who will have the chance to earn a place in the

England Test team when he plays in the three-day game against South African Universities this week
Howard Wilkinsonwho will have to lift his Leeds team for the holiday programme after their crushing 6-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday extended a run of poor performances. WINNERS

Football
with the emergence of the Dutch as true sons of their national game at Anfield on Wednesday.Leicester City FCwho went a full week without losing a manager (if only because they haven’t got one).Mark Ilottfor responding to the “he’s mediocre” criticisms of one TV critic after another with three wickets in two overs in the Durban Test.Paul Graysonwho was the one bright spot of England’s dull afternoon at Twickenham.Glenn Hoddlewho at last seems to be turning his Chelsea side into a serious passing attraction.LOSERSDarren Goughinjured and left out of the third Test, and seemingly incapable of recovering his infectious and successful ebullience.Oxford Universitywho were denied a famous Varsity match win by a contentious refereeing decision and an injury-time try at Twickenham.Murray Walkerthe Formula One commentator who turned on his car radio to discover that the BBC had lost the contract to cover grand prix races from May 1997.Les Ferdinandwho was substituted against Portugal and seems destined never to be a first choice for England.Jack Rowellyet more talk of dynamic England followed by yet another leaden-footed (and handed) display.Alan Hansenwhose “hard man of the pundits” image was shattered by his wide-eyed salivating at the Dutch display on Wednesday.. Group C: 5-4 Germany, 11-8 Italy, 9-2 Russia, 14-1 Czech Republic. Group Betting (Hills): Group A: 10-11 Netherlands, 13-8 England, 9-1 Scotland, Switzerland. Group B: 7-4 Spain, 11-4 France, 3-1 Romania, 100-30 Bulgaria. The tournament has such strength in depth, meanwhile, that any number of teams could spring a surprise, and outright bets are best saved for the start of the second phase.EURO ‘96 (Ladbrokes): 9-2 Netherlands, 5-1 Italy, Germany, 7-1 England, Spain, 10-1 France, Portugal, 12-1 Croatia, 16-1 Bulgaria, Romania, 20- 1 Russia, 25-1 Denmark, 50-1 Switzerland, Scotland, Turkey, 80-1 Czech Republic. Multiplying those odds shows they would need to be about 9-2 before the first of those matches to represent any sort of value.With five sides quoted at or around that price with the problem of qualifying from their group still to come, the bookmakers are clearly taking few chances.

For example, a team might be 4-6 to win each of three matches in a row (from the quarters up to and including the final). First, since Germany and Italy are both in Group C, if both qualify they will occupy different halves of the second- phase draw and thus cannot play each other again before the final.Second, before placing a bet on the outright winner, be sure to make a rough calculation of the team’s “true” odds. In order to lift the trophy, a side must play six matches and win at least four. The big winners, it seems, are the Netherlands, the new 9-2 favourites (from 6-1) with Ladbrokes. As long as 16-1 before last Wednesday’s play- off with the Republic of Ireland, the Dutch have been heavily backed ever since and appear solid market leaders Their group rivals England, by contrast, are 7-1 from 11-2.

Spain, though favourites for Group B, are 7-1 from 6-1, while the only other significant move involves Croatia, 12-1 from 16-1.
Two points are worth making. None of the 16 national managers was ever likely to go beyond “it’s difficult, but we’re satisfied” after yesterday’s draw for the opening stage of Euro ‘96, but the revised odds for next year’s tournament provide a more telling assessment. Paul Tergat came home in 30min 31sec over the 10,500m course, beating his compatriot and standings leader Shem Kororia by one second. Five Britons finished in the first 20 – Keith Cullen was highest placed in seventh.
Kenya’s Rose Cheruiyot still leads the women’s standings, despite being beaten into second by Finland’s Annemari Sandell..

P&O Events Puissance: 1 Sagrat (G Goosen, GB) clear in 5th round; 2 San Patrignano Mister (F Sloothaak, Ger) 4 faults; 3 Hermann’s Imagination (O Becker, Ger) and Sarcelle de Sisse (H Godignon, Fr) 4 faults in 4th round.. Kenyans filled the first four places at the second meet of the World Cross-Country Challenge in Brussels yesterday. The Christmas Cracker: Rainbow de Trelon (H Bourdy, Fr) clear, 34.14; 2 Flyinge Electro (P Eriksson, Swe) clear, 34.89; 3 Cash (H Simon, Aut) clear, 35.32. Mistletoe Top Score: 1 Everest Welham (J Whitaker, GB) 1,360pts, 52.17sec; 2 Sprehe It’s Me (L Beerbaum, Ger) 1,310, 50.13; 3 Orthos (P Murphy, GB) 1,310, 51.72. Christmas Cake Stakes: 1 Everest My Mesieur (M Whitaker, GB) 39.84sec; 2 Totoe (P Charles, Irl) 41.82; 3 Loro Piana Taktik (R Pessoa, Bra) 42.07.