Jack Grealish feels like Kevin De Bruyne was made for the Champions League after the Belgian’s vital semi-final strike for Manchester City at Real Madrid.
De Bruyne netted a stunning equaliser as the Premier League leaders claimed a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their last-four tie against the holders at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night.
Despite dominating a lot of the early play, City were trailing to an equally brilliant Vinicius Junior goal when De Bruyne rifled home from distance after 67 minutes.
His screamer left the tie delicately poised ahead of next Wednesday’s return leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Grealish said: “We all know what a guy Kevin is and what a brilliant player he has been for this football club. Nights like this are just made for him and sum him up really.
“City fans can’t count how many times he’s scored important goals, got important assists.
“It must have meant a lot to him and obviously I’m buzzing for him.”
City outplayed Real, who are bidding to win the European Cup for a record-extending 15th time, as they dominated possession in the opening half-hour but they were caught out by Vinicius’ wonder strike after 36 minutes.
The Brazilian let fly from from 25 yards after good work by Eduardo Camavinga and City needed to retain their composure in a difficult atmosphere to get back into the game.
They were rewarded when De Bruyne replicated Vinicius’ heroics but Real also had their moments of dominance in a hard-fought second half.
With both goalkeepers making good saves, the outcome remains very much in the balance.
“Everyone knows what the Champions League is like,” Grealish said. “It’s a brilliant competition – brilliant players, brilliant stadiums and brilliant teams.
“That was their first attempt, when they scored the goal. It was a great strike, there probably wasn’t much we could do about it, but we hung in there.
“It was great mental strength from everyone to carry on playing, carry on trying and in the end Kev came up with an absolute worldie.
“We came here to win the game, that’s what we wanted to do, but in the end I think the draw was probably was a fair result.”
Treble-chasing City can ill-afford to ease up ahead of the return encounter, with a testing trip to relegation-threatened Everton at the weekend.
With the Toffees fighting for survival, it is likely to be a different type of encounter and the Premier League leaders will be determined to pick up points to hold off Arsenal in the title race.
It is a challenge Grealish is relishing.
“I feel unstoppable at the moment,” the 27-year-old said: “You’re looking around, playing with these guys that are unbelievable.
“And the fans are brilliant, every home and away game. I’m sure we’ll need them at Goodison Park at the weekend and, of course, the Etihad next Wednesday, which we’re all buzzing for already.”
Midfielder Sergio Busquets will leave Barcelona this summer, ending an 18-year association with the club.
The 34-year-old, who joined the Catalans’ youth team in 2005, made his first-team debut in 2008 but has decided to move on after turning down the offer of a new contract on reduced terms.
“The time has come to announce that this will be my last season with Barca,” he said in a farewell video released by Barcelona.
“It has been a unforgettable journey. I always dreamed of playing with this shirt and at this stadium and reality has exceeded all my dreams.
“I wouldn’t have believed it you if you had told me when I arrived as a youth player that I would play 15 seasons at the best club in the world and surpass 700 matches.
“It has been an honour, a dream, a source of pride and meant everything to defend and represent this badge for so many years.
“Although it has not been an easy decision I think the time has come.”
Busquet, whose 718 matches for Barcelona put him third on the club’s all-time list of appearances, has won eight league titles – soon to become nine – three Champions Leagues, seven Copas del Rey, seven Spanish Super Cups, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cups.
Nikola Jokic scored 17 of his 29 points during the decisive third quarter and the Denver Nuggets gained the upper hand in their Western Conference semifinal series with a 118-102 rout of the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Jokic followed his 53-point performance in Game 4 with another stellar display, adding 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his 10th career playoff triple-double, breaking a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for most by a center in NBA history.
Bruce Brown scored 25 points, one shy of his playoff career high, and Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray added 19 apiece as Denver improved to 6-0 at home this postseason for a 3-2 series lead.
The Nuggets turned a 52-49 halftime lead into a 91-74 advantage with a dominant third quarter in which Jokic made seven of eight shots, while Devin Booker scored three points on 1 of 8 from the field.
Booker finished with 28 points but missed 11 of 19 shots, Kevin Durant had 26 points and Deandre Ayton added 14. No other Suns player reached double figures.
Denver can earn a trip to the west finals with a win at Phoenix on Thursday in Game 6.
Visiting 76ers cruise past Celtics
Joel Embiid scored 32 points and Tyrese Maxey added 30 with six 3-pointers to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a surprisingly easy 115-103 victory over the Boston Celtics and a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Philadelphia led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter as the home fans showered the Celtics with boos.
James Harden had 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, Tobias Harris chipped in 16 points and 11 boards and little-used Danuel House Jr. contributed 10 points and five rebounds.
The 76ers can close out the series and advance to the East finals for the first time since reaching the NBA Finals in 2000-01 with a win at home in Game 6 on Thursday.
Jayson Tatum had 36 points but missed all five of his first-quarter attempts and made 11 for 27 from the field. He was part of a poor shooting effort by the Celtics, who shot under 40 percent overall and misfired on 26 of 38 from long range.
Boston cut the deficit to 92-81 with under 10 minutes remaining but Maxey and Embiid responded with consecutive 3s. After Jaylen Brown hit a layup, baskets by House Jr. and Maxey stretched Philadelphia's advantage to 104-88, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback.
Manchester City’s Champions League draw with Real Madrid took their unbeaten run to 21 games.
Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten since early February, with 17 wins and four draws, as they peak in familiar fashion for the end of the season and a potential trophy treble.
Here, the PA news agency looks at their seemingly unstoppable form.
Treble chase
City are chasing glory on three fronts, looking to emulate the feat of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season achieved by local rivals Manchester United in 1998-99.
Thirty-seven points from the last 39 available have helped them haul in long-time league leaders Arsenal, leading by a point and with four games remaining to the Gunners’ three.
They have beaten their title rivals twice in that time, 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium and 4-1 back home a fortnight ago.
Improbably, relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest are the only side to take a point off them in that time after Chris Wood’s late equaliser.
Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester, Fulham, West Ham and Leeds are their other victims, with 36 goals scored in those 13 games and 10 conceded.
Their other draws have come in the away legs of their three Champions League ties, all 1-1 against RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Real.
The home legs against the two Bundesliga sides saw Leipzig beaten 7-0 and Bayern 3-0, while in the FA Cup they beat former City captain Vincent Kompany’s Burnley 6-0 and two other Championship sides, Bristol City and Sheffield United, 3-0 to set up a Manchester derby in the final.
Such form in the run-in is nothing new to City, who won last season’s league title by a point after finishing with a 12-game unbeaten run including nine wins and also won their last 14 in succession to pip Liverpool to the 2018-19 title – as part of a domestic treble.
Hot-shot Haaland leads the way
Erling Haaland is unsurprisingly City’s top scorer in the current run with 20 of City’s 61 goals.
That includes back-to-back hat-tricks against Leipzig – with an astonishing five goals – and Burnley, helping him past a half century for the season while he has a record 35 for a Premier League campaign.
Kevin De Bruyne’s stunner against Real was his seventh goal of the run while Haaland’s sometime deputy Julian Alvarez has six.
There have been five apiece for Riyad Mahrez, who scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup semi-final against the Blades, Phil Foden and Ilkay Gundogan. Twelve City players in all have scored, in addition to an own goal from Bournemouth’s Chris Mepham.
“We feel unstoppable”
Winger Jack Grealish spoke after the draw at the Bernabeu of his confidence of reaching the Champions League final, based on City’s formidable home record.
“Within ourselves at the Etihad, we feel unstoppable there,” the England international told BT Sport after playing his part in a feisty first-leg encounter.
His view is borne out by the statistics, City winning all 11 home games in their current run with 40 goals scored and just five conceded.
That sequence at the Etihad extends to 15 straight wins since their New Year’s Eve draw with Everton and 17 unbeaten since losing to Brentford in November.
Away from home, since the Tottenham defeat, City have won six games and drawn four, scoring 21 goals and conceding eight.
Jack Grealish is confident of reaching the Champions League final after Manchester City fought back to claim a draw in the first leg of their semi-final against Real Madrid.
Kevin De Bruyne struck a stunning equaliser at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night as City came from behind to draw 1-1 after an equally brilliant opener from Real’s Vinicius Junior.
The result leaves the tie delicately poised ahead of next week’s return leg at the Etihad Stadium.
City are seeking revenge for their loss to Real at the same stage last season and Grealish feels the Premier League side’s home record gives them the edge.
The England midfielder told BT Sport: “We have a new team this year, different players.
“We’ve learned so much since last year. Now we have the perfect balance of experience and a few youngsters who are just world-class.
“I think we just have quality and I’ve never felt so confident going on to the pitch and having these players around me.
“Within ourselves at the Etihad, we feel unstoppable there. We came here to try and win, but it shows our character to go a goal down – it’s always difficult to play at a place like this.
“In the end I think it was a fair result. They had their chances, we had a few as well.”
City controlled a lot of the early play but Real soaked up pressure and hit them with a fine counter-attacking goal.
City manager Pep Guardiola praised his side for the way they fought back when under severe pressure.
Guardiola said: “It was a really tight game. Congratulations to the team because this team (Real) are always so difficult for their history and also their quality.
“We started really well and when we were better they made an incredible transition (and scored).
“When they were better than us in the second half, we scored. It’s open to Manchester, it will be a final for our people and we look forward to it.”
Real manager Carlo Ancelotti was booked amid commotion on the touchline as De Bruyne celebrated his 67th-minute equaliser.
The Italian revealed afterwards he had been complaining the ball went out of play in the build-up to the City goal. He also claimed he had seen proof he was correct.
Ancelotti said: “The ball was off the pitch. Technology said it and I don’t understand why VAR didn’t check it
“The referee didn’t pay attention to many things tonight.”
Ancelotti, however, was happy enough with his side’s performance and the state of the tie.
He said: “We have to play like this again next week. Our strategy was good, we weren’t worried when they had possession.
“Then the second half was completely different. We had the ball and created opportunities. We are very satisfied. “
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart feels he is playing for a team with a clear and distinct style for the first time in his career.
Hart celebrated back-to-back titles for the first time on Sunday after helping Celtic to a 2-0 win over Hearts.
The 75-cap former England goalkeeper came in at the start of Ange Postecoglou’s reign and says the manager’s demands and quest for improvement make him “feel alive”.
He said of Sunday’s scenes: “They are special moments. You can’t take these things for granted.
“It’s an amazing club to play for and to be champions two years in a row is a great feeling. I have never done that before, we had a gap last time we won it down there (in the Premier League with Manchester City).
“Having been champions, we have improved from there. Everyone has got the attitude that they want to improve, so it’s good to be around.
“I know nothing is promised in football, it’s really not. Next year is not promised, the cup final is not promised.
“We have to work damn hard this week, we have a big game for the football club at the weekend. But it’s important to enjoy it, enjoy it with the fans, enjoy it with the team, and build on it and try and get as many opportunities to do it again.”
Celtic are the 10th club Hart has played for, having had several loan spells during his time at City, and Postecoglou has made a major impression on him.
“He is top, he is really, really good,” the 36-year-old said. “He is really clear in what he wants and the biggest buzz for me is I am playing for someone who is pushing me and I am learning new things every single day.
“I’m an old dog in this game and the fact that I am having to do that and stay on my toes and still want more and trying to improve is a great feeling. It makes me feel alive.
“It’s great to constantly be pushed and get results from it. It’s all very well, there are plenty of managers out there who will push and it doesn’t necessarily work, or players don’t adapt. Credit to the players and staff, we have been able to pull in the same direction and get results.
“I love being part of that. I have played in different teams that have been successful. Identity in football has always been there, but in terms of having a real way of playing, this is the first time I have been part of a team with a real way of playing.
“We live and die by it. I love that opportunity. There’s been many coaches and managers I’m sure out there who say, ‘Look, this is how I want you to play and, if it doesn’t (work), it’s on me’. I have heard that many times.
“But I genuinely feel comfortable making risky passes, short passes, and if someone does miss a pass or a tackle and the ball goes in, I don’t think any of us would even flinch because that’s what we are being asked to do.
“We believe what we have been asked to do and we are enjoying trying to be better at it.”
The big games do not stop for Celtic, with the Scottish Cup and a treble on the line against Inverness on June 3, but first they have the chance to go a full season unbeaten against Rangers when they travel to Ibrox on Saturday.
“There’s no extra motivation,” Hart said. “It’s a huge game for the club.
“We have pulled together as a group. There’s not going to be any fans inside the stadium pulling for us, but we know around the world…Jeez, we went to Australia in November and felt their presence.
“We know there’s going to be support, expectation, and the least we can do is show up with an attitude to win and play our style of football.”
Airdrie hit five first-half goals before bouncing back from a red card for their goalkeeper to thrash Falkirk 6-2 in the first leg of their cinch Championship play-off semi-final.
Falkirk finished one place above Airdrie in second spot in League One but John McGlynn’s side suffered a disastrous opening period in Lanarkshire.
Gabby McGill hit the crossbar not long before setting up Justin Devenny to fire an eighth-minute opener and the Diamonds were three up inside 16 minutes after player-manager Rhys McCabe smashed in a free-kick and Callum Smith netted after charging down a clearance and playing a one-two with McGill.
Former Bairns defender Aaron Taylor-Sinclair headed his first Airdrie goal in the 31st minute and 10 minutes later he flicked a corner into the path of Callum Fordyce to make it 5-0.
Falkirk pulled one back in the 61st minute when Coll Donaldson headed home and they got a further lifeline four minutes later when Airdrie keeper Josh Rae was sent off for bringing down Rumarn Burrell.
Substitute goalkeeper David Hutton came on and immediately had to pick the ball out of the net when Kai Kennedy’s free-kick was deflected past him.
But there was more drama to come. Falkirk forward Jordan Allan was sent off in stoppage-time for a foul on Hutton and McCabe netted a penalty at the other end after Ben Stanway was brought down in the box.
Kevin De Bruyne struck a stunning equaliser as Manchester City claimed a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
The Belgian cancelled out an equally brilliant first-half effort from Vinicius Junior when he fired past international team-mate Thibaut Courtois from the edge of the area after 67 minutes in the Bernabeu Stadium.
Treble-chasing City had dominated a lot of the early play but holders Real drew first blood in a tense battle when Vinicius lashed home from 25 yards after 36 minutes.
The result leaves the tie delicately poised ahead of next week’s return clash at the Etihad Stadium.
City came into the fixture looking to avenge their loss to Real at the same stage last year and were not fazed by their return to the scene of their late capitulation in that tie.
They started strongly, controlling possession in their usual confident manner and patiently looking to carve out opportunities.
When the chances came they initially found Courtois in defiant mood.
The former Chelsea number one saved well from De Bruyne before pushing away a Rodri effort and twice denying Erling Haaland.
Real rarely got out of their own half early on but they did serve warning of their threat when Vinicius broke and centred for Karim Benzema but the Frenchman failed to control.
As the first half wore on the hosts grew into the game and Ederson needed to be alert to prevent Benzema reaching a Rodrygo through-ball.
The hosts snatched the lead after Eduardo Camavinga combined with Luka Modric and then played Vinicius through. The Brazilian sped onto the ball and unleashed a ferocious drive which flew past Ederson.
City did not panic in response but Real then began testing their patience.
Jack Grealish had come in for some rough treatment from Dani Carvajal since the start and things threatened to get out of hand when the Spaniard barged the City midfielder into the advertising hoardings.
When Carvajal held out an arm to help the Englishman up, Grealish attempted to push him away and Carvajal flung himself to the ground theatrically.
Portuguese referee Artur Dias let that incident go but did get out his yellow card soon after when Toni Kroos fouled Ilkay Gundogan after one of several skirmishes between the Germany team-mates.
City manager Pep Guardiola was far from happy with the officials as the first half drew to a close and Real’s spoiling tactics continued after the break.
City tried to avoid the distractions and went close again when De Bruyne broke clear but Courtois stuck out a hand to save at close range. David Alaba produced a fine tackle to prevent Haaland shooting.
The visitors had to do some defending too and they conceded a succession of corners before Federico Valverde shot narrowly over.
Yet City were not flustered and they equalised in the 67th minute with a superb strike from De Bruyne.
This time Courtois had no chance as De Bruyne fired into the bottom corner from just outside the area.
Real manager Carlo Ancelotti was booked amid some commotion on the touchline as De Bruyne celebrated.
Real finished strongly and Ederson produced fine saves to keep out a header from Benzema and a long-range shot from Aurelien Tchouameni.
Three weeks after being named the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. is the leading vote-getter to headline the NBA All-Defensive first team.
The league announced the All-Defensive first and second teams on Tuesday, and joining Jackson on the top team is Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley and Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Jackson, who boasted an individual defensive rating of 106.6 – the best among all full-time starters – received the most first-team votes with 96, followed by 94 for Holiday, 85 for Lopez, 50 for Caruso and 49 for Mobley.
The 23-year-old Jackson just completed his fifth professional season, and this is his second time selected to the All-Defensive first team.
Jackson’s former Memphis teammate Dillon Brooks was named to the All-Defensive second team, along with Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, Toronto Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.
Jackson’s inclusion on the All-Defensive first team comes after he was announced the winner of the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year on April 17.
Blocking an astounding 9.58 per cent of all opponent shot attempts, the 6-foot-11 Jackson averaged an NBA-best 3.0 blocks per game.
Lopez was the runner-up in voting for Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 193 blocks, an average of 2.5 per game – the highest mark of his 15-year NBA career.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from May 9.
FootballChristian Eriksen felt honoured.
View this post on InstagramDavid Ginola also enjoyed the Laureus awards.
View this post on InstagramWhen Peter met Ted.
Burnley celebrated.
Abdoulaye Doucoure made the podium.
Beth Mead brought a smile to Leah Williamson’s face.
Happy birthdays.
Charlie Adam saluted the retiring Glenn Whelan.
CricketSam Billings revealed he had skin cancer last year.
Somerset turned the clock back.
AthleticsDame Jessica Ennis-Hill reflected on her weekend in Paris.
View this post on InstagramGymnasticsSimone Biles shared her big day.
BoxingJoe Joyce made a vow.
Motor racingView of the day?
Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog missed the entire 2022-23 season because of a right knee injury.
That same injured knee will cause him to miss all of the 2023-24 season, as well.
Landeskog will undergo cartilage transplant surgery on the knee, the Avalanche announced on Tuesday.
Wednesday’s scheduled surgery will be the fourth on the knee for Landeskog, who initially hurt it when he was sliced by a skate in a 2020 playoff game against the Dallas Stars.
The last time Landeskog took the ice he was hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head on June 26, 2022, after helping Colorado to the franchise’s third title.
He missed the final seven weeks of the 2021-22 regular season after having surgery on the same knee in March, but was able to return for the playoffs.
He was instrumental to Colorado’s Cup run, tallying 11 goals and 11 assists in 20 postseason games.
The 30-year-old then had another surgery in October 2022, and was initially projected to miss 12 weeks.
He was never able to fully recovery, however, and announced during the final week of the 2022-23 regular season he would remain side-lined for the playoffs.
Without Landeskog this past season, Colorado still managed to win the Central Division, but its season ended with a first-round loss to the Seattle Kraken.
Landeskog, who has six seasons left on a $56million, eight-year deal he signed in 2021, was drafted second overall by the Avalanche in 2011, and ranks eighth all-time in franchise history with 571 points.
Lewis Stevenson will extend his lengthy Hibernian adventure after agreeing a new one-year deal that will keep him at the club for next season.
The 35-year-old sits fourth on the Hibees’ all-time appearance list, with 572 games under his belt since making his debut in 2005.
Stevenson, a one-club man, is also the only player to have won both the League Cup (2007) and the Scottish Cup (2016) with Hibs and will now get a chance to bid for more success with the club next term.
“Everyone knows how much Hibs means to me and I’d like to play here for the rest of my career,” he told Hibs’ website after his new contract was finalised.
“I feel pretty good, there are little things I can’t do that I did 10 years ago, but I still feel good physically and feel like I can help the team both on and off the pitch.
“I never imagined I’d go on to make as many appearances for Hibs as I have, but I want to keep working hard, playing and have more success here.”
Stevenson has made 27 appearances under current manager Lee Johnson this term.
“In this modern day and age, it’s not often you have a player that shows the kind of loyalty Lewy has to Hibs,” said Johnson.
“He has rightly written his name into the club’s history books and I think everyone can see that he’s still going strong.
“He’s really humble, a fantastic human being, and is exactly the type of person we want at this football club, so we’re delighted that he will stay with us for another year.”
Leicester are ready to contest Chris Ashton’s red card that could rule him out of Tigers’ Gallagher Premiership play-off clash against Sale.
The 36-year-old former England wing was sent off for a high tackle on Harlequins’ Cadan Murley during Leicester’s 20-17 defeat three days ago.
Ashton, the Premiership’s record try-scorer, will retire at the end of this season, but he could now be banned by disciplinary chiefs.
If Ashton is suspended then his hopes of featuring in the play-off – and possibly the Premiership final on May 27 – will be over.
“When we get the date of the hearing, which I would have thought would be Wednesday, we will contest it,” Leicester boss Richard Wigglesworth said.
“It will be this week and if we get it turned around he will be available (for the play-off).
“The slipping and the dipping, there were mitigating factors in the tackle and the mitigating factors are why we think it is a yellow (card) and not a red.
“I am not calling anything dodgy. I know they have got a difficult job. We just want everything to be clear and obvious.
“If it is a high level of force and danger, then the red card is there to protect players. They have got to get it right, that is their job.
“We have got to get our tactics right, the players have got to get themselves right and they have got to get those decisions right.”
Wigglesworth would have no problem, given the time-frame, regarding Ashton’s readiness to face Sale on Sunday if he received a green light.
“Chris will know his stuff and be good to go,” Wigglesworth added.
“He is experienced and he will still have a training day knowing he is in the starting team, if that happens, so that wouldn’t be a problem for us.”
Premiership champions Leicester face a team that finished one place and 10 points above them across the 20-game regular season.
Saracens meet Northampton in the other play-off, meaning a repeat of last year’s final between Leicester and Saracens is possible.
Gregor Townsend admitted he had resigned himself to the likelihood that his time as Scotland head coach was drawing to an end before the Scottish Rugby Union recently moved to offer him a new deal until April 2026.
The 50-year-old’s previous contract was due to expire after the upcoming World Cup and, with no talks having taken place with the governing body, there was intense speculation during the winter that he would be leaving his post following the autumn showpiece in France.
However, tentative negotiations began in the middle of the recent Six Nations campaign and it was confirmed on Tuesday that Townsend – already Scotland’s longest-serving head coach after taking charge in 2017 – was set to remain at the helm for a further three years.
“I suppose the time when I wasn’t getting offered the contract, there was a lot of thinking going on there and a couple of stages in the season I thought ‘this will be my last season’, so to be able to at least have the discussion and think about the future has been a big positive and I’m obviously delighted to be able to stay with this group in this role for a few more years,” he said.
Townsend was linked with other jobs earlier this year but he insists there was never any likelihood he would commit to anything at that point.
“Not really,” he said, when asked if he was close to pledging his future elsewhere during his period in contract limbo.
“There were a couple of approaches between the Autumn Tests and the Six Nations but I don’t think there was any chance I was going to commit to anything before the Six Nations.
“The positive was that during the Six Nations, discussions started to happen between Scottish Rugby and myself. While I felt I wasn’t going to get a contract offer here, I don’t think I was going to commit to anything with a tournament on the horizon.”
Townsend, who will have been in charge for nine years if he sees out his contract, is thrilled to be remaining in a job he relishes.
“Not being able to make that choice or decision (to stay) was the difficult part,” he said.
“Me and the coaches focused on the rugby side of it because there wasn’t really any decision to make until we got to a stage where there was a contract offer.
“I love the job. You get ups and downs with it but I feel real sense of purpose being in the job.
“I’ve loved this season more than any other, the emotion down at Twickenham, seeing the way the guys came back in Paris, to have experienced a tour like last summer (in South America) with new, young players that breathed life into the team. We obviously want to build on that in the next few months ahead.”
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