Ireland will simply have to live with favourites’ tag for Wales game

Gordon D’Arcy recalls there being no love lost between Wales and Ireland on the pitch back in his playing days, but while the rivalry persists, the nations’ rugby fortunes are now “at opposite ends of the spectrum”. Ireland go in to Saturday’s meeting in Cardiff as firm favourites, and it’s a tag, he says, they should be comfortable with.

Wales, after all, are on a 14-match losing streak, escalating indiscipline the cause of much of their woes - in the current Six Nations, they have conceded an average of 13 penalties. John O’Sullivan analyses that run and breaks down where it’s all being going wrong.

While Ireland will be without captain Caelan Doris, Ronán Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong in Cardiff, Robbie Henshaw is hale and hearty, Johnny Watterson talking to the 31-year-old who is looking for his first career win over Wales in the Principality Stadium.

Henshaw has, of course, happier memories from Soldier Field in Chicago where his try sealed that famous victory over New Zealand back in 2016. And Tuesday brought news that the nations will meet again, in the very same stadium, in November - in what will be Andy Farrell’s first game back in charge after his Lions sabbatical. A gentle return for him, then.

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In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning hears from Tyrone’s Niall Morgan who warns that if a rule is brought in confining goalkeepers to their own half of the field, then many of them will “walk away” from the game. It would, he says, “be a massive step backwards”.

Seán Moran, meanwhile, looks at the GAA’s concern over falling attendances at games, gate receipts now accounting for just 29 per cent of their income, the bulk of it coming from largely commercial sources.

In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey talks to Alan Mahon, the new assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland’s women’s team. Fortunately, Mahon chose football as his career rather than becoming an electrician, as his father suggested. “That wouldn’t have worked out because I’m colour blind. I don’t think you’d want me doing your house - turn the kettle on and your phone rings.”

We also hear from Abbie Larkin, the 19-year-old Crystal Palace winger who is hoping to prosper under Mahon’s new boss, Carla Ward.

And in athletics, Ian O’Riordan chats with Sharlene Mawdsley, the Tipperary woman reflecting on that agonising 4x400m relay final at the Paris Olympics, where the Irish team missed out on a medal by just 0.18 of a second.

TV Watch: Celtic fans' hearts will be in smithereens after last night’s injury time goal saw Bayern Munich knock them out of the Champions League. Tonight, Real Madrid and Manchester City battle it out for a place in the last 16 at The Bernabeu (RTÉ 2, Premier Sports 1 and TNT Sports 1, 8.0), Real 3-2 up after the first leg. And in the Premier League, Liverpool can go 10 points clear at the top of the table if they win away to Aston Villa (TNT Sports 2, 7.30).