Real Madrid and Chelsea meet tonight in the first of this season's Champions League semi-finals (kick-off at 8pm), for a battle that is special because less is more: "The rivalry is new and untouched. Chelsea and Madrid have never met in this competition, which must disgust the plotters who want them in a closed league every year." Kelechi Iheanacho's latest match-winning effort should now suffice to ensure Leicester their place in next season's Champions League. He continued his superb goalscoring run with the decisive goal 10 minutes from time as Leicester came from behind to earn their victory against Crystal Palace.
In his column this morning, Gerry Thornley explains why Ronan O'Gara has all the makings of a great Ireland coach: "there is a manifest belief, not just hope and not just held in Munster, that O'Gara has the credentials to be a seriously successful coach both for his province and for his country, but the longer he builds toward that the better. His playing career, deep knowledge of the game, intelligence and relationship-building also suggest as much." Former Ireland captain Rory Best is to make is first foray into coaching with the Seattle Seawolves in America's Major League Rugby, he's to take up the role of skills coach. Owen Doyle believes the opportunity knocks to make real change in the IRFU's governance: "There are many wise and qualified business brains among rugby supporters, including retired players and referees, who have the necessary independent expertise and who would be interested in sitting at the table. Conversely, the majority of these would likely see the current system as utterly unappealing."
Three months out from the Tokyo Olympic Games, a damaging document has emerged in boxing that deeply undermines high-performance director Bernard Dunne and the high-performance unit of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association. Johnny Watterson explains why the malicious and damaging document is Irish boxing deja vu: "Dunne's name now comes spiralling into the headlines as a section of the sport once again turns on one of its own."
Meanwhile, Judd Trump cruised into the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals on Monday, with Stuart Bingham and Mark Selby also booking their place in the last eight at the Crucible. The 50 per cent attendance for the second round will now rise to 75 per cent for the quarter-finals and semi-finals and then 100 per cent for the two-day final.
