Soft ground looks assured for at least the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival, with more rain possible on Tuesday.
After the wettest February on record, the water table remains exceptionally high which meant a relatively dry weekend at the track came in very useful.
The ground is even more testing in the middle where the cross-country race takes place, with the ground described as heavy, soft in places.
“We’re happy and the track is in good shape, we’re pleased with how that looks,” said clerk of the course Jon Pullin.
“We faced a few challenges last year with grass cover, but that was on the back of a cold spell throughout the winter. It’s been a very different story this year and obviously very wet, which has given us other challenges, but we’re happy with conditions.
“We’re soft on both the Old and New course and heavy, soft in places on the cross-country. We had seven millimetres overnight into yesterday and a further 4mm throughout the day. We’re forecast to be dry today, but then we have some more showers moving in tomorrow morning before a dry afternoon.
“I think we’ll be soft ground for the first race, particularly if we get a few showers in the morning.
“We’re dry tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday looks to be as well. Thursday could be showery and the New course will probably be ready for a drop of rain by then. Thursday looks like we could still be on soft ground and we will have to see how Friday plays out.
“At the moment, Friday looks like a combination of sunshine and showers, so we could end up on soft or maybe good to soft.”
Joe Roberts has no doubt that the future is bright for Wales as a testing Guinness Six Nations campaign nears its conclusion.
Wales head into next Saturday’s Cardiff finale against Italy after suffering four successive defeats in this season’s tournament.
It has left them facing the possibility of a first wooden spoon since 2003, with Italy’s visit to Cardiff a shoot-out to avoid finishing bottom.
Italy have propped up the Six Nations table for eight seasons in a row, yet a 31-29 victory over Scotland has given them impetus to avoid that fate.
Wales will go into the game after a 45-24 loss against France, which followed defeats to Scotland, England and Ireland.
Roberts made his first Six Nations start in the France game, while Wales head coach Warren Gatland has handed Test debuts to five players during the competition – Cameron Winnett, Evan Lloyd, Archie Griffin, Alex Mann and Mackenzie Martin.
A sizeable post-World Cup rebuilding job is under way, with Wales having gone into the Six Nations following the international retirements of Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny, unavailability of players like Liam Williams and Louis Rees-Zammit, plus injuries suffered by Gareth Anscombe, Dewi Lake, Jac Morgan and Taulupe Faletau, among others.
“That could be the best thing really, getting chucked in at the deep end sometimes,” Scarlets centre Roberts said.
“It’s sink or swim, really. Boys will be forced to perform.
“There is a lot of rugby to come, so hopefully I can get myself on that summer tour (to Australia) and get a bit more experience in this jersey. That is what this group needs as a whole.
“We need experienced players out there internationally, and come the end of the year there could be (new) boys with 10-plus caps in most positions.
“I fully back ourselves to put in performances and get wins. I have no doubt about that with this group.”
Wales led France 24-20 after an hour, but were then overpowered as Les Bleus ran in 25 unanswered points.
It was France’s fifth successive Six Nations win in the fixture, and also the most points Wales have conceded at home since the competition began 24 years ago.
Roberts added: “I think the last 15 minutes we might have overplayed a bit in our own half and our own 22. We went a bit lateral.
“We took our foot off the gas and we weren’t as accurate as we could have been in the bigger moments. .
“We are growing as a squad, and I am fully confident in the future we will be able to put games like that to bed with a bit of accuracy.
“I am fully expecting the boys to go out there and get a win (against Italy). It is a hungry changing room.”
The start of 2024 has been extraordinary for teenager Luke Littler, who has not only burst onto the world darts scene, but into mainstream national consciousness.
Here, the PA news agency looks back at how the 17-year-old has made his mark.
World Championship runner-up
Littler, then 16, captured the public imagination with a stunning run at darts’ biggest showpiece, the World Championship at Alexandra Palace, coming into the new year. Displaying stunning accuracy and maturity beyond his years – and the public lapping up stories of his dramatic rise and his love of kebabs – ‘The Nuke’ knocked out some of the sport’s biggest names, including Raymond van Barneveld and Rob Cross, before the fairytale ended with final defeat to Luke Humphries.
Bahrain master
The Warrington-based prodigy proved his Ally Pally heroics were no fluke as he claimed his first PDC title at the Bahrain Masters a few weeks later. He avenged his loss to Humphries, threw a nine-dart finish and powered past three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen in the final, all in the week he turned 17.
Dutch runner-up
The momentum continued in January as Littler reached the final of the Dutch Masters. This time Van Gerwen got the better of him but it was still another impressive showing from the teenager.
Premier League entry
Littler’s remarkable impact saw him handed a wildcard for this year’s eight-player Premier League, a series of televised showcase events. Although he has not yet won, he has not disappointed and is third in the overall table after the first six match nights. He was beaten by Van Gerwen in a thrilling final of the Berlin event last month.
Wigan wonder
The 17-year-old’s ascent continued as he won the opening Players Championship tournament of the season in Wigan, throwing another nine-darter for good measure on the way. He capped a brilliant debut in the competition by edging out Ryan Searle in the final, moving into the world’s top 30 in the process.
UK Open
There was to be no maiden major PDC title at the UK Open but Littler continued to command most of the attention last week in Minehead with a run to the quarter-finals that ended in a 10-8 defeat to Australian Damon Heta. In a high-quality match considered one of the best ever played in a tournament often referred to as the FA Cup of darts, Littler fought back from 9-6 down and almost forced a deciding leg before Heta snatched it.
Belgian brilliance
Littler made a winning debut on the European Tour with success at the Belgian Open in Wieze over the weekend. There was some controversy along the way as he got involved in a heated exchange with German Ricardo Pietreczko, who branded him as ‘arrogant’ after their semi-final, but he responded in style. He threw a nine-darter as he beat Cross 8-7 in the final and landed the £30,000 prize.
Success off the oche
Littler is also proving a winner away from the dartboard. As well as a lucrative sponsorship with dart manufacturer Target, there have been endorsements with a clothing company and a breakfast cereal. He has also been in demand on the celebrity circuit and appeared on the Jonathan Ross Show at the weekend alongside Brits award sensation RAYE, actor Millie Bobby Brown, former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and comedian Rob Beckett.
El Fabiolo and Jonbon head a list of eight runners in Wednesday’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
The big two will clash for the third time, with honours even heading into this year’s Festival showdown.
Jonbon struck the first blow in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree two years ago, but El Fabiolo was a decisive victor in last season’s Arkle.
Edwardstone has been beaten twice by Jonbon this term but can boast a previous Festival success on his extensive CV, having landed the 2022 Arkle.
Captain Guinness was second to Energumene in this contest 12 months ago, while Elixir De Nutz will bid to follow up his surprise triumph over Jonbon in January’s rescheduled Clarence House Chase at Prestbury Park.
Boothill, 2022 Champion Chase runner-up Funambule Sivola and Gentleman De Mee complete the line-up.
Ballyburn will be a red-hot favourite to kick off day two of this year’s Festival with victory in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle, with just seven rivals set to take him on.
His trainer Willie Mullins will also saddle four of those, including Naas Grade One runner-up Ile Atlantique and Predators Gold, who has been second twice at elite level at Leopardstown.
Ben Pauling’s Handstands heads the home team after completing a hat-trick of wins over timber in the Listed-class Sidney Banks at Huntingdon.
Last year’s Champion Bumper second Fact To File features among six entries still standing in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, having already claimed Grade One glory over fences for Mullins at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Paul Nicholls will be represented by Stay Away Fay, who prevailed in the Albert Bartlett 12 months ago.
However, Nigel Twiston-Davies was forced to withdraw Broadway Boy following an unsatisfactory tracheal wash and Dan Skelton has left out Grey Dawning.
Former Gold Cup hero Minella Indo is one of a dozen runners in the Glenfarclas Chase, which will also feature last year’s Gordon Elliott one-two of Delta Work and Galvin.
Mullins is set to saddle nine runners in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, as he bids to win that contest for a record-extending 13th time.
The 2024 Guinness Six Nations burst into life with a memorable fourth round of action that produced thrilling victories for Italy, England and France.
Here, the PA news agency looks at three of the most exciting weekends in Six Nations history.
2024 (March 9-10)
Ireland had dominated the competition across its opening rounds, recording three bonus-point victories on what seemed a relentless march towards achieving historic back-to-back Grand Slams, but it all changed in a Twickenham thriller against England.
Steve Borthwick’s team went toe-to-toe with their opponents, outscoring them 3-2 on tries before fly-half Marcus Smith dropped a goal with the final act of a pulsating contest that showcased England’s finest display since their 2019 World Cup semi-final success against New Zealand.
Just a few hours earlier, resurgent Italy posted their first Six Nations win in Rome for 11 years, with Test debutant Louis Lynagh – son of former Australia star Michael Lynagh – scoring one of their tries, and France overcame Wales 45-24 a day later in a mad-cap Principality Stadium clash that included an audacious 40-metre reverse pass by Les Blues scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec to his half-back partner Thomas Ramos. The whole weekend delivered 174 points and 20 tries.
2015 (March 21)
Viewed by many as the greatest ‘Super Saturday’ of all, three teams – Wales, Ireland and England – went into the tournament’s final weekend all with a chance of being crowned Six Nations champions.
Wales were first out of the blocks, and they did not disappoint as George North scored three tries in a 61-20 rout of Italy. That immediately piled pressure on Ireland, who knew that a 21-point winning margin against Scotland at Murrayfield would put them top, and they responded impressively to claim a 40-10 victory and leave England needing a minimum 26-point success at the expense of Twickenham visitors France to win the title.
They gave it everything in a classic 12-try contest as England triumphed 55-35. They ended agonisingly short of their target, and the title was decided on points difference in Ireland’s favour. It had been a breathtaking finale.
2013 (March 16)
England headed to Cardiff with a first Six Nations Grand Slam for 10 years in their sights, but it all unravelled spectacularly on one of the greatest days in Welsh rugby history.
Wales had a chance of silverware themselves, needing victory by seven points or more for back-to-back Six Nations titles, and they delivered with a devastating display that saw them claim a record 30-3 win against their fiercest rivals. Wing Alex Cuthbert scored two tries, and England had to be content with the runners-up spot.
Earlier the same day, Ireland were reduced to ruins in Rome as Italy’s 22-15 triumph gave them two wins during one Six Nations campaign for the first time since 2007. The Azzurri had never previously beaten Ireland on the Six Nations stage, but nothing could eclipse events in Wales.
Damian Lillard is confident his relationship with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is growing stronger after the pair dismantled the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lillard had 35 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, while Antetokounmpo finished with 34 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Bucks beat the short-handed Clippers 124-117 on Sunday.
They turned on the style in the fourth quarter, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard playing a direct role in 31 consecutive points for the Bucks.
The duo are only the second pair of teammates to finish with at least 30 points and 10 assists in the same game since 1980.
"I think it's getting much better," said Lillard, who joined the Bucks from the Portland Trail Blazers last year.
"To start the season, I think a lot of people wanted it to just click and happen right away.
"But I think any time you put two guys together who have always been the decision-maker, always had their hands on the ball for years and years and years, it's going to take time for us to learn how to play with each other."
Sixteen of Lillard's points came in the final quarter, with Antetokounmpo stating the Bucks have been working on finishing strong down the stretch.
"It's how we work in practice," he said.
"We got a lot of good shots down the stretch. Tonight it worked, and it's something we're going to have to do moving forward."
The Bucks bounced back from back-to-back defeats, while the Clippers – who were without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook – lost for the second time in the space of four games.
Coach Tyronn Lue, though, credited the Bucks' star performers.
"Those two guys, they're great players, and we understand that," Lue said.
"They had a good game. I thought Dame set the tone early and then took over the game late.
"Once he got going, it was hard to stop him. We tried to blitz, tried to do some different things, but he had it going and made some big shots."
Burdett Road could make a brief return to the Flat this autumn after injury denied him a shot at the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
The four-year-old was a Royal Ascot winner when trained on the level by Michael Bell and became a leading Cheltenham Festival contender after making a smooth transition to hurdling.
An impressive victory at Prestbury Park in November saw him installed as Triumph Hurdle favourite and although Sir Gino usurped him in that particular market when lowering Burdett Road’s colours on Festival Trials day, connections were still targeting a run in the juvenile Grade One at the Festival.
However, a setback meant he was ruled out of the showpiece meeting and trainer James Owen is considering options on the Flat before he jumps obstacles again later in the year.
“He’s fine and he will probably start exercising again in the next week or two,” said Owen.
“He won’t jump again this season and I suspect he will have a little break now and then maybe have a look at the Flat.
“He hasn’t had a proper break, so we might just give him a proper break and then pick out a couple of races in the autumn. He will go hurdling again next season, what will we aim him at? I suppose maybe the Greatwood, but we haven’t really thought about it at this stage.
“It was just a small injury to the foot that came at the wrong time. We were gutted about it, but with the ground the way it is, things happen for a reason. He doesn’t know he’s had a problem and he’s absolutely fine now.”
In Burdett Road’s immediate absence, Newmarket-based Owen has Sweet Fantasy to look forward to after the exciting mare took her hurdles record to two from two with a wide-margin romp at Catterick recently.
Owned, like Burdett Road, by the Gredley Family, she skipped 17 lengths clear of Irish raider Lily Du Berlais at the North Yorkshire track and her handler believes she has a big future ahead of her.
“I was going to enter her in the Mares’ Novices’ at Cheltenham but I pulled her out in the end,” continued Owen.
“She went to Catterick to qualify for the (Herring Queen Series) final (at Kelso) and she will probably run in the final. I will put her in at Aintree just in case, but the final is £100,000 and I want to keep her amongst her own sex if I can – she’s nice.
“We will probably run her on the Flat then and she’s probably still got some work to do on the Flat – she’s a nice filly. I’m excited for next year as she’s a big, raw filly.”
Russell Wilson has quickly found a new team following his unceremonious release from the Denver Broncos, as the Super Bowl champion quarterback announced Sunday night he has agreed to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NFL.com reports that Wilson will sign a one-year contract with the Steelers for $1.2 million, the league minimum for a veteran player with 12 seasons of NFL experience. Wilson is already due nearly $38 million in guaranteed money on the ill-fated five-year, $245 million extension he signed with the Broncos before the start of the 2022 season.
Wilson declared his intentions in a post on social media platform X that read: "Year 13. Grateful. @Steelers,".
The Broncos informed Wilson of his release, which will officially take place when the new league year begins on Wednesday, last week.
Wilson joins a Steelers team that reached the play-offs last season with a 10-7 record despite instability at the quarterback position. Pittsburgh started three players - 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett and veterans Mason Rudolph and Mitch Trubisky - under center, with Pickett the only member of that group still under contract.
Pickett lost his starting job in December to Rudolph, who proceeded to win his three late-season starts to get the Steelers into the post-season, where they were dealt a 31-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the opening round.
Denver acquired Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in March 2022 in a blockbuster trade, though the nine-time Pro Bowler was never able to bring the same success to the Broncos as he did during a highly successful 10-year run in Seattle. The Broncos went 11-19 in Wilson's 30 starts and unofficially announced their intentions to move on when they benched the 35-year-old for the final two games of 2023 in order to avoid an injury that would guarantee his 2025 salary.
Wilson did put up solid numbers despite Denver's 2023 struggles, as he threw for 3,070 yards with 26 touchdowns and a 98.0 passer rating while being intercepted just eight times in 15 starts.
The charismatic quarterback accomplished far more during his long tenure in Seattle, helping the Seahawks to eight post-season appearances highlighted by a victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII during the 2013 campaign. Wilson compiled a 104-53-1 regular-season record and went 9-7 in the playoffs with the Seahawks while amassing 4,000 passing yards in a season four times.
Anthony Davis filled the stat sheet with a dominant performance that propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to an important 120-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Davis recorded 27 points, 25 rebounds and a career-high seven steals to lead the way as the Lakers defeated a potential title contender for the second time in three days. Los Angeles was coming off a 123-122 triumph over the Eastern Conference power Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. The All-Star forward added five assists and three blocks.
The Lakers also received 29 points, eight rebounds and nine assists from LeBron James in the legendary superstar's return after he missed the Milwaukee game tending to a nagging ankle injury.
Los Angeles still sits in ninth place in the challenging Western Conference, but has gone 12-5 since Feb. 1.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, lost ground in the race for the West's top spot after being dealt a second straight loss. Minnesota now trails first-place Oklahoma City by 1 1/2 games after the Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid, starting in place of an injured Rudy Gobert, led Minnesota with 25 points each.
The Timberwolves did hold a slim 92-91 lead after three quarters, but went just 5 of 17 from the field as James and Davis took over in the fourth.
Los Angeles' star duo sparked a pivotal 11-0 run that Davis finished with a three-point play that gave the Lakers a 107-94 advantage with under seven minutes to go, and they maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way as the Timberwolves continued to miss shots down the stretch.
Lillard, Antetokounmpo lead way as Bucks top Clippers
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo combined for 69 points as the All-Star duo got the Milwaukee Bucks back on track with a 124-117 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers.
Lillard scored 16 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and added 11 assists, while Antetokounmpo recorded 10 helpers along with 34 points to help lead Milwaukee to its first win on its current four-game road trip. The Bucks had won six straight before opening the trek with losses at Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Clippers played without two of their stars as both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were rested with the team playing for a second consecutive day. Norman Powell paced Los Angeles with 26 points off the bench and James Harden recorded 11 assists, though the 10-time All-Star finished with just 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting.
Despite those obstacles, the Clippers owned a 98-96 lead with under 8 1/2 minutes left before Milwaukee seized momentum. Antetokounmpo scored on back-to-back possessions and Lillard followed with one of his seven 3-pointers for the game to give the Bucks a five-point edge with seven minutes to go.
The Clippers countered with two Ivica Zubac baskets to cut the lead down to one, but Lillard had nine points during a game-sealing 12-4 run shortly afterward that staked the Bucks to a 119-109 lead with 1:19 remaining.
Los Angeles had won four of five coming in, including a 112-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
76ers hold Knicks to 73 points in defensively dominated win
Defence reigned supreme in New York's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, as the Philadelphia 76ers held the home-town Knicks to the lowest points total by any team in an NBA game this season in an ugly 79-73 win.
Both teams shot under 39 per cent in a game in which neither could find any sustained offensive momentum, and no player finished with more than New York's Jalen Brunson's 19 points. Brunson got there on a 6-of-22 shooting performance, while Kelly Oubre Jr. was 6 of 19 while leading Philadelphia with 18 points.
There were plenty of rebounds, however, due to all the clanged shots. Oubre had 10 and Tobias Harris 12 for the 76ers, while the Knicks got 11 boards from Josh Hart and 10 from Isaiah Hartenstein.
Oubre did manage 12 points during a first half in which the 76ers carried a 37-31 lead into the break, with the 68 combined points the lowest at half-time in any NBA game since the Portland Trail Blazers held a 34-31 edge over the Detroit Pistons on March 30, 2019.
New York did battle back to tie the game at 47-47 on Brunson's layup with 5:09 remaining in the third quarter, but Buddy Hield hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 14-5 spurt that put the Sixers up by a 61-52 count with 1:29 left in the period.
That would be enough for Philadelphia to hold on, as the Knicks shot 25 per cent while mustering a mere 16 points in the fourth quarter.
The red-hot New York Islanders scored three first-period goals en route to a 6-1 rout of the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday that extended their season-high winning streak to six games.
Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist in the victory, which moved New York into a tie with the Detroit Red Wings for the Eastern Conference's final wild card spot. Both teams have 72 points with the Islanders holding a game in hand.
New York built a 3-0 lead despite producing only six shots on goal in the first period. Casey Cizikas' one-timer off a SImon Holmstrom feed opened the scoring 5:11 in, and Kyle Palmieri beat Anaheim netminder Lukas Dostal on a breakaway just 2:17 later before Nelson's power-play goal extended the margin with 5:32 left in the period.
Alex Killorn scored just 24 seconds into the second to get the Ducks on the board, but the Islanders struck three more times in the third to put the game out of reach.
Horvat extended his goal streak to three games only 34 seconds into the period before Pierre Engvall and Cal Clutterbuck each found the back of the net later on.
New York also received 22 saves from Semyon Varlamov, while Dostal stopped just 13 of 19 shots in the Ducks' second straight loss.
McDavid, Pickard help Oilers extend Penguins' slump
Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists to back a sharp 41-save effort from Calvin Pickard as the Edmonton Oilers extended the Pittsburgh Penguins' struggles by cruising to a 4-0 win.
Darnell Nurse added a pair of third-period goals in support of Pickard's spotless performance, though the goaltender did spend the final 1:16 of the second period on the bench after a collision with the Penguins' Bryan Rust.
Pickard returned to make 16 saves in the third to help deal Pittsburgh its sixth loss in regulation in its last seven games and end Edmonton's two-game losing streak.
McDavid provided all the offence necessary when he scored off a Pittsburgh giveaway in its own end just 68 seconds after the opening face-off. The reigning NHL MVP then helped set up Mattias Ekholm's goal 8:53 into the first period that extended the margin to 2-0.
Nurse registered his seventh and eighth goals of the season just over five minutes apart, with the last coming with 4:02 left to play.
Tristan Jarry finished with 38 saves for the Penguins, who have been outscored by a 15-1 margin while losing their last three contests.
Wild top Predators in overtime after pulling goaltender
A gutsy call from Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes led to Matt Boldy's goal with 1:10 left in overtime and a 4-3 victory over the still-surging Nashville Predators.
Hynes had goaltender Marc Andre-Fleury skate to the bench for an extra attacker with time winding down in overtime, a move that paid off when Boldy one-timed a pass from Mats Zuccarello past Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros to end the contest.
Boldy had two assists in regulation, while Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist to help move the Wild to 3-0-1 over their last four games.
Nashville had a two-game winning streak snapped, but still managed to pick up at least one point for a 12th consecutive outing when Ryan O'Reilly scored on a power play with 2:02 left in regulation to tie the game at 3-3.
The Predators are 10-0-2 over their point streak and have climbed into the Western Conference's first wild card spot with the run.
After Minnesota's Jonas Brodin and Nashville's Mark Jankowski traded first-period goals, Luke Evangelista put the Predators ahead 3:36 into the second before Kaprizov tied it with a power-play score late in the period.
The Wild grabbed a 3-2 edge when Ryan Hartman scored on a breakaway following a Nashville turnover with 7:32 left in the third period.
Andy Farrell dismissed suggestions retaining the Guinness Six Nations title could now feel like an anti-climax after Ireland’s hyped quest for back-to-back Grand Slams was crushed.
The reigning champions looked well placed to make history by delivering consecutive tournament clean sweeps before suffering Saturday’s last-gasp loss to title rivals England at Twickenham.
Avoiding defeat to Scotland in the final round will almost certainly ensure Ireland keep hold of their crown, while even a loss would still leave Steve Borthwick’s side requiring a bonus-point win in France to snatch glory.
Head coach Farrell, who feels it would be “unjust” for his team to still be in Grand Slam contention following England’s best display under Borthwick, is keen to put things in perspective moving towards what should be another memorable St Patrick’s weekend in Dublin.
He said: “Anti-climax? How many times have we won the Six Nations?
“Everyone would love to be in our position. We’ve got to make sure we’re loving that challenge as well.
“I’ve absolutely no doubt that they (Ireland supporters) 100 per cent will be on song. Paddy’s weekend again, with the chance of winning a Six Nations.
“It could have been a little bit better but Grand Slams are unbelievably hard to come by. Six Nations are hard enough, as everyone would vouch for.”
No team has won successive Grand Slams in the Six Nations era, with France the last side to achieve the feat in the 1998 Five Nations.
Ireland were seconds away from remaining on course to snap that statistic thanks to two James Lowe tries and four Jack Crowley penalties.
But Marcus Smith’s dramatic added-time drop goal earned England a deserved 23-22 victory to keep alive the title race, raising question marks over Ireland’s game management in the final minutes.
“I thought we could have kicked longer and out,” said Farrell.
“There’s one we kicked long and not out; the other one was out and a little bit short. But those are small bits that matter in the end.
“At the end of the day, I might sound stupid saying this but I thought it would have been unjust for England not to win the game. I thought they played really well.”
Luke Littler hit a nine-darter as he won his first European title on his debut with an 8-7 victory over Rob Cross in a thrilling final at the Belgian Open in Wieze.
Littler’s victory over former world champion Cross included six maximums compared to his opponent’s five in a see-saw battle.
Cross averaged 108 for the match and Littler 104, but it was the 17-year-old who collected the £30,000 winner’s prize.
Ben Earl was at the forefront of England’s seismic victory over Ireland after predicting to Steve Borthwick the impact he intended to have at Twickenham.
Earl has followed up his outstanding World Cup with an equally impressive Guinness Six Nations that has been rewarded with man-of-the-match awards against Wales and Andy Farrell’s champions.
The Saracens number eight was magnificent in Saturday’s 23-22 upset to continue his surge towards world-class status, bossing Ireland’s back row and barging over for a vital 60th-minute try as one of numerous powerful carries.
In a sign of his growing confidence, Earl told his head coach hours before the game how he expected his 29th cap to unfold.
“I sat with Ben on Saturday morning. He talked and showed me what he wanted to do against Ireland. And he pretty much did exactly what he said to me. That is down to him delivering that,” Borthwick said.
“It is phenomenal the thought process he is going through and how ambitious he is as a player to get better.
“Ben played his first 15 games off the bench. Even in last year’s Six Nations he played a run of games and then he was out.
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“I think he feels backed. I get the impression he feels he is growing as a player and he wants to keep getting better.”
By defying expectations to topple the defending champions, England revived their title ambitions heading into the final weekend even if Ireland remain firmly in the driving seat.
A courageous gameplan that placed an emphasis on attack was well executed with the try count won 3-2, providing redemption after an error-strewn defeat by Scotland a fortnight ago.
Had England not imploded at Murrayfield, they could have been challenging for the Grand Slam themselves but Borthwick has been careful not to rebuke his young team.
“Post the Scotland game, there was evidence that the weight of the shirt was on the players,” he said.
“I believe we need to create a supportive environment. Everybody involved with English rugby is under incredible scrutiny. That’s just the way it is.
“There’s incredible expectation and I’d rather be involved in a team where there is expectation upon it than not.
“But with that I want to make sure that young players are coming into a supportive environment. I want to see their point of difference on the grass.
“Mistakes are going to happen and we are understanding of that, but we don’t want to repeat mistakes. We have got to learn fast.
“The team went through a difficult experience at Murrayfield, reviewed it properly and then addressed it on the training field.
“The players weren’t perfect against Ireland, they made mistakes, but at Murrayfield I thought we made a mistake and then went into ourselves, played a little bit small.
“Against Ireland they made errors and got into the next battle. If there is anything I can encourage the players to do, it is go into the next battle.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield have agreed to a three-year contract that could be worth up to $115million for the former No. 1 overall draft pick.
The deal includes $50million in guaranteed money and is $100million in total, with Mayfield able to earn $5million in incentives per season.
Mayfield took over for the retired Tom Brady last season and led Tampa Bay (9-8) to the NFC South title.
The Buccaneers then upset the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs before losing to the Detroit Lions in the Divisional Round.
Mayfield, the first overall pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2018, started all 17 regular-season games last season and set career highs in passing yards (4,044) and passing touchdowns (28).
He threw for 686 yards and six touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s two postseason contests.
In 89 career regular-season games with Cleveland, the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay, Mayfield has passed for 20,332 yards with 130 touchdowns and 74 interceptions.
He owns a 40-46 record as a starter.
Warren Gatland insists Wales will embrace the challenge of a wooden spoon decider against Italy after France inflicted a fourth successive defeat on them in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations.
France powered their way to a five-try 45-24 victory in Cardiff on Sunday as Wales were unable to stem a Les Bleus tide in a one-sided second half.
Wales have not finished bottom of the championship since losing all five games in 2003, but that is the prospect facing Gatland’s young side ahead of Saturday’s showdown against the Azzurri at Principality Stadium.
“It’s massive for us,” said head coach Gatland. “You’ve got to embrace it and not run away from the challenge. I’ve never done that.
“You can’t go into your shell and hide away. There’s going to be a lot of external pressure and expectation, and international rugby is always about that.
“We’ve got to front up, work hard next week and go and give a performance at home.”
Fifth-placed Italy have seven points to Wales’ three in the championship standings after beating Scotland 31-29 in Rome on Saturday.
It was Italy’s first Six Nations victory since winning in Cardiff two years ago, while Wales have lost 11 of their last 12 matches in the competition.
“Physically, they’re in pretty good shape in terms of competing at this level,” said Gatland after Wales had suffered a sixth straight defeat to France.
“It’s going to be a challenge for us and massive for them because they’ll be thinking that they can finish in their best possible position in the Six Nations with a good performance.
“For us, we definitely don’t want to finish at the bottom.”
Rio Dyer, Tomos Williams and Joe Roberts scored tries to give Wales a 24-20 lead at the start of the second half.
But Wales eventually wilted and shipping a record points total to France in Cardiff, with Gatland saying: “There were lots of parts of that game that were reasonably good.
“We were pretty happy with the first half. We targeted to play through phases and when we got over five or six phases, we were creating space and holes, and causing them problems.
“But we didn’t help ourselves with some easy turnovers and errors that we made that allowed them to wrestle back some momentum in the game.
“We were in front, we did look dangerous and created some opportunities and space.
“We’ve got to keep doing that and make sure we manage the game a little bit better in terms of those big moments.
“Unfortunately, we probably capitulated a little bit in the last 15 minutes.”
France conclude their Six Nations campaign against England in Lyon on Saturday and skipper Gregory Alldritt believes Les Bleus are in fine fettle heading into that contest.
Alldritt said: “For us it’s always a big game against England. We know that our big always expect a big crunch.
“We are going to a big recovery at the start of the week because it is a short week and then we are going to attack this game.
“England are showing some really good rugby at the moment, really tough defence as well, so it’s going to be a big challenge for the forwards.
“We hope to finish with a big performance and a win.”
There were wins for Italy, England and France in an enthralling round four of the Guinness Six Nations that ensures there will be something at stake in all three final games of the tournament.
Here the PA news agency examines five things learned from the weekend.
A star is born
Other players may have had a bigger impact on England’s inspired upset of Ireland, but few brought Twickenham to its feet like Immanuel Feyi-Waboso with the ball in his hands. The Exeter wing is genuine box office and despite making only his first start after two replacement appearances, the 21-year-old showed he has the big game temperament to match his electric running skills. Cardiff-born Feyi-Waboso opted for the Red Rose over Wales in January and it is to Steve Borthwick’s credit that he kept the medical student out of Warren Gatland’s hands and then fast tracked him into the side.
Mission impossible?
The reason why no team has won back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era was laid bare at Twickenham where Ireland’s expected procession to the greatest prize in European rugby ended in despair. Even a team of the quality of Andy Farrell’s men – who are quite possibly the best in the world despite South Africa retaining the World Cup last autumn – will meet insurmountable roadblocks in such a demanding tournament. On Saturday it came in the shape of an England side whose game clicked into place, providing the ammunition to match their resolve after being taken apart by Scotland. Completing successive Grand Slams remains the Holy Grail in this hemisphere.
Garbisi’s redemption
No Italy player will have felt the joy and relief of a seismic victory over Scotland more than Paolo Garbisi. A fortnight after a bungling last-gasp penalty miss cost the Azzurri victory over France, his 73rd-minute kick proved the difference in a glorious 31-29 triumph at the Stadio Olimpico. Remarkably, once again the ball dropped off the tee for his first shot at goal against Scotland but this time he showed the composure to still nail the kick as well as refusing to let a later miss derail his game. Italy have the precious victory their performances deserve and in Garbisi they field a classy playmaker who will surely be at the heart of more big days.
Riding the Scotland rollercoaster
It was classic Scotland – flatten England in style to propel them back into the title conversation only to then fall in Rome. Their extraordinary inconsistency extends from game to game and within matches themselves, as their near ruinous collapse against Wales in round one showed. Quite possibly the most complete side in the nation’s history is in danger of seeing their talent broken apart on the rocks of their ambivalent performances. Time is running out for Gregor Townsend’s men to lift some silverware and the evidence from the Stadio Olimpico suggests that may well never happen.
Wooden spoon shootout
These are grim times for Wales who were overpowered 45-24 by France at the Principality Stadium to set up a wooden-spoon decider against Italy at the same venue on Saturday. And all the momentum is with the Azzurri having drawn with France in a game they should have won before stunning Scotland. Wales have not finished bottom of the Six Nations since 2003 when Steve Hansen was in charge and their young players are undergoing a baptism of fire as they learn on the hoof what it means to play at Test level. Spirited but outclassed, it could get worse before it gets better.
Willie Mullins and Paul Townend enjoyed a near perfect warm-up for the Cheltenham Festival after signing off on home soil with a Sunday treble at Naas.
The formidable partnership is widely expected to dominate proceedings Prestbury Park this week, with Tullyhill, Gaelic Warrior, State Man and Lossiemouth all strongly fancied on the opening afternoon on Tuesday.
The action was a little more low-key in County Kildare, but the Closutton team nevertheless served an ominous notice of what could be to come in the Cotswolds with a hat-trick of victories.
Mullins fired a twin assault at the Grade Three Bar One Racing ‘Guaranteed Overnight Prices’ Kingsfurze Novice Hurdle, and it was 9-4 shot Fun Fun Fun who made all the running under Townend, with his better-fancied stablemate Mirazur West beaten into third as a 4-6 favourite.
“That was super and the race suited Fun Fun Fun, a quick enough two miles and she jumped great,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father.
“She’ll go to Fairyhouse next, I don’t know if two and a half miles there will really suit her but it’s a mares’ novice Grade One so she’ll go there.”
On Mirazur West, he added: “I didn’t get to talk to Mark (Walsh) yet, but it looked like he was just too keen. We were hoping the hood would help, but it’s back to the drawing board.”
Mullins and Townend also combined to land the other Grade Three on the card, the Bar One Racing ‘Extra Places At Cheltenham’ Directors Plate Novice Chase, as Tactical Move justified 1-2 favouritism in the colours of Champion Hurdle favourite State Man.
Townend said: “He’s won but he jumped average for him, I was really looking forward to riding him to be honest but I never really go into a rhythm on him. He wanted to go left everywhere.
“He went to the first and went left for some reason and then never concentrated afterwards but look he’s won, and won with mistakes, so it’s a good sign.”
The Mullins-Townend treble was initiated by Olympic Man, sporting the silks of reigning and defending Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs.
The evens favourite, previously placed twice at Galway, was far from fluent in the jumping department but still had far too many guns for his rivals in the Bar One Racing “Guaranteed Multiples All Shops” Maiden Hurdle, passing the post with 15 lengths in hand.
“It showed that Willie is getting a good run at training him now when he could put in that performance while jumping (like that),” said Townend.
“The first day (he ran) it was just good to get him on the track but it was disappointing he didn’t back it up the second day. He just felt a different horse now that he’s getting a good run at him and he can train him, he makes a difference.
“He can jump, he has a load of it done. Once we can keep him right the engine is in there. Fair play to the owners for persevering with him as he hasn’t been easy.”
Minella Cocooner was the 9-4 market leader to make it a four-timer for the combination in the Bar One Racing Leinster National, but he was ultimately well beaten as Gavin Cromwell’s Hartur D’arc (4-1) claimed top honours in the hands of Sean Flanagan.
“That was nice. We weren’t really sure whether he’d stay, but obviously when we pitched him in here we thought he might,” said Cromwell.
“Sean gave him a nice ride and everything happened for him. It was a lovely pot to win.
“You’d have to consider the Irish National with him, I know it’s a lot further.”
Cromwell also plundered the big race at Limerick, the Grade Three Irish Stallion Farms EBF Shannon Spray Mares Novice Hurdle, with Bioluminescence (7-4).
Wales will face Italy in a wooden spoon decider after France claimed a 45-24 Guinness Six Nations victory at the Principality Stadium.
A fourth successive loss of the Six Nations campaign means Warren Gatland’s team could finish bottom for the first time since 2003.
Italy, buoyed by a stunning success against Scotland, know that if they repeat their Cardiff win of two years ago next Saturday then Wales will prop up the final table.
Head coach Gatland has pleaded for patience as he moulds a new-look side following the World Cup, but France showed just how big the rebuilding job is as they triumphed in bonus-point fashion following tries from Gael Fickou, Nolann Le Garrec, Georges-Henri Colombe, Romain Taofifenua and Maxime Lucu.
Fly-half Tomas Ramos kicked 20 points from four penalties and four conversions, while Wales responded through touchdowns for Rio Dyer, Tomos Williams and Joe Roberts, with Sam Costelow adding three conversions and a penalty.
Wales led by a point inside the closing quarter, but they have now lost 13 of their last 15 Six Nations games, and it is 21 years since Gatland’s fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen oversaw a campaign when they failed to win a match.
But that scenario could now unfold, with Italy appearing in stronger shape than Wales after beating Scotland and drawing with France, who finish their Six Nations season against England in Lyon next weekend.
Wales were dealt a late injury blow when hooker Ryan Elias withdrew due to hamstring tightness, so Elliot Dee won his 50th cap in the starting line-up and Test rookie Evan Lloyd featured among the replacements.
Costelow kicked Wales into a third-minute lead, and although that was immediately cancelled out by a Ramos penalty, France’s defence was quickly cut open.
Wales attacked impressively, with Dee and lock Will Rowlands prominent, but no-one tracked Dyer and he sprinted 35 metres unopposed to touch down, before Costelow’s conversion opened up a 10-3 lead.
There was am immediate concern for Wales, though, when the game’s first scrum saw the Welsh front-row mangled into a horrible shape and Ramos kicked an easy penalty.
It gave France momentum, and they stung Wales midway through the opening half after consistent phase-play afforded Fickou a chance, and he brushed off Costelow’s weak challenge to cross wide out, with Ramos converting.
But any chance of France consolidating their advantage was quickly undone when centre Owen Watkin’s half-break exposed Ramos in defence and Williams claimed another opportunist score, again converted by Costelow.
The rollercoaster contest had no obvious pattern, and Fickou set up a second French try 10 minutes before half-time when his strong carrying was rewarded by Le Garrec’s finish. Ramos’ conversion meant that France led 20-17.
Wales counter-attacked as the half drew to a close, but they could only reflect on what might have been after number Aaron Wainwright dropped Williams’ pass when the French defence was again stretched.
The try spree continued shortly after half-time, with Wales moving back in front following strong approach work by Costelow and Williams that created an opening for Roberts to score. Costelow’s touchline conversion left France four points behind.
The visitors looked to have gone back in front following a sustained spell of pressure, but lock Thibaud Flament was adjudged to have dropped the ball as he tried to touch down and Wales escaped after referee Luke Pearce had originally awarded the score.
A Ramos penalty made it a one-point game entering the final quarter and Wales found themselves under prolonged pressure before cracking 15 minutes from time as Colombe crashed over and Ramos converted.
It got worse for Wales as Taofifenua charged down Gareth Davies’ attempted clearance to secure a bonus-point triumph and there was no way back for the home side as Lucu’s late score compounded their misery.
Four months ago, Mel Rowley’s dreams were being washed away by the chaos caused by Storm Babet, but now the Shropshire handler is eyeing Pertemps Final glory with Kyntara at Cheltenham.
Rowley is not a stranger to Festival success at Prestbury Park, as her husband Philip saddled Hazel Hill to win the St James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup in 2019.
But Kyntara – who is as short as 12-1 with Sky Bet for Thursday’s three-mile handicap hurdle – represents the best chance of striking in her own name since becoming a professional licence holder at the family’s Poplar Cottage Farm.
Kyntara could be joined in the Cotswolds by recent Doncaster scorer Raffle Ticket, who holds an entry in the Trustatrader Plate, but soft ground would see hopes fully resting on the stable’s consistent hurdler, who began the season by winning at Lingfield and Aintree and has hit the crossbar in a couple of competitive events since.
“We’ve confirmed both of them but sadly, if the ground is right for one, it won’t be right for the other. But we’re very happy with them and we’ll just have to see how the week unfolds,” said Rowley.
“Kyntara is a definite to get in, so he would be favourite in regards to making the journey, but things could change dependent on ground.
“The softer the ground, the better for him and we’ve been absolutely delighted with him this season. He definitely has earned his place there and it would just be lovely to see him come up that hill.”
One of the many strings to the Rowley family’s bow is their renowned pre-training operation, with Sprinter Sacre perhaps the most famous alumni.
Kyntara himself was a Poplar Cottage graduate before joining Kim Bailey at the beginning of his rules career and his move back to Bridgnorth represents the Lady Dulverton-owned eight-year-old returning home ahead of arguably his biggest assignment to date.
“Who knows what will happen, it’s fairytale stuff and we’ve had horses for the owners for years,” continued Rowley.
“In fact, we had Kyntara when he was a three-year-old, then he went off elsewhere and now he’s gone full circle and come back to us.
“It would just be the most fantastic thing (if he could win) and we can all but dream. He’s come such a long way since we’ve had him back anyway, that for him to be going to Cheltenham is just fantastic on every level.”
She went on: “We’re a small team who work very hard and they are special days when you have a runner at Cheltenham.
“When you have a runner going, who one would hope would be competitive, it is just fantastic and very exciting. As we all know, anything can happen between now and then, but if all goes well, we will be loading up the lorry next Thursday.”
It was back in October when Rowley saw her yard washed away as Storm Babet wreaked havoc across the country.
Poplar Cottage felt the full force of the flooding caused by water coming into the yard meeting with a nearby stream, with the result being that parts of the gallop and schooling grounds ended up under water.
A timely repair job by a local company helped the Rowley team remain up and running and after surviving the worst weather the husband and wife duo have experienced in over 20 years at Poplar Cottage, they are taking plenty of positives from a trying winter.
Rowley said: “They always say something good comes out of bad and it was an unmitigated nightmare – it was just carnage, I’m not going to lie.
“We got in touch with a local chap whose business is groundworks and he came along with a little army of very, very helpful people and between them they put us back together again and got us back up and running.
“On the back of all that, he liked what he saw and the whole ethos of the yard and the team. We were short of a sponsor and he has now sponsored us.
“So, out of bad a good thing has happened and we’re proud to be able to say the chap who got us back on the road is now sponsoring us.”
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