It's been a truly remarkable run for Leinster since their Champions Cup final defeat to Saracens last season and this morning, in his rugby stats column, John O'Sullivan takes a closer look at the province's unbeaten streak. This weekend they will look to make it 25 wins in a row when they face Ulster and the impressive numbers keep stacking up the closer you look. Meanwhile, Gavin Cummiskey writes this morning that Munster have hit the right notes with their launch of their women's jersey after Canterbury's sorry tale last month. "The photo shoot was achieved in the middle of Covid without a single player being put at risk. Nobody needed to justify using female models instead of female athletes," he writes.
On to GAA and access to facilities at grounds are top of the agenda for intercounty teams when the GAA's management committee meet to determine the final version of their Return to Play protocols. "It is anticipated that the revised protocols will lay out the formal requirements for social distancing and safe occupation of GAA premises but it will apply only to county panels," writes Seán Moran. Meanwhile, Donal Smyth, the GAA's national match officials manager, says there have been plenty of positives of no fans at matches for referees who are enjoying the peace and quiet as well as more interaction with players.
In cycling, Sam Bennett's green jersey lead was extended at the Tour de France yesterday after he finished second in the 11th stage while rival Peter Sagan was relegated for dangerous riding. "The team did a fantastic job all day, looking after me, and just the final few hundred metres, it was hard to make the switch from following a team-mate to going it alone, I found myself too far forward, too early," said Bennett afterwards. Speaking of cycling, Sonia O'Sullivan writes in her column this morning of her very own Tour of Ireland this summer, taking in the Wild Atlantic Way on her bike.
In his America at Large column, Dave Hannigan writes about former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz and why it's easy to see just why he appeals to Donald Trump. "Holtz is a high-profile version of the elderly neighbourhood grump warning kids to get off his lawn, always wearing the slightly puzzled mien of somebody wondering why young boys on Schwinn bicycles don't deliver morning newspapers anymore," he writes.
In tennis, Dominic Thiem moved one step closer to a first grand slam title with his quarter-final win at the US Open overnight while Serena Williams still has the women's title in her sights.
