England will be without Rehan Ahmed for the rest of their tour of India as the teenage leg-spinner is set to return home because of an urgent family matter.
The 19-year-old featured in the first three Tests but was left out of the penultimate contest in Ranchi as England selected slow left-armer Tom Hartley and off-break bowler Shoaib Bashir as their spinners.
The tourists do not intend to draft in a replacement for Ahmed, despite being left with 14 players for the final Test in Dharamshala in a fortnight and two frontline spinners in Hartley and Bashir.
A brief statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board said: “Rehan Ahmed will return home for personal reasons with immediate effect from England men’s Test tour of India.
“He will not be returning to India. England will not be replacing Ahmed for the rest of the tour.”
Ahmed, England’s youngest senior cricketer in all three formats, has taken 11 wickets in the series at an average of 44, including six dismissals in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
Rehan featured in Rajkot last week despite a visa problem in the build-up. He was given a temporary two-day visa before the issue was resolved and was praised for how he handled the situation by Stokes.
“The great thing about youth is they just take everything in their stride,” Stokes said last week. “He handled a situation that could have affected quite a lot of people in a different way very, very well.”
Middle-order batter Harry Brook withdrew ahead of the series because of personal reasons while left-arm spinner Jack Leach pulled out of the tour because of a knee injury sustained in the first Test.
India have also had to contend with a high-profile withdrawal in star batter Virat Kohli due to personal reasons, and injuries have deprived them of Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant.
Michael van Gerwen is seeking further glory after earning his third successive Premier League Darts victory with a 6-4 win over Nathan Aspinall.
The Dutchman beat Gerwyn Price and teenager Luke Littler to secure a spot in the final, where the seven-time Premier League champion came from behind to beat Aspinall.
Aspinall started brightly, winning two successive legs but was left to rue missed doubles which had troubled him throughout the evening as Van Gerwen hit a 10-dart break on his way to leading 5-2.
Although Van Gerwen needed one leg to win, Aspinall clawed his way back and nearly took him to a decider in the 10th leg, but missed double 16.
The Dutchman made no mistake finding double 18 to wrap up victory and hopes to put himself in a comfortable position in the upcoming weeks.
He told a post-match press conference: “I think it was really big of course to win another Premier League night it’s match three, it’s hard.
“I think I had a tough draw tonight this night, to win the first game against Gezzy then Luke Littler then of course Nathan Aspinall in the final, it wasn’t easy, but of course you still have to do it. Then to make it actually happen is always a great feeling.
“Of course you want to make yourself as comfortable as possible but I think with this win I can look forward next week but that’s what I want to do.
“I want to make sure I put myself in a comfortable position, make sure I do the damage again and make sure I get more points, that’s the only thing I can do.”
After beating Price in the quarter-finals, Van Gerwen edged to the final with a 6-5 victory against Littler in the final four.
The teenager beat Peter Wright 6-5 in the quarter-finals in a close encounter that went the distance to set up a final-four clash against the world number two, where Littler piled on the pressure.
Van Gerwen missed six match darts allowing “the Nuke” to take it to a decider, but the Dutchman kept his composure in the final leg, hitting a 90 finish to win.
He now leads the standings by eight points and believes he has a different mindset in his approach this year.
“When you play the best players you have to play the best game, you have to perform and have to win,” he added.
“Of course over so many weeks you’re going to have bad days, you’re going to have good days, but overall you need to make sure you keep your momentum going and that’s what I’m doing at the moment.
“I think I have a different mindset now, I’m going to look week-by-week, don’t put myself in the same position last year.
“Last year was another week, I wasn’t really there mentally and I’ve changed that this year.”
Thursday was Aspinall’s first Premier League final of the season following victory over Rob Cross in the semi-finals.
After narrowly beating Michael Smith 6-5 in the quarter-finals, the Asp faced a tough test against Cross, where missed doubles allowed “Voltage” to get his foot back into the game.
His struggles on the outer ring saw him miss three match darts before Cross missed double 16 and Aspinall made no mistake to wrap the game up with the following dart.
Everton manager Sean Dyche has admitted the club’s 10-point deduction may have had a psychological effect on his players.
The Toffees are still awaiting the outcome of their appeal against the punishment they received for breaching the Premier League’s financial regulations last November.
The sanction has effectively plunged the Merseyside club into a relegation battle and Dyche feels the uncertainty over whether or not they will get any points back could be having an impact.
Dyche told a number of national newspapers: “It affects everyone – everyone is sitting around waiting and wondering.
“They take those 10 points off immediately, so you keep looking at that table and you keep getting asked about being in the bottom three, four, five. They don’t leave you up there, so how do we know how that affects the psychology?
“It changes the perception, it changes the feel, it changes the fan base, it changes the feel of performances. That’s just a fact. We all measure it differently when the team are there, top, middle or bottom.
“Does that affect the team whilst the process is going? At first everyone says obviously not because you win four, but you could argue there is a delayed effect.”
Everton’s appeal hearing was held at the end of last month and a verdict is now thought to be imminent but no exact date has been set for when it will be delivered.
“We haven’t got a clue, or I certainly haven’t at the moment,” said Dyche at a press conference.
“The guidelines that you (the media) suggest and we suggest have been for around about the end of the month, so we just have to wait and see.
“I don’t know all the legalities of appeals, of course, but I think it’s in everyone’s interest, firstly our own of course, and for the greater good of football – I think everyone’s wondering – it would be helpful if it’s sooner rather than later.”
After initially responding well to the points setback, Everton are now without a win in eight Premier League games.
They are above the relegation zone only on goal difference after a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday.
Dyche, whose side travel to Brighton on Saturday, has at least been pleased with the attitude of his players throughout a troubled period.
He said: “I think the players have been working very hard, very diligently. I’m very pleased with what they’re doing on a daily basis. I don’t think it is literally in the way of every day’s business.
“I’m sure at the back of their minds they’re still wondering, ‘Come on then, when are you going to tell us where we’re at and give us more of a factual kind of view?’, but we’re in the same mindset – it is where it is and that’s it.
“We look at where it is now and then see what comes. We can’t do anything about it until it’s done.”
Jamie George will draw inspiration from the heartwarming thought that his late mother will be watching down on him as he prepares to lead England into Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown with Scotland just over a week after her death.
The 33-year-old Saracens hooker found out on the same day that he was appointed captain of the Red Rose last month that his mum Jane had been diagnosed with cancer. Her situation deteriorated quickly and she died last Wednesday.
George takes some solace from the fact a woman he described as “the biggest rugby fan on earth” was able to see her boy skipper his country for two matches, the Guinness Six Nations victories over Wales and Italy.
“We’ve been going through a lot as a family for a long period,” he said, speaking with remarkable composure about his ordeal from England’s team hotel in Edinburgh city centre on Thursday evening.
“The deterioration she had was really fast. I found out on Sunday about the fact that she was terminal, and she passed away on Wednesday [last week].
“My mum was the biggest rugby fan on earth, she loved this team, loved watching me play, she never missed a game.
“The text I’ve got from her before my first game as captain is something I will treasure forever. She said it was the proudest day of her life so given what she was going through, to still be able to put a smile on her face was huge.”
George was adamant he did not want to excuse himself from England duty. He turned up on the Friday after his mum’s death to participate in an open training session at Twickenham and had no doubt in his mind that he wanted to lead his team into battle with Scotland.
George’s father, his brothers, his uncle and his cousin will be at Murrayfield for what he hopes will be a cathartic experience for the family amid the trauma.
“Taking time off is the last thing she would have wanted me to do,” said George. “It’s not what I wanted to do.
“I feel very privileged to do what I do and hopefully the boys will agree that I’ve been able to fulfil my role as captain and fulfil my role as a player in this team.
“It’s not an ideal situation to be in, but there was never any doubt in my mind that I wanted to be involved in this game.
“Wherever she is now, she will be looking down telling everyone that is there that her son is the England captain. I know for a fact that meant a huge amount to her.
“Whenever I’ve played, I’ve always wanted to make my family proud. It’s been a huge driver for me. That won’t change this weekend – it will probably be enhanced this weekend.
“It will be emotional for me coming out. It will be the first game that she won’t be there. She wasn’t able to come to the first two games to watch, which has been tough in itself, but before that she was always there, she never missed it.
“My dad, my uncle, my cousin and both brothers are coming up this weekend. It’s going to be great for them to be able to be there. It’s amazing what rugby can do in situations like this.
“When I first became captain, I spoke a lot about showing how much it means to play for England and what an amazing impact you can have on people’s lives.
“I have seen it first-hand because my mum was on her death bed talking about the England rugby team and how proud she was of me being able to do what I do.
“That’s absolutely incredible. She will be with me in some capacity on Saturday and that means a huge amount to me.”
Mark Selby produced a vintage display to sweep past Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 and secure his place in the semi-finals of the Players Championship in Telford.
World number one O’Sullivan had looked pretty much untouchable this season, with four major ranking titles already.
However, it was Selby, himself a four-time world champion, who produced a high-quality display with half-century breaks or higher in five frames to end O’Sullivan’s 16-match unbeaten run.
There had been a controversial start to the match in the opening frame when referee Desislava Bozhilova failed to warn O’Sullivan after a second missed attempt when he could see one side of a red.
She swiftly realised her error, apologised to both players and promptly informed the world number one he would forfeit the frame if he did not hit a red with his next shot.
O’Sullivan’s response was to smash into the reds, opening up the table which allowed Selby to eventually clinch the frame with a break of 65.
Selby, who will play either China’s Zhang Anda or John Higgins in the semi-finals, soon built early momentum following a clearance of 91. After O’Sullivan did not make the most of a chance in the third, another break of 81 further extended his advantage.
It was turning into a vintage display from the Jester from Leicester, who produced another fine break of 105 to go into the mid-session interval in complete control at 4-0.
Following the resumption, O’Sullivan continued to make some wayward shots, going in off a red and into the top pocket as Selby went on to take the fifth frame with a 59 clearance.
The Rocket finally kicked into gear in the next frame with a break of 58, only to run out of position and then see an attempted safety shot back up the table edge the green to leave a red on.
Following couple of tense exchanges, Selby sunk a long red at pace into the bottom left corner and then dropped in a deft final red after O’Sullivan had left it just over the pocket before clearing the colours to take the frame 70-58, completing a memorable win.
During Thursday’s afternoon session at the International Centre, Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen came through a marathon four-hour contest to beat Gary Wilson 6-4.
Allen, celebrating his 38th birthday, moved into an early 2-0 lead after two half-century breaks and went into the interval 3-1 ahead with a run of 75.
Wilson, who won the BetVictor Welsh Open on Sunday, then mounted a recovery as he fought back to level at 3-3 on the back of a 76 break.
World number three Allen, though, dug in again to take frames seven and eight, before missing a match-ball chance in the next and then eventually getting the job done with a 69 break.
Allen, who had beaten former world champion Mark Williams in the first round, goes on to play Ali Carter for a place in Sunday’s final.
Cameron Norrie remains on course to defend his Rio Open title after easing into the quarter-finals.
The British number one won last year’s tournament in Brazil and his path to repeating his glory opened up earlier in the week when top seed Carlos Alcaraz withdrew because of injury.
And he made light work of Chilean Tomas Barrios Vera on the clay, dropping just two games in a 6-1 6-1 victory.
Barrios Vera, ranked 120 in the world, was no match for the Norrie, who overcame an early exchange of breaks to reel off four successive games and win the first set.
Another run of four games on the spin was enough to get the job done with little fuss to set up a quarter-final meeting with Thiago Seyboth Wild.
“I really played well and was accurate, I hit the lines and was able to control the games,” Norrie said on Sky Sports.
“I enjoyed it, last night waiting around, it rained a lot and I had to come out and reset and I was able to do that so I was really pleased.
“I am going to keep focusing on myself and my level and I want to make sure I take care of my matches like that.
“It’s tough, it’s humid, there’s been a lot of rain and the clay is heavy. It’s not easy out here but I feel like I can play well when the matches go long.”
AC Milan held off a stirring comeback by Rennes to book their place in the Europa League last 16.
The Italian side looked to have the job done after last week’s 3-0 first-leg win at the San Siro, but the Ligue 1 outfit gave them a scare on home soil, with Benjamin Bourigeaud’s hat-trick sealing a 3-2 victory in the second leg.
Milan goals from Luka Jovic and Rafael Leao proved pivotal as they secured a 5-3 aggregate win to go into the hat for Friday’s draw.
Rennes knew they would have to make early inroads into their deficit if they were to have any chance of repairing the damage from a harrowing night in Milan last week.
And they enjoyed the dream start as they went ahead in the 10th minute.
Bourigeaud received the ball in the centre of the pitch, took a touch and then drilled a scorching low effort into the bottom corner.
Milan were able to weather the early storm and got a crucial leveller in the 21st minute to restore their three-goal advantage.
Tijjani Reijnders burst forward and teed up Theo Hernandez to send in an inviting cross which an unmarked Jovic powered home with his head.
The hosts came again and thought they had made it 2-1 soon after but Arnaud Kalimuendo’s effort hit Mike Maignan without the Milan goalkeeper knowing too much about it.
The French side did go back in front in the 54th minute when Bourigeaud got his second of the match, converting from the penalty spot after Martin Terrier had been fouled by Simon Kjaer.
But they were again pegged back four minutes later as Milan made it 2-2 thanks to a fine Leao strike, the Portugal international guiding into the corner after a fine solo run.
Bourigeaud claimed the matchball as Rennes took the lead for the third time in the match as he again emphatically scored from the penalty spot after VAR had spotted a foul by Jovic.
That left them with 22 minutes of normal time to try and muster two goals and, although they attacked with intent and bluster they could not forge any real chances.
Tiger Woods’ son Charlie endured a testing round to finish 16-over as his hopes of qualifying for next week’s Cognizant Classic came up short.
The 15-year-old took part in Thursday’s pre-qualifier at Lost Lake Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Florida, which is one of four pre-qualifying sites for the upcoming PGA Tour event.
Approximately 25 players and ties will advance to the full qualifier on Monday February 26, from which four players will earn places in the Cognizant Classic, which runs from February 29 to March 3 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens.
Charlie Woods, though, did not make the top five at Lost Lake, where he had teed off at 7:39am local time and was accompanied to the course by his mother, Elin Nordegren.
Competing in a twosome alongside Olin Browne Junior, Woods – carrying a tiger-striped headcover like his father often keeps in his golf bag – struggled at points during his round on the par-70 course.
After making par on the opening hole and then a double-bogey seven on the par-five fifth, it was the seventh which would prove most costly, where the teenager made a 12.
Although he did not produce a birdie, Woods managed 11 pars in total, including a run from the eighth to 13th as well as the final two holes to finish on 86.
Charlie Woods has competed in the last four editions of the PNC Championship alongside his father, who was forced to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational last week due to illness.
Charlie also took part in last year’s Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, with his father acting as his caddie, and finished tied for 17th in the boys 14-15 division.
The countdown is on to the largest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be played in the West Indies and USA from 1—29 June, with today, 22 February marking 100 days to the start of the historic event.
During the ballot period, over 3 million ticket applications from over 161 countries were received for the pinnacle global event for T20 cricket. Ticket allocations are currently unavailable to nine T20 World Cup matches scheduled in the USA, with the India v Pakistan fixture on 9 June in New York oversubscribed more than 200 times.
Both semi-finals in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana along with the final in Barbados were oversubscribed in the ballot, as were two Super Eight matches in Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Tickets to all other fixtures in the West Indies are available, with fans encouraged to purchase their tickets now to be a part of the biggest T20 World Cup ever.
The 100 days-to-go milestone also marked the launch of the official campaign film ‘Out of this World’, which features T20 superstars Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard, Marcus Stoinis, Shaheen Afridi, Shubman Gill and Ali Khan. The full campaign, which blasts off globally today, will utilize a variety of platforms to engage audiences on a global scale and will give the world a visual taste of what they can look forward to in the West Indies and USA come June.
A series of fan engagement events will also blast off at all nine host locations across the West Indies and USA, including a larger-than-life cricket ball taking over Times Square in New York City, Bayside Marketplace in Miami, Klyde Warren Park, Dallas and all Caribbean host locations.
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “With just 100 days to go until the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 there is huge anticipation from fans to witness what will be the largest ICC event ever played, with 20 international teams playing across nine host cities. A large proportion of the more than 3 million applications for tickets across the event were from our host countries, so we are confident that this event will not only entertain fans around the world but leave a lasting legacy that will help us continue to grow the sport across the Americas.
“Celebrating the launch of our official campaign film that captures the energy of T20 cricket and features some of the game’s biggest stars is another important milestone, as excitement builds across the global cricket community for what will be a historic event.”
Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Johnny Grave said: “With just 100 days to go until the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the global excitement is accelerating at pace and all signs indicate that this World Cup is poised to make history on multiple fronts. With a significant number of games already oversubscribed, it is evident that the global appeal of T20 cricket is growing exponentially. Fans wanting to experience a T20 World Cup with Caribbean flair should seize the opportunity to get their tickets as soon as possible and join the celebration on the grandest stage of cricket – the West Indies and USA.”
T20 World Cup USA, Inc. Chief Executive Brett Jones said: “Today is an extraordinary day for global cricket and that’s especially true in the U.S. While those of us involved in the sport know cricket’s popularity in our market, there is no data point like ticket sales to showcase the level of enthusiasm that’s out there and we’re thrilled with the support we’re seeing. The 2024 T20 World Cup is going to fundamentally change the game of cricket in the U.S. and it’s our job to capitalise on this moment.”
The British Horseracing Authority is urging MPs to take part in the debate over affordability checks, which will take place in Westminster Hall on Monday.
It is the first chance for MPs to properly interrogate proposals of the implementation of the supposedly “frictionless” checks after 100,000 people signed an e-petition to trigger the debate.
The BHA is warning as many as 1,000 stable staff could lose their jobs if the new scheme comes in.
A statement from the BHA read: “As the petition has demonstrated, there is widespread opposition to affordability checks among the public, who feel that they should be able to participate in a legitimate leisure activity without the potentially disproportionate interventions represented by one-size-fits-all state-mandated affordability limits.
“There has been little opportunity for MPs to scrutinise such significant changes to gambling regulations which, if introduced, could cost the sport of horseracing up to £50million per annum. It is therefore vital that as many MPs as possible attend the debate so that this important issue is subject to the appropriate level of parliamentary scrutiny.”
BHA chief executive Julie Harrington said: “The latest data, which highlights the terrible scale of job losses that could result from these checks on betting as currently proposed, showcases yet again the importance of this issue and the need for government to get it right.
“We look forward to the issue of affordability checks being properly debated by MPs. The BHA has worked tirelessly with stakeholders from across the sport to ensure as many parliamentarians as possible have been contacted in advance of the debate and urged to take part.
“We also thank racing supporters who have sent letters to their MP through the RMG, ATR or Racing Post websites.
“This outreach has further raised awareness around the potential unintended consequences to racing of these measures and we are hopeful that this will translate into a strong turnout for the debate.
“While we want to manage expectations on whether the debate can deliver an immediate change in Government policy, we continue to call for a rethink on the proposals to strike a better balance between protecting vulnerable customers and allowing those who gamble safely and responsibly to do so unimpacted.”
Trafford Council is looking forward to working with Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe on his ambitious plans to regenerate the south of the city.
Ratcliffe set out two routes to providing United with a stadium which he feels would befit the club’s status – either a redevelopment of Old Trafford or building a brand-new stadium which would be a northern rival to Wembley.
Ratcliffe sees the extra revenue generated from either option as a key factor in helping United consistently challenge north-west rivals Manchester City and Liverpool for domestic and European honours, having vowed on Wednesday to “knock both of them off their perch”.
He anticipated redevelopment would cost in the region of £1billion, while he estimated a new stadium and regeneration project would be £2billion. He saw no reason why state funding should not partially cover the cost of the bigger project, which he believes could transform the area around the stadium.
United’s existing leadership have been working alongside Trafford Council on its Trafford Wharfside development plan, and council leader Tom Ross was excited by Ratcliffe’s vision.
“We’ve got two visions that are coming together – a potential brand new stadium as discussed by Sir Jim, and also the vision we have for housing regeneration, bringing this area back to life,” Ross told BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday.
“There’s a lot of excitement in Manchester United about this as a key partner of ours. We look forward to working together to deliver those plans.”
Ratcliffe said on Wednesday that a task force – which could include former United defender Gary Neville – was being formed to consider the feasibility of the new stadium project. The PA news agency understands Trafford Council expects to be invited to join too.
United have been urged to actively involve local residents and small business owners in their plans as they consider how to proceed.
Dr Tom Bason, a sports legacy and football finance expert at Coventry University, highlighted research which found such groups had not been properly consulted in previous stadium-led regeneration projects, and ended up being priced out of the area.
“(Proper consultation) is the sort of thing that needs to happen from the start otherwise you do end up with this sort of displacement that we saw around the Olympic Stadium (in east London),” Dr Bason told PA.
“It’s not always intentional, but if you see house prices or rent increases going up 20, 30, 40 per cent, although you might not be kicked out because your house or flat is getting knocked down, you might still have to leave that area because you can’t afford to live there any more.
“The same happens with businesses – multinationals start coming in, you start to get chains of coffee shops rather than a local café for example.
“It’s not always intentional but if these sort of local community groups, residents and businesses aren’t part of the process, it is what happens every time.”
Stuart Edmunds was rewarded for rolling the dice as Marsh Wren took top honours in the Carey Glass Irish EBF Colreevy Mares Novice Chase at Thurles.
The eight-year-old – who numbers former footballer Ben Turner among her owners – was a good-quality hurdler who has been highly consistent since switching to fences, winning two of her three starts prior to setting sail for Ireland from her Stewkley base in Buckinghamshire.
Her only reversal was a second-placed run in the Listed Lady Godiva Chase at Wincanton in December and at Thurles she aimed to go one better at the same level.
Under usual pilot Ciaran Gethings, she seemed to relish the soft ground and made the running before facing a challenge or two in the home straight, as other horses tried to compete.
Marsh Wren was not for passing, however, and held on resolutely to prevail by three-quarters of a length at 9-4 and provide both trainer and jockey with their first win on Irish turf.
“She’s a credit to everybody and to herself, she never knows when she’s beaten. She did it very well,” said Edmunds.
“She’s very, very tough. She is a credit to everybody at home, as they do a great job and she always rewards them.
“It was a brave choice, as it costs a few quid to go, but she had placed black type over here and we wanted to try to win one.
“It’s very valuable for a mare, it makes a big difference for them.”
A delighted Gethings added: “That was a some buzz and fair play to Stuart and Ben Turner, the owner, and fair play to everybody for putting their hands in their pockets and coming over.
“I’m from Tinahely (County Wicklow) and moved over to England when I was 16. I spent six years with Philip Hobbs before moving to Tom George’s and have been with Stuart for a long, long time now. I live in Cheltenham and this is my first Irish winner.
“I might have bits and bobs for Cheltenham (Festival) and might ride for Kim Bailey if he has two horses for a race.”
Marsh Wren holds an entry for the Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but would require the going to be soft if that race is to be considered.
“It would need to be soft, it seems silly to say that with the rain at the minute!” Edmunds said.
“We put her in because it wasn’t too expensive but we’ll have to see what the weather does closer to the time.”
Willie Mullins’ Largy Hill continued his progression with a neat success in the BoyleSports Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle.
The seven-year-old has been making a good go of his first season over timber so far, placing second on debut and then winning last time out at Cork.
He was 100-30 at Thurles when stepping up to Grade Three level, with stablemate Stoke The Fire starting at 7-1 and Gordon Elliott’s Staffordshire Knot the 8-11 favourite.
Largy Hill was comfortably able to take the top prize, travelling and jumping well under Paul Townend and strolling to a four-length success ahead of the market leader.
“Largy Hill did everything right and that was a good effort,” Mullins said.
“You could see his jumping was that of an ex-point-to-pointer, compared to Stoke The Fire (third), who was novicey, and What Path (fourth), who jumped a bit left.
“I was very happy with Stoke The Fire and that will bring him on hugely.
“The winner is a big, chasing type and it is nice to win a prize like this. I doubt he’ll go to Cheltenham and will wait until Fairyhouse instead.”
Andy Farrell has challenged Test rookie Ciaran Frawley to “prove a point” after handing him a long-awaited full Ireland debut in place of the injured Hugo Keenan.
Versatile Leinster back Frawley received his first call-up in the autumn of 2021 but has so far been restricted to 44 minutes of international action across two appearances from the bench.
The 26-year-old will start Saturday afternoon’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Wales at full-back after Keenan sustained a knee issue in the 36-0 round-two win over Italy.
Head coach Farrell is hopeful his first-choice number 15 will be fit to face England on March 9 but backed Frawley to deputise with distinction against Warren Gatland’s side in Dublin.
“The versatility that Frawls has got has always probably earmarked him for a bench spot but he’s always been waiting for this chance,” said Farrell.
“Hugo doesn’t get injured too much, does he?
“His skillset is fantastic and it’s a big week for him so it will be a test of his temperament but he’s playing in a good side and I’m sure he’ll take his chance.
“He’s trained there (at full-back) for us a lot. It’s very natural for him to fill that position and he deserves his chance.
“He’s had an appetite to want to get to this type of position so now it’s come around I’m sure it’s a big moment for him and his family.
“But it’s all about performing. It’s all about taking your chance. All your need is a chance. It’s up to the individuals to go and take that and prove a point.”
Frawley aside, Farrell has reverted to the starting XV which began the impressive 38-17 victory over France on the opening night of the tournament.
Captain Peter O’Mahony, prop Tadhg Furlong and centre Bundee Aki return from injuries, while lock Tadhg Beirne, scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and flanker Josh Van Der Flier are also recalled following the routine success over the Azzurri on February 11.
Uncapped prop Oli Jager has been included on a bench which has a six-two split of forwards and backs.
The 28-year-old’s opportunity at Test level comes after he left New Zealand club Crusaders to join Munster late last year.
“It’s always a pleasure to give someone their debut,” said Farrell. “I think this is a special one because it’s a special story in Oli.
“When we was over in New Zealand (in the summer of 2022), I met him about his plans and where that sat but he was content enough because he was building a really nice life for himself over there and doing unbelievably well for the Crusaders.
“But he showed his ambition to come back to Ireland and make a claim for a spot playing for his country.
“We’ve had him earmarked for a while but watching him start his career in Ireland at Munster, we’ve been nothing but impressed.”
Ireland are seeking an 18th successive home win to keep themselves on course for back-to-back Grand Slam titles.
Opponents Wales have not won a Six Nations fixture in Dublin since 2012.
“Playing against Wales, well you know it’s always going to be a scrap,” said Farrell.
“Wales against Ireland, it probably means a little bit more to them, I’ve been told (that) over the years. We’re aware of that.”
Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo believes victory in the Carabao Cup final will provide the extra energy required to maintain their challenge on three other fronts.
Sunday’s meeting is a repeat of the Reds’ 2022 encounter with Chelsea at Wembley which Jurgen Klopp’s side eventually won 11-10 on penalties with only one player – goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga – missing.
However, only four of that Liverpool starting XI are likely to be in this weekend’s team – Mohamed Salah would be a fifth but is currently doubtful with a minor issue after making his comeback from a hamstring problem at Brentford – as a result of some high-profile departures and a raft of injuries.
The extent of the injury crisis was laid bare in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Luton, in which Klopp named a bench with three defenders and four academy players, and should that situation continue it could seriously hamper Liverpool’s bid to contend in the Premier League – which they lead – the FA Cup and Europa League.
But Endo said nothing gives players a boost like winning a trophy and for a large number of the Reds’ team – the Japan international included – Sunday will be their first chance at the club.
“If we could win this first one I think it would have a really positive impact on the other competitions we’re competing in,” said the £16million summer signing.
“Winning at Wembley would give us extra energy for the challenges ahead. I’m so excited to play there. It will be my first time at such a special stadium.
“It would mean a lot to me. It would be my first title with Liverpool and I’m focused on doing everything I can to help the team win the final.
“The manager has spoken to us about staying positive and needing to show that we are Liverpool. We did that against Luton.
“We don’t think too much about injured players, we just focus on the next game in front of us.”
Sunday is the first significant milestone in Klopp’s long goodbye after he announced his decision to leave at the end of the season.
Endo was away at the Asian Cup when the news broke but the 31-year-old, who has proved his critics wrong after being viewed as an emergency stop-gap holding midfielder, is keen to repay the manager’s faith.
“I was sad to hear about that. I really enjoy playing for him and playing football the way he plays,” he said.
“It’s disappointing but I really want us to achieve titles for him before he goes.
“I’ve only played for Jurgen for one season. Others have been here a lot longer so maybe they have more emotion but he has helped me so much.”
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After a tough introduction to English football the former Stuttgart midfielder has cemented his place as the team’s anchor, fulfilling a role which Alexis Mac Allister had been asked to do after Fabinho departed to Saudi Arabia in the summer.
“It’s hard to play for Liverpool. There’s always a lot of pressure,” Endo added.
“Playing in the Premier League is tough but this is something I wanted for a long time and I try to make sure I enjoy it and do my best every time.
“I feel like I’ve developed over the course of the season and that has helped to give me confidence.”
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