United rule out Giggs

Ryan Giggs and Nathan Blake have been excluded from the Wales squad for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands in Eindhoven.

Giggs, who has missed Manchester United's last six games with a calf strain, has been replaced by Birmingham's Jason Bowen, while the Liverpool youngster Lee Jones steps in for Blake of Sheffield United.

Colin Hendry has been passed fit to play in Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Sweden at Ibrox on Sunday. The Blackburn defender safely negotiated his comeback game against Liverpool on Sunday, after being absent for a month following a groin operation.

Peter Taylor, the England Under-21 manager, has lost four members of his squad for Friday's European Under-21 Championship qualifier against Georgia in Batumi due to injuries: Ben Thatcher (Wimbledon), Marcus Hall (Coventry), Chris Holland (Birmingham) and Phil Stamp (Middlesbrough). Taylor, who now has just 17 players at his disposal, will call up replacements today.

The Crewe striker, Brian Launders, has been added to the Republic of Ireland's Under-21 squad for Saturday's match against Iceland at Dalymount Park, Dublin. Watford's David Connolly and Bournemouth's Owen Coll have pulled out.