England scrum coach Neal Hatley insists Mako Vunipolas rapid set-piece improvement has transformed him into the complete player.Alex Corbisiero, a distinguished predecessor in the Red Rose number one jersey, has acclaimed Vunipola as the best loosehead in world rugby on the strength of a rampaging start to the season at Saracens.While the impact in open play of Englands form player has never been doubt, his scrummaging was considered a potential weakness until the recent progress brought about by a technical adjustment.Mako has been absolutely outstanding for Saracens in the first half of the season, Hatley said. There arent many props in world rugby that can do what he does with the ball in hand.His set piece has come on immeasurably. Sometimes people get pigeon-holed as a carrying prop or a scrummaging prop and I think he crosses that divide.Hes been very sound from a set-piece point of view. Weve made a few little technical changes to his bind and thats had a real positive effect.There are a lot of good players around, but hes definitely getting there in terms of being the best loosehead in the world. If Corbs said that, its a pretty good endorsement.South Africa open the autumn series at Twickenham on Saturday while experiencing their worst run of results for a decade, including a record home defeat to New Zealand, but Hatley insists their threat must not be underestimated.They will probably go with a big pack and a big back five in the way theyve tried to do for most of the year. It will be a good side, Hatley said.They have been a state of flux, but when theyve played well they have been very impressive. The Lions did well in Super Rugby. Were expecting a good side to turn up.They have a very good scrum and will probably load up on that back five. There will be big bulk there so it will be a testing day from a scrum point of view.England name their starting XV on Thursday morning, with Tom Wood set to edge Nathan Hughes for the openside duties.Elliot Daly lined-up at outside centre during training on Tuesday and Hatley confirmed that Jonathan Joseph, his rival for the position and the more established option, is fully fit and available for selection.Replacement scrum-half Danny Care has a minor shoulder injury, but will be fit to take his place on the bench. Mike Person Super Bowl Jersey . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Y.A. Tittle Super Bowl Jersey . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. https://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Laken-Tomlinson-Jersey/ . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Kendrick Bourne Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. Jaquiski Tartt Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Diana Taurasi and the U.S. womens basketball brushed aside yet another opponent at the Rio Games after being challenged for the first time in the Olympics, albeit for just one half.While Japan played the Americans tough in the first half, the end result was another blowout victory for the U.S., although the 110-64 dismantling of the Japanese team may have come at a cost.Point guard Sue Bird didnt play the second half after injuring her right knee in the second quarter. She told The Associated Press after the game that she felt a pop.Nothing really happened, Bird said of the play. I just felt the pop and anytime you feel that, its a little alarming. So going just to have to get it evaluated afterwards and see whats up. ... I really have nothing to tell you. It happened so fast like. Is it possible I stepped on her shoe or she stepped on mine? I dont really remember, but yeah it felt funny.U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said that they would evaluate the injury.I really dont know. I said well know on Wednesday, Auriemma said. Theres no way of knowing anything right now. Im sure Sues bummed out about it as you can imagine. Lets just wait and see.Coming into the quarterfinals, every U.S. game was virtually over at the half. Not this one.Japan, sticking to its up-tempo style of basketball, shooting 3-pointers and pushing the pace, trailed just 56-46 at halftime. But the Americans, which won its five group games by an average of 40.8 points, had just too much offensive firepower and eclipsed the 100-point mark for the fifth time in six games, outscoring Japan 54-18 in the second half.That is a really good team, they make you work, Taurasi said. They have a system of playing that Im really familiar with. ... We knew it would be a tough game. They put a lot of pressure on you and we felt it in the first half.The Americans, who will meet France in the semifinals Thursday, have played nearly flawless basketball in Rio and their performances apparently have made an impression on Japan.The Japanese players posed for a team picture with the U.S. after the blowout -- the second straight opponent to get a postgame memento with the Americans. China took a photo after their game against the Americans in pool play. Its reminiscent of how opponents reacted to the Dream Teaam at the 1992 Barcelona Games.dddddddddddd.I dont even know. Its the second time now in a row, said Bird. Yeah I dont know what happened.In the first 20 minutes against Japan, the Americans were challenged as the Asian nation wasnt afraid to try and run with them. The Japanese quickly got the ball up and down the court and hit open jumpers, taking it right at the No. 1 ranked team in the world.Just as the Americans seemed to be pulling away in the second quarter, opening up a double-digit lead, Japan responded with a 10-2 run.And they looked impressive doing it.Ramu Tokashiki -- who plays for the WNBAs Seattle Storm -- shook free from her defender for an easy backdoor layup that got Japan within 48-46 and capped the burst. It brought a loud contingent of Japanese fans to their feet.Thats as close as they would get. The U.S. (6-0) scored the final eight points of the half with the last four coming from Seimone Augustus, which brought cheers from Kevin Durant and several other members of the U.S. mens basketball team in attendance.Japan scored the first four points of the third quarter, but then Moore started a 10-0 run with five straight points. Brittney Griners layup capped the spurt and the U.S. never looked back.The Americans continued their torrid scoring pace and are still above the 102.4 mark set by the 1996 team that started the run of five gold medals and 47 consecutive Olympic wins.Tokashiki scored 14 points to lead Japan (3-3), which was playing its first Olympics since 2004. The three victories equaled the most ever for the team in the Games, which it will host in 2020.While this game provided the first real test for the Americans, their road to a sixth consecutive gold medal got a little bit easier when Australia lost to Serbia 73-71 early Tuesday. The Aussies had been the only team to hold a halftime lead over the U.S. at the Olympics in the past 16 years when they led by four in the semifinal game in the 2012 London Games. The U.S. won that game by 13. Serbia plays Spain in Thursdays other semifinal.---Online:AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.org/---Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg ' ' '