Holders France will take on Argentina in Sunday’s World Cup final in Qatar after beating Morocco 2-0 in an enthralling semi-final to end the fairy-tale run of the north Africans. Theo Hernandez scored in the fifth minute in a perfect start for the holders, but it still proved a close-fought match before a second goal 11 minutes from time as substitute Randal Kolo Muani, with a first touch after coming on, tucked in a shot at the back post after a sublime bit of play from Kylian Mbappé. Ken Early, writing from the Al Bayt Stadium, explains how injuries caught up with the brave Moroccan side and as superstars Mbappé and Lionel Messi align in the final – the worry is that a virus might now have a similar effect on France.
The GAA are confident all games at Croke Park this weekend will go ahead as scheduled despite the country continuing to experience sub-zero temperatures. The All-Ireland club senior and intermediate camogie finals on Saturday, and the two All-Ireland club senior hurling semi-finals on Sunday are all fixed for GAA HQ. Ciarán Murphy explains in his column this morning how in an age of winter World Cups, the GAA’s homespun aesthetic endures: “When the World Cup departs the temporary winter home it finds itself in this year, we will be left with Armagh and Thurles, and the Hyde in a downpour. The exact details of the match might not last long in the memory, but the look of GAA games in winter is eternal.”
Pressure is mounting on the suspended World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte to cut all administrative ties with the sport with immediate effect following his conviction for corruption. Laporte – who was found guilty of an illegal conflict of interests, influence peddling and four instances of passive corruption – has signalled his intention to appeal against his two‑year suspended prison sentence and remains president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR). France host the 2023 Rugby World Cup in just nine months.
Meanwhile, the meeting at Naas on Thursday has been cancelled following a Wednesday morning check. It will now be staged next Tuesday. The controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour has added three new stops in the US to its 2023 calendar, announcing events in Tucson, Tulsa and West Virginia.
