Ailing Brumbies playmaker Christian Lealiifano has won the 2016 RUPA Medal for Excellence, one of Australian rugbys most prestigious awards.Lealiifano, who is battling leukaemia, was voted by his peers as the individual to have shown the best performance, leadership, consistency and discipline, both on and off the field, across the international and domestic seasons.Lealiifano in September won the Brumbies Players Player after co-captaining his side to Australian Super Rugby conference honours in 2016.The 29-year-old, who has amassed 117 Super Rugby caps and more than 800 points since joining the Brumbies in 2007, missed just five minutes of the entire Super Rugby campaign.Lealiifano also completed a Certificate IV in New Small Business and was instrumental in the leadership of the Brumbies Pasifika players development program.He is a champion for the Canberra Domestic Violence Crisis Service, and this year he won an ACT Government Violence Prevention Award.\Speaking via video from Melbourne, Lealiifano thanked his peers and paid tribute to all of Australias professional rugby players.Im truly, truly humbled and honoured to receive such an award, Lealiifano said.Congratulations to all of the other nominees; I feel like this is probably an award for all of us, and the great work we do in the community to grow the game around the country.Christian, who has been undergoing cancer treatment in Melbourne since August, thanked the rugby community for their support since his illness was diagnosed.I want to thank everybody for all of their support through this journey this little man (my son) and I are on at the moment, he said. It definitely means a lot and were all so grateful for your thoughts and prayers.Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies backline utility back Reece Hodge capped an outstanding maiden season in professional rugby with the Newcomer of the Year award. NSW Waratahs star and Wallabies vice-captain Michael Hooper backed up his John Eales Medal triumph by being named the Peoples Choice Wallaby of the Year.Olympic hero Charlotte Caslick edged out Chloe Dalton to win her second straight womens rugby sevens players player of the year award. Wholesale Salomon Shoes . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Discount Salomon Shoes Online . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. http://www.salomoncheap.com/ . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. Cheap Salomon Shoes . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. Cheap Salomon Shoes From China . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has reason to feel a little unsettled as his team begins preparations for the 2016 season. He has to find replacements for his best offensive player, his best defensive player and other key parts of a squad that finished 12-1 last year and ranked No. 4 in the nation.Ezekiel Elliot, one of the best running backs in Buckeyes history, departed early for the NFL, as did defensive end Joey Bosa. Both were stalwarts in the 2014 national championship run and right on through last season. Just six starters from last year will be in camp this fall.The good news: Quarterback J.T. Barrett enters a season as the undisputed starter for the first time after taking over for Cardale Jones at mid-season last year. In 2014, Barrett led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record before breaking his ankle in the Michigan game and giving way to Jones, who led the team to the national title.I anticipate he will be as good a quarterback as weve had, Meyer said. Its his show and he knows it, and hes prepared.Middle linebacker Raekwon McMillan, a second-team All-American who was one of the Big Tens top tacklers, will anchor a defense with a ton of potential -- including Bosas little brother, Nick, an incoming freshman defensive lineman.Freshmen and other inexperienced players will see extensive playing time on both sides of the ball and must perform for the Buckeyes to have success. A true freshman might even start on the offensive line, an exceedingly rare occurrence at Ohio State.But that doesnt necessarily mean it will be a rebuilding year for the Buckeyes. For Meyer, a master recruiter, its always a matter of waiting for the next crop of All-Americans to come of age and take over the team.We have a lot of momentum here at Ohio State right now, he said. We cant lose it just because we lost some great players.Some things to watch as the season aarrives:THE GROUND GAMEWith Elliott now in camp with the Dallas Cowboys, Ohio State enters fall practice without an established running back.dddddddddddd. The teams most experienced back, fifth-year senior Brionte Dunn, was dismissed last month for violating an unspecified team rule. That leaves redshirt freshman Mike Weber and true freshman Antonio Williams, both highly regarded prep players Meyer has raved about. Weber likely will be the starter, and look for H-back Curtis Samuel to get a share of the touches, too.ABOUT THOSE RECEIVERSOhio States three best receivers from 2015 are gone. The four players expected to step up as top pass-catchers -- Noah Brown, Corey Smith, Dontre Wilson and Samuel -- were recovering from injuries and didnt participate in spring practice, opening the door for youngsters like Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell and Torrance Gibson, all of whom had their shining moments in the spring game. Meyer needs one of them to emerge as the guy who can consistently get open and catch the deep ball.KEY GAMESSept. 17 at Oklahoma; Oct. 15 at Wisconsin; Nov. 19 at Michigan State; Nov. 26 vs. Michigan.SEASON OPENERSept. 3 vs. Bowling Green: The Buckeyes may have to work up a sweat dispatching the Falcons, one of the Mid-American Conferences better teams. Its the first of two tuneup games Ohio State will play at home before traveling to Oklahoma for an early-season showdown.PREDICTIONDespite losing a lot of experienced players, the Buckeyes have the talent to remain among college footballs elite teams. An 11-1 finish seems likely, with potential stumbles at Wisconsin or perhaps against Michigan.---Online:AP College Football website: http://collegefootball.ap.org/---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://www.twitter.com/mitchstacy ' ' '