SPORTS DIGEST:RALLYING: Portuguese rider Paulo Goncalves finished yesterday's Dakar stage to San Juan in fifth position. The Husqvarna Rallye Team by Speedbrain rider gained valuable time against his closest rivals after a long and difficult test through the Rioja canyons.

Goncalves was quick to find his rhythm and he had race leader Cyril Despres in sight around the 80 km mark. However, he made a navigation error at a difficult waypoint when he momentarily lost concentration. This mistake cost the Portuguese almost 10 minutes. Keeping up his front-runner speed, Goncalves afterwards rode together with Marc Coma, Helder Rodrigues and Frans Verhoeven until the end of the stage.

“More would have been possible today,” he said. “I’m mad at myself having made the mistake. It’s positive, though, that I found and kept a good rhythm. The bike worked flawlessly.”

Morgan could get England call-up

RUGBY:Scarlets number eight Ben Morgan could be in line for an immediate England call-up after turning down the chance to play for Wales.

The 22-year-old was born in Bristol but would have qualified for Wales later this month on the three-year residency rule and had attracted interest from Warren Gatland.

But after weighing up his options, Morgan yesterday declared his allegiance to England and he will immediately come into consideration for Six Nations selection.

England forwards coach Graham Rowntree revealed they had been watching Morgan for the last year.

“I’m delighted he’s decided he wants to play for England. We’ve been looking at him a long time,” Rowntree said. “We will be looking, without pre-empting selection, to get him involved very quickly.”

RFU rule Care out of Six Nations after second arrest

RUGBY:Scrumhalf Danny Care will play no part in England's Six Nations campaign following his second arrest in three weeks for alcohol-related offences, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said yesterday.

The 25-year-old was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

Care was also arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly on December 10th following Harlequins’s defeat by Toulouse in the Heineken Cup. He was released without charge after paying a fixed penalty fee but was fined by his club and warned by caretaker England coach Stuart Lancaster.

“I have met Danny and told him that he will not be considered for selection for the Senior or Saxons Elite Player Squads that are due to be announced on the January 11th for the forthcoming Six Nations campaign, Lancaster said in a statement.

This is his second arrest in three weeks for alcohol-related offences and it is completely unacceptable.”