The Morning Sports Briefing

Rugby: Six Nations

If the Government go ahead with proposals to "list" Ireland's Six Nations games for free-to-air terrestrial television it may make it well nigh impossible for the IRFU to maintain four professional set-ups in the provinces and keep our key international players from going abroad.

If the Six Nations games are listed IRFU officials fear their counterparts could thus exclude them from any future deal or reduce significantly its share of the cake.

Ian Madigan has revealed that team mate Johnny Sexton helped him through "two hours of hell" after he contemplated his missed penalty at the end of the their Six Nations game with Scotland - watching through his fingers as England then very nearly chased down Ireland's scoring aggregate in the day's final match against France.

Sexton told his soon-to-be Leinster colleague; “it’s based over five games and everyone in the team could look at something that they could have done that could have added maybe three points or five points or prevented a try or a penalty, so you’ve got to look at the bigger picture”.

GAA: International Rules

Former All-Ireland winning Armagh manager Joe Kernan has been announced as Ireland's new International Rules manager. The vastly experienced Crossmaglen Rangers club man has named former Kerry midfielder Darragh Ó Sé as one of his four selectors - fresh off the back of him stepping down from the Kerry Under-21 job.

Meanwhile Tipperary footballer Colin O'Riordan has escaped any serious injury after being stretchered off in Sunday's Allianz Football League victory over Sligo however, the 19-year-old is suffering from a concussion, and is therefore a major doubt for Tipperary's upcoming Munster under-21 football final against Cork on Thursday week.

Soccer: European Qualifiers

Ireland are in danger of being left behind next summer by nearest neighbours as Martin O’Neill’s men are the worst performing second seeds so far in the European qualifiers.

Emmet Malone writes that while the rest of the Home Nations all look in quite decent shape for qualification, Ireland do presently sit at the top of a tightly packed pile of third-placed teams, a status that would gain them automatic qualification if they could retain it up until the end of the year.

Golf: Masters

Graeme McDowell has resisted the temptation to add this week's Shell Houston Open to his schedule, preferring instead to use the time to receive further treatment on his injured peroneal tendon.

McDowell’s tendonitis injury, which forced him to withdraw during the first round of the Valero Texas Open, is responding to treatment and he will be fit to play in next week’s Masters at Augusta National.

Meanwhile Tony McCoy is expected at Fairyhouse as Barry Geraghty, Davy Russell, Bryan Cooper and Mark Walsh are all among those to miss out.

Fairyhouse’s authorities are keeping their fingers crossed in anticipation of the legendary champion jockey who has already ruled out bringing the curtain down on his career at Punchestown in a month’s time.

What to watch out for:

England travel to Turin for their glamour friendly with Italy tonight, fresh from their win over Lithuania and the goalscoring debut of striker Harry Kane.

UTV from 7.30pm

There's also European qualifying action on as Israel and Belgium meet in Group B, which Wales currently top.

Sky Sports 5 from 7.40pm