RUGBY
Garry Ringrose and James Ryan have been ruled out of Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with England.
Ryan sustained a second head injury of the competition in yesterday’s narrow win away to Scotland.
While Ringrose sustained an ankle injury that requires assessment by both the Ireland and Leinster medical teams.
Peter O’Mahony could return for the game at the Aviva having served his suspension for the red card he received against Wales.
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There’s a timely boost for Leinster ahead of the Pro 14 final with Munster in under a fortnight.
Versatile back Ciaran Frawley’s returned to training following a shoulder injury.
Hooker Sean Cronin could also return for this weekend’s meeting with the Ospreys.
SOCCER
Liverpool have the chance to leapfrog neighbours Everton in the Premier League table tonight.
A win for Jurgen Klopp’s side away to Wolves would see them vault two places into sixth.
Kick-off is at 8.
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he disagrees with one of his own players about whether they can win the quadruple this season.
Wing-back Oleksandr Zinchenko says "hungry eyes" are in the dressing room - and that it's possible.
City are top of the Premier League, in the League Cup final and are still competing in the FA Cup and Champions League.
Guardiola says they won't win all four
BOXING
The most anticipated fight in boxing is on, as a contract has been signed for Anthony Joshua to take on Tyson Fury.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed an agreement's in place for the all-British world heavyweight unification contest.
He says a date and venue is yet to be finalised, though.
Joshua holds the WBO, IBF and WBA belts, while Fury has the WBC title.
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The wife of Marvin Hagler insists the former middleweight champion did not die as a result of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Hagler died suddenly at the weekend at the age of 66.
Former opponent Thomas Hearns had earlier claimed Hagler was suffering the after effects of a vaccine.
But Kay Hagler - his wife of 31 years - says the vaccine did not cause his death, describing the rumours as ‘nonsense’.
RACING
Altior’s become the latest big name to be withdrawn from this week’s Cheltenham Festival.
Trainer Nicky Henderson has pulled the 11-year old from Wednesday's Queen Mother Champion Chase.
The two-time winner of the race returned an unsatisfactory scope this morning.
Philip Enright registered a double at Clonmel on Tuesday. He started by helping Paul O’Flynn secure his double with a smooth victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle on Cregane Ned (4/1). Enright looked short of room between the final two obstacles but navigated his way out of it and Cregane Ned, who is a son of Vinnie Roe, quickly but the affair to bed to prevail by five lengths from God Help Us. The distance was doubled as the Sean Aherne-trained Nicole’s Milan (15/2) dotted up in the Monksgrange Handicap Hurdle from Macs Legend. Later on, Kevin Brouder galvanised a resolute effort from Hilltop Supreme (7/2) to deny Added Bonus by a neck in the Kilmolash Handicap Hurdle for trainer David Fitzgerald.
On Wednesday, Bryan Cooper was on board as Paul Nolan unleashed a potentially exiting prospect as the well-bred Socially Distant scored in the Wexford (Mares’) Maiden Hurdle at Wexford. Though 14/1, the Mahler six-year-old settled well and was always traveling smoothly. The 16-length margin was flattering, as Dreamingandhoping stumbled at the last but the writing was on the wall by then. Jack Kennedy got Denise ‘Sneezy’ Foster off the mark for the first time since taking over training duties at Cullentra House as Defi Bleu (4/1) denied favourite backers with a two-and-a-half-length success over odds-on shot Opposites Attract in the Tomcoole Farm Ltd Beginners’ Chase.
That’ll Be The Day added to a good week for Philip Enright when scoring in the second division of the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park on Friday. Trained by Jimmy Mangan, the 16/1 shot overcame a touch of greenness when moved to the front but still was nine lengths ahead of Barney Stinson.
Jack Kennedy was seen at his very best when getting Robinstown up by a short head to deny Hallowed Star at odds of 11/1 for Denise Foster in the second division of the Navan Members Maiden Hurdle at Navan on Saturday. The pair repeated the trick with Conflated in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Directors Plate Novice Chase at Naas on Sunday, the 4/9 favourite showing his appreciation of dropping down from Grade 1 class to record a dominant victory, with Waitnsee 21 lengths in arrears in second.
Darrens Hope stayed on powerfully in ultra-testing conditions to secure the Grade 3 Kerry Group EBF ShannonSpray Novice Hurdle for Kevin Brouder and owner-trainer-breeder Bob Murphy. Brouder brought the likeable mare outside Sayce Gold and Ballyshannon Rose approaching the last and after a spring-heeled leap, they pulled away to win from the latter by two and three-quarter lengths at 13/2. Bryan Cooper hit the target once more with the very impressive Mercury Lane in the Fedamore Maiden Hurdle. Trained by Paul Nolan, the 4/7 favourite relished the testing conditions and looked like a horse that could easily go again after the three-mile trip, prevailing by 28 lengths from Smokey The Bandit.
