Pick the bones out of that. Four openside flankers in the squad, three fly‑halves, just two second-rows and one centre. It does not stop there with a first start on the wing and a debut in waiting on the bench, in Cardiff – a place that has a habit of swallowing up and spitting out … Read more
At the moment of his greatest racing triumph, after a lifetime in the sport as a spectator, an amateur jockey, owner and now a trainer, Barry Connell’s thoughts after Marine Nationale’s victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday turned, immediately and inevitably, to Michael O’Sullivan, who rode the same horse to victory in … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (agg 3-1): Rashford is now playing down the middle. Will he embrace the role? He rarely did in recent years at United. Share Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge (agg 3-1): Asensio and Bailey are on for … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature 41 min: Simeone flips a cute pass down the inside-right channel to release Alvarez into the Real box. From a tight angle, Alvarez hammers hard. Courtois parries around the post. Nothing comes for the corner, but Real are hanging on a … Read more
Omar Berrada has admitted it is a “risk” for Manchester United to try to build a world-class team and venue at the same time. The club announced on Tuesday they planned to construct a 100,000-seat ground on land adjacent to Old Trafford. Berrada hopes United can move into the £2bn stadium by the start of … Read more
Crystal Palace have opened talks with Oliver Glasner over extending his contract in an attempt to ward off potential interest from RB Leipzig. The Austrian celebrated his first anniversary as manager last month and Palace are 11th in the Premier League after Saturday’s win over Ipswich, having recovered from a poor start. They have also … Read more
Normal service has been resumed in Germany. Perhaps it has in the Champions League, too, given Bayern Munich are in the quarter-finals for a sixth successive year. If Inter are treated with the same brutality they inflicted upon Bayer Leverkusen, whose brief spell as domestic kryptonite appears comprehensively over, they may move closer to lifting … Read more
Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday was a statement. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have claimed some impressive results at the City Ground this season. They beat Aston Villa and Tottenham at home in December; they smashed Brighton 7-0 last month; and they have taken points off Liverpool and Arsenal. Yet victory over … Read more
The PGA Tour may be unable to conclude a deal to unify professional golf but there is, finally, progress on another key issue for spectators: slow play. Speaking ahead of the Players Championship, the Tour’s commissioner, Jay Monahan, revealed the imminent arrival of new sanctions which could include the naming and shaming of offenders. The … Read more
Tiger Woods is a near certainty to miss the Masters for just the fifth time since his debut in 1995 after confirming emergency surgery on a ruptured achilles, sustained while training at home. Woods has not played an individual event since missing the cut at the Open Championship last summer. He is a notable absentee … Read more