“All squads,” writes Gerry Thornley, “go through regular regeneration and evolution”, rugby maybe more so because of the attritional nature of the sport. Compared to last year’s Six Nations squad there are, then, 11 new faces in the 36-strong panel named by Simon Easterby on Wednesday, all of them blooded in the intervening period. Still, 25 are back again for a tilt at an historic three titles in a row. Gerry looks through the squad and picks out the players unlucky not to be included.
Robbie Henshaw is, of course, on the list, Gerry talking to the Leinster man about playing alongside Jordie Barrett this season. Henshaw might have been entitled to feel “miffed” about the arrival of a “world-class All Blacks player who has morphed into a specialist inside centre”, but instead he’s loving learning from him.
In soccer, Carla Ward has been appointed head coach of the Republic of Ireland women’s team, the FAI acting quickly in their search for a successor to Eileen Gleeson. The 41-year-old English woman takes over with immediate effect and has signed a two-year contract.
In Gaelic games, Ciarán Murphy marvels at the telepathic understanding displayed by brothers Ruairí and Darragh Canavan, of Errigal Ciarán, and the O’Callaghans, Con and Niall, of Cuala, a quality never displayed by his own brothers who refused to pass the ball to each other.
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Gordon Manning hears from another Cuala man, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, ahead of Sunday’s All Ireland club football final, and he talks to Sarsfields’ Jack O’Connor who is shaping up for a crack at Na Fianna in the hurling decider.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, has had his say on Tom McKibbin’s imminent move to LIV Golf, expressing his disappointment about the loss to the PGA Tour of his fellow Northern Irishman. “As soon as he got the offer, he rang me,” he explained. “I said to him: ‘If I were in your shoes, I would make a different choice than the one you’re thinking of making.’”
Rudy Giuliani could do with a LIV Golf offer himself these days, his “increasingly labyrinthine legal troubles” leaving him with a mountain of debt – not least the $148m he was ordered to pay two poll workers who he accused of helping steal the 2020 election from Donald Trump. It would help if the courts could find the New York Yankees fan’s Joe DiMaggio-autographed shirt and his five diamond encrusted World Series rings, all of which are worth a pretty cent, if not $148m. Dave Hannigan brings us the wild and wacky story.
TV Watch: Rory McIlroy started his quest in the early hours of the morning for a third consecutive win in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Tom McKibbin and Pádraig Harrington the other Irish players in the field. Sky Sports Golf’s live coverage ends at 1.30 this afternoon, but they have highlights at 4.0. Meanwhile, Manchester United host Southampton in the Premier League at 8.0 (TNT Sports 1).
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