MEN’S RUGBY UNION: Leading official Wayne Barnes has announced his retirement five days after refereeing the Rugby World Cup final.

The English official’s last match was one of his most challenging, with Barnes showing the first ever red card in a men’s World Cup final to New Zealand captain Sam Cane during South Africa’s 12-11 victory in Paris.

It was among a number of contentious decisions made by Barnes, who was later reportedly the subject of death threats.

Barnes said he would be working to ensure referees receive adequate support amid such pressures but cited family reasons for his decision.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Everton manager Sean Dyche wants his team to take inspiration from the club’s great sides of the 1980s and play good football but still with a “grittiness and edge” to their performances.

There was much more of the former than the latter as the Toffees registered a fifth win in seven matches with a comfortable 3-0 League Cup last-16 victory over Burnley on Wednesday night.

League results have taken an upturn as three wins in five games have lifted the side to 15th and five points clear of the bottom three.

A previously goal-shy side have scored three times in each of those victories, but Dyche knows playing their way out of trouble is unlikely to be the bedrock on which to base their season.

MEN’S RUGBY UNION: Jac Morgan will captain a team containing 12 Rugby World Cup squad members when Wales tackle the Barbarians in Cardiff on Saturday.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland fields four players who started the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina last month – Morgan, centre George North, lock Adam Beard and number eight Aaron Wainwright.

Dragons prop Lloyd Fairbrother makes a first Wales appearance in the non-cap fixture, with wing Tom Rogers and lock Ben Carter also gaining opportunities.