LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) – Steve Bruce became the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season when Sunderland announced they had parted company with the former Manchester United player on Wednesday.

Bruce, 50, joined Sunderland from Wigan Athletic in 2009 and leaves with the north-east club languishing two points above the drop zone.

“Sadly results this season have simply not been good enough and I feel the time is right to make a change,” chairman Ellis Short said on the club’s website (www.safc.com).

“It is my job as chairman to act in the best interests of our football club at all times and I can assure everyone that this is not a decision that I have taken lightly.”

Bruce guided Sunderland to 13th in his first season in charge and improved on that with a 10th-placed finish in 2010-11.

American businessman Short, who took over the club in May 2009 and became the chairman last month, paid tribute to Bruce’s hard work.

“Steve has acted with honesty and integrity throughout, which is testament to the character and commitment he has shown during his time at Sunderland,” he said

LONDON (Reuters) – Mike Tindall’s England career was in tatters Friday after the centre was thrown out of the country’s elite player squad and handed a hefty fine following his off-field antics at the World Cup.

Photographs of the 33-year-old drinking with a “mystery blonde” in a bar in Queenstown less than two months after he married into the British royal family filled the British newspapers while England struggled on the pitch in New Zealand.

Tindall has been fined 25,000 pounds by the Rugby Football Union, which he is appealing.

“Mike Tindall’s actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable in a senior England player and amounted to a very serious breach of the EPS (Elite Player Squad) Code of Conduct,” Rugby Football Union director Rob Andrew said in a statement.

“Whilst we acknowledge his previous good character it needs to be made clear that what he did will not be tolerated.”

A series of unwanted front-page headlines accompanied England’s flat performances at this year’s World Cup before their quarter-final stage exit, with Tindall the highest profile offender.

The Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) released a statement saying Tindall, whose wife Zara is the Queen’s grand-daughter, would be appealing his fine.

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) – Mike Tindall’s England career was in tatters on Friday after the centre was thrown out of the country’s elite player squad and handed a hefty fine following his off-field antics at the World Cup.

Photographs of the 33-year-old drinking with a “mystery blonde” in a bar in Queenstown less than two months after he married into the British royal family filled the British newspapers while England struggled on the pitch in New Zealand.

Tindall has been fined 25,000 pounds ($40,000) by the Rugby Football Union, which he is appealing.

“Mike Tindall’s actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable in a senior England player and amounted to a very serious breach of the EPS (Elite Player Squad) Code of Conduct,” Rugby Football Union director Rob Andrew said in a statement.

“Whilst we acknowledge his previous good character it needs to be made clear that what he did will not be tolerated.”

A series of unwanted front-page headlines accompanied England’s flat performances at this year’s World Cup before their quarter-final stage exit, with Tindall the highest profile offender.

The Rugby Players’ Association (RPA) released a statement saying Tindall, whose wife Zara is the Queen’s grand-daughter, would be appealing his fine.

LONDON (Reuters) – England centre Mike Tindall has been removed from the elite squad and fined 25,000 pounds for his off-field antics at the World Cup in New Zealand when he attracted negative publicity after being photographed on a night out in Queenstown.

“Mike Tindall’s actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable in a senior England player and amounted to a very serious breach of the EPS Code of Conduct,” Rugby Football Union director Rob Andrew said in a statement.

“Whilst we acknowledge his previous good character it needs to be made clear that what he did will not be tolerated.”

Pictures in the English tabloid Sun newspaper showed England players at various bars after their opening 13-9 win over Argentina, including one featuring a dwarf-racing competition.

Suspended fines of 5,000 pounds, have also been handed out to winger Chris Ashton and forward James Haskell, until December 31 2012, for their part in events in Dunedin two days earlier while forward Dylan Hartley has been cleared of any involvement.

“It should be stressed that the allegations of very serious wrongdoing made against Chris Ashton, Dylan Hartley and James Haskell by Annabel Newton, a member of staff at the team hotel, were entirely false,” said Andrew.

“We do not believe the players had any intention to sexually harass or intimidate Ms Newton.”

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) – England centre Mike Tindall has been removed from the elite squad and fined 25,000 pounds ($40,000) for his off-field antics at the World Cup in New Zealand when he attracted negative publicity after being photographed on a night out in Queenstown.

“Mike Tindall’s actions reached a level of misconduct that was unacceptable in a senior England player and amounted to a very serious breach of the EPS Code of Conduct,” Rugby Football Union director Rob Andrew said in a statement.

“Whilst we acknowledge his previous good character it needs to be made clear that what he did will not be tolerated.”

Pictures in the English tabloid Sun newspaper showed England players at various bars after their opening 13-9 win over Argentina, including one featuring a dwarf-racing competition.

Suspended fines of 5,000 pounds, have also been handed out to winger Chris Ashton and forward James Haskell, until Dec. 31 2012, for their part in events in Dunedin two days earlier while forward Dylan Hartley has been cleared of any involvement.

“It should be stressed that the allegations of very serious wrongdoing made against Chris Ashton, Dylan Hartley and James Haskell by Annabel Newton, a member of staff at the team hotel, were entirely false,” said Andrew.

“We do not believe the players had any intention to sexually harass or intimidate Ms Newton.”

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) – Rugby is in danger of muscling out the flair and skills that have made it such a great game, according to Argentina’s leading points scorer and former captain Hugo Porta.

“I think those that forget the past don’t have a future,” the 60-year-old told Reuters next to a boxing ring at a charity event in a dilapidated former school in south London.

“We can’t stop the evolution of the game, but we should at least try to preserve the essence of rugby.

“Nowadays it’s a war of muscles. What is this?,” he said ruefully, an imaginary ball tucked under his arm as he imitated the barging tactics of the modern game.

“I saw more blood and injured players during the World Cup than ever before.”

New Zealand won the seventh edition of rugby’s biggest tournament last month, defeating France 8-7 in a dramatic and tense final to clinch the Webb Ellis Cup for the second time.

Porta played only in the inaugural World Cup in 1987 and was at his peak during a very different era for the game.

LONDON (Reuters) – Casey Stoner will be a hard rider to beat over the next five years as he strives to match the multiple titles won by Italians Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi, says five-times world champion Mick Doohan.

Australian Stoner won the first of his MotoGP titles in 2007 with Ducati and then switched back to Honda for this season, bringing the 26-year-old his second championship.

“Honda’s a more stable platform. If they get the bike right next year again he should keep winning,” compatriot Doohan, who spent his entire 500cc career with Honda, told Reuters at a Laureus event ahead of this weekend’s season-ending Valencia Grand Prix.

“He understands the bike. If the bike stays there I think over the next five years it’s his to lose. He’s going to be a hard guy to beat.

“Already on paper he’s one of the best there’s been,” added the 46-year-old, who won five titles in a row before injury brought his career to a close in 1999.

Agostini, grand prix motorcycling’s most successful rider, won eight titles in the top category between 1966 and 1975 while Rossi is second on the list with seven.

“If he (Stoner) consolidates this year’s championship with another one he’s just going to get bigger and bigger,” said Doohan.

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) – Casey Stoner will be a hard rider to beat over the next five years as he strives to match the multiple titles won by Italians Giacomo Agostini and Valentino Rossi, says five-times world champion Mick Doohan.

Australian Stoner won the first of his MotoGP titles in 2007 with Ducati and then switched back to Honda for this season, bringing the 26-year-old his second championship.

“Honda’s a more stable platform. If they get the bike right next year again he should keep winning,” compatriot Doohan, who spent his entire 500cc career with Honda, told Reuters at a Laureus event ahead of this weekend’s season-ending Valencia Grand Prix.

“He understands the bike. If the bike stays there I think over the next five years it’s his to lose. He’s going to be a hard guy to beat.

“Already on paper he’s one of the best there’s been,” added the 46-year-old, who won five titles in a row before injury brought his career to a close in 1999.

Agostini, grand prix motorcycling’s most successful rider, won eight titles in the top category between 1966 and 1975 while Rossi is second on the list with seven.

“If he (Stoner) consolidates this year’s championship with another one he’s just going to get bigger and bigger,” said Doohan.

LONDON (Reuters) – Manchester United beat League Two Aldershot Town 3-0 in the League Cup fourth round Tuesday to begin the road to recovery after their humiliating 6-1 defeat by Manchester City Sunday.

Nicely-crafted first-half goals by Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen underlined the visitors’ dominance and Antonio Valencia’s stunning strike on 48 minutes put the result beyond any doubt.

“The laughter and the jokes have quietened down a little bit. It was a big kick in the teeth as everyone knows,” former Real Madrid striker Owen told Sky Sports of how his team mates have reacted to Sunday’s humbling.

“We were a little bit under pressure after the result on the weekend. Although no one here started on the weekend we had United’s reputation to look after. Roll on Everton now,” added Owen.

Manager Alex Ferguson was visibly relieved and will hope for a similar performance against Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.

“I think we tried to play the history books Sunday. That’s the nature of Manchester United, we try and win whether it’s with 10 men or nine,” said Ferguson.

Elsewhere in the League Cup, Arsenal withstood a late Bolton Wanderers onslaught to overcome their Premier League rivals 2-1.

LONDON, Oct 25 (Reuters) – Manchester United beat League Two Aldershot Town 3-0 in the League Cup fourth round on Tuesday to begin the road to recovery after their humiliating 6-1 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday.

Nicely-crafted first-half goals by Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen underlined the visitors’ dominance and Antonio Valencia’s stunning strike on 48 minutes put the result beyond any doubt.

“The laughter and the jokes have quietened down a little bit. It was a big kick in the teeth as everyone knows,” former Real Madrid striker Owen told Sky Sports of how his team mates have reacted to Sunday’s humbling.

“We were a little bit under pressure after the result on the weekend. Although no one here started on the weekend we had United’s reputation to look after. Roll on Everton now,” added Owen.

Manager Alex Ferguson was visibly relieved and will hope for a similar performance against Everton in the Premier League on Saturday.

“I think we tried to play the history books on Sunday. That’s the nature of Manchester United, we try and win whether it’s with 10 men or nine,” said Ferguson.

Elsewhere in the League Cup, Arsenal withstood a late Bolton Wanderers onslaught to overcome their Premier League rivals 2-1.