Briefs | Rugby: Osthuizen out for Springboks, replaced by Vermeulen

South Africa prop Coenie Oosthuizen has damaged knee ligaments and been replaced in the squad by No. 8 Duane Vermeulen for the remainder of the Springboks’ end-of-year tour of Europe. SA Rugby says Oosthuizen needs surgery after sustaining medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligament damage during the 38-3 loss to Ireland on Saturday. Vermeulen, who plays for French club Toulon, will join up with South Africa’s squad in Paris on Monday ahead of the team’s match against France on Saturday.

Football: England coach considers penalty shootout at friendly

England coach Gareth Southgate appreciates the penalty-shootout woes of his national team as well as anyone, and he’s trying to do something about it before next year’s World Cup. Southgate has raised the prospect of putting England’s players through a mock shootout at one of the team’s friendlies ahead of next year’s tournament in Russia. “It’s something that we are considering, how we prepare best for penalty shootouts,” Southgate said.

NBA: Celtics beat Raptors 95-94 for 12th straight victory

Al Horford had 21 points in his return from a two-game absence for a concussion and the Boston Celtics hung on to beat the Toronto Raptors 95-94 on Sunday for their 12th straight victory. Boston (12-2) was playing without Kyrie Irving after he took an inadvertent elbow to the face from teammate Aron Baynes on Friday night against Charlotte. Irving has a minor facial fracture but has not been diagnosed with a concussion as initially feared.