In his column this morning Gordon D'Arcy has called for some perspective in the wake of Ireland's defeat to France last weekend, and suggests what Andy Farrell is trying to achieve with the national side won't happen overnight. He writes: "Nobody avoids criticism. Under this Bunsen burner heat the team reverted to a game plan that was seared into their soul during six years of Joe. Old habits die hard. Farrell knows this better than anyone. He also knows that true judgment of his work will be held off until the 2021 Six Nations." D'Arcy believes Ireland lacked the firepower off the bench to turn the game in Paris: "There is a gang of men returning from injury but Ireland's old foe - strength in depth - has reared its head again." But he also acknowledges how brilliant Les Bleus were at the Stade de France: "The sleeping beast has woken up. The age of Galthié's underage stars is upon us. Antoine Dupont and the French backrow were operating on a different and more cohesive level to their opposite numbers." Meanwhile Ireland and Munster backrow CJ Stander has insisted, "contracts are the last thing on my mind," with the 30-year-old's current deal to expire at the end of this season.
Darragh Ó Sé is the latest pundit to point to the important role the weather will play in this year's winter All-Ireland Championships, something which was on show in Ballybofey last Sunday. And in his column this morning he suggests sides keep it simple if they want to go all the way: "This is what a wet-weather championship does to you. You can't afford to relax. You can't assume that the ball will reach its target unless you're 100 per cent committed to the pass. The simple skills of the game have to be done to the letter." However he feels the conditions won't necessarily be the deciding factor in the Championship: "No, to me now, the most crucial factor in everything that happened was the fact that these games are do-or-die. Knockout football makes you throw yourself into games like there's no tomorrow." In other news, Sligo have been forced to pull out of this weekend's Connacht SFC semi-final clash with Galway due to a Covid-19 outbreak among their squad. There is no option for the fixture to be rescheduled.
Liverpool thrashed Atalanta in Bergamo in the Champions League last night, with Diogo Jota scoring an impressive hat-trick in a 5-0 win. Manchester City were also comfortable 3-0 winners at home to Olympiakos, with the returning Gabriel Jesus on the scoresheet. Elsewhere Sergio Ramos notched his 100th goal for Real Madrid in a 3-2 home win over Internazionale. Tonight Manchester United travel to play Istanbul Basaksehir in Istanbul (kick-off 5.55pm) before Chelsea welcome Rennes to Stamford Bridge (8pm).
Elsewhere in his column this morning Seán Moran has suggested it will be difficult for Tipperary to retain their All-Ireland SHC title this year for a number of reasons - but for one in particular. "The big obstacle for Sheedy and his team is simply, Limerick. Although they beat their predecessors as All-Ireland champions in the provincial group stages last year, Tipp have found their neighbours unyielding when the stakes get high."
Diego Maradona has undergone successful surgery for a blood clot on the brain. The Argentina great: "had a subdural hematoma, which is an accumulation of blood between a membrane and his brain, his personal doctor, Leopoldo Luque, said."
And Dan Martin lost more ground in yesterday's 13th stage of the Vuelta a España. The Irish rider is now 55 seconds behind Britain's Hugh Carthy, who currently sits in third position.
