Sarah Keane was last night elected as the new president of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI), succeeding Pat Hickey who had owned the position largely unchallenged since 1989.
Ian O'Riordan describes the current chief executive of Swim Ireland's success as sounding like "a last farewell to the status quo and a five-finger salute to the old guard, Keane winning by a large majority, winning 29 of the 43 votes available on the night. A resounding mandate if there ever was one."
The Irish rugby team to face Italy in this weekend’s Six Nations clash in Rome was named yesterday - with head coach Joe Schmidt recalling Donnacha Ryan in the lock as expected for Iain Henderson, whose hamstring strain has ruled him out of the 23. He has also rotated Cian Healy with Jack McGrath in the front row and brought in Craig Gilroy at the expense of Tommy Bowe to the bench, as Tiernan O’Halloran unluckily misses out again.
Gerry Thornley writes that "if last Saturday's trek to Murrayfield did indeed prove tricky (and the Scots were only four or five point underdogs) then this latest Italian job, for which Ireland are 23-point favourites, is the proverbial, no-win banana skin, even more so now."
In his column this morning Liam Toland explains how a bonus point in Rome is now a requirement for Ireland.
“I’ve watched much of Italy these past few months and in reality Ireland will be vastly improved from Murrayfield and, although it will be a battle, Ireland have all the ingredients and the personnel to get the win where a bonus point is a significant target and requirement.”
Tonight Munster host the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Pro12, with the fit-again Darren Sweetnam and Andrew Conway both keen to quickly reprise the excellent form they have shown this season, while others like Rory Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, Tommy O'Donnell and Jack O'Donoghue know that they are only an injury or two away from being involved in the Six Nations Championship.
While the anticipation surrounding Marcell Coetzee's long-awaited Ulster debut is now down to hours, as Edinburgh travel to the Kingspan stadium tonight.
University of Limerick yesterday qualified for the Sigerson Cup semi-finals for the second year in a row when they edged an unlikely win against DIT in Limerick.
Inspired by Limerick hurler Gearóid Hegarty and Kerry footballer Michael Geaney, UL were three point winners and now play reigning champions UCD in the last four.
What to watch out for
Nigel Carolan's Ireland Under-20s look to make it two wins from two in Tuscany after their narrow opening win in Scotland (6.0).
There is also provincial rugby with Pro 12 leaders Munster taking on Newport at Musgrave Park (7.35, TG4) and Ulster welcoming Edinburgh to Ravenhill (7.35, Sky Sports 3).
Paul Dunne and Niall Turner are taking part in the Maybank Malaysian Open (3.0am-5.0am, 7.0am-10.0am, SS4), with Shane Lowry, Padraig Harrington and Seamus Power in the field at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
