Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will reveal his Six Nations captain on Wednesday with Jamie Heaslip, Rory Best and Sean O'Brien the apparent candidates to succeed now-retired Paul O'Connell.

In O'Connell's absence, Heaslip, 32,  performed the role in the World Cup quarter-final defeat by Argentina.
Heaslip and Best, 33, have skippered in previous Six Nations, while O'Brien led Ireland against Scotland last August.
Schmidt will also name his squad for the opener against Wales on 7 February.
Uncapped trio Stuart McCloskey, Garry Ringrose and CJ Stander are being tipped to be included in an extended squad for the Aviva Stadium contest.
Experienced props Mike Ross and Cian Healy are also expected to be named as they near a return to action after injury.
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Meanwhile, Schmidt has to decide whether to include Robbie Henshaw as he prepares to make his Connacht comeback following over six weeks out because of a broken hand.
However, Schmidt's most important decision appears to be the captaincy call as he decides whether to retain Heaslip in the role he undertook as the injury-ravaged Irish slumped to a heavy defeat against the Pumas in October.
Speaking in early December, Best made it clear he was keen on succeeding the talismanic O'Connell but coach Schmidt has been tight-lipped on the subject in recent weeks.
Best's Ulster and Ireland team-mate Jared Payne said on Tuesday that he had "no idea" who Schmidt would plump for but made clear his admiration for the hooker's "leadership qualities".
"Rory's very good at communicating with the lads," added Payne. "He's well respected and when he gets out on the pitch, he does the business as well.
"When you've got a captain like that, it's pretty hard not to listen to him and not to follow him."
Best's captaincy record has seen him lead Ireland to victory in three out of four games while Heaslip's record is six wins, five defeats and a draw.
In terms of the wider selection, powerful young Ulster centre McCloskey and emerging Leinster midfielder Ringrose look likely to earn their first call-ups alongside Munster's in-form, South African-born flanker Stander.
McCloskey's Ulster team-mate Luke Marshall could be in line for a recall after missing out on World Cup selection, with another Kingspan Stadium player Darren Cave possibly under pressure after being out of action over the last six weeks because of a shoulder injury.
Cave admitted on Tuesday that he wasn't "overly confident" about being named in the squad.
"I haven't been in the shop window [over the last six weeks]," he said.


US computer company HP Inc has said it expects to cut 3,000 to 4,000 jobs over the next three years.

The hardware business of the former Hewlett-Packard announced the plans as part of a larger restructuring effort.
It is hoped the cuts will generate some $200m (Â£163m) to $300m in annual savings for the firm, but they are expected to cost up to $500m in charges.
HP also issued a lower-than-expected earnings guidance for next year.
The company said it expected adjusted profit for the fiscal year 2017 to be between $1.55 and $1.65 per share.
Hewlett-Packard split into two businesses last year: HP Inc, which focuses on printers and computers; and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which sold its software business to focus on data storage.
"I'm proud of the progress we have made in our first year as the new HP. Our focus is clear, our execution is solid, and we are positioned well for the next step in our journey," Dion Weisler, the company's president, said in a statement.
The job cuts come as sales of personal computers around the world continue to decline.
Earlier this week, research company Gartner said PC shipments declined 5.7% in the third quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier.
Hewlett-Packard has in the past seen profits hit by declining sales of personal computers and has already had tens of thousands of job cuts in recent years.


Bridgend is to host the 2017 Urdd National Eisteddfod, the county council has confirmed.

The Welsh-language arts festival will run from 29 May to 3 June at Bridgend College's Pencoed Campus.
The council approved the six-day youth event which it hopes will bring 100,000 visitors and Â£6m to the local economy.
Cabinet member councillor Phil White said it was "a unique opportunity to promote the county borough to a national audience".
The 2015 Urdd National Eisteddfod will be in Caerphilly from 25 to 30 May.


Two new Conservative MSPs have joined the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.

Ross Thomson and Graham Simpson filled in a giant ballot paper outside Holyrood to underline their support for the Vote Leave campaign.
Fellow Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell also backs Brexit, but party leader Ruth Davidson is in favour of remaining in.
Meanwhile, the Scottish remain campaign highlighted how much research funding universities receive from the EU.
Campaigning outside the Scottish Parliament alongside Scottish Vote Leave director and former Labour MP Tom Harris, the two newly-elected MSPs underlined their support for Brexit.
Mr Thomson said that with moves towards further centralisation, "Europe is going in a direction that Britain can't follow".
He said: "I think if we had a Europe where there was real reform and was focused again on our trading relationship, that's something I could have supported. But I just feel that at the moment, the direction of travel in the EU is about further political centralisation, further political union.
"I've always been fairly Eurosceptic, but when the Prime Minister said he was going to have a referendum and get a better deal it was something I was really keen on, and in fairness to him he put a Herculean effort in.
"But I'm concerned that there's no treaty change. I'm concerned that heads of state are temporary - if the German chancellor loses an election or isn't returned, and the same with the other heads of state, that negotiation we've achieved isn't long-term."
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has voiced support for the UK remaining in the EU, but Mr Thomson said she was "really relaxed" about her MSPs taking the opposite view.
He added: "She said, 'I've made a personal decision based on my experience - I want to stay in but I respect that you and others will make their own personal decision'.
"Ruth is really relaxed, saying we're going to have a grown-up, adult debate about the facts and our visions for the future, and I look forward to engaging in that properly."
Meanwhile, the Scotland Stronger in Europe campaign have been highlighting the contribution the EU makes to university research funding.
Writing in the Herald newspaper, Glasgow University principal Prof Anton Muscatelli said there was "unequivocal" evidence that "universities in Scotland and the UK benefit massively from our membership of the EU".
He said: "Scotland's universities receive Â£88.8m a year from EU sources, which is about 13% of our total research funding.
"This includes research to fight malaria, research on space, and vital medical research which benefits us all."
Dundee University principal Prof Pete Downes has also warned of an impact on funding from Brexit, saying universities would be "impoverished" by a vote to leave the EU.
Scotland Stronger in Europe spokesman John Edward said: "Being in the EU is clearly fundamental to pan-European academic collaborations and the success of Scotland's universities, which in turn underpins jobs and investment."


Two Hong Kong booksellers caught up in a criminal investigation in China have returned to the mainland after a brief stay in the territory, a friend says.

Cheung Jiping and Lui Bo had been released from police custody in southern China last week.
But a close friend told the BBC they were in Hong Kong for only a few hours before going back to China as part of their bail conditions.
Both men have confessed to trading in illegal books in China.
Their supporters believe the confessions, made on Chinese TV, were forced.
1. Lui Bo, general manager, goes missing in Shenzhen, 15 October
2. Cheung Jiping, business manager, 32, goes missing in Dongguan, 15 October
3. Gui Minhai, co-owner, 51, goes missing in Thailand, 17 October
4. Lam Wingkei, manager, 60, last seen in Hong Kong, 23 October
5. Lee Bo, shareholder, 65, goes missing in Hong Kong, 30 December
Mr Cheung and Mr Lui returned to Hong Kong separately last week. Hong Kong police say the men asked for the missing person cases filed on their behalf to be dropped.
But Hong Kong police did not say how long they stayed in the territory or where they are now.
Bei Ling, president of the activist group Independent Chinese PEN Center and a close friend of detained publisher Gui Minhai, told the BBC's Juliana Liu they had gone back to China after a few hours.
He said Mr Cheung had gone to his wife's family in Dongguan and Mr Lui to his family in Shenzhen, following their bail conditions. They could yet face trial.
Mr Cheung and Mr Lui are two of five men linked to a Hong Kong publishing house and book shop who went missing last year and resurfaced in police custody in China.
They had all dealt with books which were critical of Chinese leaders.
The case has sparked international concern that China could be attempting to rein in freedom of expression in Hong Kong, though China says its officials would not act illegally.
The fate and the locations of the three other booksellers remain unknown.


A spray paint factory in Leicester has been demolished after it was severely damaged by a large fire.

Firefighters said the L & M Spray building was unsafe following the blaze which broke out in Gladstone Street at 10:20 BST on Saturday.
Huge plumes of smoke could be seen across the city during the fire - which was started accidentally.
Several streets were closed while the fire was tackled, causing delays in the city centre.


MPs have launched an inquiry into the planned renovation of the Palace of Westminster amid concerns it may not provide value for money.

Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Treasury select committee, said insufficient evidence had been produced to justify the "hugely expensive restoration project".
The project could cost up to Â£4bn and take five to eight years to complete.
MPs and peers had warned the palace risks a "crisis" without repairs.
Parts of the Palace of Westminster are so badly affected by asbestos, fragile stonework and ageing electrics and wiring, it has been said the Grade I-listed building would be knocked down if it was not protected.
In a report last year a joint parliamentary committee of MPs and peers appointed to examine the refurbishment options  recommended that all MPs and peers should vacate both Houses of Parliament for six years during the works, and said the plans must not be delayed any further.
Chris Bryant, a Labour MP on the committee, said: "All the evidence points to having to move out of the whole palace simultaneously. That is the lowest-risk, most cost-effective and quickest option."
Speaking about the launch of the inquiry, Mr Tyrie said: "Neither the report by Deloitte, nor that by the joint commission, provides enough of the evidence needed to come even to a preliminary decision on these proposals - so the Treasury committee will attempt to collect some of it.
"This is why the committee has called for evidence on this massive, and hugely expensive, restoration project.
"The proposals certainly need thorough scrutiny."
Last month Mr Tyrie wrote to the leader of the House of Commons David Lidington MP to ask for further details on relocation options, potential risks, and costs for the project.
A Commons vote on whether to press ahead with a full or partial evacuation is expected in the comings weeks.


Yorkshire Carnegie have signed winger Tom Arscott for the rest of the season, a month after Sale Sharks sacked him for leaking team information.

The 29-year-old met his brother, Bristol back Luke, at their team hotel the night before Bristol's 24-23 Premiership win at Sale on 1 January.
Arscott, who also received a written warning from the Rugby Football Union, could make his Carnegie debut against Jersey on Friday.
"It's been a tough few weeks," he said.
"I really pleased to have joined up with Yorkshire Carnegie and I am looking forward to getting started against Jersey on Friday and letting my rugby do the talking for the remainder of the season."
Carnegie are second in the Championship table, 11 points behind leaders London Irish, but 16 clear of fourth-placed Ealing Trailfinders, who currently occupy the final play-offs spot.


After two years away from the limelight, Welsh pop star Duffy is back.

The singer-songwriter, who shot to fame in 2008 with her chart-topping single Mercy, is about to release her second album Endlessly.
The bubbly 26-year-old is immediately engaging and is full of smiles and chatter.
"I'm an open book," she explains. "I wouldn't write songs if I had no intention of sharing the experiences that I went through."
A two-year hiatus gave the singer - full name Aimee Ann Duffy - a chance to "take stock" and think about her next move.
She laughs off press reports that she suffered a breakdown during that time, calling it "too dramatic and too much like a Hollywood movie".
She does admit, though, that becoming an overnight success did take its toll.
"It was a wild, fun, exhilarating experience and at times it felt as though I was falling apart at the seams," she says.
"I did have hold of the reins," she continues. "I did feel like I could keep things together - just about.
"But it was the right time to go and make a new record. Trust me, I was ready for that."
Duffy retreated back to Wales for a rest, squeezing in a debut acting role in independent movie Patagonia.
Despite having been offered several Hollywood parts, she chose the predominantly Welsh-speaking film "because it was a little homage to the girl I used to be".
Although proud of the film, she is not certain whether she will continue with acting.
"I'm about to say something that I probably shouldn't say, but I really don't know what's ahead of me," she laughs.
"Media training would want me to say that I completely know what I want for the future, that I'm a calculated young woman, I'm clever and I've got it all together - but I have absolutely no idea."
Bad habits
Last year Duffy's debut record Rockferry won her the Grammy for best pop vocal album.
Even now, though, the singer - who grew up in the small Welsh town of Nefyn - still has "weird moments realising that people know who I am".
It's a far cry from her early years when she was asked to leave the school choir.
"I was about eight years old and I remember thinking to myself: 'I think you're going to regret that, Mrs Roberts,'" she laughs.
Duffy has achieved a level of success that most artists would envy. Yet she does admit she has picked up some bad habits along the way.
She never warms up her voice before singing, enjoys spending hours in the bath and has a fondness for the occasional tipple.
"It's good to get drunk and to go out and let your hair down," she says.
"I sometimes enjoy a hangover. That kind of hot flush where you feel like you're having palpitations makes me feel slightly alive."
For the time being, though, socialising will have to take a back seat while she promotes her latest record.
Comparisons
The first single off the album, Well, Well, Well, was released earlier this month.
Asked what her expectations are for the record, Duffy admits that chart success may take some time.
"I'm aware of wanting a slow start and a way of easing myself back into everyone's consciousness," she explains.
"I hope I get a few months to wind up. Well, Well, Well is something I want to sit out there, reminding everybody of my return."
Nor does she seem overly concerned by the continual comparisons made between herself and some of her contemporaries, such as Amy Winehouse and Adele.
"I still get the Dusty Springfield comparison daily," she says.
Another person to whom the star is regularly compared is singer Charlotte Church.
They are both Welsh singers who have enjoyed enormous success. Like Church until recently, Duffy is also in a relationship with a rugby player.
But Duffy sees no similarities. "It's really only here [in the UK] that we are compared," she says.
"In America they don't really know what rugby is. All they know is that I've got a yum, six foot tall, dark, handsome squeeze."
She is not, in short, a woman to fret over what is written about her.
"You won't really get me worrying about things," she says.
"You don't really have any control over anything, good or bad, I am a victim of circumstance as we all are."
Endlessly is released on 29 November.


Ahmad Ahmad, the man bidding to depose Issa Hayatou as president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), has unveiled his manifesto.

The head of Madagascar's FA is the sole challenger to the Cameroonian, who has led Caf since 1988.
Central to Ahmad's manifesto is a desire for improved governance, with a commitment to increased transparency and reinvestment outlined.
The Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa will host the elections on 16 March.
Ahmad, who confirmed his candidacy to the BBC on 12 January, has also said he hopes to bring about 'reconciliation within the different actors of the African football.'
"Those who have lost their trust, their confidence in Caf, those who have been long forgotten and those who have been left on their own - they all must join Caf," his manifesto states.
Among the other ideas prominent to his candidacy:
Ahmad is seen as an outsider to depose Hayatou, who is seeking an eighth term in office, and is eligible to contest the elections given he is already a member of Caf's Executive Committee.
The Malagasy has been boosted by receiving the backing of Cosafa, the southern African region.
Ahmad is considered the most serious challenger in years to Hayatou, who was re-elected unopposed in 2013.


The Argentine government has made an official proposal to foreign investors holding $9bn (Â£6.25bn) in bonds the country defaulted on.

After five days of negotiations in New York, it offered to pay 75% of the amount awarded by US courts in 2012.
The long-standing dispute has restricted the country's access to international credit markets.
The investors bought the bonds at heavily discounted rates after the country's economy collapsed in 2002.
Argentina has now offered $6.5bn to settle the dispute, said court-appointed mediator Daniel Pollack.
"This is the first time Argentina makes a formal offer to the holdouts," said Argentina's government in a statement.
It added that some funds such as Montreaux Partners and Dart Management had already accepted the proposal.
Shortly after being sworn in in December, new Argentine President Mauricio Macri opened negotiations with the bond-holders.
His predecessor, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, had refused to negotiate with the investors, calling them "vulture funds".
The bonds were bought by hedge funds NML and Aurelius Capital Management for a fraction of their face value in the aftermath of Argentina's economic collapse in 2001.
The South American nation defaulted on its debts at the time.
It has since renegotiated its debts with 92% of the creditors who agreed to settle for one-third of what they were originally owed.
However, the hedge funds bought up a large chunk of the remaining distressed debt at low prices, and demand to be paid the full face value of their holding -  $1.3bn.
New York Judge Thomas Griesa ruled in 2012 that Argentina must pay the creditors in full.
In June 2014, the US Supreme Court declined to hear Argentina's appeal against the decision.
Argentina refused to pay and went on default.
More recently, other bond holders, known as "Me Too", joined NML and Aurelius in the dispute.
Their claims, added to interest incurred since 2012, have increased the amount owed by Argentina.
Earlier this week, Argentina announced it had reached an agreement with Italian investors holding $900m in defaulted bonds.


Scotland boss Anna Signeul remains positive despite Glasgow City and Hibernian going out of the Women's Champions League this week.

Hibs were hammered 10-1 on aggregate by Bayern Munich, while City lost 3-1 to Eskilstuna United from Sweden.
"I think it is fantastic for Scottish football that we actually have two teams in the Champions League," Signeul told BBC Scotland.
"It just shows that what we have done has actually brought us two spots."
Signeul pointed out that the Netherlands, who will host the Euro 2017 finals and play Scotland in a 20 October friendly in Livingston, only have one team in Europe's top club competition.
"It is all based on rankings and what Glasgow City and the national team have done previously," she pointed out.
Hibs were making their debut in the knockout stage.
"It was a great experience for this young Hibs team and they were unlucky in the draw - played probably one of the challengers for the title this year, Bayern Munich, with 26 players in the squad all full-time professionals and all playing for their national squads; Austrians, Swiss, Germans, Dutch," Signeul stressed.
"Bayern Munich also had the golden boot player of the tournament in the Olympics, so it was a tough side.
"It is good for all the players at Hibs to see this is the level they want to get to.
"Sometimes you play in internationals and get a little bit cheated - you think you are better than you are because you are playing weaker teams."
City, Scottish champions for the last nine seasons, reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 2014 but have suffered disappointment two seasons in a row in the round of 32.
"Glasgow City had a chance in their game, but Eskilstuna, the Swedish runners-up, were a little too strong for them," said Signeul.
"They had two good games and they were a little unlucky in the way the goals came in both games."
The future of Signeul's Scottish FA colleague, men's head coach Gordon Strachan, was called into question this week after a draw with Lithuania and a defeat by Slovakia in their 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Signeul stressed that it was unfair to compare the success of her side to Strachan's because "results usually follow the rankings in women's football" while the men's game was more competitive and less predictable.
She added that she believed Strachan, who has decided to remain in post, continues to have the full backing of his players.


Renowned saxophonist and rapper Soweto Kinch is to front a new-look jazz show on BBC Radio 3.

The Birmingham-born musician will host Jazz Now alongside singer Emma Smith and Irish trumpeter Al Ryan every Monday night from 4 April.
It replaces Jazz On 3, which has been running for 18 years. That show's host, Jez Nelson, will move to Jazz FM.
Kinch said he wanted the new show to "shake up our jazz world with a bit of controversy".
Its remit is to explore the "vibrant new and underground jazz scene" - broadcasting from car parks and dance music clubs as well as established jazz venues.
Kinch's appointment is significant because he bridges the divide between the often closeted world of jazz and contemporary mainstream music.
A double MOBO-award winner and Mercury Prize-nominee, he has been described as one of British music's "freshest and most exciting prospects".
"Mr Kinch demonstrates what England has to teach [the USA] about narrative Hip-Hop," wrote The New York Times, reviewing his first US show  in 2004.
The first edition of Jazz Now will feature a concert by the British trio Malija; an interview with Mobo-winners Binker and Moses, and newly discovered recordings of organ legend Larry Young.
The following week will see the launch of a regular series of masterclasses by influential musicians, the first of which features saxophonist and composer Patrick Cornelius.
Future episodes will include the world premiere of Hans Koller's new composition, Twelve Re-Inventions for George Russell; up-and-coming trumpeter Ralph Alessi; and coverage of the BBC Young Musician 2016 Jazz Award.
"The underground and emerging jazz and wider contemporary music scene is really exciting right now," said Alan Davey, Controller of BBC Radio 3.
"We wanted to bring that scene to our audiences and through enlisting expert performers such as Soweto, Emma and Al, I am confident Jazz Now will do just that."


Hamilton manager Martin Canning says he is "fed up" of watching his team suffer from what he argues is a series of refereeing errors.

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Accies were denied a penalty in Saturday's damaging defeat by fellow Premiership strugglers Inverness.
Ali Crawford was felled by Caley Thistle goalkeeper Ryan Esson, but referee Andrew Dallas remained unmoved.
"Every single week it seems decisions go against us," an exasperated Canning told BBC Scotland after the 2-1 defeat.
"Whether it's red cards that get overturned, decisions at Ibrox, penalties - last season against St Johnstone, the same referee (Dallas) phoned me through the week to apologise for not giving us penalties, and does it again today.
"It's a stonewall penalty and yet again we don't get the decision. I'm a big supporter of referees, I always have been, I know they've got a difficult job to do, but I can't keep on doing it.
"It's getting to the point now that I'm getting fed up with it, to be honest. Don't get me wrong, first-half we didn't help ourselves, we gave away sloppy goals, but they're able to see a penalty that by all accounts is a penalty, and yet second-half they're not able to see it, and it just gets frustrating."
Canning was irked by several contentious calls in Accies 6-0 Scottish Cup thrashing by Rangers in March, and the club successfully appealed against the red card Giannis Skondras received against Ross County last month.
In February, the Accies boss himself told BBC Scotland he felt the standard of Scottish officiating was improving, but Saturday's match appeared to push Canning to the end of his tether.
"It's another big decision that's gone against us," he added. "You hope over the course of a season they even themselves out, but they just seem to be continuing to go against us.
"I don't doubt for one second the referees try and make decisions based on what they're seeing; it just seems they keep not seeing things for us and seeing things against us."
Meanwhile, Inverness remain four points adrift at the foot of the table with three matches remaining, and still face an uphill battle to preserve their top-flight status.
Manager Richie Foran, however, believes the victory - their first since February - will give his players a major lift for the season's climax.
"There's quality there in abundance," he said. "Yes, we probably lacked that wee bit of composure in front of goal, but to create so many chances gives us great belief going into the next three games.
"More importantly, the win gives the players huge confidence. We knew there were goals in our team, but the way we defended, I thought the back four were magnificent, particularly Gary Warren and Louis Laing, they won every header.
"It's only going to get harder for us now. Kilmarnock, watching that game today will give us a lot more respect next week when we go to play them."


A new supermarket expected to fund a 6,000-seat sports stadium for Cornwall has been given planning consent.

The Cornwall Council vote is a major step forward in the bid to finance the stadium on the outskirts of Truro.
The Cornish Pirates rugby club, Inox Group, Truro and Penwith College and Henry Boot Developments were behind the plans for the multi-use stadium.
In an eight-hour debate, members also approved plans for a new football stadium on a separate site nearby.
The stadium is expected to cost £10m, with £2m promised by Truro and Penwith College and the other £8m from a deal still to be done with a supermarket.
March 2011 Cornwall Council agrees to fund stadium business plan
November 2011 Outline planning permission granted
May 2012 Councillors vote against public funding for stadium
January 2014 Developers say supermarket would fund stadium
March 2015 Council defers planning decision on supermarket
July 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron says he 'wants to see the stadium happen'
Ian Connell, Cornish Pirates chairman, said he was "absolutely delighted" at the "excellent news".
He said: "It will be a tremendous boost for our players, for our supporters and for the public throughout Cornwall."
Rob Saltmarsh, of developers Inox Group, said councillors had realised the "significant community benefit" of the stadium.
Mr Saltmarsh said he hoped the government would "stand by their word" following a pledge by David Cameron ahead of May's general election to support the stadium.
He said: "We can now look to meet with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and ask them if there is any money available."
Mr Saltmarsh said extra government money could be used to expand the scope of the stadium and possibly increase its size to 10,000 seats.
Plans to build a retail development on the Treyew Road site of Truro City Football Club were also approved.
Money from that project is expected to be used to fund a new ground for the football club at Silver Bow, which was also granted planning consent.


Midfielder Stanley Aborah says he is "shocked and disappointed" that Notts County and boss Jamie Fullarton claim he no longer wants to play for them.

Aborah made 22 of his 23 appearances under former manager Ricardo Moniz, and is yet to be picked by Fullarton.
The Magpies boss revealed that within days of taking over, Aborah told him he "didn't come to play for Notts County, he played for the previous manager".
In response, Aborah said: "The club went too far on this one."
When asked by BBC Radio Nottingham if he had refused to play, the Belgian continued: "Not at all, I don't know why he said that. You don't do that to one of your players.
"I was shocked and angry at first, then I was just disappointed."
Fullarton's comments about Aborah came after Tuesday's goalless draw with League Two bottom side Dagenham & Redbridge, which left Notts still without a home win under Fullarton.
The 28-year-old has been a notable omission for the Meadow Lane side, with the former Ajax midfielder making his last appearance on 2 January under the interim management of Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden.
"I've got no issue with any player having a relationship with the manager, but the club is the one that employs you, pays your wages, therefore your loyalty, and commit and professionalism should be toward the club," the manager said.
"We felt that over a period of time that it would pass, but unfortunately he has maintained his position. On a daily basis he shows that he doesn't want to be at the club and he has asked, on occasion, to leave the club directly, via email with his agent.
"It is a predicament because he is quality with ability."
The club said in a statement on Wednesday that Aborah had "expressed his desire to leave" shortly after Fullarton's appointment, which was confirmed in an email by his representative on 20 January.
"It was the hope of the club and the manager that Stanley's position on this would change and he would be committed to contributing to the team.
"However, in a further meeting on 29 February, Stanley again expressed his desire to leave the football club," the statement continued.


US Vice-President-elect Mike Pence was booed on Friday at a performance of the hit musical Hamilton.

After the show, a cast member thanked Mr Pence for attending and read a letter to him on stage.
"We, sir, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us," Brandon Dixon said.
The incident has angered President-elect Donald Trump, who has accused the cast of "harassing" his running mate.
The President-elect has gone as far as to demand an apology to a "very good man", apparently misunderstanding that the cast implored the audience to stop booing Mr Pence.
"Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!" Mr Trump tweeted.
"The theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!"
His tweet did not go unnoticed by Mr Dixon, who immediately stepped in to defend his castmates.
"@realDonaldTrump conversation is not harassment sir," he wrote. "And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen."
Mr Pence was loudly booed as he entered the theatre. Audience members said the performance was repeatedly stopped because of jeers.
However, the message, which was reportedly penned by the show's writers when they learned that Mr Pence planned to attend, was greeted with cheers from the audience at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York.
An audience member tweeted to say there was a three-minute standing ovation when one character performed a song directly to Mr Pence which included the lyrics: "A small query for you / What comes next? / You've been freed / Do you know how hard it is to lead?"
When Mr Dixon addressed theatregoers at the end, he urged them not to boo and asked Mr Pence, who was leaving, to stay and listen.
"You know, we had a guest in the audience this evening, and Vice-President-elect Pence, I see you are walking out but I hope you will hear us.
"There's nothing to boo here, ladies and gentlemen... We have a message for you, sir, and we hope you will hear us out."
Mr Dixon continued: "We truly hope that his show has inspired you to uphold our American values and work on behalf of all of us.
"We truly thank you for sharing this wonderful American story told by a diverse group of men and women of different colours, creeds, and orientations."
A staunch conservative, Mr Pence sparked an outcry earlier this year after signing a law critics said discriminated against the LGBT community by allowing businesses to refuse service over religious beliefs. He later amended the bill.
He is not the first high-profile politician to attend the critically-acclaimed and hugely popular Hamilton, which tells the story of US founding father Alexander Hamilton.
President Barack Obama saw the musical last year and joined the cast backstage after the performance.
Hillary Clinton, who lost to Mr Trump in last week's election, also saw the show. She was supported by its creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, during her campaign.
Read more: Trump's vice-president-elect: Who is Mike Pence?


Uruguay's President Jose Mujica has called football's world governing body Fifa "a bunch of old sons of bitches" over Luis Suarez's four-month ban.

The 79-year-old described the punishment, which also included a suspension for nine international matches, as a "fascist ban".
Suarez received the harshest sanction in World Cup history for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.
Mujica is renowned for his plain-speaking manner.
He made the comments to state TV at a reception for the Uruguay team, following their elimination from the World Cup last 16 by Colombia.
The president covered his mouth to feign shock at what he had said, but told journalists to "publish it" when asked if he wanted to rectify his remarks.
Mujica admitted that Suarez deserved to be disciplined, but said his suspension was too harsh.
"They could have punished him, but not given him this fascist ban," he said.
The former leftist guerrilla had previously said Suarez was being punished by Fifa because of his humble background.
He also denounced the ban in his weekly radio address as an "eternal shame" in the history of the World Cup.
Oscar Tabarez's side suffered a 2-0 defeat in their last-16 tie against Colombia after being forced to do without their star striker because of the ban.
Uruguay's football federation said it would appeal against Fifa's punishment.
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Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea told club staff he was "not eager to play" before being left out of the opening game of the season.

Manager Louis van Gaal will not pick the Spain international, 24, until the transfer window closes amid speculation linking him with Real Madrid.
United's two-time player of the season told goalkeeping coach Frans Hoek he was "not 100% focused", the club said.
Argentina international Sergio Romero started Saturday's win over Tottenham.
De Gea has again been left out of the United squad for Friday's Premier League game at Aston Villa (19:45 BST).
"I'm not doing everything alone," said Van Gaal. "I have two assistant coaches and a goalkeeping coach, Frans Hoek.
"Frans had a meeting with David De Gea. He fully agreed with our decision."
Van Gaal said he and his staff had watched De Gea in training and the former Atletico Madrid player was "not the same as before".
The Dutchman's observation about De Gea's state of mind came during an unexpected exchange after his news conference on Thursday.
Having chided a journalist for not being aware of his previous comments about De Gea, Van Gaal sought him out once he had finished answering questions and the pair spoke for a couple of minutes.
He told The Times' Tony Barrett: "Frans Hoek, he has a meeting with David de Gea and he asks him, 'Do you want to play?'."
When the reporter asked about De Gea's reply, Van Gaal said it was: "No."
The club later moved to clarify those comments, issuing a statement which read: "The manager wants to clarify that the direct answer from David was not 'no', David was not eager to play because of the situation and because he was not 100% focussed due to all the rumours surrounding him."
United are adamant they will not sell De Gea, whose contract expires at the end of the season, unless they receive a world-record fee from Real or get defender Sergio Ramos in exchange.
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Van Gaal had earlier said Barcelona forward Pedro fits the template of a quick, penetrative player he is still looking for.
"Pedro is a player like that," he said. "So write it."
The 28-year-old Spain international, who has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford, is said to have told Barca he wants to leave.
"You have to ask Pedro, not me," said Van Gaal. "I don't mention anything before he has signed. When he has signed I come to you and say: 'Hey, Pedro is here.' That is not the case and we shall wait and see."


A court in Bahrain has ordered the Sunni Muslim-ruled country's leading Shia opposition group dissolved and its assets seized, reports say.

The ruling follows last month's move by the government to suspend all activities of the Wefaq National Islamic Society.
Funds will be transferred to Bahrain's government, al-Arabiya TV said.
Wefaq has helped lead pro-democracy protests in the country since 2011.
That February, demonstrators took to the streets to demand greater political rights and an end to discrimination against the Shia majority.
The following month, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa brought in troops from neighbouring Sunni-led Gulf states to restore order and crush dissent. The unrest left at least 30 civilians and five policemen dead.
Opposition activists say dozens of people have been killed in ongoing clashes between protesters and security forces, while bomb attacks blamed on Iran-backed militants have killed a number of police officers.
Last month the justice ministry said it had filed a request with a court to suspend Wefaq to "safeguard the security of the kingdom" .
The government also stripped the kingdom's most prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, of his citizenship, accusing him of using his position to "serve foreign interests" and promote "sectarianism and violence".
Wefaq is Bahrain's largest legally recognised opposition political society, it says it advocates non-violent activism.
Last month, an appeal court more than doubled the prison sentence of Wefaq's secretary-general from four years to nine, overturning a trial court's decision to acquit Sheikh Salman of advocating the overthrow of the government by force.
Human Rights Watch said there was strong evidence that his trial was unfair and that two of the charges on which he was convicted violated his right to freedom of expression.


Police have made "significant arrests and finds" in their inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing, according to the UK's top counter-terrorism officer.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said they had "got hold of a large part" of the terror network they believe bomber Salman Abedi was part of.
"Immense" progress has been made, he added, but more arrests were likely.
Meanwhile, US singer Ariana Grande has said she will return to the "incredibly brave city" for a benefit concert.
In a message posted on Twitter Miss Grande, who performed on Monday, said the victims of the attack would "be on my mind and in my heart every day".
Amid increased security at UK events this weekend, Mr Rowley urged the public to "go out as planned and enjoy yourselves".
He added that police had reviewed security at more than 1,300 events across the country, and people could be "100% confident" they were doing everything possible to protect them.
But for the investigation team, he said, there were still "important" lines of inquiry to pursue, and the security level will not yet be reduced from "critical".
A senior security source told BBC News the threat level was "critical" partly because of concern at so-called "copy-cat" attacks, as well as fears about the Manchester network.
The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Ian Hopkins, said 12 locations were still being searched. These operations, as well as one at Manchester Arena, will continue over the weekend.
He said thousands of items had been gathered by officers, though he would not say whether they could have been used to make explosive devices.
Mr Hopkins also warned that hate crime had risen in Manchester since the attack, going from 28 reports on Monday to 56 on Wednesday.
He said these numbers cannot be directly linked to the attack.
But he added: "Manchester has come together this week... but it is important we continue to stand together, particularly against some of the hate-filled views that we have seen from a very small minority of the community that have no place here in Greater Manchester.
"I have sent a personal message to the faith leaders and places of worship across Greater Manchester today, thanked them for their support, and shown that we will not tolerate hate crime here in Manchester."
Nine men - aged between 18 and 44 - are in custody on suspicion of terror offences, in connection with Monday's attack.
Abedi blew himself up, killing 22 men, women and children, as people were leaving an Ariana Grande concert.
A total of 11 people have been arrested in the UK, including Abedi's 24-year-old brother Ismail, but two were later released.
The most recent arrest, of a man aged 44, was made on Friday in the Rusholme area of Manchester.
Witnesses said armed police had surrounded a bus on Oxford Road before they arrested a man on board.
The 22nd victim of the attack has been named as 15-year-old Megan Hurley, from Halewood in Merseyside.
A total of 66 people remain in hospital, with 23 in critical care.
The most recent arrest happened at around 02:00 BST on Friday when armed officers raided a terraced house in Dorset Avenue, Moss Side, Manchester.
Sources have told the BBC that a barber shop in the same area, linked to a house that was searched earlier in the week, was also raided overnight.
Three men aged 18-24 were arrested during the raid in the Fallowfield area of the city on Wednesday. The BBC understands at least one of them worked at the barber shop.
On Friday, police said they had searched an address in St Helens, Merseyside, in connection with the attack.
Residents who were moved from their homes in Wigan on Thursday night, while armed police and a bomb disposal unit searched a house, have been allowed to return.
In the Libyan capital Tripoli, Abedi's younger brother Hashem, 20, and their father, Ramadan, were held by special forces linked to the interior ministry.
A Libyan official has said Abedi's brother knew of his aim to carry out an attack, but did not know its timing or location.
A school friend of Hashem, who did not want to be named, told the BBC that he left school when he was 14 to go to fight in Libya, returning "much more Islamic and wearing traditional salafi clothing".
Abedi, 22, was known to the security services, but his risk to the public remained "subject to review".
He is also believed to have fought in Libya when he was 16, according to BBC Newsnight. The police have not commented.
Fawzi Haffar, a trustee of the Didsbury Mosque - which he attended - said one of the Imams reported Abedi to the security services five years ago, but did not tell anyone at the mosque that he had done it.
"It has got to be a worry because obviously we as trustees should, I suppose, know what is going on," he said.
But Mr Haffar added that if he was ever aware of a radicalised mosque-goer, he would be "the first person to report them to the counter-terrorist police".
The BBC understands Abedi attended football coaching sessions in 2014 with the Manchester United Foundation - the charitable arm of Manchester United FC - at a project for young people in the city.
Security minister Ben Wallace told the BBC there were between 400 and 500 active investigations into people plotting or engaged with plots to attack the UK, covering 3,000 individuals.
There were also between 12,000 and 18,000 people in the same category as Abedi - those who had come to the attention of the security services.
"The scale of the challenge we face is the key," said Mr Wallace.
"When is someone boasting or when is someone acting suspiciously? The police and the security services always have to make that judgement call and that is a lot of people.
"We used to say that a terrorist only has to be lucky once. We have to be lucky all the time."
General election campaigning, which was suspended after the Manchester attack, resumed on Friday, with Labour drawing links between wars abroad and terrorism "at home".
Leader Jeremy Corbyn said that under a Labour government, UK foreign policy would change to one that "reduces rather than increases the threat" to the country.
Speaking at the G7 summit in Sicily, Prime Minister Theresa May said Abedi's links with Libya "undoubtedly shine a spotlight on this largely ungoverned space on the edge of Europe".
Mrs May will chair a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee on Saturday to discuss the investigation with senior ministers, officials and security officers.
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US Secretary of State John Kerry is to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders this week amid a surge in violence.

Seven Israelis have died in knife and gun attacks by lone Palestinians that began earlier this month.
More than 40 Palestinians, including several attackers, have been killed.
On Sunday, at least six people were injured in a gun and knife attack at a bus station in the southern city of Beersheva, Israeli officials said. One attacker was killed, one injured.
Mr Kerry's announcement came as the Israeli military removed Jewish worshippers it said had illegally entered a religious site in the occupied West Bank.
Thirty Israelis arrived at Joseph's Tomb in the city of Nablus and were assaulted by Palestinians before being handed over to Israeli forces by Palestinian police, reports say.
"Later this week I will meet with [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu because he will be in Germany... and then I will go to the region, I will meet with [Palestinian] President [Mahmoud] Abbas, I will meet King Abdullah [of Jordan] and others," Mr Kerry said at the UN cultural body Unesco's headquarters in Paris.
Mr Kerry said he would also hold meetings on Syria while in Europe.
His comments came as Israel and the US resumed talks in Jerusalem on future military aid that Mr Netanyahu suspended in protest over the nuclear deal the US and other world powers have agreed with Iran.
Israeli security forces have imposed tighter restrictions in Jerusalem and the West Bank, and there have been clashes with Palestinian protesters.
The upsurge in violence began in September when tensions at a flashpoint holy site in East Jerusalem revered by Jews and Muslims boiled over amid rumours Israel planned to relax long-standing rules to strengthen Jewish rights at the complex. Israel has repeatedly denied such claims.
There has been a spate of stabbings of Israelis - several of them fatal - by Palestinians since early October, and one apparent revenge stabbing by an Israeli. The attackers have struck in Jerusalem and central and northern Israel, and in the occupied West Bank. Israel has tightened security and its security forces have clashed with rioting Palestinians, leading to deaths on the Palestinian side. The violence has also spread to the border with Gaza.
After a period of relative quiet, violence between the two communities has spiralled since clashes erupted at a flashpoint Jerusalem holy site in mid-September. It was fuelled by rumours among Palestinians that Israel was attempting to alter a long-standing religious arrangement governing the site. Israel repeatedly dismissed the rumours as incitement. Soon afterwards, two Israelis were shot dead by Palestinians in the West Bank and the stabbing attacks began. Both Israel and the Palestinian authorities have accused one another of doing nothing to protect each other's communities.
There have been two organised uprisings by Palestinians against Israeli occupation, in the 1980s and early 2000s. With peace talks moribund, some observers have questioned whether we are now seeing a third. The stabbing attacks seem to be opportunistic and although they have been praised by militant groups, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said Palestinians are not interested in a further escalation.
What is driving the latest violence?


Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since summer 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives.

It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter and Uefa President Michel Platini, after they were banned for eight years from all football-related activities by Fifa's ethics committee. A Swiss criminal investigation into the pair is also continuing.
Fifa's president Sepp Blatter has always denied any wrongdoing - but in September, he too was made the subject of a Swiss criminal investigation, launched alongside the US inquiry.
The scandal erupted in May, with a raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich and the arrest of seven Fifa executives - conducted at the behest of the US authorities.
In May the US indicted 14 current and former Fifa officials and associates on charges of "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption following a major inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
And in December, 16 more officials were charged following the arrest of two Fifa vice-presidents in at the same hotel in Zurich. Former Brazil football federation chief Ricardo Teixeira was among those accused of being "involved in criminal schemes involving well over $200m (Â£132m) in bribes and kickbacks".
Fifa is the body responsible for running world football. It has recently been dogged by accusations of corruption, particularly after awarding the 2022 World Cup to the tiny but rich and influential Gulf state of Qatar. In December 2014, Fifa chose not to release its own investigation into corruption, instead releasing an executive summary which it said exonerated the bidding process. The report's independent author, American lawyer Michael Garcia, resigned in protest.
The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, larger even than the Olympics. It generates billions of dollars in revenue from corporate sponsors, broadcasting rights and merchandising. These arrests and investigations cast doubt over the transparency and honesty for the process of allocating World Cup tournaments, electing its president, and the administration of funds, including those earmarked for improving football facilities in some of Fifa's poorer members.
This is unclear. He was already suspended, so he was president in name only. Speaking after the verdict was delivered, he maintained that he could only be stripped of the presidency by a vote including all the member nations of Fifa. There is no precedent for these events so the point at which he no longer has the title of president is unclear. However, the one thing we do know is that he is not running the organisation.
Yes, unless they win the appeals they intend to lodge against the charges. Mr Blatter had already said he would step down as Fifa president in February but the eight-year ban will make this immediate.
Michel Platini had hoped to run as a candidate to replace Mr Blatter but the ban on him will halt these ambitions. He will also have to step down as the head of the European football association (Uefa). The bans would also likely mean that the two men would fail Fifa ethics standards if they ever tried to return.
They were found guilty of breaches surrounding a Â£1.3m ($2m) "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011. The Fifa ethics committee said that pair had demonstrated an "abusive execution" of their positions.
They have both maintained that the payment was for work by Mr Platini as the president's advisor in 2002. Mr Blatter has maintained that Fifa did not have enough money to pay Mr Platini at the time, so they agreed to delay payment.
Fifa is already holding a presidential election in February to replace Mr Blatter so this will continue as planned. Uefa will also have to hold elections to decide on a new head, but they may well wait until after Fifa has picked a new president.
Both Mr Blatter and Mr Platini were already suspended and so were not running their organisations. Fifa will continue to be run by Fifa vice-president Issa Hayatou until after elections in the new year. Uefa will also continue to be run by its vice-president Angel Villar Llona, who is also head of Spain's football association.
The FBI has been investigating Fifa for the past three years. The investigation was initially sparked by the bidding process for the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups, but was widened to look back at Fifa's dealings over the past 20 years.
The Department of Justice's indictment says that the corruption was planned in the US, even if it was then carried out elsewhere. The use of US banks to transfer money appears to be key to the investigation.
There is a separate criminal investigation by the Swiss attorney general, which has named Mr Blatter as a suspect. It was evidence unearthed during this investigation that led to his and Mr Platini's Fifa bans.
Swiss prosecutors have accused Mr Blatter of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal and of a "disloyal payment" to European football chief Michel Platini.
Meanwhile, the US authorities have charged 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies. The 47-count indictment, unveiled in a US federal court in New York, said the defendants participated "in a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer".
A key figure is Charles "Chuck" Blazer, former general secretary of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), who is co-operating with US prosecutors.
He has said that between 2004 and 2011:
Much attention has been focused on a $10m deal that US prosecutors say was a bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup for South Africa.
An email obtained by a South African newspaper appears to show that the then South African President, Thabo Mbeki, and Mr Blatter agreed to the deal. In the email, Fifa Secretary-General Jerome Valcke wrote to a South African minister asking when the transfer could be made, and saying that both Mr Blatter and Mr Mbeki had discussed the matter previously.
The South African government insists it was a legitimate payment to promote Caribbean football, but documents seen by the BBC suggest then Fifa vice-president Jack Warner used the payment for cash withdrawals, personal loans and to launder money.
Michael Lauber, the Swiss attorney general, has said that he is investigating suspicious activity around Fifa's Swiss bank accounts.
His team is combing through a "huge amount" of seized data, focusing on 53 "banking relations" reported by the Swiss anti-money laundering framework.
Apart from Mr Blatter, the most senior figures accused are football powerbrokers in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
They are connected to Concacaf, the continental confederation which operates under the Fifa umbrella and is essentially in charge of football in that region. One of its key roles is helping to agree World Cup TV and sponsorship deals in the US.
Jeffrey Webb is the head of Concacaf and was widely seen as being groomed as a successor to Fifa president Sepp Blatter. He has been extradited to the US.
His predecessor, the above-mentioned Jack Warner, has also been indicted. Mr Webb replaced Mr Warner after he was forced to step down after an internal Fifa fraud inquiry.
Latin American football chiefs also figure heavily in the list. There are two former presidents of Conmebol, which represents South American football nations: Nicolas Leoz and Eugenio Figueredo.
Switzerland is processing US extradition requests for several officials. Mr Warner is on bail in Trinidad pending extradition to the United States. Mr Leoz is currently under house arrest in Paraguay.
Aaron Davidson, head of a sports marketing firm's US division, has pleaded not guilty in a federal court in New York to charges including racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, and has been released on bail. Former Fifa Vice-President Juan Napout has also pleaded not guilty.
Four individuals - one of them Chuck Blazer - have already pleaded guilty.
Massive amounts.
The US indictment alleges that US and South American sports marketing executives paid and agreed to pay "well over $150m" in bribes and other illegal payments to obtain lucrative media and marketing rights to international football tournaments.
That does not include other possible alleged corruption around the world.
Fifa makes nearly all its revenue from the World Cup. Last year's tournament cost the host country Brazil an estimated $4bn, and yet Fifa made more than $2bn from the tournament via sponsors, the sale of broadcasting rights and merchandising. The costs of the next two World Cups are expected to dwarf this: Qatar 2022 is reported to be costing above $6bn.
The future of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups is a major question.
The US indictments focus on historical corruption but not the forthcoming World Cups. But the FBI - and a separate Swiss investigation - are now looking into the allocation of those tournaments. However, it would take overwhelming evidence to run the bidding processes again.
In practical terms, moving the 2018 Russia World Cup would be fraught with difficulty. Very few countries have the stadiums, infrastructure or money to host the event at such short notice. Even most English stadiums would need a major refurbishment to meet Fifa standards. Germany offers the best option, having hosted the 2006 World Cup.
Qatar is more vulnerable and has been dogged with controversy and allegations of corruption ever since it was awarded the tournament. However, it has already seen out several corruption scandals, an unprecedented move from a summer to winter tournament, and a scandal over the treatment of migrant workers.


Novak Djokovic proved too strong for Andy Murray as he won a fifth Australian Open title in a punishing final.

The Serb, ranked number one, came through 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-0 in three hours and 39 minutes.
It was a third win over British number one Murray in a Melbourne final and brought him an eighth Grand Slam title.
Murray, 27, has now won two of the eight Grand Slam finals he has played in, having lost all four in Australia.
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"I would like to congratulate Novak - it is a fantastic record and thoroughly deserved," said Murray.
"It is probably my most consistent Grand Slam throughout my career but I just haven't been able to win."
Murray, who underwent back surgery towards the end of 2013 and was playing in his first Grand Slam final since winning Wimbledon earlier that year, added: "I'm closer than I was a few months ago.
"I'll try to come back next year and have a slightly different outcome in the final."
The Scot, who will return to fourth in the world rankings on Monday, had chances in each of the first three sets of the final but ultimately lost his way and his temper as Djokovic won 12 of the last 13 games.
Djokovic, a week younger than his opponent, did look vulnerable at times, hurting his hand in a fall and appearing to struggle with an ankle problem early in the second set.
There were some concerned looks to coach Boris Becker in the stands. He stumbled on more than one occasion and required some energy-boosting fluids at a break down in the third set.
Murray later admitted he had been "distracted" by the Serb's apparent physical issues and, just as at the US Open last September, he could not keep pace with Djokovic in the closing stages.
Djokovic had made a blistering start, racing into a 4-1 lead and going 20 minutes before he offered up a first unforced error.
It was to Murray's credit that he twice hauled back breaks to force a tie-break, but a double-fault at 4-2 and a loose volley at 5-5 simply gave Djokovic too many chances.
The four-time champion clinched it when Murray netted a return, before suffering an awkward fall chasing a net cord early in the second that required treatment to his hand.
Murray moved into a 2-0 lead but saw the advantage wiped out when a rejuvenated Djokovic strung together 13 straight points.
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Again, Murray fought back, a forehand into the corner making it 4-4, and three break points were saved at 5-5 on the way to a second tie-break.
This time the Scot would not relinquish an advantage, winning a gripping rally to lead 5-2 and converting his third set point.
When Djokovic netted a forehand to drop serve at the start of the third set, Murray appeared to have finally gained the initiative after two and a half hours.
It proved to be his last moment to savour, however. Increasingly frustrated by a resurgent opponent, his second serve slipped from being vulnerable to a liability.
Djokovic was now winning 75% of those points, with Murray screaming "how many times" as his advantage fell away.
The Serb saw off one final moment of danger at break point in game seven, gesturing to coach Becker to become more animated, but he required no assistance.
Murray was a rapidly fading force, double faulting to drop serve at 5-3, and winning just 11 points in a fourth set that disappeared in under half an hour.
Djokovic celebrated by throwing his racquet into the crowd, while a furious Murray smashed his in despair.
"I'm honoured to be standing here as a champion for a fifth time," said the Serb after collecting the trophy from Australia's Roy Emerson, the only man to win six titles.


Researchers have unlocked the chemistry of Roman concrete which has resisted the elements for thousands of years.

Ancient sea walls built by the Romans used a concrete made from lime and volcanic ash to bind with rocks.
Now scientists have discovered that elements within the volcanic material reacted with sea water to strengthen the construction.
They believe the discovery could lead to more environmentally friendly building materials.
Unlike the modern concrete mixture which erodes over time, the Roman substance has long puzzled researchers.
Rather than eroding, particularly in the presence of sea water, the material seems to gain strength from the exposure.
In previous tests with samples from ancient Roman sea walls and harbours, researchers learned that the concrete contained a rare mineral called aluminium tobermorite.
They believe that this strengthening substance crystallised in the lime as the Roman mixture generated heat when exposed to sea water.
Researchers have now carried out a more detailed examination of the harbour samples using an electron microscope to map the distribution of elements. They also used two other techniques, X-ray micro-diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, to gain a deeper understanding of the chemistry at play.
This new study says the scientists found significant amounts of tobermorite growing through the fabric of the concrete, with a related, porous mineral called phillipsite.
The researchers say that the long-term exposure to sea water helped these crystals to keep on growing over time, reinforcing the concrete and preventing cracks from developing.
"Contrary to the principles of modern cement-based concrete," said lead author Marie Jackson from the University of Utah, US, "the Romans created a rock-like concrete that thrives in open chemical exchange with seawater."
"It's a very rare occurrence in the Earth."
The ancient mixture differs greatly from the current approach. Modern buildings are constructed with concrete based on Portland cement.
This involves heating and crushing a mixture of several ingredients including limestone, sandstone, ash, chalk, iron and clay. The fine material is then mixed with "aggregates", such as rocks or sand, to build concrete structures.
The process of making cement has a heavy environmental penalty, being responsible for around 5% of global emissions of CO2.
So could the greater understanding of the ancient Roman mixture lead to greener building materials?
Prof Jackson is testing new materials using sea water and volcanic rock from the western United States. Speaking to the BBC earlier this year, she argued that the planned Swansea tidal lagoon should be built using the ancient Roman knowledge of concrete.
"Their technique was based on building very massive structures that are really quite environmentally sustainable and very long-lasting," she said.
"I think Roman concrete or a type of it would be a very good choice [for Swansea]. That project is going to require 120 years of service life to amortise [pay back] the investment.
"We know that Portland cement concretes contain steel reinforcements. Those will surely corrode in at least half of that service lifetime."
There are a number of limiting factors that make the revival of the Roman approach very challenging. One is the lack of suitable volcanic rocks. The Romans, the scientists say, were fortunate that the right materials were on their doorstep.
Another drawback is the lack of the precise mixture that the Romans followed. It might take years of experimenting to discover the full formula.
The research has been published in the journal American Mineralogist.
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Air pollution is responsible for 50,000 premature deaths in the UK each year, an environmental report has warned.

In the wake of last week's report we are looking at ways that people are tackling this issue. How can we solve the issue?
It could be a simple change in your day to day routine or an advance in the world of business or technological innovation.
Use the tool below to send us your ideas for solutions.


Pet owners face fines of up to £20,000 if they fail to take steps preventing dog attacks, as new laws come into force from Monday.

Authorities in England and Wales will be able to demand owners be trained, muzzle dogs or insert microchips.
It follows changes made earlier this year enabling prosecution for a dog attack on private property.
Animal welfare minister Lord de Mauley said the government was taking "tough action" against negligent owners.
Prison sentences for owners of violent dogs were extended earlier this year as part of changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Owners now face a maximum of 14 years for a fatal dog attack, five years for an injury and three years for an attack on an assistance dog.
In 2013, 6,740 people required hospital treatment for dog attacks - an increase of 6% from 2012.
In total, eight adults and 13 children have died from dog attacks since 2005.
In October last year, Jade Anderson, 14, was mauled to death by a dog, but the owner could not be prosecuted under the Dangerous Dogs Act because it did not happen in a public place.
But in May, the Act was amended to allow prosecution if the pet attacked someone who was on private property, regardless of the circumstances by which they were there.
"Dog attacks are devastating for victims and their families which is why we are taking tough action against those who allow them to happen," Lord de Mauley said.
"Police and local authorities will now have more powers to demand that irresponsible dog owners take steps to prevent attacks before they occur."
Around nine postmen and women are attacked by dogs across the UK every day.
Shaun Davis, Royal Mail director of safety, health, wellbeing and sustainability, said he was "pleased" with the measure.
A manual will be released alongside the new legislation to help guide local and police authorities.
The national policing lead for dangerous dogs, Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard, said: "The practitioners manual gives police officers and other practitioners clear guidance on how to best implement the legislative changes, especially the early preventative measures such as community protection notices, to help prevent more serious events occurring in the future.
"It also provides a platform to share good practice between police forces and partner agencies and it will form part of the ongoing training of dog legislation officers across England and Wales."


Three men, including a police officer, have been arrested following a hoax terror plot to kidnap an officer.

The West Midlands officer and two other men are being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Police said they were given "false and malicious information" suggesting an officer was to "be kidnapped as part of a terrorist plot".
West Midlands police were put on high alert because of the hoax.
The three Birmingham men are questioned by anti-terrorism and anti-corruption teams.
The 28-year-old officer at Birmingham West & Central Local Policing Unit has also been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and misuse of police systems.
The other men, aged 25 and 31, are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office.
The force issued an alert to officers and staff after receiving the anonymous tip-off on 8 December last year.
It urged them to take extra precautions, including not wearing uniform during journeys to and from work.
"At a time when the national threat level was severe, the threat was considered credible and police acted swiftly to protect officers and police staff," a police spokesman said.
The three men are being questioned by detectives from West Midland Police's Anti-Corruption Unit, with support from the Counter Terrorism Unit.
A 31-year-old man, who was arrested on the day of the offence, was eliminated from inquiries and has been deported.


The Scottish Greens have set out plans to introduce a new 60p rate of income tax for Scotland's highest earners.

The party wants the new rate to apply to those earning more than £150,000 and it also plans a new 43p rate, starting at £43,000.
The Scottish Greens said they wanted to reduce the income tax paid by those earning less than £26,500 a year.
They also want to replace the council tax over five years with a new property tax based on up-to-date values.
Tax has become a key issue in the run-up to May's Holyrood election, with the Scottish Parliament getting powers over income tax rates and bands from April 2017 onwards.
The Scottish Green proposals would see the current basic rate of income tax replaced with a rate of 18% for the first £7,500 of cash above the personal allowance - which is to rise to £11,000 in 2017-18.
A rate of 22% would be applied to income above £19,000 and higher earners would pay 43% tax from £43,000.
Earnings above £150,000 would be taxed at 60%.
The party said it would also scrap the current council tax system and introduce a residential property tax, where the amount households pay would be based on an annually updated value of what their home is worth.
According to the party their plans would raise £331m additional funding to invest in public services.
The Scottish Greens said an MSP earning £60,685 would pay £938 a year more in tax, while someone on a full time salary of £27,710 would pay just £24 more a year.
Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie said: "Despite arguing for control over income tax, the SNP have failed to seize the opportunity to create a more progressive system to tackle inequality. There is an urgent need and the Scottish Greens are responding to it.
"People on generous salaries, such as MSPs, deserve to pay a fairer share to protect and improve the public services we all rely on. Someone earning less than the average and struggling with the cost of living deserves to keep more of what they earn."
He added: "With the SNP's reluctance to act and Labour's limited offering, our income tax proposals will find favour with those who see the chance to create a more equal Scotland."
Scottish National Party - Leader Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland 'could lose £30m a year from 50p tax'. She added: "I've said I want to see a 50p tax rate. I don't believe the 50p tax rate should have been lowered to 45p. But I've got analysis prepared by civil servants that says if we do that right now then, within the current devolved powers, in Scotland alone then that could see us not raise additional revenue but lose us up to £30m a year. The reason for that is that while we have the power to set tax rates we don't have power over income tax avoidance. What I have said is we won't do that in the first year."
Scottish Labour - Leader Kezia Dugdale challenged the SNP to raise the income tax rate for Scotland's highest earners. She said her party wanted to put up taxes to increase investment in education in order to bring more high skilled jobs to Scotland. Labour also wants to put 1p on the basic rate of income tax in Scotland, with Ms Dugdale arguing: "If we did that we could raise enough money to stop the cuts, make different choices from the Tories."
Scottish Conservatives - Leader Ruth Davidson has warned against making Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK. She said: "Hanging a sign at the border that says 'higher taxes here' encourages neither the growth, the investment or the jobs that we need to properly fund our public services."
Scottish Lib Dems - Leader Willie Rennie said his party also wants to increase income tax for the highest earners. He added: "I want to make a transformational investment in education. Scottish education used to be one of the best in the world. Now it is slipping down the rankings. We need to invest £475m in education, for nurseries, for schools and for colleges to get Scottish education racing back up the international league tables."


Jordan Spieth will be "scarred" by his capitulation at the Masters on Sunday, says three-time winner Sir Nick Faldo.

Defending champion Spieth, 22, had a quadruple-bogey seven on the par-three 12th as Danny Willett became the first Englishman since Faldo in 1996 to win.
The American had become the first man to lead the Masters for seven straight rounds going into the final day.
"This will scar him. This will damage him for a while," said Faldo, who also won three Open Championships.
"We're all in shock with what happened to Jordan," added Faldo, who won his third and final Green Jacket in similar circumstances to Willett when Greg Norman blew a six-shot lead in 1996.
"In '96 you got the sense that Greg was struggling, but it was bit by bit. What happened to Jordan was so sudden, just bam. It was 10 minutes of golf. That's the harshness of it."
Spieth, who had carded four successive birdies to open a five-shot lead with nine holes to play, has said he hopes he "never again experiences" a similar collapse of form.


Anti-Islamic graffiti has been written on the wall of the new Central Gurdwara in Glasgow.

Members of the Sikh community discovered the green paint with the Islamaphobic message next to a Nazi swastika sign.
The graffiti was discovered two weeks ago and the Gurdwara decided to publicise the incident following the community meeting.
Police Scotland is appealing for information.
Surjit Singh Chowdhary, Vice-President of Central Gurdwara Singh Sabha, said: "The Sikh community completely abhors the hateful ideology of Islamophobia.
"We are in complete shock that such disgraceful words were put on the walls of this great Gurdwara.
"The Sikh community's gift to Glasgow has been commandeered as a platform for the hateful messages which do not belong in our country."
The Â£15m Central Gurdwara, in the city's Berkley Street, is due to open later this summer.
It will join the Glasgow Gurdwara in the city's Pollokshields, which opened in April 2013.
Police believe the vandalism took place on either 23 or 24 March and was reported to them on 4 April.
Charandeep Singh, general secretary of Glasgow Gurdwara, added: "These words represent ignorance at its worst. Unfortunately in this climate of rampant Islamophobia, members of the Sikh community have fallen victim too.
"This sad incident should energise our political leaders and fellow citizens to continue the campaign to root out such hateful beliefs.
"We will continue our dialogue with the police, local and national politicians to create an inclusive society and celebrate the contributions made by Scottish Sikhs to our country."
Ch Insp Simon Midgely, the area commander for Glasgow West End, said: "There is no room in our society for racial abuse and it is not acceptable to treat people in such a manner.
"I have no doubt that this incident caused individuals considerable distress, but I would like to reassure them that this matter is under investigation.
"I would like to thank the Gurdwara who contacted police to report the matter, indicating clearly that people in Scotland will not tolerate racism.  If anyone has any additional information or knowledge, please do get in touch with us."


Three scientists have won the Nobel Prize for medicine or physiology after discovering how cells precisely transport material.

James Rothman and Randy Schekman, both from the US, and Thomas Sudhof, from Germany, shared the prize.
They found the way "vesicles" act like a fleet of ships transporting their goods to the exact destination.
It is crucial for the way the brain communicates, the release of hormones and parts of the immune system.
The billions of cells which make up the body are not empty blobs, instead they are packed with precise machinery. In order for a cell to function properly it needs the right materials in the right place at the right time.
Vesicles are tiny bubbles of fat which act as the cell's internal shipping service. They can send material such as enzymes, neurotransmitters and hormones, around the cell. Or they can fuse with the outer surface of the cell and release their contents into the wider body.
The prize committee said the findings: "Had a major impact on our understanding of how cargo is delivered with timing and precision within and outside the cell.
"Without this wonderfully precise organisation, the cell would lapse into chaos."
A defective vesicle transport system is implicated in diabetes and brain disorders.
Prof James Rothman, from Yale University, found proteins embedded in the vesicles which act as the docking mechanism meaning the cargo is released in the correct location.
Prof Randy Schekman, from the University of California at Berkeley, discovered the genes which regulated the transport system in yeast. He found that mutations in three genes resulted in a "situation resembling a poorly planned public transport system".
After hearing of the award he said: "My first reaction was 'Oh, my God! That was also my second reaction."
Prof Thomas Sudhof, originally from Germany but now at Stanford University in the US, made breakthroughs in how the transport system works in the brain so that neurotransmitters are released at the precise time.
Dr Lisa Swanton, from the University of Manchester, said: "Vesicles are like a postman's bag, they have to get to a specific address.
"They have worked out the mechanism of sending to the right location, they have advanced the field enormously.
"They have revolutionised understanding of how cells are organised which is fundamental to huge number of diseases."


Growth in Chinese housing prices slowed slightly last month as policymakers work to rein in the red-hot market.

New home prices in China's 70 major cities rose 0.4% in July from a month earlier, easing from 0.7% growth in June, data out Friday showed.
Beijing prices slipped for the second straight month.
China has experienced a property boom since late 2015 and authorities have imposed measures to deflate the housing bubble.
The price boom has stretched from China's big cities to smaller centres.
In July, government efforts to moderate prices helped in larger cities, with prices showing the slowest growth since August 2016.
Prices in smaller centres also eased but remained elevated.
New home prices rose 9.7% in July compared with a year earlier, pulling back from a 10.2% gain in June, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
Regulators have escalated efforts to crackdown on property speculation in recent months to curb surging prices.
China's NBS said in a briefing in Beijing on Monday that speculative property purchases had been effectively controlled and the overheated property market had cooled somewhat.
Inflated property prices are one of the challenges facing China's economy.
The world's second-largest economy has been trying to shift its dependence away from exports and industry, toward domestic consumption.
Growth has slowed from an average of 10% a year in the three decades leading up to the global financial crisis, to a rate of 6.7% last year.
But credit growth in the country is a concern. This week the International Monetary Fund warned that China's credit growth is on a "dangerous trajectory".
The IMF said China's economic slowdown would have been more pronounced, were it not for a boom in credit.


Peterborough United have signed Crystal Palace left-back Jerome Binnom-Williams for an undisclosed fee.

The 21-year-old, whose two appearances for Palace's first team came in the League Cup, has moved to the League One side on a two-year contract.
Binnom-Williams had four loan spells away from Palace, spending the first half of last season at Burton and the second part at Leyton Orient.
He comes in after Posh missed out on Leicester left-back Callum Elder.
Elder made 21 appearances for Posh on loan last season, but he has joined Championship side Brentford on a season-long loan deal.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


A campaign urging more women to become firefighters has been launched as figures show they make up just 2% of the south Wales service's operational workforce.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has just 20 women firefighters out of 838, and Rhondda has one of the lowest number of retained female firefighters.
It said that was because some believed it was not a traditional female job.
It wants to change attitudes and promote it as a valid career for women.
Station commander John Jenkins, who runs three retained fire stations in Rhondda, said some people in the area had traditional views on what jobs men and women should do, which could be preventing some from signing up.
Mr Jenkins said the fire service wanted to change that view and demonstrate that the role of a retained firefighter is flexible and gives women the opportunity to develop new skills.
He said women were an "untapped resource" and, in his view, there were no barriers to the job.
He said while all recruits must be physically fit, it was a team job that played to people's strengths.


The US Senate has voted to start debating a new Republican healthcare bill in a major step forward for President Donald Trump's attempts to repeal his predecessor's signature law.

In a tight vote, several Republicans previously opposed to aspects of the plan changed their minds.
Prior attempts to replace Obamacare have collapsed in recent weeks due to divisions in the Republican party.
President Trump had made scrapping the policy a key campaign pledge.
Before the vote took place, Mr Trump had warned his party's senators of the repercussions of not pushing through the measures to repeal and replace Obamacare, known formally as the Affordable Care Act.
The Republican party, which needed a majority for the motion to go ahead, secured 51 votes after Vice-President Mike Pence cast a tie-breaker in support of the legislation.
Senator John McCain, who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour, received a standing ovation as he returned to Congress to cast his "Yes" vote.
President Trump tweeted his thanks to the Arizona senator for playing "such a vital role" in the vote.
"Congrats to all Rep. We can now deliver grt [great] healthcare to all Americans," he wrote.
It remains unclear what measure senators will now debate and vote on.
There appear to be two choices - either a repeal-and-replace bill that has already struggled to win support across the party, or a bill that enacts repeal with a two-year delay, in the hope of finding agreement before that time elapses.
But senators have also considered a "skinny bill", a far narrower measure that would scale back some of the more controversial elements in an effort to get a wider consensus.
Anthony Zurcher, BBC News, Washington
If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to get healthcare reform through the Republican-controlled Senate, it's going to take every trick in the book. He used a few of them on Tuesday.
Such manoeuvres only delay the day of reckoning, however. Now differences within the Republican Party will have to be resolved on the Senate floor- a metaphorical tightrope act without a net.
Are there 50 votes for anything substantive - the original Senate bill, the modified Senate bill, the House bill or straight-up repeal without a replacement?
That's a tall order. Mr McConnell could eventually break the reform bill into pieces, hoping that at least the popular provisions - like ending the requirement that all Americans obtain insurance - can win a majority.
If something - anything - passes, the next step is negotiations with the House to resolve differences in the bill. If a compromise is reached, it's back to the Senate and House to vote on it.
In other words, Republicans aren't out of the woods yet. Not by a mile.
Republicans have long railed against Obamacare as government overreach, criticising the system for introducing government-run marketplaces, where premiums have risen sharply for some people.
The party's proposed alternative includes steep cuts to Medicaid, a healthcare programme for the poor and disabled.
And it removes Obamacare's individual mandate requiring all Americans to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
About 20 million people gained health insurance under former President Obama's Affordable Care Act.
The non-partisan Congressional Budgetary Office (CBO) found the bill would strip 22 million Americans of health insurance over the next decade.
If Republican senators elect to repeal key provisions of the law without immediately replacing it, the CBO estimates about 32 million consumers would lose insurance over the next 10 years.


Belgian officials say a man who wounded two policewomen with a machete was a 33-year-old Algerian with a criminal record but no known terror links.

An inquiry for "attempted terrorist murder" has been launched into Saturday's attack in Charleroi.
The man reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest") during the assault outside a police station. He died after being shot by officers.
On Sunday the so-called Islamic State group called him one of its "soldiers".
The statement was similar to those released after recent attacks in France and Germany.
Following standard practice, prosecutors did not name the attacker but gave his initials as KB.
He had been living in Belgium since 2012 and had minor offences to his name.
Belgium has been on alert since bomb attacks on the city's airport and subway system in March killed 32 people.
Charleroi was used as a base by some of the jihadists involved in that attack, and in the attack on Paris in November 2015.
Prime Minister Charles Michel, who broke off his holiday after the attack, has urged people to remain "constantly vigilant" but "keep a cool head".
Saturday's attack unfolded at just before 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT).
A police spokesman said the attacker pulled the machete out of a sports bag as he approached a guard post outside the police HQ.
According to a local news agency, one of the policewomen was treated for serious facial wounds, while the other suffered only minor injuries.
The assailant was shot and killed by another officer, who was nearby.


Crofters in the Highlands and Islands are facing a crisis due to lack of grazing for their livestock, according to the Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF).

The organisation said severe weather and low temperatures had affected grass growth.
This meant that cows have been unable to graze and are losing weight as a result.
It is feared the situation may also affect the animals breeding.
The SCF said that weather conditions had affected crofters' income due to a fall in tourism, with many being unable to afford extra supplies of hay, feed and straw.
The organisation has written to Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead to explain the situation and ask for emergency payments to be made.
SCF director Joyce Wilkinson said: "Everywhere I go I see and hear of near-crisis conditions.
"We brought it up with government officials and were told that the CAP 'rebate' was to be paid this week and that could be considered an emergency payment to help with the crisis.
"But the rebate is based on a percentage of the producer's claim, excluding the first Â£2,000 - which of course means some small producers will receive very low payments, if any.
"SCF are convinced that a real emergency payment needs to be made as soon as possible to avoid catastrophe for many small producers, who are the source of calves for the Scottish beef system, which in turn will face problems if something is not done now."
A spokesman for the Scottish government said: "We understand the recent weather has been particularly challenging for crofters and farmers and we will continue to look at what we can do to assist famers and crofters at this time.
"Support is already available for farmers and crofters through Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of the CAP and Â£12m in top-up payments distributed at the beginning of June should provide some interim help.
"In the future the new island rates for Beef Voluntary Coupled Support will also help farmers and crofters deal with the impact of external events, such as challenges presented by weather."


The Gare du Nord railway station in Paris was evacuated after a man tried to board a Eurostar train with an artillery shell in his luggage.

The man was hoping to take the train from Paris to London when the object was spotted.
The station was briefly evacuated and bomb disposal experts were called.
A spokesman for the SNCF rail company said the shell had been defused and posed no danger to the public.
It was from either World War One or Two, the spokesman said.
International and domestic trains were delayed while the inspection was carried out, but are now getting back to normal.
Services were already badly delayed by two other incidents - a fire on a nearby building site, and passengers on the track - earlier in the morning.
The Gare du Nord is the busiest railway station in Europe, and the busiest in the world outside of Japan. More than 190m people use it every year, or 520,000 a day.


Royal Mail is moving to defend its share of the Christmas parcels business by cutting some charges.

From 20 October to 18 January, all small parcels weighing up to 2kg will cost £2.80 to go second class.
Parcels weighing between 1kg and 2kg had previously been priced differently, so will be £1 cheaper.
There will also be a permanent increase in the permitted dimensions of small parcels. Some now defined as medium, costing £8, will drop a category.
People whose gifts qualify as "small" rather than "medium" could save £5.20 from the size-change and the Christmas offer.
The promotion comes as Royal Mail tries to head off challenges from DHL, TNT and Yodel and hang on to its share of the market, which sees it usually handle 115 million parcels over December.
Royal Mail was privatised by the government, with a flotation on the London Stock Exchange a year ago.
In July, it said price changes and competition from rivals had affected its parcels business. Parcels revenue fell 1% in the three months to 29 June from a year earlier, and Royal Mail said parcels revenue for the year could miss expectations.


An £80m proposal for shops, restaurants, a hotel, theatre and 200 apartments on a West Sussex seafront has been rejected.

The Sir Richard Hotham scheme for Bognor Regis, spread across three sites including the Regis Centre, was turned down by Arun District Council.
It is the latest chapter in a long-running saga to redevelop the area.
The council said it had responded to local people's wishes but critics said it was a wasted opportunity.
Councillors rejected the planning application because of concerns over the lack of affordable housing, the impact of extra traffic and the scheme's viability and design.
The Sir Richard Hotham Project said the company was disappointed and surprised and would take legal advice before deciding whether to appeal or to submit a modified planning application.
The Conservative-led council said in a statement it remained committed to creating new jobs in Bognor and increasing visitor numbers.
Lib Dem councillor Francis Oppler said the redevelopment had not moved forward in 10 years.
"We have no plan, no developer and we have had 10 years of wasted opportunities," he said.


Google shares have risen by about 4.1% on Wall Street after investors welcomed news of its restructuring.

Under the change, which was announced on Monday, a new parent company will be created called Alphabet.
The restructuring will see the separation of Google from the group's more speculative ventures.
Google co-founder Larry Page has said it will create a simpler structure for what had become a diverse group of businesses.
It is hoped this will allow investors to see how profitable the core business is.
Subsidiaries such as Google X, which develops projects such as contact lenses, self-driving cars, internet weather-balloons and Google Glass will report separately from the core Google business.
Why investors welcome Google's plan
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Some analysts predicted shares in the new holding company could rise from about $700 to well over $800.
Deutsche Bank put a target of $840 on the shares, with its head of internet and digital media equity research, Ross Sandler, saying: "There is significant upside from current levels".
Ralph Schackart, an analyst at William Blair, said: "We applaud Google's decision to increase transparency, a key investor concern."
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who founded Google 18 years ago as students at Stanford University, will become chief executive and president of Alphabet respectively, while Sundar Pichai will head up Google.
The new structure reflects the way many old economy corporations work, with a central unit acting as an umbrella to relatively independent business units focused on specific areas.
Ville Hellman, head of development at digital agency Rawnet, said: "Google has extended their operations to cover a lot of new fields for several years now, and some of the new fields it is entering are only very loosely related to their core business.
"Bearing this in mind, it makes sense for such a drastic restructure to ensure that the individual entities do not grow too large and sluggish to respond to the ever changing landscape."


A school has been branded "ridiculous" and "pathetic" after threatening pupils with detention if they take part in the "bottle-flip challenge".

The global craze involves half-filling a plastic bottle with water and throwing it in the air in the hope it will land upright.
North Walsham High School in Norfolk banned it for "safety reasons".
The school said it "did not want to spoil fun" but minor injuries involving plastic bottles made the ban necessary.
The challenge became an internet sensation after a video was posted in May of US high school student Mike Senatore performing tricks at a talent show.
Since then people have been trying to outdo each other, landing their bottles on surfaces including walls and windowsills.
Click here if you've got the bottle for more stories from Norfolk
The ban was posted on the school's website and Facebook page on Monday.
The school wrote: "Following a misunderstanding today, we would like to confirm that the 'bottle flip challenge' is not permitted in school.
"Students caught doing this will have an immediate C3 detention."
The Facebook post elicited more than 120 comments.
"It never fails to amuse me how much schools care about ridiculous things," one person wrote.
"It's flipping lost its bottle," said another while others said the school was being "ridiculous" and "pathetic".
One parent, however, supported it saying "they are there to learn, not to mess about".
The Facebook post was later removed after the school said "inappropriate language" was being used in comments, but the detention notice remains on the website.
Head teacher Neil Powell said: "Following one or two minor injuries sustained by students when water bottles hit them, we decided that for safety reasons we would ban the practice in school, before a more serious injury occurred.
"We are aware of several schools in Norfolk taking similar action to ban the challenge."