LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) – England produced one of their finest performances ever to stun New Zealand 38-21 and end the world champions’ 20-game unbeaten run in the most spectacular style on a memorable and quite remarkable afternoon at Twickenham on Saturday.

New Zealand, who had won their last nine games against England and not dropped a European tour game for 10 years, were 12-1 on favourites at the start.

LONDON (Reuters) – England coach Stuart Lancaster went for the safe option on Thursday when he replaced injured flyhalf Toby Flood with Owen Farrell for Saturday’s game against New Zealand, with uncapped Freddie Burns on the bench.

The only other change to the match 23 from last week’s one-point defeat by South Africa is the return of lock Courtney Lawes, who has played only a few minutes of test rugby all year, on the bench in place of Mouritz Botha.

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) – England coach Stuart Lancaster went for the safe option on Thursday when he replaced injured flyhalf Toby Flood with Owen Farrell for Saturday’s game against New Zealand, with uncapped Freddie Burns on the bench.

The only other change to the match 23 from last week’s one-point defeat by South Africa is the return of lock Courtney Lawes, who has played only a few minutes of test rugby all year, on the bench in place of Mouritz Botha.

LONDON (Reuters) – Disgraced cyclist Tyler Hamilton said he was “proud of writing it but not proud of what’s in it” after his book “The Secret Race” won the prestigious William Hill sports book of the year award on Monday.

Former Olympic gold medallist and seven-times Tour de France rider Hamilton and co-writer Daniel Coyle took the 24,000-pound prize for the book that revealed the murky dealings in the world of professional cycling and gave a close-up view of the day-to-day detail of doping.

LONDON (Reuters) – Disgraced cyclist Tyler Hamilton said he was “proud of writing it but not proud of what’s in it” after his book “The Secret Race” won the prestigious William Hill sports book of the year award on Monday.

Former Olympic gold medallist and seven-times Tour de France rider Hamilton and co-writer Daniel Coyle took the 24,000-pound ($38,400) prize for the book that revealed the murky dealings in the world of professional cycling and gave a close-up view of the day-to-day detail of doping.

BAGSHOT, England (Reuters) – A new generation of second-row “enforcers” go head to head at Twickenham on Saturday as Joe Launchbury of England and Eben Etzebeth of South Africa find themselves with the daunting label at the tender age of 21.

Etzebeth has already earned rave reviews after nine tests filling the boots of former Springbok hard man Bakkies Botha while Launchbury will make his first start after similarly impressing the England management in his two appearances off the bench.

BAGSHOT, England, Nov 22 (Reuters) – A new generation of second-row “enforcers” go head to head at Twickenham on Saturday as Joe Launchbury of England and Eben Etzebeth of South Africa find themselves with the daunting label at the tender age of 21.

Etzebeth has already earned rave reviews after nine tests filling the boots of former Springbok hard man Bakkies Botha while Launchbury will make his first start after similarly impressing the England management in his two appearances off the bench.

BAGSHOT, England (Reuters) – Having seen the power of South Africa up close during June’s three-test series, England coach Stuart Lancaster has added some much-needed brawn to his team to face the Springboks at Twickenham on Saturday.

It is nine years to the day since England won the World Cup with a pack which had been described in New Zealand as “white Orcs on steroids” and the hewn-from-granite types such as Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio and Richard Hill have been replaced by more athletic but undoubtedly less daunting forwards.

LONDON, Nov 22 (Reuters) – Lock Joe Launchbury will make his first start for England against South Africa on Saturday as one of six changes announced by coach Stuart Lancaster on Thursday from the side beaten by Australia last week.

The 21-year-old Wasps player, who can also play in the back row, added some power to England from the bench on his debut against Fiji and the Wallabies, and replaces Tom Palmer.

LONDON (Reuters) – If Rafa Benitez can get Fernando Torres playing for Chelsea as he did under his fellow Spaniard for Liverpool then Roman Abramovich’s latest throw of the managerial dice will look like a double six.

Benitez was appointed on Wednesday until the end of the season with his immediate task being to shore up a porous defence that has contributed to a run of only two wins in eight games that has left the European champions on the verge of an embarrassing group stage exit from the Champions League.