Dempsey joins Jorg Gray in the midst of a busy domestic season where Clint has scored 18 goals for Fulham.

As the newest face of Jorg Gray, Dempsey will be appearing at retailers around the world as he showcases Jorg Gray’s entire collection.

"Soccer is about passion, heart and being true to what you stand for," said Dempsey. "Jorg Gray has grown their incredible brand of watches with a passion for the craft and a strong belief in no compromises. I look forward to promoting Jorg Gray on and off the field."

Trevor Gnesin, president of Jorg Gray added, "We're proud to have him on our team and look forward to this amazing opportunity to work with a world-class athlete at the top of his game."

Paul, who is currently part of the Saxons EPS squad and has made nine Test appearances for England, will make the move to Sixways on a three-year deal for the start of the 2012/2013 season.

Known as ‘Dodge’ because of his sidestepping skills, Epsom-born Paul has topped over a century of Premiership appearances in his career and played over 200 games for London Irish.

The hugely talented scrum-half joined Irish from Bristol in 2004, having represented England at U18 and U21 level.

A quick, compact player, he represented England Sevens before winning his first full cap against Ireland during the 2008 Six Nations. Paul enjoyed further international recognition during England's summer series against Argentina in 2009 and started the first three games of the 2010 Six Nations.

The 29-year-old has also impressed for England Saxons on many occasions, helping guide them to triumph in the Churchill Cup at Sixways in 2011 and also featuring in recent games with Ireland Wolfhounds and Scotland A.

Head Coach Richard Hill said: “Paul is a hugely competitive, positive and enthusiastic player who has a fantastic attitude; he has huge drive to win at absolutely everything he does.

“He is a scrum half who is lively around the park, knows how to control a game and puts his body on the line for the good of the team. He is a great character to have on the field and I know his enthusiasm will be infectious and will impact on those around him.

“We are determined to only bring people to the Warriors who will give 100 percent in every game they play and will improve our squad. Paul will do just that and has the work ethic and winning mentality to push the club forward.”

Paul commented: “Worcester Warriors are an ambitious club with a strong coaching set-up and really developing playing squad. After meeting with Richard Hill I truly understood the aspirations of the club and I’m looking forward to playing my part in that development.

“I have thoroughly my eight years at London Irish and I have been lucky enough to play with some fantastic team-mates and under a great management team. The support from the fans has always been amazing.

"I am excited by the rest of the season at London Irish and totally focused on helping the team move forward in the Aviva Premiership and make the end of season play-offs.”

LINKS

> Paul Hodgson: profile
> Worcester Warriors

Jonny got the nod after a panel of notable rugby luminaries debated the merits of several players who caught the eye last month.

However, the 21 year old was the overwhelming choice after a recent run of form which have seen him, amongst other things, score a brace of tries against London Wasps and an eye catching effort against Toulouse in the Heineken Cup.

The award caps a memorable week for the Swindon-born product of the Gloucester Rugby who made his first start for the England Saxons last Friday.

He was also named in a shortlist of six for the LV= Breakthrough Award earlier this week.

"It's a really great award to win and I'm very honoured and grateful. However, it's a reflection of well the team has been going recently, the way we're trying to play the game and the hard work that everyone puts in.

"With everything that's happened this week, it does all feel a bit surreal but it's a big bonus.

"The awards come if you're concentrating properly on your rugby. I'm really happy to have won this, but I'll just keep on working hard and won't let it affect anything."

LINKS

> Jonny May profile

The 29-year-old, who has made more than 200 appearances for London Irish since his debut in 2002, has agreed terms on a three-year deal with French side Toulon.

London Irish Head Coach, Toby Booth said: “We would like to sincerely thank Nick for his contribution to London Irish over the last ten years. He has been a great servant of the Club and an important part of its success. We are sad to see him leave but can see that he has an opportunity to progress his career with Toulon. We wish him the very best of luck.”

Nick said: “London Irish has been a fantastic home for me for the last ten years and it’s with some sadness that I’ll leave Sunbury at the end of this season. I’ve only ever played for one professional club in England, and so when the time came to look at my options to be honest I couldn’t see myself playing at another club in the Premiership.

“I'm looking forward to France, but for now my focus is on the rest of this season with London Irish. We’ve battled hard to be in the top six of the Premiership and our focus now is to push on and make the play-offs and finish the year on a high.”

LINKS

> Nick Kennedy: profile
> London Irish

Following a week of tough deliberating between panel members Martin Bayfield (ITV), Gywn Jones (S4C), Ieuan Evans (Sky) and Gavin Mairs (Telegraph), the final six – who were whittled down from a list of 20 hopefuls – includes four English and two Welsh representatives.

21-year-old Jonny May is selected from a crop of exciting talent at Gloucester, standing out for his stunning performance against Toulouse in this season’s Heineken Cup.

LV= Breakthrough Player shortlist

> George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
> Jonathan Joseph (London Irish)
> Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
> Liam Williams (Scarlets)
> Matthew Morgan (Ospreys)
> Matt Kvesic (Worcester Warriors)

The winner of the LV=Cup Breakthrough Player Award is now in the hands of supporters, who can make their choice by visiting www.lv.co.uk/rugby. The player with the highest number of nominations will receive a Tag Heuer watch plus £1,000 donated to a local grassroots club of their choice and of course, the inaugural LV= Cup Breakthrough Player trophy.

The winner of the award, which is designed to recognise a young player who has stood out in the 2011-12 competition, will be announced on Tuesday March 13. Voting will close at midnight on March 11.

LINKS

> Jonny May: profile

The Ospreys announced last week that the 34-year-old - who is working for BBC Sport and S4C as a pundit during the current RBS Six Nations Championship (pictured) - would finish playing for the region in May and take up an ambassadorial role.

James Grant can now confirm that Shane has accepted an invitation to play for the Barbarians on their summer tour, which features matches against England at Twickenham (27 May) and Ireland at Kingsholm (29 May), before Wales in Cardiff on Saturday 2 June.

Shane said: "I've always said that I would never stay on too long and play rugby just for the sake of it. Finishing playing for Wales after the World Cup felt like the right decision, and now I've had the chance to reflect on where I'm at, it feels right that this season will be my last.

"I'm delighted to have sorted out the ambassadorial role with the Ospreys which means I can continue to help the region I love.

"I've played for the Barbarians once before and when I was offered the chance to play this summer I had no hesitation in accepting the honour. The Barbarians is a wonderful institution and sums up everything that is good about the game of rugby.

"To have the chance to finish by playing against Wales in Cardiff is an incredible opportunity and will bring my career full circle."

LINKS

> Shane Williams profile

The world renowned rugby player, who joins the team for BBC Cymru Wales’ coverage on S4C for the Ireland v Wales and England v Wales games in the Six Nations, will be providing the links between a special evening of rugby flavoured programmes on BBC Two Wales.

The evening kicks off with live coverage of the Ireland U20s v Wales U20s Six Nations game in Scrum V Live from 7pm, then at 9pm Shane introduces a special documentary with the rugby legend looking back at his rollercoaster rugby career in Shane. The evening rounds off with Jason Mohammad with Sport Wales from 9.30pm.

This week Sport Wales includes reports from the Wales and Ireland camps ahead of Wales’ first game in the 2012 Six Nations on Sunday. Jason talks to Wales’ captain Sam Warburton, there’s an interview with Ireland international Shane Horgan plus the studio guest is former Wales captain Gwyn Jones. There will also be a profile of former volleyball player Mark Colbourne from Tredegar, who is now a member of Team GB’s para-cycling team and is tipped to win gold for Great Britain at next week’s Para-cycling World Championships in LA.

The evening will run as follows:

> 7pm, Scrum V Live: Ireland Under-20s v Wales Under-20s
> 9pm, Shane
> 9.30pm, Sport Wales

LINKS

> Shane Williams profile

Christchurch-born Nelsen launched his career in the United States with DC United before joining Blackburn in January 2005. He has made more than 170 appearances for Rovers and captained New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

More information to follow.

All 3 have this season established themselves as regular's in London Wasps, Northampton, and Gloucesters respective 1st XV's and are involved in International rugby at the moment, with Elliot and Jamie playing for England u20's and Jonny playing for the Saxons.

At least one player for each of the teams involved in the competition has been selected and once the panel has whittled that list down to six players, fans can cast their votes for the winner.

“It’s great to see LV= recognising the talent on offer in this competition through the LV= Breakthrough Player Award," said Lancaster. "There is a huge wealth of up and coming talent on show in the LV= Cup, and we’ve seen first-hand some of the exceptional players it has helped produce.

“The panel will have a tough job on their hands selecting the final six, as everyone included in the shortlist deserves recognition of the contribution they have made to their team during the competition. Best of luck to all those nominated!”

The panel, chaired by former Rugby World Magazine editor, Paul Morgan, also includes rugby experts: Martin Bayfield (ITV), Ieuan Evans (Sky), Gywn Jones (S4C) and Gavin Mairs (Telegraph).

Once the initial shortlist of six has then been selected, the fans take control via www.lv.com/rugby, where they can vote for their chosen player.

The player with the highest number of nominations will receive a Tag Heuer watch plus £1,000 donated to a local grassroots club of their choice and of course, the inaugural LV= Cup Breakthrough Player trophy.

We wish all 3 the best of luck!

The striker was an 81st-minute replacement in the win after signing a professional contract with the Foxes last year.

Tom has the honour of being the youngest player ever to appear for the Pilgrims’ first team.

For more details see the Boston Standard.

Jordan Graham (Aston Villa) & Luke Woodland (Bolton Wanderers) have been called up for the England U17’s Algarve tournament. For the full squad click here.

They will join James Grant's Alex Corbisiero, Chris Ashton, and Joe Simpson, as a new-look England prepare for a very important couple of months.

While Trinder will be looking to impress and add to his one England cap against the Barbarians in the summer, Gloucester number eight Narraway, 28, has seven caps, the most recent against Ireland at Croke Park two years ago.

"I'd like to thank the fans for voting me Athlete of the Year," said Dempsey talking to US Soccer. "It always feels good to be recognized for doing a good job at something you love to do. I'd like to thank my teammates and coaching staff for all their hard work, and hopefully we can have a better 2012."

Clint is also celebrating an incredible season for Fulham with his hat trick in the Cottagers home win over Newcastle (5-2) making him the first American to score 3 goals in an EPL game. Clint's tally for the season is now his best ever with 15 goals (9 in the league, 3 in the FA Cup and 3 in the Europa League).

Gary was unlucky not to open the scoring when his header went narrowly wide in the opening few minutes. Speaking to the official Aston Villa website Gary said:

"My family and mates were at Molineux to watch me too, which was extra special. To be out there was dream stuff. I was thinking about it the night before and to finally play in the game and win it was just incredible.It was a massive game for me being my first start and, more importantly, it was a massive moment for the team as a whole to win it. I thought we showed great character to come from behind and take the three points in the end.
We are now in 11th and looking to climb the table now. We've proved what a good side we are."

Aston Villa won the game 3-2 away at Wolves and face Arsenal in the FA Cup at the weekend before a midweek game at QPR.

Chris, a client of James Grant Sports, is midway through his fifth season at Northampton and has scored 90 tries in 106 appearances since switching codes from rugby league and joining in 2007.

The 24-year-old made his England Test debut against France at the 2010 Six Nations Championship and has gone on to score 15 tries in 18 appearances for his country, finishing the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand as the tournament's joint top try-scorer.

On announcing the new contract, a Saracens club spokesman said today: "We are obviously delighted but, for now, Chris remains a Northampton player."

LINKS

> Chris Ashton profile
> Northampton Saints
> Saracens

For more details head to the Houston Dynamo website

Andrew Jean-Baptiste – Portland Timbers (8th pick, 1st round)
Austin Berry – Chicago Fire (9th pick, 1st round)
Matt Hedges - FC Dallas (11th pick, 1st round)
Enzo Martinez – Real Salt Lake (17th pick, 1st round)

Hunter Jumper – Chicago Fire (28th pick, 2nd round)
Kenney Walker – LA Galaxy (38th pick, 2nd round)

For further details of the draft head to the MLS site.

Alex Corbisiero, Chris Ashton, and Joe Simpson have all retained their places in the Senior EPS, while Jamie Gibson, Luke Narraway, and Henry Trinder (pictured) are joined by Jonny May who has earned himself a deserved first call-up to the Saxons.

On the squads Lancaster said: "We are very excited by the make-up of the two squads. Lots of players have been putting their hands up and there were some tough calls to make. However, in line with the selection philosophy about starting new era for English rugby, we have taken the chance to make changes and give players opportunities to be part of the journey towards 2015.

"We very much see this as a group of 64, with opportunities for the Saxons playing in the forthcoming A internationals to come into the senior squad at any time."

Earlier this month, James Grant clients Rory Lawson and Jim Hamilton were named in Andy Robinson's Scotland squad for next month's RBS Six Nations Championship.

Elsewhere in the FA Cup Craig Gardner and John O'Shea helped Sunderland to a 2-0 win over Peterborough who fielded Manchester United loanee Ryan Tunnicliffe and named Josh Thompson on the bench. Sunderland were rewarded with a home tie against Middlesbrough in the next round

Cameron Stewart played the full 90 minutes for Hull and was rewarded as his stoppage time goal helped Hull to a 3-1 home win over Ipswich. Hull face League Two's Crawley Town in the next round.

Jamie Ward got the vital assist in a tight game between Derby and Crystal Palace which saw Derby's ninth minute goal enough to see them through to the fourth round where they will face Stoke at home.

Midfielder Jonathan Hogg was part of the Hornets' line up as Watford beat Bradford 4-2 at Vicarage Road to go through to the next round where they face Tottenham at home.

Defender Zak Whitbread played the full game in Norwich’s comfortable 4-1 win over Burnley which sees them travel to the Hawthorns to take on West Bromwich Albion.

Gary Gardner came on for Aston Villa in the 74th minute as they brushed aside Bristol Rovers in a 3-1 win. The next round of the cup will see Aston Villa play away at Arsenal.

Also in action in the FA Cup were Ali Al Habsi (Wigan), Josh Carson (Hull), John Egan (Crystal Palace), Reuben Noble Lazarus (Barnsley) Darren O'Dea (Leeds) and Josh Ruffels (Coventry).

Jordan's tally for the domestic season has reached 32 goals including 5 hat tricks in just 29 games for club and country.

Speaking to the official Huddersfield website Jordan said: I'm obviously delighted to go out there and score goals and tonight was fantastic. We knew that Wycombe was going to be a tough test tonight, especially given it was away from home - we gave them a lot of credit and we knew it would be hard. Fortunately we managed to win and no matter what the score was or what the performance was like, it was important to finish the game with three points.

You can view the goals by going to the BBC website (UK users only)

Tom, 24, has made 41 appearances in the first team since making his debut in 2008. A product of the highly rated London Wasps Academy, he has already represented England at Saxons level at the 2010 Churchill Cup and has impressed once again this season as a dynamic ball carrying young front row player.

Tom said: "I have been at the Club since I was 16 and there is nowhere else I would rather play. I am really looking forward to being part of the team that is going to grow and develop here in the next few years and I am already enjoying working under Dai Young who is bringing a lot to the Club.

"His knowledge and experience of the front row is obviously a huge benefit to me."

U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year Finalists
Jozy Altidore, Forward
Carlos Bocanegra, Defender
Steve Cherundolo, Defender
Clint Dempsey, Midfielder
Tim Howard, Goalkeeper

The Awards feature a number of categories which also sees Clint Dempsey nominated in the Best Assist and Best Goal Category.

To cast your vote head over to the US Soccer Facebook Page

Shane, 34, is a legend of the world game and bowed out of international rugby earlier this month with a try on his final appearance for Wales, against Australia in Cardiff.

Shane is his country's record try-scorer of all-time, and his career tally of 60 in 91 Tests leaves him behind only Australia great David Campese (64 from 101 Tests) and Japan's Daisuke Ohata (69 in 58 Tests) in the world standings.

Meanwhile, England U20 centre Elliot Daly is widely regarded as one of English rugby's most promising young talents and is beginning to feature regularly for London Wasps 1st XV.

Exceptionally quick and with a prodigious goal-kicking range, Elliot was a key member of the England U20s side that reached the final of the Junior World Championships in 2011.

Elliot becomes the sixth current London Wasps player to be managed by James Grant Sports, joining Alex Cheesman, Dominic Waldouck, Joe Simpson, Nick Robinson and Tom Lindsay.

LINKS

> Shane Williams profile
> Elliot Daly profile

Jamie, 19, burst into the Saints first team in 2010/11 with two tries in his first two Aviva Premiership Rugby appearances against Sale Sharks and London Irish. He went one better in his Heineken Cup debut in this season’s trip to Castres by scoring two tries, adding to the brace notched in October against Saracens in the LV= Cup.

Jamie – who is comfortable both in the centre and on the wing – helped England Under-20 win a Grand Slam earlier in the year and was selected in the Under-20 Elite Player Squad at the start of this season where he hopes to compete in the Under-20 6 Nations tournament early next year.

> Jamie Elliott - profile
> Northampton Saints

Rhodes headed in twice to give the Terriers a two-goal lead but Rob Jones's header and Reda Johnson's shot made it 2-2 after 28 minutes.

Ben Marshall's strike and Chris O'Grady's header, both from inside the area, gave the Owls a two-goal lead.

Rhodes struck to make it 4-3 before slamming in a 97th-minute equaliser.

The 21-year-old's haul saw him claim the first and final two goals of the match as Huddersfield avoided defeat for the first time in three games.

The Terriers' two League One defeats had followed their record-breaking 43-match unbeaten run.

Rhodes has now scored 17 goals in League One this season and 19 in all competitions.

Phil has been appointed as coaching consultant for the National Division One club with immediate effect and will join the coaching team headed up by Director of Rugby Andy Deacon.

Commenting on his new role, Phil said: “I am really looking forward to the challenge at Cinderford and being part of a professional, proper rugby club. I have been out of the game for over a year now and this role gives me a chance to get back into rugby, which I love.”

“The playing and coaching environment at Cinderford seems to be excellent and working with the likes of Deacs, Lee Fortey and Dave Pointon will be tremendous. I plan to help the guys develop even further drawing on my experiences and knowledge and provide that extra resource in training to make a difference, plus it will give me a chance to learn so much about the coaching side of the game. A win - win for both of us really. National One is a high level of rugby and a very competitive national division so something to get my teeth into and be involved in this great sport.”

Peter Bell, president at Cinderford Rugby was delighted when Phil accepted. “I have known Phil for many years and hold him in great esteem and when he agreed to join our team I was thrilled. He is good friends with Andy Deacon and will work well with all the guys. It’s a terrific accolade for Cinderford, its players and supporters, to have someone of Phil’s standing in the rugby world to be part of our club. We are very proud and boast an excellent pedigree in our coaching team.”

Phil will be involved with immediate effect and attend his first game tomorrow, as the Foresters take on Birmingham & Solihull at their home ground at Dockham Road, in the last fixture before the festive break. Kick off is at 2.30pm.

LINKS

> Phil Vickery MBE, profile
> Cinderford RFC

Holding Midfielder Carlos Salcido, on loan from English club Fulham, said the title was "what the fans deserved... I've never been a champion here (in Mexico), thanks to God we did it."

Jonathan Bornstein also played throughout the tournament but was injured for the final game.

Tigres conceded just 1 goal in 6 cup games and in winning the competition end a 29 year wait for a major trophy.

James Grant Sports wishes to congratulate the players and the team on a historic victory.

Clint scored the only goal in Fulham's 1-0 win over Liverpool in a tough fought game at Craven Cottage when he took advantage of a slip by goalkeeper Pepe Reina to seal the win in the 85th Minute. The goal puts him ahead of the previous holder former Fulham player Brian McBride who scored 36 goals during his stint in the EPL.

Congratulations to Clint on a fantastic achievement.

MLS Soccer hailed Gonzalez as a major influence on the game, giving him the highest player rating:

Omar Gonzalez (8.5/10) - As good a game as any central defender in MLS Cup history. Sniffed out every combination, cleared out every second ball and even contributed with some accurate, dangerous distribution. Houston never got a look, and he's the biggest reason why.

Sam - a client of James Grant Sports - played for England's rugby league team on Saturday night against Australia in the Gillette Four Nations final at Elland Road, and he will now complete a unique double by facing the Australian rugby union team just seven days later this coming weekend.

Earlier this month, James Grant Sports announced that Sam, 22, had confirmed his long-term commitment to rugby league by signing a new five-year contract with Wigan Warriors.

Saturday's Four Nations showdown with Australia was the final match of the 2011 rugby league season, and Sam has now accepted the invitation of the Barbarians committee to make his first ever rugby union appearance against the Wallabies at Twickenham this Saturday, after which he will go on his holiday before returning to pre-season with Wigan Warriors next month.

Barbarians' commercial director Mike Burton said: "We are delighted that Sam, with the support of the coaches and management at Wigan, has accepted this opportunity to play in such a high-profile union match. The Barbarian club has a tradition of thinking outside the circle when inviting players with league backgrounds, and usually to everyone's benefit."

He added: "In recent years the likes of Mat Rogers, Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and, a few months ago,Willie Mason, have all made a mark when playing for us on the big stage. We are confident that Sam will be equal to the challenge this week."

Ian Lenagan, chairman and owner of Wigan said: "The Wigan club and Sam are very pleased to accept the Barbarians' invitation. Sam is an exceptional player in either code of rugby and his selection shows the growing mutual respect between the codes of rugby league and rugby union in England.

"It's a great opportunity for Sam to experience the Twickenham atmosphere and showcase his talents on another major stage."

LINKS

> Sam Tomkins profile
> Wigan Warriors
> Barbarians Rugby

Jack Rodwell, called up to the senior England side for the first time, made his first substitute appearance as Capello's Three Lions stunned the world champions Spain with a 1-0 victory in front of a capacity crowd at Wembley on Saturday.

Rewarded for his fine substitute appearance, Jack was handed his first start in the friendly against Sweden on Tuesday evening, where he played the first 60 minutes of the game during which England took a 1-0 lead which they held on to, meaning Capello's men end the year unbeaten and with 2 wins and 2 clean sheets to round off the year.

Meanwhile in the England U21 games Gary Gardner came on as a 63rd minute substitute in the 5-0 drubbing of Iceland, scoring 2 goals in as many minutes in the dying moments of the game. Gary also played in the England U21's game against Belgium, taking to the field in the 61st minute. Stuart Pearce's side lost out due to a 90th minute winner from the Belgian El Kaddouri.

John O’Shea played 90 minutes in the Republic of Ireland’s European qualifier against Estonia, with the scores level at 1-1 in last night’s game Ireland go through with an aggregate score of 5-1. The result confirms the Republic of Ireland’s place at next summer’s European Championship in Poland & Ukraine. Darren O’Dea was also part of the 18 man squad.

Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes, 21, made his senior debut coming on for Scotland in the friendly against Cyprus. Talking to the BBC after the game Jordan said:

"It is fantastic to make my debut and I'm thrilled to bits... Everybody wants more and everybody wants to play for their country, but the manager has a real selection of real good players to choose from."

Jordan then linked up with the U21s side as they beat the Netherlands in an U21 qualifier. Jordan opened the scoring with a header in the second minute as they went on to an impressive 2-1 victory.

Meanwhile for the USMNT Carlos Bocanegra earned his 100th Cap for the country as he lead out his country in last night’s game. James Grant's strength in the US squad continued as Jozy Altidore, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu, Clarence Goodson and Bill Hamid were all named in the squad.

The USMNT played in a 1-0 loss to France in a tight game with few chances as Loic Remy scored for Les Bleus in the 72 minute. The second game proved to be more memorable as the US team recorded a 3-2 win over Slovenia. Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore got on the score sheet in an impressive performance for Klinnsman's side, which also saw Dempsey get an assist.

Carlos Salcido started and played the full 90 minutes for Mexico as they won 2-0 against Serbia, Carlos scored the opening goal with a sumptuous strike from outside the box.

Simon, 38, was today released by London Wasps, the club whom he joined in 1997.

In 14 seasons at Wasps, Simon made 339 appearances and was a key figure as the club won every honour available in the club game.

Internationally, Simon has been capped 71 times by England, appearing at three World Cups including this year's tournament in New Zealand. Simon has also been on three British & Irish Lions tours, the most recent being to South Africa in 2009 where he featured in two Tests, including being named man-of-the-match on his Lions Test debut.

Simon said: "This has been a very difficult decision to make, but after I returned from the World Cup and had the chance to sit down with my family and discuss the future, the chance to experience another rugby challenge in a new country was something that really appealed to me.

“London Wasps is an exceptional rugby club and I would like to give my personal thanks to each and every supporter who has backed me over the years. I take with me some amazing memories, and hope I have the chance of a proper farewell to the fans at some point in the future.

"Toulon is one of the most exciting rugby environments in Europe and having met with Bernard [Laporte, Head Coach] and Mourad [Boudjellal, club President] I was extremely motivated to come here."

Meanwhile, Chris Thomas, London Wasps' Chief Executive, said: "We have agreed to Simon's request to be released from the remainder of his contract so that he can fulfil his ambition of playing overseas.

"He goes with our best wishes and our thanks for his outstanding service to the club over 15 years. He played a significant role in an era of success at London Wasps, and though we are disappointed to see Simon depart, he leaves a strong legacy here."

James Grant is also pleased to confirm that Simon will represent the Barbarians on Sat 26th November at Twickenham against Australia.

LINKS

> Simon Shaw profile
> Toulon
> London Wasps

Parkhurst, 27, has started each of Nordsjaelland's 15 games this season. The club currently sits in second place in the 12 team Danish Superliga and they currently post the best defense having conceded just 12 goals.

During the season, Parkhurst has been playing multiple positions but he has seen the most time at right back during the last ten games.

Parkhurst and FC Nordsjaelland will return to action this Sunday with a Superliga match against ninth place Sonderjyske.

The 23-year-old - who has won 10 caps for England since his debut against Italy in the 2011 Six Nations Championship - is one of the country's most talented front-row forwards.

Alex represented England at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, appearing in four of the five matches.

Born in New York City, Alex was introduced to rugby at the age of five by his American father after the family moved to England, and Alex played for KCS Old Boys, London Scottish, Cobham and London Welsh before joining the London Irish Academy.

Alex was an ever-present at tight-head prop as England U20s won the Grand Slam in the 2008 Six Nations Championship. Though a knee injury prevented his involvement in 2009, Alex subsequently represented England Saxons at the 2010 Churchill Cup in Denver.

Alex's rapid rise to the England senior team was complete in February 2011 when, having initially been called up to the squad as injury cover, Andrew Sheridan's withdrawal gave him his first start against Italy.

For London Irish, Alex has made 63 appearances since making his debut against London Wasps in September 2008.

LINKS

> Alex Corbisiero profile
> James Grant: Rugby client list
> London Irish

Gary Gardner joined the action in the 62 min and went on to score with two superb long-range shots in little over 2 minutes the first from a 20-yard free-kick and then with a fine low drive from even further out.

England are five points clear in Group Eight after four straight victories.

He was also a member of the MLS All-Star First XI this season and finished as the highest-rated defender in the Castrol Index (fourth overall) with a score of 9.17 from a possible 10. Gonzalez and the Galaxy will play the Houston Dynamo on Nov. 20 at the Home Depot Center in MLS Cup 2011.

For more details head over to the MLS Soccer website.

Fabio Capello announced his 25 man squad for the two friendlies last night which sees Rodwell feature alongside a very experienced line up.

Jack Rodwell has been part of the England set up since playing for the U16s back in 2006. He has gone on to play 20 times for Stuart Pearce's England U21s, captaining the side on a number of occasions. This represents his first senior call up with England taking on World Cup holders Spain on Saturday 12th November at 5.15pm at a sold out Wembley Stadium, before taking on Sweden on Tuesday night at 8pm

Ahead of next summer's Olympic Games the Team GB shirt, produced by Adidas, has also been worn by Welsh international Gareth Bale and Welsh Captain Aaron Ramsey.

Joel, a client of James Grant Sports, will join Saracens immediately having recently been left out of the England rugby league squad for the current Four Nations series for personal reasons.

Joel, 24, said today: “I will always be a proud Wiganer, but everybody in rugby union and rugby league can see there is something very special happening at Saracens, and I can’t wait to be part of it."

Joel's move to Saracens from Wigan Warriors marks the start of a new deal which will see co-operation between the two coaching teams and academies, player loans and a cross-code match.

LINKS

> Joel Tomkins profile
> Saracens
> Wigan Warriors

Sam, 22, is widely regarded as the most exciting attacking talent in rugby league and was England's stand-out player on Saturday against Australia at Wembley.

Ian Lenagan, Chairman of Wigan Warriors, said: "We are thrilled that we have reached an agreement with Sam for his long term future. The new contract will rightly make Sam one of the highest paid players in the Club's History in recognition of his outstanding talents which he has demonstrated at both Club and International level.

"It shows the strength of the sport and the Wigan Club that we are able to invest in such an exceptional player within the Salary Cap. I am fully aware of Rugby Union's interest in Sam, however it gives me great pride that we are able to retain and reward one of the Sports brightest talents. I am also confident that for the right person we are able to offer a more attractive package than any other Club in either code."

Meanwhile, Sam added: "I am delighted to have agreed this new contract with the Wigan Club and that my long term future is assured. Playing for Wigan means everything to me having come through the Academy and Reserve Grades. Being a part of the Grand Final success last year and Challenge Cup victory this season are the highlights of my career so far.

"I am extremely excited with what the future holds under new Head Coach Shaun Wane and am looking forward to what the next five years will bring both for me as a player and for the Wigan Club."

LINKS

> Sam Tomkins profile
> Wigan Warriors

The 28-year-old midfielder and forward received 375 points and 99 first-place votes in balloting by media released Wednesday. Dempsey also won the award in 2006.

Goalkeeper Tim Howard was second with 252 points, followed by midfielder Landon Donovan, a six-time winner, with 191.

Dempsey has four goals in 12 games the U.S. this year, giving him 23 goals in 80 international appearances. When he scored for Fulham last weekend, Dempsey tied Brian McBride for the most Premier League goals among Americans with 36.

The 22-year-old Swindon born centre - a client of James Grant Sports - is widely regarded as one of the most promising young midfield talents in the game.

Henry made his Gloucester Rugby senior debut as a replacement in the 2007-8 season but 2010-11 was very much his breakthrough campaign at the club when he made 15 starts in all competitions, scoring 13 tries in the process.

A silky runner with ball in hand and possessing a cultured left boot, his talents haven’t gone unnoticed at representative level.

A former England U20 international, he represented England in the non cap international against the Barbarians in May and scored a fine early try. He then went on to play a pivotal role for the England Saxons in their successful defence of the Churchill Cup in June.

“I’m very pleased to get it out of the way," said Henry.

"It now gives me an opportunity to concentrate on the rest of this season and the two seasons to come after that.”

“I’m really happy to stay at Gloucester, I’m enjoying my rugby here. The coaches are great, the other players are great and we’ve got a really good atmosphere in the squad. There was no decision to make really.”

And he was quick to pay tribute to the role paid by Head Coach Bryan Redpath in his development.

“Brush wants me to push on. He’s always been very supportive and backed me as a player and that’s given me great confidence to go out and play my game within the team structure.”

“I like working with him, Hoggy and the other coaches and the new contract means I can now focus on fulfilling my potential.”

LINKS

> Henry Trinder profile
> Gloucester Rugby

The in-form forward is in line for his senior debut in a friendly against Cyprus on Friday 11 November.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds: "It's a huge honour and a privilege and probably hasn't sunk in right now.

"Nothing's a given just yet, nobody's said I'm going to play so I'm just looking forward to meeting the squad."

Rhodes has been in blistering form for both club and country, with 13 goals for Huddersfield in League One and another five in his last two games for Scotland Under-21s.

For more on this story visit the BBC website

His first was a gift, with keeper Iain Turner's mis-kicked clearance allowing Rhodes to slot into an empty net.

Rhodes then met Jack Hunt's delivery to head home before scoring his third with a cool finish from inside the box.

The visitors' consolation came shortly after, Juvhel Tsoumou stealing in at the far post to fire home.

Rhodes has now scored 11 goals in all competitions for Huddersfield this season, with a further five goals for Scotland's under-21s.

Manager Lee Clark added : "He is a terrific squad player and 13 goals in five games is phenomenal.

"If there's one lad that wants it it's him and he's a credit to himself and his family and he loves football.

"I've played with some of the best strikers in the world and I have never seen them have this type of score ratio."

The 35-year-old father of two was competing against journalist Kirsty Wark and actor Nick Pickard in Saturday's final on BBC One.

Judge Gregg Wallace said Phil had "serious" talent.

His three course menu included a starter of scallops, followed by lamb fillet with fondant potatoes, and a dessert of orange and chocolate bread and butter pudding and clotted cream.

The ex-rugby player's starter was served with black pudding, pea shoots, crispy Parma ham and apple puree, while his main course included baby carrots, asparagus wrapped in mint and Parma ham.

Phil said he was "gobsmacked" at his victory, and added: "I never ever thought for one second I'd have it in me to be champion - who says miracles can't happen?"

Judge John Torode said: "Phil has got something very, very special. He wants to feed people to make them happy and that is what a true cook is all about."

Wallace added: "He's a great big bloke with a heart to match and he fell in love with food during this competition."

The finalists had to overcome a series of challenges which included catering lunch on set for the entire cast and crew of the Bafta award-winning drama Spooks, in the confines of a mobile catering truck.

LINKS

> Phil Vickery MBE profile
> BBC Celebrity MasterChef

Chris has so far been the only player for England to play every minute of every game, leading to him being the tournament's current leading try-scorer with 6 in 4 matches.

Last weekend, Chris managed to score the winning try for England in what he describes as one of the "strangest" matches he has ever played. However, when asked about his performance, he said "One chance, one try - I'll take that any game,"

If England manage to beat France on Saturday, they will progress to the Semi-Finals where they will face the winner of Wales v Ireland that also takes place on Saturday evening.

Peacock has picked an 18-man squad for the trip which is largely similar to the one which won The FA International Tournament back in August.

This will be the first time that these players will have experienced a competitive international tournament, but with many of them getting a taste of it in competitions such as the Victory Shield last season, the Nordic Tournament in June and then The FA International Tournament in August, they will be growing used to the international tournament environment.

Born July 9, 1990, Joe Benny Corona plays midfield for Tijuana in Mexico and is eligible for both the US and Mexican teams.

James Grant Sports wishes Joe the very best for the season ahead.