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- Munster head coach Anthony Foley has signed a one-year contract extension with the province and it was also confirmed that they will appoint a director of rugby next season.
- Captain Rory Best sat out Ireland rugby training today due to tightness in his calf while Cian Healy and Eoin Reddan have been declared fit for selection against Scotland this weekend.
- Ruud Dokter will continue in his role as the FAI’s high performance director after he signed a five-year contract extension with the association.
- Irish 20-year-old Alan Browne has been rewarded for his club form at Preston North End with a new three-and-a-half year contract.
Away
- PSV fans have been caught on camera humiliating beggars on the streets of Madrid ahead of their Champions League match in the city.
- Tributes have poured in for former Fiji rugby international Seru Rabeni after the ex-Leicester player died at the age of 37.
- Antonio Conte will leave his role as manager of Italy’s national team after Euro 2016, adding to speculation that he will become the next Chelsea boss.
- Bolton Wanderers manager Neil Lennon has left the club by mutual consent, the Championship strugglers have confirmed.
- Wales prop Tomas Francis has been hit with an eight-week ban for making contact with the ‘eye or eye area’ of England’s Dan Cole last weekend.
- Scotland will be without Jonny Gray and David Denton for this weekend’s clash against Ireland after both forwards were ruled out through injury.
Cheltenham
- Annie Power became the first mare to win the Champion Hurdle in 22 years with a commanding performance under Ruby Walsh on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival.
- It was a day to remember for Walsh and trainer Willie Mullins as they also teamed up for victories in the Racing Post Arkle Chase (Douvan) and the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle (Vroom Vroom Mag).
- Altior upset Mullins and Walsh’s opening favourite of the day, Min, with an impressive victory in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle.
- Elsewhere, there were handicap victories for Un Temps Pour Tout (Ultima Handicap Chase), Minella Rocco (The National Hunt Handicap Chase) and Ballyalton (Close Brother Novices’ Handicap Chase).
The Best Thing We Shared
Liverpool have released drone footage of how their redeveloped Main Stand will look. The result was pretty spectacular.
Where we were today
Ben Blake caught up with former France and Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit who was in Dublin promoting a ticket giveaway for Euro 2016.
Murray Kinsella was in Carton House for an Ireland rugby training session. Connacht lock Ultan Dillane was one of the players who spoke to the media.
On The Record
Yeah, it does (ruin your day) because he has not gone for the ball. He just wants to obstruct me and it worked. I would hope that my team-mates would do the same and hopefully get away with it.
West Ham and Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph on receiving a nudge from Bastian Schweinsteiger in the build-up to Manchester United’s equaliser on Sunday.
The Fixture List
- It’s the second day of the Cheltenham Festival, highlights include the Neptune Novices Hurdle (13.30), RSA Chase (14.10), Queen Mother Champion Chase (15.30) and Champion Bumper (17.30).
- There is also action in the Champions League tomorrow night with two round-of-16 second-legs kicking off at 19.45. Barcelona host Arsenal with a healthy 2-0 lead while Bayern Munich welcome Juventus to Germany with the tie nicely balanced at 2-2.
- There are also seven U21 championship games up for decision tomorrow night. Westmeath take on Kildare in Portlaoise (19.30) in a Leinster semi-final. In the final four of Munster, Waterford host Cork in Dungarvan and Kerry take on Limerick in Tralee (both 19.30). In Ulster, there are four quarter-finals to be contested (all 20.00); Monaghan v Fermanagh in Inniskeen, Down v Armagh in Newry, Cavan v Tyrone in Kingspan Breffni Park and Donegal v Derry in Ballybofey.
- Also in GAA, Dublin’s St Benildus College and St Brendan’s, Killarney will battle it out for a spot in the All-Ireland senior colleges final in Nenagh, County Tipperary. That throws in at 14.30.
Showbiz, Baby!
Canadian rapper Drake’s trash-talking at the Raptors v Bulls game helped cause a five-second violation from Justin Holiday.
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