PROFILES » nk to have this position now and in the future,

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is adamant granting early releases to forwards Liam Gill and Greg Holmes to play in Europe wont set a precedent for other players to leave before their contracts expire.And he is none too pleased with some of Australias player agents either.Prop Holmes and his Reds teammate and flanker Gill were released with immediate effect by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to take up contracts at Exeter in England and Toulon in France respectively.ARU contracts only allow for those who have provided seven years of consecutive service to be granted an early release after the third Bledisloe Cup match of the year which, in 2016, is on October 22 in Auckland.Both players would have been required to participate in the NRC and Wallabies preparations.Cheika had wanted Holmes and Gill in his Rugby Championship squad, but said the ARU had played the role of nice guys in releasing them early and recognised the awkward situation they had been placed in by their management of committing to two contracts.We could play hard ball but wheres the bonus for me to cost Liam Gill his contract if he really wants to go that much and he doesnt want to play for Australia? Cheika said.These (releases) have been made on compassionate grounds because I know the guys have been put in awkward situations by their management because they havent been told the truths of the matter.Cheika made it clear the releases made on Saturday were exceptions to the normal rule and wouldnt be repeated.The rules of the current collective bargaining agreement are going to be upheld from this day on, because maybe the agents havent taken the ARU seriously, Cheika said.One of these agents is saying if it doesnt happen, then hes going to go legal action against us. Like, really?Im not sure where they think they come off doing that.The Rugby Union Players Association (RUPA) said it was pleased the ARU had confirmed the early releases.Three other players had already been granted early releases to go overseas, albeit in different circumstances.Cheika said back-rower Dave Dennis and back Mike Harris were not required for his Rugby Championship squad and winger Joe Tomane would not return from injury in time to play a part in the tournament. Dwight Powell Jersey . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Luka Doncic Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/dwight-powell-mavericks-jersey/ . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers. Steve Nash Mavericks Jersey . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Dirk Nowitzki Mavericks Jersey . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. MINNEAPOLIS -- With only four weeks left in the race, the West Division is thick with contenders for a trip to the Big Ten championship game.Minnesota has crept into the crowd, despite losing the first two conference games, with a boost from a soft middle of the schedule. Theres just one more game to win before the Gophers can dive into a daunting yet potentially stirring finish, but they simply cant afford to let daydreams of a December game in Indianapolis and being heavy favorites at home distract them from playing Purdue on Saturday.If we dont take it one game at a time its not going to happen, linebacker Nick Rallis said.The Gophers (6-2, 3-2) narrowly beat struggling Rutgers at home two weeks ago, but they sandwiched that one with convincing wins on the road over Maryland and most recently Illinois . Not having Michigan or Ohio State on the schedule this season has been a benefit to the Gophers, one they neednt apologize for after going through a gauntlet of top-20 teams last year. The breather would be wasted if they dont beat the Boilermakers (3-5, 1-4), though, because games at Nebraska and Wisconsin are looming the rest of the month along with a home matchup against Northwestern.Many of the Gophers have vivid memories of a 39-38 victory over Purdue at TCF Bank Stadium in 2014 , when they needed a 52-yard field goal to take the lead late in the fourth quarter after rallying from a 31-20 halftime deficit. Purdues skill-position speed overwhelmed Minnesota that afternoon, and that Gophers team in 2014 fared better than any other in the past 12 seasons.Two years ago they came in here and had me scrambling, said Minnesota coach Tracy Claeys, who was the defensive coordinator at the time. He added: So were going have to make sure were ready, or we wont win.Here are some key angles to know about the game:AIRING IT OUT: Purdue quarterback David Blough leads the Big Ten with 2,346 yards passing, averaging close to 300 yards per game. Hes been intercepted 12 times, but the Boilermakers remain the same threat to produce long gains and score quickly like they were while dicing up Minnesotas defense in 2014. DeAngelo Yancey has 557 yards annd six touchdowns .ddddddddddddome good athletes, Claeys said. Were going to have to have a great job of tackling.PIRSIG HEALING: Minnesota right tackle Jonah Pirsig, who has missed the last three games with a sprained ankle, was cleared to practice this week and could return to the lineup. Garrison Wright had switched from left tackle to fill in for Pirsig.Hes really excited and itching to get back in the huddle, quarterback Mitch Leidner said.INTERIM STRUGGLE: Interim coach Gerad Parker has had a rough start for Purdue since replacing the fired Darrell Hazell. The Boilermakers lost Parkers first two games, both to ranked opponents, by a combined score of 89-38. The bigger picture presents some hope for the 35-year-old former wide receivers coach, however. Four coaches have held the interim or acting tag in program history, and the three who filled in for more than one game all won at least three times.I think to have this position now and in the future, wherever it may be, Parker said, I embrace it because this is what Ive been called to do.BACK HOME: Freshman Brian Lankford-Johnson, Purdues second-leading rusher, is a native Minnesotan who played at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul before moving to Florida to finish his prep career. He carried the ball 18 times for 127 yards and a touchdown last month in a win at Illinois.Hes a talented guy that deserves and will have a great career here, Parker said, but hes also got to learn how to do it all the time.THIRTY SOMETHING: Purdue has struggled under new defensive coordinator Ross Els. In the first eight games, the Boilermakers have allowed more than 30 points five times. Now they have to rebound from one of the worst performances in program history, having given up 45 second-half points to now-20th-ranked Penn State in a 62-24 rout at Ross-Ade Stadium. To be competitive against the Gophers, the Boilermakers must make some dramatic improvements.---For more college football coverage: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '