World Cup winning fly-half Jonny Wilkinson has officially retired from international rugby. The 32-year-old player of 91 caps for England as well as six Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions confirmed his decision in an announcement on his website on Monday.

Some of the post read as follows: “I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from International rugby. To do so fills me with great sadness but I know that I have been blessed in so many ways to have experienced what I have with the England rugby team. I never ever believed that I would be able to give up on this dream which has driven me to live, breathe, love and embrace the game of rugby from the earliest days that I can remember…”

Wilkinson’s drop goal in the 2003 World Cup Final against Australia, saw England lift the trophy for the prestigious tournament. Wilkinson who leaves Test rugby as the second highest points scorer of all time behind the All Blacks’ Dan Carter, will continue to play for French club Toulon in the Top 14.

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Serena Williams has been making sporting headlines with her recent outburst at the 2011 US Open. The tennis champion was fined $2000 for verbally abusing the chair umpire during the final match against Samantha Stosur after a point won by Williams was awarded to Stosur. Williams lost the point when she shouted a celebratory ‘Come on’ when hitting a winning forehand before the ball reached her opponent, a violation of United States Tennis Association rules.

During the confrontation Williams responded to the umpire by saying: “Aren’t you the one that screwed be over the last time here?”  This was later followed by “I truly despise you.”

Williams has recently tweeted about the incident admitting that “My emotions did get the best of me this past weekend when I disagreed with the umpire. It has been a long road to get back to the US Open this year and I am thankful to have had such a great two weeks in New York.”

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Tottenham players Aaron Lennon and Peter Crouch have been recalled to the England squad, but Fabio Capello have not included Manchester United striker Michael Owen for the Croatia game.

After impressing for Tottenham in the opening weeks of the season, Lennon is set to be given a chance in Saturday’s friendly against Belarus to stake his claim for a starting spot on the right flank against Croatia the following Wednesday.

England would qualify for the World Cup in South Africa next June if they make it eight wins from eight Group 6 matches against Croatia at Wembley.

Capello has been impressed by the speed and shooting proficiency of the 22-year-old Lennon, who last played in the victories over Slovakia in March and Ukraine in April.

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Bafana Bafana were tought an international soccer lesson last night when Portugal beat them 2 – 0 at Lausanne’s Stade Olimpique in Switserland.

The win was Portugal’s first in five matches. But they outclassed Bafana and showed how far behind Bafana are from the big guns of world soccer. Bafana’s head coach Joel Santana has a massive task ahead if is still dreaming about this squad competing against the world’s best in the Confederations Cup in June and at next year’s World Cup finals.

One could see the difference in class. Portugal are ranked 10th by Fifa while Bafana are 72nd and that gap showed.

If Bafana are to make any impression in either Fifa tournaments then Santana must wake up to the fact that goals win matches and his defensive tactics against top opposition do not work.

Bafana’s fragile ability to defend set pieces and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune’s lack of experience were exposed. Both goals one in each half came from a corner.

Portugal showed they were head and shoulders above a lack lustre Norway who Bafana defeated 2-1 in the Nelson Mandela Challenge at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium at the weekend.

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David Beckham is England’s most capped out-field player, but is happy with the new role as substitute.

Beckham passed Bobby Moore’s previous record of 108 caps when he came on as a half-time substitute in Saturday’s 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia. On his 109th appearance in an England shirt, Beckham proved his continued worth to the side, setting up Wayne Rooney with a cross for England’s second goal.

Beckham’s impressive cameo will have given coach Fabio Capello food for thought as the Italian prepares to pick his team to face Ukraine in Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier.

A win for England would cement their position on top of European qualifying group six and keep Capello’s team firmly on course to qualify for next year’s World Cup.

Capello started the Slovakia match with Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon on the right flank and his pace caused Slovakia problems at times. Beckham admits Lennon offers a different kind of threat and he is prepared to start on the bench if it helps England get a crucial victory.

“Aaron went past players like they weren’t there,” Beckham said. “With the pace he’s got, he’s in exceptional form for Tottenham, he deserved to start.

“Everyone wants to start for England, but at the end of the day, everyone also wants to play for England.

“Substitutes can be very important. We saw that at Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final with Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

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