Ireland risk offending Wales, but it’s a risk Simon Easterby’s willing to take

“Bold, brave and exciting.” That’s how Gerry Thornley describes Simon Easterby’s selection for tomorrow’s Six Nations game against Wales in Cardiff, the interim coach making seven changes to the side that started against Scotland last time out. It’s a line-up that “will fuel Welsh belief that there is a lack of respect from this side of the water”, but it has “a relatively experienced core”, the trusty Peter O’Mahony there to act as a “lieutenant” to new captain Dan Sheehan.

Wales’ interim coach Matt Sherratt has made even more changes to the side that saw its losing streak stretch to 14 matches when Italy beat them a fortnight ago, eight new faces coming in along with two positional switches.

Will Easterby take over from Sherratt come the end of the campaign? Well, he played down speculation linking him with the role on Thursday ... but didn’t entirely rule himself out of the running.

Johnny Watterson talks to Jamison Gibson-Park ahead of the game, while John O’Sullivan checks up on how another Leinster man, Harry Byrne, is faring since his loan move to the Bristol Bears.

What time is kick-off and what TV channel is Wales v Ireland on today? All you need to know about the Six Nations clash

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Moral outrage over Saudi sportswashing ahead of world’s richest race has faded

In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey was at Tallaght Stadium to see Shamrock Rovers' dreams of reaching the last 16 of the Uefa Conference League crushed by Molde in a penalty shoot-out. It was a sickener for manager Stephen Bradley, who’d had an outspoken week, the FAI and men’s manager Heimir Hallgrímsson’s the targets of his ire.

Gavin can’t get enough of Tallaght – he’ll be back there this evening to see Carla Ward’s Republic of Ireland reign get under way, Turkey the opponents in the opening game of the teams' Nations League campaign.

In Gaelic games, Paul Keane looks at the changing face of the Kilkenny hurling team, 30 different players already used in the league this season as they try to hit upon the right blend to recapture former glories.

Sonia O’Sullivan has her eye on this weekend’s Irish indoor championships, which will be missing some of our bigger names, while Johnny Watterson looks back at the life of Matt Doyle, who died earlier this month, the Californian who energised the Irish tennis scene back in the 1980s.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Saudi Cup, the world’s richest horse race, Brian O’Connor looks at how it has become established in the international racing calendar now that moral outrage over Saudi sportswashing has subsided.

And in golf, Philip Reid has word on the demand for tickets for July’s Open at Royal Portrush – more than a million (a million!) applications were made through the public lottery portal.

TV Watch: The Republic of Ireland take on Turkey in the Nations League at Tallaght Stadium this evening in what will be their first game under manager Carla Ward (RTÉ 2, 7.30pm). Virgin Media Two brings coverage of the Premier Division game between Galway United and St Patrick’s Athletic (7.45pm), and at the same time Virgin Media Three will show Ireland’s game away to Wales in the Under-20 Six Nations.