coming into Tuesday’s third round of competition.

“It was a good points night,” Ferguson admitted. “I’m glad we were able to finish after getting dumped there. I think I was in Bubba’s windows with three to go. I couldn’t get back to Mackintosh.

“He overshot, mirror driving, going into three on the last lap. I just wish I could have filled that gap,” Ferguson added. “Overall it was a good night, though.”

As he made his way to victory lane for the mandatory top-five media availability, Ferguson smiled briefly before steeling his gaze and offering a strong statement to the field.

“It was our race with no cautions; we started on pole and were running away with it,” Ferguson explained. “I stretched it out … but I guess that’s the only way they could have beat us tonight. Timmy had this car on rails.

“It doesn’t matter what the finish says; they know who the best car here was.”

CONCORD, N.C. – The disqualification of Ross Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet from Sunday’s M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Stores at Iowa Speedway was affirmed and upheld by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel on Wednesday.

Chastain’s win was the first to be stripped under NASCAR’s new-for-2019 rules policy, implemented during the offseason, which expedited post-race technical inspection from a mid-week process to a 90-minute teardown at the race track after the race.

As such, if a driver is found in violation of post-race technical inspection this year, their finishing position, stage points and any benefits are removed and that driver receives last-place points for the given event.

Chastain’s Niece Motorsports truck repeatedly failed tech for being too low in the front after the race on Sunday. The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, unlike the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, does have minimum ride-height regulations which must be met.

Due to the disqualification, Brett Moffitt was awarded Sunday’s victory, while Chastain lost the seven playoff points and automatic bid into the playoffs he would have received upon cracking the top 20 in Truck Series driver points, as well as only earning five points total.

Wednesday’s decision is final and cannot be appealed further, unlike other appeals for rule-violation penalties.

“In a race disqualification appeal, the decision of the panelist – which could be an appeals panelist, Final Appeals Officer, or his or her alternates, under Section 14 – will be considered final,” states section 14.6.f of the NASCAR rule book. “There is no ability to appeal the decision to the Final Appeals Office as outlined in Section 15.”

The appeal was heard by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

“Although our team disagrees with the decision, we have exhausted our options for recourse and must move on,” said team owner Al Niece. “Our sights will remain set on the obstacle in front of us – which is making the playoffs.

“I firmly believe that Ross and this Niece Motorsports team are capable of rising to the challenge, no matter what gets in our way.”

Chastain is simply ready to push forward and chase another win this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

“This is actually very simple – Sunday is in the past,” Chastain said. “I’m focused on getting to Gateway and putting this Niece Motorsports truck in victory lane for the third time this year.”

Atletico Madrid right-back Juanfran is wanted by MLS expansion franchise Nashville SC as well as Brazilian teams Corinthians and Sao Paulo, sources have confirmed to ESPN FC.

Having spent the past eight seasons with Atletico, Juanfran will leave the La Liga club when his contract expires at the end of the month. The defender is keen for his next move to be away from Spain, where he has also played for Real Madrid, Espanyol and Osasuna.

Nashville has explored the possibility of signing the former Spain international ahead of its inaugural season in Major League Soccer in 2020. A move to the United States is a very serious option, but so is Brazil.

"It's true that Corinthians and Sao Paulo have sounded him out and they are both very interested in him," a source close to the player told ESPN FC.

Corinthians and Sao Paulo first made contact with Juanfran a while ago now and his agents have listened to what they've had to say. They like the sporting projects at both clubs, but nothing has been finalized yet.

Juanfran, 34, wants to continue his career "in a competitive championship," sources explained, somewhere where he can still test himself. A move elsewhere in Europe has been all but ruled out, though.

On holiday in the south of Spain with his family, Juanfran will begin to think about his next step in the coming days as he prepares to cut ties with Atleti.