Gerry Thornley: Italy cut adrift
In his column today Gerry Thornley has reflected on the opening two weeks of a Six Nations Championship he believes is going to be, “more brutally physical and exacting than any of its predecessors.”
And he believes this year’s tournament has shown competition is fiercer than ever between Ireland, England, Wales, France and Scotland - but poor old Italy are further away from the pack than ever before.
He writes: “Indeed, the advent of the bouns-point system looks set to work against them, with all opponents now eyeing up a four-try bonus point against them.
“Eddie Jones, in his own inimitably disrespectful way disrespectful way, has exclaimed: ‘We want to take them to the cleaners.’”
Gibbes to take over at Ulster
On the domestic front Jono Gibbes was announced as the new head coach of Ulster yesterday, with the former All Black and Leinser forwards coach taking over for the 2017/18 season.
City up to second
Manchester City are up to second in the Premier League table after they won 2-0 at Bournemouth last night thanks to Raheem Sterling and a Tyrone Mings own goal.
The Champions League returns tonight, with Paris Saint-Germain welcoming Barcelona to the Parc des Princes and Benfica facing Borussia Dortmund.
Harold’s Cross closure
Elsewhere Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium was closed with immediate effect yesterday, with the Irish Greyhound Board currently saddled with debts of EUR20 million. The racing programme at Shelbourne Park will be expanded to four days a week as a result.
Connors on Cats win
Waterford laid a marker in the league on Sunday as they beat Kilkenny, but the brilliant Noel Connors believes the mentality his side showed was of greater significance than a first win at Nowlan Park in 13 years.
He said: “To come away with a win was great but the performance was more important than the result.”
