Ireland have a number of injuries to contend with ahead of this Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup test against England at Twickenham.
Johnny Sexton and Robbbie Henshaw have both been ruled out of the game after picking up injuries in Friday's win versus Wales.
Sexton has a hamstring issue, while Henshaw has a groin strain.
Jacob Stockdale is also a doubt, having missed the Wales match with a calf injury, but Iain Henderson and Shane Daly have returned to training.
Sexton's replacement Billy Burns is currently following the return to play protocols after a head injury, leading to doubts over who will play at outhalf this weekend.
Head coach Andy Farrell has suggested that Conor Murray could be an option in that position, but former Irish international Alan Quinlan thinks it would be a risky move
Leinster and Ulster both put their 100 percent record on the line in the PRO 14 this evening.
Defending champions Leinster host Edinburgh at the RDS from 8.15, with Dan Leavy making his first start since his knee injury in March 2019.
Ulster are away to Zebre in Italy at 6, with Marcell Coetzee bringing up a half-century of appearances for the northern province.
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GAA
Either Tipperary or Galway will be out of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship by this weekend.
The two heavyweights have been paired off for the All-Ireland quarter finals at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick this Saturday.
On the other side, beaten Munster finalists Waterford will take on Clare at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
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SOCCER
The Republic of Ireland squad are due to train in Dublin this afternoon.
Their attention will now turn to Wednesday night's Nations League game against Bulgaria at the Aviva Stadium.
Yesterday's defeat to Wales makes it seven games in charge within a win for new manager Stephen Kenny.
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OLYMPICS
The President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach is confident spectators will be allowed into venues at next year's delayed Tokyo Games.
But he's warned that participants and fans will likely need to have received a Covid-19 vaccine to protect the Japanese public.
RACING
Bryan Cooper and Paul Nolan combined to take the opening division of the 2m maiden hurdle with Tucanae for owners Albert Dravins and Eamonn Scanlon at Fairyhouse on Friday. It was easy for the 7/4 shot which went clear before the final flight to beat the Jack Kennedy-ridden Fiston Des Issards, trained by Gordon Elliott, by three and a quarter lengths.
Charles Byrnes also got among the winners as the Top Of The Hill Syndicate-owned Run For Oscar scored a two-length success under Phillip Enright in the second division of the 2m maiden hurdle. The 4/7 favourite readily accounted for his main market rival, the John McConnell-trained 3/1 chance Make Good.
Jack Kennedy got the better of his brother Paddy to win the Grade 2 Mongey Communications Novice Chase at Punchestown on Saturday. The younger sibling partnered the Gordon Elliott-trained 13/8 chance Felix Desjy to beat Jessica Harrington’s Sizing Pottsie, at odds of 20/1, by a length and three-quarters with 11/10 favourite Darver Star was well-beaten third.
Jack Kennedy was also a big winner at the tack 24 hours later where he was successful on two Gordon Elliott-trained stars. The pair won the biggest race of the weekend, the Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle with Abacadabras which battled well to hold off the late surge of the Willie Mullins-trained 10/11 favourite Saint Roi by a neck. He had earlier partnered Fury Road to land the Grade 2 Celebration Hurdle, the partnership making all the running to beat Ted Walsh’s Dewcup by an easy three and a half lengths at odds of 4/11 favourite.
