Prior to the two-game series against the reigning world champions in South Africa this July, Gordon D’Arcy reports that a comprehensive review of Ireland’s Six Nations performance is needed by coach Andy Farrell. Although the campaign ended on a successful note, there are queries that demand attention, for instance, the disappointing slowdown in the team’s initial momentum that left them exposed in their final two encounters. Despite Scotland’s coach Gregor Townsend suggesting that rival teams have decoded Ireland’s defensive strategy, Gordon primarily attributes this decline to team exhaustion, emphasising that the core team have been active for an extended period. He believes that with ample rest and fresh additions, Ireland can return to form.
The question of Peter O’Mahony’s future with the team is unresolved, but in the interim, a contention has been raised by Fionnuala Ward. She perceives a hint of athletic arrogance in O’Mahony’s recent comments about rugby’s robust nature, contrasting it with supposed gentler sports like tennis and golf. She expresses her disdain for the stereotype that these athletes merely while away their time, involved in tasks like tea-drinking, recipe swapping or embroidery.
The Irish women’s side is currently gearing up for their first Six Nations match in France on Saturday. Anticipating a boisterous welcome at Stade Marie-Marvingt in Le Mans, head coach Scott Bemand has implemented ‘noise training’ for his players to help them acclimatise, whilst also aiming for a high-performance level that would quieten the audience.
In football, Jake O’Brien and Sammie Szmodics, who are in line to represent Ireland for the first time against Belgium on Saturday or Switzerland the following Tuesday, speak to Gavin Cummiskey. O’Brien has been demonstrating remarkable prowess since his transfer to Lyon from Crystal Palace. Meanwhile, Szmodics, playing for Blackburn Rovers, has had a prolific season, netting 27 goals across all competitions.
Seán Moran has observed an apparent lack of interest in the concluding matches of the league in Gaelic games, with the championship persistently overshadowing it. It would be unsurprising to encounter intercounty football and hurling players if you happen to visit Portugal soon, owing to various teams setting up pre-championship training camps there. However, before basking in the sun, Kilkenny’s hurlers have a league semi-final showdown with Limerick on the horizon this coming Saturday. Kilkenny’s Eoin Cody discusses with Gordon Manning the task of facing the so-called “champions of hurling”.
In lead up to the Masters, Rory McIlroy’s ongoing difficulties are examined by David Gorman, noting his top performance, a joint 19th place, in this year’s PGA Tour so far. His longest spell without making the top 10 since the 2020 summer is indeed a worrying sign, especially during a time when he should ideally be at his peak ahead of the Masters.
In terms of televised sport, two additional Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, Häcken versus PSG at 5.45 and Brann versus reigning champions Barcelona at 8.0, are scheduled to broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and DAZN today. Moreover, San Marino, positioned at the bottom of the world ranking, will strive to end their nearly two-decade-long winless streak as they face St Kitts & Nevis in a friendly match (shown on Premier Sports 1, at 7.45pm). This extends their run to 136 games and still counting.