Japan can "go all the way" in the Rugby World Cup, said prop Craig Millar on Thursday, two days before the Brave...

A security guard quickly intervened and dragged the fan off the stage while MGK tried to calm down and resume the interview

Ryan Mason has trust in the key decision-makers at Tottenham to get the big calls right this summer. Spurs’ acting head coach Mason will take his squad to relegation-threatened Leeds on the final day in what is set to be his last fixture in charge. Eighth-placed Tottenham remain without a permanent manager or managing director of football and could miss out on Europe for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign unless they better Aston Villa’s result and match Brentford’s on Sunday. Crunch decisions are required by chairman Daniel Levy and the board, with a promise already made to supporters over the style Spurs will try to play next season. Last Saturday’s programme notes from Levy pledged the team will go back to “football you will love to come and watch” after the recent pragmatism and counter-attacking of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Mason feels a stable brand of football will help, and he said: “We’ve probably had two or three different styles of football in the last two or three years and I don’t think that is good for any squad of players or for fans. “When you lose people, lose coaches, lose players, lose members of staff, the impact is huge if you keep going from different things. “Like I say, going forward it really is important and we see it in the Premier League, we see it across the leagues, I want people to know who Tottenham are, know what a Tottenham team looks like and certainly know what a Tottenham player looks like. “This is just how I view the situation as it is. Obviously there will be loads of conversations in the summer about going forward. “There is a lot of people here who really care and want the club to get back to where we want, where we expect and where we hope to be. “Them conversations and decisions I am sure will be made in the summer. I trust the people making them decisions.” Quizzed about how the managerial search could impact Spurs’ transfer business, Mason admitted the club need a new man in place before they can go after targets. If you want to be successful on the pitch then everyone working for the organisation within the football club has to be on board with what we are and who we are. Ryan Mason “There is work because we have a big squad, a lot of players on loan and decisions to make,” he said. “The most important work is probably away from the transfer window right now because you need a manager in place, you need commitment, you need an idea to know where you go. “You can’t do transfer business without a manager because it might not fit his idea. At the moment I believe we need an idea of what we want to do, who we want to be and stick to it. Recruit people for that and ultimately recruit players for that.” There remains uncertainty over the future of Harry Kane, who is approaching the final year of his Spurs contract. Mason would not be drawn on what next for the Tottenham forward but insisted it is imperative every club has a long-term plans in place. He added: “For any player, manager, member of staff at this football club, when one leaves it’s important to have a succession plan in place. “So, when people do leave, the next one comes in and the impact isn’t so big. That’s not just speaking about Harry. That’s speaking about other players. “For me, it’s really important that there’s an identity in all departments. “If you want to be successful on the pitch then everyone working for the organisation within the football club has to be on board with what we are and who we are. “I hope going forward that’s definitely the case.”

Evan Ferguson hit his first career hat-trick as Brighton and Hove Albion capped a memorable week by inflicting a third successive Premier League defeat on Newcastle United with a thumping 3-1 success at the Amex Stadium. Teenage striker Ferguson curled home a superb second from range to add to a simple first-half finish before completing his treble with the aid of a hefty deflection off Fabian Schar. The 18-year-old’s heroics came a day after Albion were drawn to face Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens in their maiden Europa League campaign. Success for the Seagulls, who also pulled off a transfer coup on Friday by signing Ansu Fati on loan from Barcelona, was a third from four this season following last weekend’s loss to West Ham. Newcastle were only beaten five times in the top flight during the whole of last term but were unable to halt their recent slide on the back of setbacks against Manchester City and Liverpool, despite Callum Wilson’s late consolation. Striker Alexander Isak wasted two early opportunities before the Magpies were blown away to temper the excitement following their mouthwatering Champions League draw. Eddie Howe’s men were on Thursday pitted against AC Milan, Paris St Germain and Borussia Dortmund in European football’s premier competition, while Brighton’s maiden continental campaign will also include heavyweight opposition. Newcastle began brighter from an attacking perspective and Isak twice threatened during a shaky start from the Seagulls. The Sweden striker was denied inside 55 seconds by Jan Paul van Hecke’s last-ditch tackle following Bruno Guimaraes’ fine through ball before shinning wastefully wide after Pervis Estupinan’s poor clearance led to Sandro Tonali cutting the ball back from the right. Brighton, who paraded 20-year-old Spain forward Fati and fellow new signing Carlos Baleba ahead of kick-off, were dominating possession. Yet Roberto De Zerbi’s hosts again escaped in the 16th minute when Miguel Almiron’s low cross from the right deflected off Lewis Dunk and was turned behind by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. Newcastle were then punished for mistakes of their own 11 minutes later. Rushed clearances from keeper Nick Pope and midfielder Tonali led to the former spilling Billy Gilmour’s stinging effort and Ferguson was on hand to slot home the rebound. With his team still awaiting their first attempt on target, Howe brought on England striker Wilson as part of a triple substitution in the 58th minute. Isak’s pace remained a constant concern for the hosts but they soon secured breathing space courtesy of Ferguson’s magic. The Republic of Ireland international was afforded time and space deep inside Newcastle’s half and duly dispatched a fine curling effort into the bottom right corner from distance. Anthony Gordon wasted a golden opportunity to halve Newcastle’s deficit by sidefooting wide before Brighton put the result beyond doubt. Ferguson, who made his professional debut for Irish club Bohemians aged just 14, again took aim from outside the box, only this time his bending effort benefited from a significant flick of Schar to fly beyond the stranded Pope. The match-winner was withdrawn to a standing ovation nine minutes from time after making it 10 Premier League goal in just 12 starts. In spite of the scoreline, Newcastle’s sold-out following continued to vocally back their side. They were given scant reward on a punishing evening two minutes into added time when substitute Wilson burst forward and escaped Van Hecke to poke home. Read More Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk charged by FA after red card at Newcastle Eddie Howe reacts to Newcastle’s dramatic defeat by Liverpool Jurgen Klopp calls 10-man Liverpool’s win at Newcastle ‘rare and super-special’ Erling Haaland on fire again for Man City and Tottenham continue fine start Marco Silva says it should be ‘impossible’ to allow controversial Man City goal Steve Cooper: Forest were spurred on at Chelsea by Old Trafford frustration

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