This afternoon the Cheltenham festival gets underway, the beating heart of national hunt racing, and possibly one of the last large-scale public sporting events we could see going ahead over the next few months. Patrick Madden, who'll be live blogging every race from lunchtime, has put together an all you need to know guide with race times, TV details, odds, weather forecast and more. Read Tony Keenan's tips for the opening day here, while the clash of the outstanding mares Benie Des Dieux and Honeysuckle shapes up as the 2020 Cheltenham Festival's day one highlight.
Jamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester City beat Aston Villa 4-0 in last night's Premier League clash. Tonight, in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, Tottenham look to overturn a one goal deficit away to RB Leipzig. Jose Mourinho has revealed their injury list has been added to with Steven Bergwijn ruled out. Following the Slovak government's decision to impose a two week ban on sporting, cultural and religious events - Ireland's Euro 2020 playoff against Slovakia on March 26th is in doubt. Emmet Malone has all the latest here.
Confirmation arrived yesterday that Ireland's Six Nations match against France in Paris at the weekend has been postponed due to coronavirus - "we would love a chance to play for a title that is still in our own hands," said Ireland head coach Andy Farrell. "It is what it is," he added about the feeling of disappointment that his first season in charge should end somewhat chaotically. But stoicism ruled the day. In his column this morning, Gerry Thornley explains why rugby needs to tackle the agents provocateurs: "after six years without a red card, there was a sending off in each Six Nations game last weekend, along with a couple of yellows and some all-in scuffles, with further evidence of the agent provocateurs playing an increasingly prominent role in modern-day rugby." The Ireland under-20 team will train at the National Sports Campus today as they await an official update on the status of Friday night's game against France at the Stade Aimé Giral in Perpignan. In the second of the Leinster Junior Cup semi-finals, Terenure College take on Newbridge at 3pm today.
Meanwhile the GAA is keeping its fixtures schedule under review in the face of public health concerns about the spread of coronavirus. A spokesperson for Croke Park said that the GAA would "follow whatever action" was recommended by the public health authorities and was keeping an eye on "an evolving situation".
