The England coach believes consistency, rather than creativity, is the way forward for his under-fire players "It's been a tough week, I can't deny it," Martin Johnson said yesterday, giving some hint of his response to the criticism that has poured down on his England team this week. "We live in a ...

• Mercedes link may tempt seven-time champion to return • Former team owner's hunch cuts no ice with spokesperson The former Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan believes Michael Schumacher will replace Jenson Button at the newly named Mercedes team for next season. The world champion Button joined Lewis ...

Magnus Carlsen is now world No 1, fractionally ahead of Veselin Topalov, after his two final-round wins at the Tal Memorial in Moscow. The Norwegian 19-year-old recovered strongly from his early flu bug, went on to win the world blitz title in impressive style against another elite field, earned front ...

• Criticisms from Lewsey and Greenwood annoy manager • Johnson wantseloquent response from England tomorrow Martin Johnson has hit back at his World Cup-winning team-mates Will Greenwood and Josh Lewsey for their public criticism of his England regime ahead of today's final autumn Test against New Zealand ...

• Twickenham looks for more adventure from England • Dan Carter's battle with Jonny Wilkinson will be key The weather forecast is miserable and England are battening down the hatches. Beating New Zealand for the first time since 2003 would be nice but today's most urgent priority is to restore their ...

• Trainer says he will give stable star just three runs this season • Sheepskin noseband helping previously sketchy jumping Even after Master Minded, one of the biggest names in his yard, was unexpectedly beaten at Cheltenham last Saturday, Paul Nicholls appears to have no fear that a similar fate might ...

• County 'would not help with my England career' • Spinner determined to win back Test and one-day places Monty Panesar has said he left Northamptonshire to join Sussex because his former employers did not want him enough and were not interested in him furthering his international career. The England ...

• World ruling body launches probe into Athletics South Africa • Ministry claims 800m world champion will keep gold medal The International Association of Athletics Federations said today it is still working with Caster Semenya and the South African government to resolve issues about the 18-year-old ...

• Chairman describes player's action and lies as 'regrettable' • Official had 'frank conversation' with former world No1 Adam Helfant, the ATP chairman, has confirmed that the governing body will not be re-investigating Andre Agassi's positive drugs test in 1997 and cannot impose retrospective sanctions. ...

• The wing Tom Williams finishes his four-month ban • Ugo Monye, Gonzalo Tiesi missing against Northampton Harlequins were given permission today to delay naming their side to face Northampton at Franklin's Gardens tomorrow to avoid publicising the likely return of Tom Williams, who is available again ...