One tense saga seems unlikely to be resolved today, albeit the British Horseracing Authority expects revised recommendations from the review group that drafted the contentious new whip rules. But another seemed to have run its course yesterday when it emerged that Kieren Fallon is prepared to abandon his quest for a seventh jockeys' title in order to ride overseas during the final week of the campaign.

England take on France tonight ahead of the Four Nations, but not everyone is happy with the squad

England 298-4 India 300-5 (India win by 5 wickets)

Pale evening sunshine at Eden Park and for Wales, whatever they say and however nobly, bleached-out ambition.

Almost a quarter of a century ago, Wales beat Australia to finish third in a World Cup – the first World Cup, as a matter of fact, much of it staged in this neck of the union woods – and returned home with a strong sense that players like David Young, Richard Webster, Robert Jones and Jonathan Davies would quickly establish the team as the premier force in European rugby. All too soon, they received two 50-point spankings from New Zealand, were beaten at home by Romania, lost the brilliant Davies to the "other" code of the game and found themselves looking on miserably as England enjoyed a brief but meaningful golden age.

When Robert Enke killed himself in 2009, Germany was wracked with uncomprehending grief. A goalkeeper for the national football team, he appeared to have played his way through mid-career doldrums to become one of the most able players in his position, in line to represent his country at the 2010 World Cup. He had matured, too, into a fine young man.

Five-time Olympic gold medallist Ian Thorpe claims he is mentally prepared to fail at next summer's London Games given the timeframe for his comeback.

Semi-final losers Wales and Australia meet at Eden Park in Auckland tomorrow morning to contest the bronze medal for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

IPL chief Rajeev Shukla has a plan to save Tests – just don't tell the players

Little more than a decade ago, Australia seemed poised to reject the British monarchy in favour of a home-grown head of state. But as the Queen embarks on her 16th visit to one of the farthest-flung members of the Commonwealth, the prospect of an Australian republic seems more distant than ever.

The IPL chief has a plan to protect Tests, he tells Stephen Brenkley in Chandigarh. Just don't inform the players