It was only at the weekend, Johnny Watterson tells us, that the Sunday Times rugby correspondent Stephen Jones noted the sizeable contribution of Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki to Saturday’s win over England ... and Ireland were, Jones added, “also well served by the odd Irish-born player”. Ooooh. Hearing that Simon Easterby has brought South African-born Shayne Bolton in to his squad ahead of the game against Scotland might well have Jones sharpening his quill all over again.
Gerry Thornley looks back at the last 10 meetings between Ireland and Scotland at Murrayfield, while Gordon D’Arcy reflects on Saturday’s triumph. “Ireland got exactly what they needed out of the English game, a victory with a bonus point to generate momentum in a Six Nations Championship that is so tough to win,” he writes. “There is plenty of scope for improvement and that’s what’ll be required in Edinburgh.”
In Gaelic games, Seán Moran wonders if hurling needs to take a leaf out of football’s book, the latter producing “an unimaginable rate of reform and experiment” these past number of years. Not that hurling has as much to fix as football has had, but matters such as stiffened penalties for dissent and obstruction can be looked at.
One of the impacts of the new football rules is the extra distance now covered by goalkeepers, Gordon Manning talking to Galway’s performance nutritionist Niamh Mallon about that increased workload and the added nutritional demands.
Scotland v Ireland: TV details, kick-off time and team news for Sunday’s Murrayfield clash
Seán Moran: Hurling may regard the FRC as an irrelevance but history suggests otherwise
Credit where it’s due for Ireland’s performance and new Gaelic football rules
Denis Walsh: Coursing remains deeply divisive but don’t bet on it being banned any time soon
Gordon also catches up with Limerick hurler Tom Morrissey after his return from a three-month trip travelling around South America, the five-time All-Ireland winner hardly in the door when he was back to training.
In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey reports on Mason Melia smashing the League of Ireland record transfer fee after Spurs agreed a deal with St Patrick’s Athletic – initially worth €1.9 million – to bring the teenage striker to London in January 2026 on a five-year contract.
And Dave Hannigan looks at the Super Bowl’s place in American culture, it being “a communal gathering that grinds the country to a halt for a few hours on the second Sunday night of every February”. How many chicken wings will be “scoffed” next Sunday night? Just the 1.25 billion.
TV Watch: The pick of the night’s action is the second leg of the League Cup semi-final between Newcastle and Arsenal, Arsenal with a heap of work to do after goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon gave Newcastle a 2-0 win in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium (Sky Sports Football, 8pm).
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