Gregor Townsend admits Scotland will have to “do something special” in Dublin as he challenged them to score at least 20 points against Ireland and give themselves a fighting chance of a first Triple Crown since 1990.
The Scots are heading to the Irish capital looking to save face after a shock defeat in Italy last weekend all-but ended their hopes of winning the championship and left them staring at the possibility of finishing fifth if results go against them on Saturday.
Townsend is braced for a formidable test against a side the Scots have lost to in each of their last nine meetings – including a chastening 36-14 defeat at the World Cup just five months ago.
“We know how tough it’s going to be,” he said. “They’re one of the top two teams in the world and at home they’ve been virtually unbeatable the last few years so it’s going to require something special from our players.
“We’ve got to accept that they’ll score points on Saturday. I think before (losing 23-22 to) England they were averaging 30 points a game, so it will be a test for our defence, and we have to score points.
“We have to get to 20 or more, which will be tough but we believe we can do that against any team.”
Townsend conceded there is a sense of regret that Scotland – who have two wins out of four so far – are not heading to Ireland with a genuine chance of winning the title.
“The frustration is that we’re not going to Dublin on the back of four wins,” he said.
“We feel we had a win taken away from us against France, and obviously Italy deserved their win but we feel we could have been better that day.
“But we have this game ahead of us to show our best performance of the season.
“We’re still playing for something, not just a place in the table, it’s for a trophy (the Triple Crown), and also we’re playing one of the best teams in the world so that’s got to inspire us to deliver our best rugby.
“It’s weird to think we’re the only team that can win the Triple Crown but the focus is on the performance.
“We know we have to play our best rugby this week. We’re away to Ireland and it’s the ultimate challenge in the game right now. The huge motivator for us is to try and deliver our best rugby of the season.”
Despite last weekend’s disappointment, Townsend has opted to make just two changes, with Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall replacing Cam Redpath and first-choice scrum-half Ben White returning at the expense of George Horne.
The head coach is adamant there is no need for a wholesale overhaul of the team.
“If you suddenly change what you’re doing because of one defeat or one performance that had some negative elements then you’re forgetting what went on beforehand,” he said.
“Before that 20-minute period (in the second half in Italy) when we lost our focus, we played a lot of good rugby and we played a lot of good rugby leading up to the Italy game.
“We know we have to deliver our best performance of the season on Saturday to come away with a positive result and we believe in the players we’ve selected.”
Townsend was heavily criticised after the Italy defeat, but he dismissed any notion that he had felt the weight of the world on his shoulders since returning from Rome.
“No, I feel massive responsibility and privilege being in this job,” he said on Thursday. “It’s a huge purpose in my life.
“I’ve got a fantastic coaching staff and a great group of players around me and I love being in this role. It’s disappointing when you don’t get your best performance but there’s another game to work towards this weekend.”
Harry Redknapp enjoyed a first Cheltenham Festival winner as Shakem Up’Arry found the scoresheet on a football-orientated day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
Having watched his former managerial rival Sir Alex Ferguson notch a double earlier on the card, it was soon the turn of the former West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham boss to return to the Prestbury Park winner’s enclosure with his course specialist – who supplemented his New Year’s Day triumph here in great style.
Sent off at 8-1 for the TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase, the Ben Pauling-trained 10-year-old travelled supremely in the hands of Ben Jones and having jumped the last already looking the winner, he stuck his head down and galloped all the way to the line.
The victory continued Pauling’s fine run of recent form, with the Naunton Downs handler registering a fourth Festival success. However, it was a first victory for 24-year-old Jones at the meeting having only once previously enjoyed success at the Cotswolds track – aboard Shakem Up’Arry on the duo’s previous start.
Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed not one but two Cheltenham Festival winners in an unforgettable afternoon on Thursday.
Alongside co-owners John Hales and Ged Mason, former Manchester United boss Ferguson was delighted to see the Paul Nicholls-trained Monmiral land the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle under Harry Cobden.
That victory was not the first time Hales and Mason have been lucky enough to encounter good fortune at the showpiece meeting – but it was a new experience for Ferguson after years of patience.
“I’ve finally had a winner here, I can’t believe it,” he said.
“The jockey was absolutely brilliant on him. What I was thinking at the tapes was ‘what the hell is he doing at the back’, but he crept forward and judged it perfectly.
“I couldn’t understand why before he came to the last John was saying he had won, but that is experience for you. I was just saying ‘just jump the bloody last!’.
“What a jockey, he was right at the back, he’s definitely champion material.
“It has been probably 20 years that I’ve wanted to have a winner here, as when I first started I just had Flat horses and no National Hunt ones.
“I got interested in the jumps with Ged and John. It 100 per cent makes it more enjoyable having a winner with friends. Everyone looks forward to Cheltenham, while on the Flat you have the Derby. These two events are unsurpassed.
“It’s special here, it’s like the Derby or the FA Cup final and I’ve waited a while to experience this.
“A lot of people who buy horses have never had a winner, never mind here. It’s a feeling of elation.
“Of course it’s not the same as winning at football, that was my life, I was immersed in that, this is what I do for pleasure so it’s a different feeling. I don’t have to worry about it, I leave that to the trainer.”
The afternoon only got better as Protektorat then galloped home with the Ryanair Chase for the same owners but a different trainer-jockey combination in Dan and Harry Skelton.
After standing on the podium a second time to claim the winner’s trophy, Ferguson said: “In terms of horses it’s the best (day I’ve had), it’s fantastic. You can’t compare it with the football because it’s a different thing because of the sacrifice of football, I just enjoy this.
“I’ve waited a long time for a winner here, it’s very special.”
Dan Skelton made no bones about Willie Mullins’ unquestionable Cheltenham dominance, but he took the Festival fight to his rival’s door with a thrilling Grade One double on day three.
Wednesday marked Mullins 100th overall success at the National Hunt spectacular, with Skelton admitting it is now less about the home team taking on Ireland and more about everyone trying to remain competitive with Team Mullins.
Recent years have marked a distinct lack of Festival success for British-trained runners, but Skelton is doing his level best to buck the trend, supplementing a day two double with Grade One glory courtesy of Grey Dawning in the Turners Novices’ Chase and Protektorat in the Ryanair Chase.
Grey Dawning had to repel the challenge of the Paul Nicholls-trained Ginny’s Destiny for his win, with Venetia Williams’ Djelo taking third for a rare British clean sweep, while Protektorat was too strong for Henry de Bromhead’s defending champion Envoi Allen over the near two-mile-five-furlong trip of the Ryanair.
Both were partnered by Skelton’s brother Harry, and the trainer could hardly contain his delight after a dual strike on the biggest stage of all.
He said: “This is the place you want to win and when you beat Paul, when you beat Willie, when you beat Nicky (Henderson) and Gordon (Elliott) and Henry, they’re legitimate victories. It’s hard to do and we enjoy doing it.
“It’s remarkable how things are going, I’m very proud of the whole team. This is what you plan to do, but it actually coming off is very, very different.”
A nightmare set of Festival results in 2021 saw just five victories for British trainers, but Skelton’s winners combined with Paul Nicholls’ win in the Pertemps Final with Monmiral and the Kim Bailey-trained Chianti Classico’s verdict in the Ultima on the opening day had ensured no repeat of that disappointment by the middle of the third day.
While Skelton has faith fortunes will turn again in British trainers’ favour eventually, he believes the hard work will be in catching the all-conquering Mullins squad.
He added: “It’s not easy, we’re not having things our own way (in Britain), maybe we were used to having things our own way for so long.
“This is a sport, people have supporters and as trainers we have owners. What we’ve got to do is knuckle down, we all are, and get stuck into it and it’ll turn. I’m not saying it will turn all the way back and it probably wouldn’t be a good thing to have such one-sidedness ever again.
“Willie by his own admission says he seeks competition and all of this England versus Ireland talk, I hate to break it to everyone but it’s everyone versus Willie, so we need a dose of reality on that as well.”
Shark Hanlon will consider running Hewick in the Aintree Bowl rather than the Grand National next month after making the “difficult decision” to sidestep Friday’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Having claimed King George glory since falling two fences from home in last year’s Gold Cup, the nine-year-old was all set for his second shot at the blue riband before being readied to line up under top-weight in the world’s most famous steeplechase on Merseyside.
But having decided against running his stable star at Prestbury Park due to the rain-softened ground, Hanlon revealed the Bowl may now be his next objective.
Hanlon said: “It wasn’t a difficult decision (not to run in the Gold Cup). I walked the track twice this morning, it’s not going to get any better than it is as they’re giving rain again tonight.
“It’s disappointing to get this far, but we’ll head to Aintree now and I’d say it’s 50-50 between the National and the Bowl, it’ll be one or the other.
“I’d say after missing here I’d be turning towards the Bowl. I’d love to give him another chance at a Gold Cup and I’d hate for him to get hurt in the National (without getting that).
“He’s in great shape, the horse has never been as well in himself. It’s a hard decision to make as the horse travelled over and the owners have all landed in, but we’ve made the decision.”
Harry Fry’s unbeaten Gidleigh Park leads the British challenge in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The six-year-old has done nothing wrong in four starts so far, winning a bumper before taking two hurdle contests at a canter late last year.
He stepped up to Grade Two level at Cheltenham in January and although the race was slowly run with a sprint finish, he did what was required and put his head down to prevail by half a length from Lucky Place.
A step up in trip and grade now beckons at Cheltenham, where the strapping son of Walk In The Park looks to take the next step in his promising career.
“We’ve been delighted with everything he’s done so far, hopefully he can continue that progression,” said Fry.
“He’ll certainly need to to take on the Irish horses, but I think the step up in trip should be a positive and he showed a liking to the track when winning on Trials day
“The runner-up there was fourth in the Coral Cup yesterday, our horse won the battle and came out the right side of it and tomorrow he won’t have it all his own way either.
“He’s a young horse that we’re very excited about and hopefully he can give us a good day.”
Willie Mullins has no less than five runners, with his contingent headed by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede’s Readin Tommy Wrong.
He is yet to be defeated under rules and was the winner of the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle last time out.
Dancing City also arrives in good form having won the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle on his last outing, with High Class Hero another contender yet to be outdone under rules.
Mullins said: “Readin Tommy Wrong has stamina and class, and when High Class Hero won his race in the autumn, I said to (assistant trainer) David Casey I’ll pick one race in the spring as a prep for Cheltenham, I don’t want him having a hard race at the Dublin Racing Festival and he found the race at Thurles and he came through it lovely.
“Dancing City had actually been disappointing me and then everything came right in Leopardstown, it was obviously a step up in trip and maybe nicer ground were a big help to him. I think he’ll go to the Albert Bartlett with a chance.”
Danny Mullins will take the ride on Dancing City for his uncle, and he said of the horse: “It was a surprise that he won in Leopardstown.
“He was quite disappointing on his first run of the season and then found the necessary improvement to go and win his maiden hurdle in Navan when I got to ride him.
“We knew he’d have to find as much, if not more, again to go and win a Grade One, which he did, and it’s probably another step up the ladder to go and win an Albert Bartlett, but he looks in great nick at home and has the potential to do that, so you couldn’t write him off.”
Paul Nicholls runs Captain Teague, second in the Trustatrader Novices’ Hurdle at Grade Two level in November and then the winner of the Grade One Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury.
“He’s a classy horse who showed a great attitude to see off three challengers in attritional ground in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury at the end of December,” he told Betfair.
“He’s a strong stayer, conditions are right for him and he worked really well on an away day at Kempton earlier this month. He is as fresh as fresh could be and has a lovely chance. “
Gordon Elliott notched back-to-back victories in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle as Teahupoo stormed up the Cheltenham hill for Festival glory.
The seven-year-old could only finish third behind veteran stablemate Sire Du Berlais when sent off the 9-4 favourite 12 months ago, but made no mistake on his return to Prestbury Park in the hands of Jack Kennedy – who along with the Cullentra House handler was getting off the mark for the week.
Sent off the well-backed 5-4 favourite having not been seen since claiming a second Hatton’s Grace in December, he was ridden with plenty of confidence and also plenty of daylight as he charted a wide path on his latest trip to the Cotwolds.
Kennedy inched his mount into contention two out and although not fluent at the penultimate flight, he was hot on the tail of Flooring Porter as the business end approached.
Fellow Irish raiders Home By The Lee and Buddy One were also in the mix on the long run to the last but Teahupoo soon cemented his dominance and having jumped the final flight with a narrow advantage, he was not for catching in the closing stages as he sprinted clear of the gallant Flooring Porter.
Galopin Des Champs bids to join the Prestbury Park immortals when he defends his Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup crown on Friday.
Willie Mullins’ stay stayer erased any stamina doubts with an ultra-impressive success in the blue riband 12 months ago, staying on strongly up the hill to finish seven lengths ahead of game runner-up Bravemansgame.
Although subsequently defeated by Fastorslow in both the Punchestown Gold Cup and when reappearing in the John Durkan, Galopin Des Champs firmly accounted for his reopposing rival when producing a dominant display in last month’s Irish Gold Cup, a victory which supplemented a clinical display at Leopardstown over the Christmas period and sees him head to the Cotswolds in peak condition.
The first time Paul Townend and Galopin Des Champs joined forces at Prestbury Park, the Irishman finished on the deck in the Turners Novices’ Chase as the then bold-jumping novice forfeited a 12-length lead when falling at the last.
However, the Closutton number one was handed plenty of plaudits for the way he nursed the eight-year-old to Gold Cup glory last year and with his mount now the ultimate professional, Townend is relishing the prospect of linking up once again.
“It was disappointing to get beat in the John Durkan but he was very good at Christmas and again at the Dublin Racing Festival,” said Townend.
“People had doubts about him (last year) and you always have doubts I suppose when a horse runs in the Gold Cup – until they stay, they don’t stay. We had confidence in him that he would stay and he did.
“Like us all, he’s getting older and wiser and a bit more laid-back and he’s developed into the finished article.
“I’m looking forward to getting back on him and it’s always exciting. I’ve had the horse underneath me (a few times) in the Gold Cup and you wouldn’t be anywhere without the horses and the rub of the green.”
Golden Miller famously won five successive Gold Cups in the 1930s, with Cottage Rake, Arkle and Best Mate recording heralded hat-tricks in the Cheltenham Festival feature. But as a rule, back-to-back champions are a rarity in the modern era, with the great Kauto Star even surrendering his crown in 2008 before regaining the title a year later.
The outlier in the past 20 years is Al Boum Photo and now Galopin Des Champs has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious former stablemate and provide Closutton with their fourth Gold Cup in six years.
However, the trainer’s son Patrick Mullins believes there are few similarities between the pair, viewing the stable’s latest Gold Cup hero as a “superstar”.
He said: “They’re chalk and cheese a bit. Al Boum Photo very much had his own way of jumping. I remember schooling him one day in Punchestown after racing and Paul just said ‘close your eyes and trust him’!
“He broke Ruby’s leg one time and he fell at the last with David (Mullins) another. He wasn’t a flashy horse and didn’t work fantastically well, whereas Galopin Des Champs is a superstar.
“It’s a bit like Nicky Butt and Roy Keane, but Al Boum Photo won two Gold Cups. It feels to me like he was more a specialist horse for that race, whereas Galopin is a superstar of the sport.”
Martin Brassil knows all about the might of Galopin Des Champs, but his Fastorslow is the only horse to lower the defending champion’s colours in the past two seasons.
The eight-year-old is the general second favourite as he prepares to lock horns with Galopin Des Champs yet again, but his handler believes there is plenty of depth to a competitive Gold Cup.
“We’re looking forward to the race and it’s a really strong renewal of the Gold Cup,” said Brassil.
“They call it a wind operation but we’ve just cauterised his palate that’s all (since Leopardstown last month). There is more than one horse in the race and some really good Grade One winners in there, it’s a strong race that will take plenty of winning.
“He’s as entitled to be there as any of the others, though. The horse has travelled over great and has eaten and drank and stuff and it’s all system go.”
Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe entered the season as a major Gold Cup player in the making and was disputing favouritism after making a winning return at Down Royal.
However, hopes were tempered somewhat when trailing some 23 lengths behind Galopin Des Champs in the Savills Chase at Christmas.
Asked how he can reverse that form with Galopin Des Champs, Elliott said: “We need a miracle, I’d say.
“He’s in great shape, he didn’t run his race at Christmas and it’s going to be very hard to turn that distance around, but we’ll see what happens.
“He was unlucky when he just got touched off here last year and it’s an open race if you take the favourite out of it.”
Owners Robcour have a second string to their Gold Cup bow in the form of Gentlemansgame, who made a successful raid on the Charlie Hall Chase in the autumn, downing Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame.
Mouse Morris’ gigantic grey heads to the blue riband on the back of just three chasing starts but would have a fighting chance of giving his handler a second Gold Cup victory if repeating his Wetherby heroics.
Ten-year-olds Jungle Boogie (Henry de Bromhead) and Monkfish (Mullins) are others from Ireland in the Gold Cup mix, representing the two trainers who have traded the last six runnings of the race.
The latter is a dual Festival winner who finally gets his crack at the main event having been seen just the four times since winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase here in 2021.
However, one who will not to be at the start is John ‘Shark’ Hanlon’s King George hero Hewick, who is likely to now head for the Randox Grand National after ground conditions curtailed Gold Cup hopes.
In a post on X, Hanlon said: “After walking the track this morning, we have decided Hewick will not run in the Gold Cup.
“While this is disappointing, we are doing what’s best for the horse”
Connections of L’Homme Presse could do little but sit and watch last year’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup unfold before them, but 12 months on he is tasked with leading the British charge in the blue riband.
With the Irish raiders dominating the top of the Gold Cup market, it falls on Venetia Williams’ nine-year-old to fly the flag for the home team, having already enjoyed one special day at the Cheltenham Festival when winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in 2022.
Owned by Andy and Pam Edwards alongside Peter and Patricia Pink, it was injury that saw their pride and joy miss the action in the Cotswolds last year, but he served a timely reminder of his staying qualities when making an emotional winning return at Lingfield in the Fleur De Lys Chase.
Things didn’t go to a similar plan when putting the finishing touches to his Gold Cup preparations in the Ascot Chase last month, although his handler is unperturbed by that reversal at the hands of the speedier Pic D’Orhy.
“I still assess his Ascot run exactly as I did on the day,” said Williams.
“I was very pleased with the run and it wasn’t the ideal race for him as it was just over two and a half miles on nearly good ground which we know is too much of a speed test and not a stamina test.
“In the circumstances up against Pic D’Orhy, who is very much a speed horse, I was very pleased with his run.”
The Herefordshire handler used the Ascot Chase to set-up Teeton Mill’s Gold Cup bid in 1999 and Williams will be hoping L’Homme Presse will fare better in his crack at the blue riband than that runner, who was pulled-up as the 7-2 second favourite in the year See More Business ruled the Cotswolds.
“He will line up at the start with all of them and it’s a very competitive race, so he will have as good a chance as any of them,” added Williams.
“It’s the Gold Cup isn’t it and there’s lots of top horses there, but I like to think we will have our chance. It’s what you hope to be doing with a horse of his quality and you hope to be competitive at the top table and we will see. Hopefully he will be there good and well.”
See More Business was of course the first Gold Cup winner for Paul Nicholls, who has gone on to score with Kauto Star in 2007 and 2009 and Denman, whose 2008 triumph sandwiched in the middle.
Bravemansgame came closest to giving Ditcheat a first Gold Cup since 2009 when second to Galopin Des Champs last year and the champion trainer believes he has his star stayer in much better shape than when runner-up in defence of his King George title on Boxing Day.
He said: “It just didn’t work in the autumn, it was heavy ground in the Charlie Hall and then we ran him a bit quick in the Betfair Chase, which was close enough to Kempton. It just didn’t work out but he’s very well now.
“In another year we’d have done things differently and the ground may have been different, but I’m very happy we haven’t run him since Kempton and we could go to Aintree or Punchestown like last year.
“He worked well on Saturday morning, he looks great and I think I have him in a good place. He did well at Kempton (in a racecourse gallop) and he’s in better shape than he was then.
“We’ve all got to beat the favourite but I’m really happy with where he is, I think we’ll see a much better horse than we’ve seen so far this season and if he runs like last year, he’ll be there or thereabouts.”
Bravemansgame was up with the pace until giving way to the eventual winner after the last 12 months ago, but Nicholls does not envisage a change of plan this time around as they seek a different outcome to the finish.
He added: “I’ll leave tactics to Harry (Cobden). Last year he was right on the front end and at the end of the day he ran a great race riding him like that.
“Galopin Des Champs was dropped in and had a dream run (last year). They are going to ride him a lot more positively now because he stays and Harry will slot in where he is happy.”
Two places behind Bravemansgame at Kempton over Christmas was The Real Whacker, who further enhanced his Gold Cup claims when second in the Cotswold Chase on Festival Trials day.
Trained by Yorkshire-based Irishman Patrick Neville, he was a brave winner of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the meeting in 2023 and this has been the eight-year-old’s ultimate goal ever since.
Neville said: “He’s in great form, this has been the target all year and we’re hopeful he’s improved again from his last run.
“Hopefully the ground will dry out a little bit, but we’re not too worried about it – it is what is at this stage and he did win in soft ground there last year.
“He was just looking around a bit the last day and we’ve worked him a few days in the visor and we’re a bit like Tesco, every little helps! He’s entitled to be there and I couldn’t be happier with him going into the race, so we can do no more.”
Corach Rambler is another with winning form at Prestbury Park and the dual Ultima winner will now take his chance at the highest level en route to the defence of his Grand National crown.
“It’s a difficult thing as we feel the National is his main aim, but we know he runs well round Cheltenham so that gives us hope he can run well,” said trainer Lucinda Russell’s partner and assistant, Peter Scudamore. “We’re hopeful he could get a place.”
Also taking in the blue riband before a trip to Aintree next month is Gary Moore’s Welsh Grand National victor Nassalam, who bids to join the likes of Native River, Synchronised and Burrough Hill Lad by supplementing victory in the Chepstow marathon with success in the Cotswolds.
Moore said: “This rain will be beneficial to him, it will slow the others down a bit hopefully.
“I personally didn’t think he had the class for the Gold Cup before he ran the race he did in the Welsh Grand National. I’m kind of being guided by the handicapper, he’s kind of telling me he’s a 160 horse. Is he? I don’t know.
“I’ve never trained a Gold Cup horse and I’ve never trained a Grand National horse. I think he’s entitled to run in his ground because he jumps and stays well, but (if it dries) he might not get his ground to see him at his best.”
Warren Gatland says he relishes the high-pressure stakes of international sport as Wales strive to avoid a first Guinness Six Nations wooden spoon for 21 years.
Gatland oversaw Six Nations titles triumphs, Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-final appearances during his trophy-laden first stint as Wales head coach from 2007 to 2019.
He returned to the role as Wayne Pivac’s successor ahead of last season’s Six Nations, with Wales finishing fifth on that occasion.
But if Wales fail to beat Principality Stadium visitors Italy on Saturday, then they will prop up the final table, which has not happened since Gatland’s fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen was in charge for the 2003 campaign.
Asked about the pressure, Gatland said: “I love it. You find out about people in weeks like this when you are under a bit of pressure, how you respond to that pressure, who is going to put their hand up, who is going to accept the responsibility.
“You find out so much more about individuals when you are under pressure.
“And that is what international sport and professional sport is all about, whether you are playing for Grand Slams or you are at the other end of the table and fighting for survival and fighting to make sure we get a win on the weekend.
“I am still learning about the game, still asking questions about things that you would do differently and how you would prepare differently.
“If you think you know everything, then you are probably in the wrong thing. Things keep moving on, and it is looking at the game and the changes and trying to stay in front of those changes and being proactive about those sort of things.”
Gatland’s squad rebuilding process is under way, one that was underlined by Test retirements last year of Dan Biggar and Leigh Halfpenny – their fellow cap centurion George North will follow after the Six Nations – Louis Rees-Zammit quitting rugby for a possible American football career, Liam Williams playing in Japan, plus injuries to players like Jac Morgan, Dewi Lake and Taulupe Faletau.
“You tend to go back and look a little bit at history,” Gatland added.
“You can go back as far as 2003, which probably wasn’t the best year for Welsh rugby, but two years later that team won the Grand Slam.
“It does take a bit of time. You can’t coach experience. Players learn from being out in the middle. They make mistakes, but it is how you rectify those mistakes for them to be better the next time.
“We know where we are as a group. This group of players have worked incredibly hard and I can’t question the effort.
“Looking at some of the statistical data in terms of GPS numbers, they are very good. There is no way they are not trying out there.
“Both winning and losing become habits, and we’ve got to break that. We are desperate for a win on Saturday.
“We are desperate to go out there and start well and continue to play well for 80 minutes to show as a group we have been improving.”
North will bow out of the international game following a career that saw him help Wales win four Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, and play in four World Cups.
The 31-year-old back, who will play for French club Provence next season, has scored 47 tries for Wales – a figure only bettered by Shane Williams – and he is his country’s third most-capped player behind Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins.
Gatland added: “He was probably thinking to himself when was the right time (to retire) from a physical point of view.
“We would have loved for him to still be involved, but the conversation with him was that he didn’t want to continue playing for the next couple of years and then potentially leave us in a bit of a hole 12 months out from a World Cup.
“I completely understood his decision with him going to France and taking the family with him.
“It is not completely a surprise to me because we had already had a couple of conversations. We would have loved to have had a player of his ability still to be involved, but at some stage everyone calls time.”
Protektorat proved dropping back in trip was no issue when producing a brilliant display to claim the Ryanair Chase for the red-hot Dan Skelton team at the Cheltenham Festival.
A Grade One winner over three miles, he was third and fifth when tried in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the past two years and connections resisted taking a third crack at the blue riband to revert to one of the day three features
There was plenty of pace on show with Stage Star and Ahoy Senor leading the field along, with Protektorat among those right on that duo’s tail in the hands of Harry Skelton.
Having travelled menacingly into contention it appeared 9-4 favourite and defending champion Envoi Allen was the one the front-runners had to worry about heading into the straight, but neither Stage Star or Protektorat were ready to give up the fight and although Stage Star faded after two out there was still plenty of fight left in Protektorat.
There was little to separate Protektorat and Henry de Bromhead’s charge jumping the final fence, but it was Protektorat’s stamina reserves which then came to the fore late in the day as the 17-2 chance stormed up the Cheltenham hill to victory.
It was Skelton’s fourth victory at this year’s Festival, and also the second in the space of 40 minutes for the collective of owners that include Sir Alex Ferguson and John Hales – whose famous yellow colours Skelton donned in the saddle.
Some of Jamaica’s finest young swimmers will gather at the National Aquatics Centre at the National Stadium in Kingston on March 15 and 16 to compete in the 26th staging of the Mayberry All Island Swim Meet.
The meet will see 1080 athletes taking part in total representing 38 Preparatory Schools and 28 High Schools.
“We are very excited about this partnership with Mayberry and we’re looking forward to some great competition. The athletes are very excited and we’re looking for some records as well as a great turnout,” said Aquatics Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) President Lance Rochester speaking to SportsMax.tv at the launch of the meet on Wednesday.
This meet is also serving as a vehicle for some of the competing athletes to fine-tune their skills in preparation for the Carifta Swimming Championships set for March 28-April 7 in Nassau.
“A number of the athletes who are on the Carifta Games team for Bahamas later this month are using this as a final tune-up event to get some competition sharpening prior to that event,” Rochester said.
Title sponsors Mayberry Investments Limited have been partnering with the ASAJ since 1999. Other sponsors for the meet include Couples Resorts, Supreme Ventures Limited, Ultra Financier, FirstRock Real Estate Investments Limited, Matrix Group, Iron Rock and Stewarts.
“Sponsors and partners are absolutely critical. We can’t do events like these without them. We can’t plan effectively or budget effectively without them so we’re very grateful for that support,” Rochester said.
He also discussed plans for Jamaica to eventually expand to competing in other aquatic disciplines.
“Swimming is now moving towards expanding. We want to provide more opportunities, first at the learning to swim level where we believe all children have a right to learn how to swim. We also want to expand to the other aquatic disciplines. Swimming is the core but we have seven other aquatic disciplines which still have so much untapped potential and, over time, we believe that we’ll be laying the foundation towards producing the elite-level results at the world stage that all Jamaicans want to see,” he said.
Sir Alex Ferguson was in the Cheltenham Festival winner’s enclosure as Paul Nicholls got off the mark for the week when Monmiral hunted down Kyntara in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle.
Running in the famous yellow colours of Ferguson’s co-owner John Hales, the seven-year-old has always been held in high regard by those at Ditcheat.
Despite that, he was sent off at 25-1 in the hands of Harry Cobden, sporting first-time blinkers as he was given a patient ride by his title-chasing jockey.
Cobden edged his mount into contention heading down hill for the second time, but it seemed the bird had flown when the bold front-running Kyntara set sail in his bid to provide Mel Rowley with a first Festival success.
However, Monmiral still had plenty in reserve and emerged as Kyntara’s sole challenger at the last before storming home to crush the long-time leader’s dreams.
Top sprinter Highfield Princess will not return to training and has been retired after sustaining a significant injury.
The seven-year-old has been the apple of trainer John Quinn’s eye for the past few seasons, enjoying an astonishing rise from the handicap ranks to a string of Group successes.
The bay has 14 victories on her CV, including the Prix de l’Abbaye, Flying Five, Nunthorpe and Prix Maurice de Gheest – all Group One events.
She was also second in the Nunthorpe and the King’s Stand by just a length apiece last season and amassed over £1.8million in prize money throughout her career.
Connections had intended to keep her in training for another season but she suffered a serious injury in her stable on Tuesday and has therefore been retired.
A statement from John and Sean Quinn read: “It is with sadness that we announce that our star mare Highfield Princess has been retired from racing with immediate effect.
“On Tuesday morning she suffered an injury in her stable that was at the time very serious and concerning. That morning she was transferred to Rainbow Equine Hospital and has been in their care ever since.
“Her progress over the past few days has been encouraging and whilst she still has a way to go to make a full recovery, we are hopeful that with time and care she will be OK.
“What she has done for our yard over the past four seasons has been nothing short of remarkable. From humble beginnings she climbed to the very top of the sprinting ladder to be crowned European Champion Sprinter in 2022.
“She was the gift that kept on giving. As a racehorse she was always there for us when we needed it and now it is our turn to be there for her.”
John Fairley, owner and breeder of Highfield Princess, added: “What a fantastic mare she has been. An Australian owner commented last year that she was probably the fastest mare in the world.
“To have bred and raced a mare to win three Group One races in five weeks in 2022 was fantastic. We hope that she will make a full recovery and be fit to take up broodmare duties next year.”
George Ford continues at fly-half as England keep faith with the side that stunned Ireland for their attempt at winning the Guinness Six Nations title.
Head coach Steve Borthwick has made only one enforced changed for the showdown with France in Lyon on Saturday night by choosing Elliot Daly to replace the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso.
Feyi-Waboso self-reported concussion symptoms incurred against Ireland, prompting England to stand down their breakout player of the tournament.
Veteran Daly is restored to the left wing in his absence, with Tommy Freeman switching to the number 14 jersey worn by the 21-year Exeter Chief on his first international start.
Manu Tuilagi makes his first appearance of the Six Nations after taking Daly’s place on the bench in what will be his first Test since last autumn’s World Cup bronze medal match, having missed the opening rounds because of a groin problem.
Ford has held off the challenge of Marcus Smith to retain the fly-half duties for the climax to the tournament.
Smith kicked the last-gasp drop goal that sank Ireland 23-22 last Saturday and made a telling contribution off the bench, bring extra zip to England’s attack after Ford had pulled the strings effectively earlier on.
A second change among the replacements sees Ethan Roots replace calf injury victim Chandler Cunningham-South.
England will win the title if Ireland lose to Scotland without claiming a bonus point and they defeat France while securing a bonus point.
“After such a hard-fought win against Ireland last week, we realise how important it is to back that performance up with another similar display in Lyon on Saturday,” Borthwick said.
“France remain one of the very top sides in the world and will pose a great challenge for us.
“We’ve had a great preparation so far this week and there is a genuine sense of anticipation and determination around the camp as we head to what will be an exciting final weekend.”
Ireland have stuck with the starting XV narrowly beaten by England for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations title decider against Scotland in Dublin.
Andy Farrell’s men will retain the championship crown by avoiding defeat or securing two losing bonus points against the Scots at the Aviva Stadium.
Calvin Nash has overcome the head knock which forced him off inside five minutes of the last-gasp 23-22 loss at Twickenham to retain his place on the right wing.
Garry Ringrose, who is yet to feature in this year’s championship following a shoulder issue, is named among the replacements.
Farrell’s bench shows a five-three split of forwards and backs after the six-two selection in south-west London backfired because of head injuries suffered by Nash and his replacement Ciaran Frawley.
Versatile back Frawley drops out of the 23, replaced by fly-half Harry Byrne, while lock Iain Henderson makes way to accommodate the returning Ringrose.
Although Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams was ruined last weekend, they remain in a strong position at the top of the championship table, having racked up four bonus points and a vastly-superior points difference on each of their rivals.
A defeat without any bonus points could also be sufficient for the title, but would be dependent on the result of England’s trip to France in the final match of ‘Super Saturday’.
Gregor Townsend’s Scots are also mathematically still in the mix. However, following a shock loss to Italy, securing the Triple Crown looks to be the extent of their realistic ambitions.
Leinster trio Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong once again pack down in Ireland’s front row, ahead of locks Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne.
Captain Peter O’Mahony retains the blindside flanker role, despite his costly second-half yellow card against England and strong competition from Ryan Baird, with Josh van der Flier at openside and Caelan Doris lining up at number eight.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Crowley continue as the half-back pairing, while Bundee Aki partners Robbie Henshaw in midfield.
Left wing James Lowe, who claimed Ireland’s two tries at Twickenham, and full-back Hugo Keenan complete the starting line-up.
Ireland have won 13 of the last 14 meetings with Scotland, including nine in a row following a decisive 36-14 pool-stage success at last year’s Rugby World Cup in France.
Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Baird, Jack Conan and Conor Murray join Byrne and Ringrose on the bench.
Ireland team: H Keenan (Leinster); C Nash (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Crowley (Munster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), J McCarthy (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), P O’Mahony (Munster, capt), J van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).
Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), R Baird (Leinster), J Conan (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), H Byrne (Leinster), G Ringrose (Leinster).
Grey Dawning continued Dan Skelton’s fabulous Cheltenham Festival with a brilliant victory in the Turners Novices’ Chase.
Paul Nicholls’ Ginny’s Destiny never missed a beat out in front as he attempted to repeat Stage Star’s victory in this race 12 months ago, but Grey Dawning was never far away in the hands of the trainer’s brother, Harry, and as they headed down hill it became clear it would be an all-British shoot-out up the famous hill.
The duo swung the bend locked in unison but having jumped two out matching strides, it was the 5-2 joint-favourite who edged to the front at the last and stayed on strongly to see Skelton oust his former Ditcheat boss and register his third triumph of the week at the showpiece meeting.
Venetia Williams’ Djelo came home in third to complete a one-two-three for the home team, with Zanahiyr the best of the Irish in fourth.
Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall is set for his second Scotland appearance after being selected to start Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations match away to title-chasing Ireland.
The 26-year-old made his debut against Italy in a World Cup warm-up match last summer before being cut from Gregor Townsend’s squad for the tournament in France.
The recent injury sustained by regular starter Sione Tuipulotu paved the way for Cam Redpath to make a rare start in last weekend’s damaging 31-29 defeat away to the Azzurri.
However, McDowall, who has been in good form for Warriors this term, has been preferred to Redpath, who drops to the bench in one of two changes to the team that started in Rome.
The other alteration sees first-choice scrum-half Ben White return in place of George Horne after the Toulon number nine was rested for the match at the Stadio Olimpico.
Backs Horne and Redpath both drop to the bench, with head coach Gregor Townsend reverting to a 5/3 split after going with a 6/2 last weekend.
Veteran prop Rory Sutherland, a late call-up to the squad ahead of the Italy game, is in line for his first outing of the championship after being named among the subs.
Fellow loosehead Alec Hepburn drops out of the 23 along with former captain Jamie Ritchie.
Salver will bid to provide Gary Moore with JCB Triumph Hurdle redemption when he takes his chance in Friday’s Cheltenham Festival opener.
Four years ago the trainer saw Goshen unseat his recently-retired son Jamie with the race at his mercy following a freak incident after the last and he now saddles two as he attempts to correct the record.
Moore also runs last year’s Irish Derby fourth Peking Opera, but it is the mount of Gavin Sheehan who holds the strongest claims, with Salver heading to Prestbury Park unbeaten in four starts over hurdles.
Despite claiming Grade Two honours at Chepstow over the Christmas period, the Lower Beeding handler feels this will be the acid test of his ability as he meets high-class operators from across the Irish Sea.
“Any significant rain would give him an advantage. This race owes me one,” said Moore.
“He deserves his spot in this line-up and a lot of people would have run him in the Fred Winter because he’s only rated 128, but it was always going to be the Triumph.
“He’s only ever shown his class on a racecourse, he’s never shown anything at home really. His last piece of work was a good piece of work that I was happy with, but to be quite honest, I think he has won four weakish races.
“There are a few bits of form that show him to be quite useful but he hasn’t met a superstar yet, so he has to go out there and prove himself, this will be his test.
“Niall (Houlihan) will ride the other horse and poor Caoilin (Quinn) is sidelined, so Gavin rides.”
Willie Mullins has won three of the last four renewals and is blessed with a plethora of chances, saddling seven of the 13 heading to post and dominating the top of the betting lists.
Kenny Alexander’s Kargese is one of the Closutton battalion and the likeable filly will attempt to go one better than the owner’s Gala Marceau did 12 months ago in the race – having followed in that stablemate’s footsteps by claiming the Spring Juvenile at Leopardstown en route to the Cotswolds.
She got the better of fellow Mullins runners Storm Heart (second) and Majborough (third) on that occasion and her pilot Danny Mullins feels they are a closely matched bunch.
“The first four home were from Willie’s (at the Dublin Racing Festival) and any one of the four could pop up and win in Cheltenham,” said Danny Mullins.
“Storm Heart was close to me, Majborough back in third ran a bit keen on the day. You can make solid cases for them all finding the necessary improvement to be good enough to win a Triumph.
“It’s probably the one division where the horses are still developing, so what you’re seeing pre-Christmas versus what you see come March in Cheltenham can be two different things.”
Those sentiments have been echoed by the master of Closutton himself in the build up to the Cheltenham action, but there is a clear apple of his eye amongst his collective, with the imposing Majborough courting plenty of favour from his record-setting handler.
“Majborough ran a cracker (at Leopardstown). Every time I see him I think Gold Cup, not Triumph Hurdle, he’s just a magnificent beast,” said Willie Mullins.
“I was surprised when he arrived from France to see what an individual he was. He’s not a typical juvenile hurdler, you’re looking at him and thinking three years down the road.
“Maybe he could be like Douvan and just fully develop as a four and five-year-old. I’ve got some nice juveniles, but he’d be in the top couple of picks.”
The Festival’s leading trainer is also represented by impressive Limerick winner Bunting, who was a place further back in fourth at the Dublin Racing Festival, while Ethical Diamond (sixth) and Highwind (eighth) were others taking part in the Irish capital with outside claims for Mullins.
The Closutton septet is rounded off by the intriguing Salvator Mundi, who was less than two lengths behind long-time race favourite Sir Gino when they met in France and he could prove an exciting ride for Brian Hayes, making his stable debut in Grade One company – ironically for the sidelined Sir Gino’s owners Joe and Marie Donnelly.
Joseph O’Brien’s Nurburgring has solid form from the early part of the season and has been kept fresh for this event, with Fairyhouse scorer Fratas completing the Irish contingent representing Michael Mulvany.
Warren Greatrex will saddle Mighty Bandit – his expensive recruit from the Caldwell dispersal – who handed Tuesday’s Boodles winner Lark In The Morning a near 10-length beating in November, while Dominic Ffrench Davis takes a shot at this valuable prize with Newbury winner Ithaca’s Arrow.
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