Tadhg Beirne says Ireland are brimming with “massive belief” after launching their Guinness Six Nations title defence with a landmark demolition of pre-tournament favourites France.
Andy Farrell’s reigning Grand Slam champions made a statement of intent in Marseille with a stunning 38-17 bonus-point win to propel themselves into pole position for further championship glory.
Ireland were a class above at Stade Velodrome, albeit their cause was aided by a first-half red card for France second-row Paul Willemse.
Munster lock Beirne, who claimed the second of five Irish tries en route to his country’s biggest victory away to Les Bleus, said the performance was a “special feeling”.
“You can’t really expect to beat France by a score like that,” he said.
“You always think it’s going to be a tight game and maybe if there wasn’t a red card it might have been a bit tighter but who knows?
“We also knew that with our ability and the way we play that we were going to be able to take it to this French team.
“Within this group, there’s a massive belief. It’s such an enjoyable group to be with and such an enjoyable group to play with; the way we play we all love it.
“Everyone’s involved and I felt from the get-go that we were just on it.
“It’s a special feeling when you’re in a game and everyone is doing their job right and everything is flowing.”
Both sides went into a mouth-watering tournament curtain-raiser on the back of agonising World Cup quarter-finals exits.
Jamison Gibson-Park, Six Nations debutant Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher were also on the scoresheet on Friday evening to ensure Farrell’s men bounced back from their last-eight World Cup exit to New Zealand.
Man of the match went to 22-year-old Leinster lock Joe McCarthy, who more than justified his selection ahead of James Ryan and Iain Henderson by producing a colossal display on his first appearance in the championship.
Beirne believes there is plenty more to come from his second-row partner, affectionately dubbed ‘Big Joe’.
“Well, he certainly was Big Joe out there,” said Beirne.
“He was physical, he did exactly what everyone was hoping that he would do and everything that we expected him to do. He does it in training, he’s so athletic and credit to him.
“What a first start in the Six Nations for Joe. There’s a lot more to come from him for sure.”
Ireland move on to a second-round clash at home to Italy after beginning the post Johnny Sexton era with a bang.
Fly-half Jack Crowley filled the void left by Sexton’s retirement, overcoming some errors to nail each of his five conversions and add a penalty.
Back-row forward Caelan Doris praised the impact of Test rookies Crowley, Nash and McCarthy.
“Momentum’s big in the Six Nations, we know that from previous years and it’s a pretty tough start coming over here,” he said.
“It’s a bit of a cauldron here, the French supporters are like no others in terms of volume – apart from the Irish, of course.
“We were aware of what we were coming into and it was just about playing our game.
“Obviously we’ve lost key figures, like Johnny, over the last number of months but other guys stepped up and it was a great night.
“It was class to see the likes of Joe and Jack step up massively and put in great performances.”
Tom Brady won a record sixth Super Bowl as he led the New England Patriots to a 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on this day in 2019.
Veteran quarterback Brady, playing in his ninth championship game, and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick masterminded victory in the 53rd edition of the NFL showdown at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to add another Vince Lombardi Trophy to their successes in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014 and 2016.
The 41-year-old threw for 262 yards and engineered the game’s only touchdown drive as Sony Michel punched the ball in to give New England the lead midway through the fourth quarter.
Starting at their own 31, Brady found Rob Gronkowski with a short pass for 19 yards, then out of the gun, hit MVP Julian Edelman for a 13-yard completion.
Now at the Rams’ 38-yard line, Brady found Rex Burkhead with a short seven-yard pass before picking out Gronkowski again and watching him beat two defenders to finish two yards shy.
From the only redzone visit of the night, Michel took advantage of good blocking to score his sixth post-season touchdown.
Speaking afterwards, Brady had no intention of calling it a day after helping the Patriots tie the Pittsburgh Steelers’ record for the most championships.
He told CBS: “It doesn’t change anything. It’s been a great year. I’m so happy for my team-mates. This is a dream come true for all of us.”
Brady’s 20-year stay in New England came to a close when he announced his departure in March 2020, but his love affair with the Super Bowl did not.
In February 2021, he steered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs at the age of 43, throwing three touchdown passes in the process.
Two years later, Brady announced his retirement and insisted he would not change his mind as he had done 12 months earlier.
His sporting career took an unexpected and sideways turn in August of the same year when he became a minority owner at Sky Bet Championship club Birmingham.
Nikola Jokic recorded his league-leading 15th triple-double this season and Jamal Murray fell a rebound shy of one as the Denver Nuggets took down the Portland Trail Blazers, 120-108 on Friday.
Jokic had 27 points, a season-high 22 rebounds and 12 assists for his 120th career triple-double, a total bettered only by Russell Westbrook (198), Oscar Robertson (181) and Magic Johnson (138) in NBA history.
Murray finished with 13 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, while Aaron Gordon scored 18 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 16 points. The Nuggets have won five straight and 12 of 13 against the Blazers.
Scoot Henderson scored 30 points and Anfernee Simons had 29 for Portland, which played without Jerami Grant, who was a late scratch due to lower back tightness.
Clippers’ Westbrook hits milestone in win
Russell Westbrook scored 23 points to become the 25th player in NBA history to reach 25,000 in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 136-125 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Westbrook, who shot 10 of 13 from the field and handed out nine assists, joined teammate James Harden on the list of players to score 25,000 points. Harden reached the milestone in December.
Kawhi Leonard scored 21 of his 33 points in the first half and Paul George added 18 as the Clippers won for the seventh time in eight games.
Jalen Ivey scored 28 points and Bojan Bogdanovic had 26 for the Pistons, who dropped to 4-41 after a 2-1 start to the season.
Sabonis breaks Robertson’s record in Kings’ win
Domantas Sabonis tallied 26 points and 12 rebounds to break Oscar Robertson’s single-season franchise record with his 30th straight double-double to lead the Sacramento Kings to a 133-122 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Sabonis, who added seven assists, surpassed Robertson’s mark set from Dec. 6, 1961-Jan. 30, 1962.
De’Aaron Fox had 25 points and six assists and Malik Monk added 23 points, six assists and five rebounds to help Sacramento win for the fifth time in six games.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 31 points for the Pacers, who shot 54.1 percent from the field but were hurt by 21 turnovers to fall to 4-8 in their last 12 games.
American Scottie Scheffler shot an eight-under-par 64 to join Belgian Thomas Detry and Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg in the halfway lead at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Scheffler hit eight birdies without a blemish on his card to sit at 11-under-par while battling a course wet from overnight rain.
The world number one said aside from the weather, it was “just another day”.
“Like on a lot of these back-to-front greens, it’s a big adjustment going from hitting a pitching wedge to hitting an eight iron to try to take off spin,” he said. “It’s little stuff like that you have to adjust to on the course.”
Detry failed to repeat his first day’s efforts of 63 at Spyglass Hill, shooting a two-under-par 70 at Pebble Beach while Aberg hit a seven-under 65 to join the leading trio.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy’s woes continued as he shot a 74 to finish one-over-par, while England’s Matt Fitzpatrick is four strokes off the pace after a 68.
Fellow Englishman Justin Rose is five-under-par after a 71 while Tommy Fleetwood hit a 72 to be two strokes further back in tied 44th.
Andy Farrell hailed Ireland’s ruthlessness and composure after their Guinness Six Nations title defence was launched with a record-breaking five-try demolition of 14-man France.
The reigning Grand Slam champions propelled themselves into pole position for further championship glory by dismantling the ragged pre-tournament favourites 38-17 in Marseille.
Ireland’s bonus-point success, secured by tries from Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne, Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher, plus 13 points from Jack Crowley, was their largest winning margin away to France.
Les Bleus’ quest for victory at a largely subdued Stade Velodrome was damaged by the 32nd-minute dismissal of lock Paul Willemse.
“We’d take any type of win here in Marseille to kick off the Six Nations but the more the game was going on, the more you saw a performance building,” said head coach Farrell.
“I thought we got exactly what we deserved in the end.
“Our composure, it wasn’t all singing all dancing and the French side was always going to pose questions and the crowd was always going to get behind them.
“But we managed to silence them quite a lot through good composure.
“The main thing for me would be our ability to stay on it for the full 80 minutes and keep attacking the game.
“When you’re playing against 14 men for a long period, sometimes subconsciously you tend to shut up shop a little bit more,
“I thought our intent was pretty good and we were pretty ruthless when we needed to be, then obviously on top of that I thought our line-out in attack and defence was outstanding.”
Both sides came into a mouth-watering tournament curtain-raiser on the back of agonising World Cup quarter-finals exits.
Ireland began in the ascendancy but received a helping hand from the indiscipline of Willemse, who was sent off in the 32nd minute following a high hit on Caelan Doris having previously been sin-binned for a similar challenge on Andrew Porter.
Scores either side of half-time from Damian Penaud and Paul Gabrillagues and seven points from the boot of Thomas Ramos gave the hosts hope but Farrell’s men were a class above.
New Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony, who spent a spell in the sin bin in the aftermath of Gabrillagues’ try for bringing down the maul, said: “I don’t think it gets any better really.
“With the stress of the last couple of days I’d have given the whole lot up for a win tonight.
“Away from home, first game up, Friday night, Marseille, the Velodrome, I’d have been a happy man packing the whole lot in tomorrow morning if you’d given me the chance to take a win.
“It’s the biggest margin that we’ve beaten France by.
“I remember as a young fella watching Irish teams and you’d be hoping that they’d hang on in there, whereas it’s a different animal now.”
France were often rudderless in the absence of star man Antoine Dupont, who is sitting out this year’s championship to focus on his country’s sevens squad for the Paris Olympics.
Les Bleus head coach Fabien Galthie said: “It’s clear that the attack game wasn’t really up to scratch, we dropped the ball, had less speed. We need to up our game in attack and defence.
“The important thing is we pick ourselves up and assume that defeat.”
Asked about Willemse’s indiscretions, Galthie replied: “I’m not going to speak about the future of this great player who was doing all he could to defend for the French team.
“They were technical errors, we know the referees don’t give any ground when the head is involved and that is quite right.”
Judd Trump eased into the semi-finals of the German Masters with a 5-2 victory over John Higgins.
Scotland’s Higgins had taken an early 2-1 lead but Trump came roaring back in Berlin with four consecutive frames, including a run of three half-century breaks.
Trump will play Sam Craigie in the last four after he reached the semi-finals of a ranking event for the first time with a 5-1 defeat of Ali Carter.
The 30-year-old confidently dispatched the defending champion in Berlin.
Carter was noticeably below par and allowed his opponent to storm into a 4-0 lead before finally getting on the board in the fifth frame.
But it came too late to alter the outcome, as a break of 89 saw Craigie progress to the last four.
The other semi-final will see Kyren Wilson take on Si Jiahui after both came through their respective last-eight meetings.
Wilson was a 5-0 winner against Fan Zhengyi whilst Jiahui won through 5-2 against Ryan Day.
The final will take place on Sunday.
Ireland ruthlessly capitalised on the absence of Antonie Dupont to launch their Guinness Six Nations title defence with a stunning 38-17 bonus-point demolition of 14-man France.
Both sides came into a mouth-watering tournament curtain-raiser in Marseille on the back of agonising World Cup quarter-finals exits.
Tries from Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne, Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher ensured it was the reigning Grand Slam champions who stylishly bounced back at the first attempt to propel themselves into pole position for further championship glory.
France’s quest for victory at a largely subdued Stade Velodrome was damaged by the indiscipline of lock Paul Willemse, who was sent off in the 32nd minute following a high hit on Caelan Doris having previously been sin-binned for a similar challenge on Andrew Porter.
Scores from Damian Penaud and Paul Gabrillagues and seven points from the boot of Thomas Ramos gave the pre-tournament favourites hope.
But Ireland, aided by 13 points from Jack Crowley on his first Six Nations start, deservedly romped to another statement victory of the Andy Farrell era.
The two teams came into a blockbuster showdown seeking to ease disappointment at falling short in their efforts to lift the Webb Ellis Cup in the autumn and having each lost influential captains.
Dupont’s temporary unavailability, as he focuses on his country’s sevens squad for this year’s Paris Olympics, afforded a start to scrum-half Maxime Lucu, while Crowley was given a chance to stake his claim as long-term fly-half successor to the retired Johnny Sexton.
Farrell’s men began in the ascendancy and led through an early Crowley penalty before Willemse was ordered off for ploughing into prop Porter.
A relieved Willemse had just learnt his yellow card would not be upgraded to red on review when Gibson-Park latched on to a fine Bundee Aki offload to ensure Ireland capitalised on their temporary numerical advantage.
Three points from France full-back Ramos’ penalty briefly improved the mood in the stands before Beirne collected Crowley’s pass to easily beat Jonathan Danty and dive over under the posts at the end of sustained Irish pressure.
Willemse’s reprieve proved only to be fleeting as he was dismissed eight minutes before the break following another dangerous challenge, this time on Doris.
Ireland were in complete control but head coach Farrell would have been frustrated to only hold a 17-10 half-time lead after Penaud, who moments early was repelled by a superb Hugo Keenan tackle, produced a spectacular finish to Matthieu Jalibert’s pass.
The visitors set aside the setback to restore their 14-point advantage six minutes after the restart as Munster wing Nash marked his first Test start with a memorable maiden try after being freed by Doris.
Deprived of Dupont, France were largely rudderless in attack.
But Fabien Galthie’s side again cut the deficit when Gabrillagues’ score was awarded following a lengthy review, an incident compounded from an Irish perspective by new captain Peter O’Mahony being sin-binned for bringing down the maul.
Ireland once more earned breathing space 18 minutes from time when Sheehan peeled off a rolling maul to finish his own line-out.
The staggeringly-simple score secured a merited bonus point for the dominant visitors and proved to be the fatal blow to French resistance.
Yet there was more punishment to come for the ragged hosts as replacement hooker Kelleher bulldozed over to cap a fine Ireland performance and ramp up pressure on Les Bleus head coach Galthie.
The Los Angeles Kings fired head coach Todd McLellan on Friday following an extended slump that has put their post-season chances in question.
Though the Kings entered the NHL's All-Star break holding the first of two wild-card spots in the Western Conference, their lead over the ninth-place Nashville Predators is just two points and they've lost 14 of their last 17 games (3-8-6).
Los Angeles began the season with a 20-7-4 start, with its 44 points tied for the most in franchise history after 31 games, and set an NHL record by winning its first 11 road games.
“We want to thank Todd for his hard work and dedication to the organisation,” Kings vice president and general manager Rob Blake said in a statement. “He has done a tremendous job in moving us forward and making a positive impact on our group and in our community. This was not an easy decision, but we felt the change was necessary at this time."
Assistant Jim Hiller will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
McLellan was in his fifth season behind the Kings' bench and led Los Angeles to the play-offs in each of the past two campaigns, though the team was ousted in the opening round both times. He compiled a 164-130-44 overall record in regular-season play.
The 56-year-old has gone 598-412-134 overall as an NHL head coach and ranks 23rd in league history in regular-season wins. McLellan previously spent seven seasons as the head coach of the San Jose Sharks from 2008-15 and guided that team to a pair of appearances in the Western Conference finals. He later coached the Edmonton Oilers for three-plus seasons from 2015-18.
A dramatic offensive decline has played a large role in the Kings' struggles over the past five weeks, as their average of 2.35 goals per game since Dec. 28 ranks 30th of 32 teams over that period. Los Angeles ranked third in the league with an average of 3.58 goals per game during its 20-7-4 start.
Hiller has spent the last two seasons on the Kings' coaching staff and previously worked as an assistant coach for the New York Islanders (2019-22), Toronto Maple Leafs (2015-19) and Detroit Red Wings (2014-15). The 54-year-old has never been a head coach at the NHL level, but was the head coach of the Tri-City Americans in the junior ranks for five seasons from 2009-14.
"Jim is a well-respected member of our staff who is familiar with our players," Blake said. "We are confident in his ability to lead our team effectively during this pivotal time.”
The Kings are the sixth team to make an in-season coaching change in 2023-24, joining the Edmonton Oilers (Jay Woodcroft), Minnesota Wild (Dean Evason), St. Louis Blues (Craig Berube), Ottawa Senators (D.J. Smith) and New York Islanders (Lane Lambert).
Cinderella’s Dream emerged as a potential Qipco 1000 Guineas contender after maintaining her unbeaten record with a thoroughly impressive victory in the Jumeirah Fillies Classic at Meydan.
One of four winners on the card for trainer Charlie Appleby and the first leg of a treble for jockey William Buick, the the Shamardal filly had won her first two starts at a fairly low-key level at Lingfield and Thirsk in September.
However, she looks more than ready to hold her own in better company judged on a dominant comeback victory in a race won 12 months ago by Saeed bin Suroor’s subsequent Guineas heroine Mawj.
“She was there for me the whole way and is still learning on the job, having only had two previous runs before this evening,” said Buick.
“But once I put her in between horses, it was just about trying to follow the right ones and she was there instantly. It was a very nice performance from a filly who I think is progressing.
“Mawj won this race last and she ended up winning the next round of this series and then won the 1000 Guineas, so she’s in good company.
“I think she’s going to progress, so I wouldn’t want to rule anything out.”
Appleby and Buick also successfully combined in the Listed Dubai Sprint with Mischief Magic.
The Exceed And Excel gelding was a winner at the 2022 Breeders’ Cup meeting but endured a largely disappointing three-year-old campaign last season and Buick is hoping he might be able to rediscover his best form following this clear-cut success.
He added: “I knew I had plenty of horse and I knew the gap would eventually be there for him. When you look through his form as a two-year-old, that’s how he was always ridden and don’t forget he’s a Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner, so the quality is there.
“Let’s hope he’s on the way to reaching those heights again. We all know how tough it can be for a three-year-old sprinter, so hopefully he’s strengthened up and he’s more the finished article.”
Appleby made it a treble in the Dubai Millennium Stakes, but it was his apparent second string Warren Point who upset his better fancied stablemate New London to secure Group Three honours.
The winner was still nearer last than first approaching the final furlong, but fairly flew home under an ice-cool Mickael Barzalona to deny Jamie Osborne’s Sean by a short head.
Osborne also saddled the third-placed Solid Stone, with 4-6 favourite New London only fourth.
Barzalona said: “The horse did very well as he was a bit strong at the beginning. I had the chance to come wide, but I thought it was a bit too early to come around the horses, so I tried to go on the inside and I was stuck. He was able to pick up to win it and he’s a talented horse.”
Winner number four for Appleby and three for Buick was provided by Legend Of Time, who readily followed up his course win of four weeks ago and justified cramped odds in the Jumeirah Guineas.
“He’s a horse who has only improved, he won the trial for this race very well over seven furlongs and we always thought he was going to improve for stepping up to a mile tonight,” said the jockey.
“I think he’s progressing the whole time and hopefully he’s a nice horse in the making. His ability enables him to win over shorter distances, but I think we’ll see the best of him over 10 furlongs.
Asked whether Legend Of Time could develop into a Derby contender, Buick added: “It’s hard to stand here in early February and say that, but we hope so. That’s what these horses are here to do, so let’s hope he can make those necessary steps to put himself in that picture.”
Tyson Fury’s showdown against Oleksandr Usyk for all four major world heavyweight titles has been postponed because of a “freak cut” the Briton has sustained above his right eye.
Fury was due to defend his WBC belt on February 17 in Saudi Arabia against his Ukrainian rival, the WBA, IBF and WBO champion, in the first undisputed world heavyweight title fight of this century.
But with just 15 days to go until one of the most anticipated fights of the year, Fury’s promoters Queensberry announced their charge had suffered an injury during a sparring session at his Riyadh training camp.
Fury said in a statement: “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition.
“I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed. I can only apologise to everyone affected.”
Owen Watkin will complete an impressive recovery from World Cup reject to Six Nations starter when Wales tackle Scotland on Saturday.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland selected seven centres as part of an expanded training squad in May last year for the World Cup – but Watkin was not among them.
George North, Mason Grady, Nick Tompkins, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Max Llewellyn and Keiran Williams were Gatland’s preferred options, with 27-year-old Watkin left in the wilderness.
“Being left out of the training squad was really heartbreaking and massively disappointing for me,” he said.
“But I think setbacks like that can motivate you even more. I didn’t let it get the better of me.
“I knew I had to put more work in, stay injury-free and just create that momentum. I feel confident at the minute, I feel like my game is going well.
“I am probably being a bit braver with things I am trying, I am probably not just going through the motions.
“I am enjoying my rugby at the Ospreys, we are scoring some nice tries and winning some really tough games. I want to bring that momentum from there and try and implement it with Wales.”
While Watkin has won 36 caps and is the sixth-most experienced player in Wales’ starting line-up this weekend, it is his first Test appearance since an ignominious home defeat against Georgia during the 2022 autumn Tests.
“Obviously, you don’t want to go out on a loss,” Watkin added. “I did have that fear of ‘what if it was my last game for Wales’.
“I think I’ve put the work in and I do deserve to be back and I am focusing on the Scotland game. The Georgia game is behind me – I don’t even think about that now.”
Watkin will forge Wales’ midfield partnership with Nick Tompkins, offering an experienced combination as Wales look to make it 12 games unbeaten in Cardiff against Scotland.
The last time Scotland triumphed in the Welsh capital, current head coach Gregor Townsend was fly-half and it required injury-time penalties from Brendan Laney and Duncan Hodge to secure a 27-22 win.
Wales, though, have got it all to do this time around, underlined by a line-up that contains their lowest cap total for a Six Nations game since facing Italy five years ago.
Watkin added: “We know that they (Scotland) are a great team, they can turn it on when they are on their day and we know it is going to be a huge physical battle out there.
“It is going to be high intensity but like I said, we just need to focus on ourselves and control what we can control.
“We want to play rugby, but you have obviously got to play in the right areas.
“You can’t go playing from anywhere, against a team like Scotland as well, (because) they will punish you.
“It’s just (being) sensible where you play from, but when we get the opportunities we are going to look to play.”
Finn Russell insists Wales’ inexperience does not make Scotland’s chances of ending a 22-year wait to win in Cardiff any easier.
Scotland have not won at the Principality Stadium since 2002, losing 11 successive games that comprise nine Six Nations contests, a World Cup warm-up fixture and an autumn Test.
But Wales have hit been hit by a long list of injuries and big-name retirements, while British and Irish Lions wing Louis Rees-Zammit has departed to try and launch a career in American football.
Scotland have arrived in Cardiff in the unusual position of being bookmakers’ favourites for this Guinness Six Nations Championship opener.
But Russell said: “With the Welsh side being slightly different to previous years I think people would see Scotland are favourites.
“I don’t view it like that. We’ve not won here in 22 years, so it shows it’s not an easy place for us to come and win.
“We’ve got a more experienced team, but that doesn’t always count on the day.
“They’ve got very exciting players who will be playing with freedom and that’s part of the joys of having a more youthful side.
“We’re more experienced and we have to lean on that.
“But we’ve got to be careful we don’t overthink the game because it’s a very dangerous team in front of us.
“The atmosphere is one of the best in the world and when the Welsh boys put that red jersey on it’s different to when they are at their clubs.
“It’s a massive challenge for us to win here. We’ve got a few new faces and a few points to prove after a disappointing World Cup, both sides have.”
The Principality Stadium roof will be closed for Saturday’s clash following a U-turn by the visitors.
Under Six Nations regulations, the roof is only closed if both teams agree to it.
Scotland had originally wanted the roof open despite a match-day forecast of persistent light rain.
But Scotland have now reversed that decision with heavier rain forecast and Wales have accepted their request.
Russell said: “For me personally it doesn’t change too much. I was at Racing for five years and they’ve got an indoor stadium. So I’m pretty used to it.
“I think the weather conditions changed over the week, so that’s why the roof is now closed.
“It will get slightly greasy inside with the humidity, but both teams are under the same conditions. It will make for an exciting and fast free-flowing game of rugby.”
Jamie George has urged England to draw inspiration from their cricketing counterparts by cultivating their own form of ‘Bazball’.
Steve Borthwick’s side launch a new era when they face Italy in the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday with George leading a side containing two uncapped starters and three more debutants on the bench.
George is at the helm for the first time and the Saracens hooker is stirred by the success of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum in developing a winning cricket team that plays without fear.
The style has been dubbed Bazball, referencing McCullum’s nickname, and George believes that by adopting similar principles his England can also flourish as the next World Cup cycle begins at the Stadio Olimpico.
“I’m a cricket fan so why would I not take inspiration from what Ben Stokes is doing with the England cricket team?” George said.
“You look at the influence Ben Stokes has on young players, allowing them to go out and perform the way they do, creating an environment to allow that. It’s exactly the model that we want.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be perfect, it’s never going to be perfect. But at the same time, Ben is someone who I take a huge amount of inspiration from.
“I want that connection with the fans. I want people to love coming to watch England play, for plenty of reasons – the result being one, how we play the game being another.
“Also the amount of fight and character that we show, the amount of pride and passion that we play with.
“Ben Stokes talks about being entertainers and we want to entertain people, of course we do, but we want to do it in the right way, we want to do it in the England way.
“They’ve managed to find a way to do that with Bazball so we will find our own way of doing it.”
England have lost the opening match in the previous four Six Nations and George is determined for them to end that sequence by delivering an emphatic victory over opponents they have beaten in all 30 previous meetings.
“We want to make a statement and we also want to make it very clear what this England team is about going forward. And we want to give the England fans plenty to shout about,” he said.
George knows the advice he will give to the uncapped Fraser Dingwall, Ethan Roots, Chandler Cunningham-South, Fin Smith and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso also stands for himself when he lead the side out for the first time.
“It’s going to be quite an emotional day,” he said. “I’m quite an emotional person anyway. I’ve got some family flying over – and some family who aren’t able to fly.
“The obvious statement is that it’s going to be a dream come true. I don’t think you can ever prepare yourself for moments like that.
“As ever I just want to be in the moment as much as I can and soak it all up. It’s a similar message to what I’ll be telling the guys having their first cap.
“That was the best piece of advice I got before my first cap because it goes like that (clicks fingers). The anthem… it just flies by.
“I want to really try and soak it all up, take it all in and then put in a good performance off the back of it.”
Michael Owen emulated his old Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson by welcoming home a winner in Bahrain as Roman Dragon surprised connections in the Hawar Cup.
Ferguson saw Spirit Dancer continue his rise through the ranks in November when winning the Bahrain International Trophy and while Roman Emperor was not winning at that exalted level, it clearly meant just as much to the former Liverpool and England striker.
While Roman Dragon is far from the best horse Owen has owned, the fact that he also bred him means he has a soft spot for the sprinter, who before this had only ever won at Chester.
Ridden by Ebrahim Nader, he came with a powerful late run to beat John and Sean Quinn’s Brazen Bolt by half a length.
“We’re absolutely delighted. He has got speed to burn but we often think he’s better round a turning track than a straight track, so today is a lovely surprise,” said Owen.
“We thought beforehand Box To Box (unplaced in the Anchorman Cup) would be in the first three and this horse (Roman Dragon) would be in the last three, but it happened the other way round!
“Me and Nick (Hughes) own the horse; I bred him and we’ve owned him all his life.
“It’s my first time here and I am really enjoying it. My old boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, was stood here not so long ago having won the big race, the Bahrain International Trophy, so it’s clearly a lucky spot.”
The Listed His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Cup went to George Scott’s Isle Of Jura, ridden by Callum Shepherd.
“He’s a lovely horse and he’s clearly improving,” said Scott.
“He’s bred to be a good horse and the sky is the limit with him, although we will just enjoy today first.
“It’s well documented that His Highness Shaikh Nasser (owner) has been a huge supporter of mine and to repay him in this way is so exciting.”
Willie Mullins is anticipating another great race between Galopin Des Champs and the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The two have met three times in total, initially in the 2022 John Durkan, when Fastorslow was having his first run over fences in Ireland and he was 21 lengths behind Mullins’ runner.
Fast forward to last April and Galopin Des Champs was the new darling of Irish racing, having won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, while Fastorslow stepped up to take him on at Punchestown having been beaten a neck by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap.
Fastorslow showed he was a much-improved performer there, though, coming out on top at 20-1 – and he proved that was no fluke by beating Galopin Des Champs again in the John Durkan when both made their reappearance this season.
Mullins believes a change in tactics helped Galopin Des Champs return to his best at Christmas, when Fastorslow came out on the morning of the Savills Chase due to the soft ground, and the Closutton handler is hoping for a blockbuster race between them again.
“It’s going to be a hell of a race. I hope it turns out well and that the two of us are coming to the second-last, or indeed even the last – it’s going to be a great race,” said the champion trainer.
“He put two middling performances behind him, we changed tactics on the day and it worked. Hopefully he hasn’t left his season behind him there, but it was a good enough race to win anyhow. Hopefully he can do the same again on Saturday and we can go on to Cheltenham after that.
“We’ve been very lucky in the race but I’ve always targeted the race, whereas some people miss it to go to Cheltenham. It’s the Irish Gold Cup, it’s got great prize money and we must support our own races, that’s my view.
“I remember coming home from the races one day and my wife Jackie asking me if we’d ever have a horse good enough to run in the race, never mind win it. I appreciate whenever we have a horse good enough to run them, I enter them and see what happens.”
Mullins also runs last season’s Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus but he has over 30 lengths to find with his stablemate from Christmas.
For Brassil, who won the Grand National at Aintree with Numbersixvalverde in 2006, Fastorslow has catapulted him back into the big time.
“It’s easy to get up in the mornings when you have a horse like him, we have other nice horses as well but he’s the star attraction all right,” he said.
“Any horse that goes to Cheltenham and just comes up on the wrong side of the lollipop has to be a fair horse, he gave the National winner weight and he was a really strong National winner and it’s possible he could be in the Gold Cup too.
“He’s not short of pace, people don’t notice how fast he jumps, he’s very slick over a fence, he makes a bit of ground at every fence and over 16 or 18 fences it all adds up.
“I don’t think he’s underestimated after what he did in the John Durkan, he’s a solid second favourite and if he runs up to what is expected, we’d be happy.”
The field is completed by Gordon Elliott’s Conflated, the 2022 hero here and last season’s Savills Chase winner, who unshipped Sam Ewing when making a tired mistake at the last in that corresponding race over the festive period this term.
Elliott said: “There’s four left in it; Galopin Des Champs, I Am Maximus, Fastorslow and Conflated. Conflated, on ratings, should only be third but he’s in good form and seems to like going left-handed around Leopardstown, so we’re looking forward to running him.
“I was very impressed with Galopin Des Champs the last day, he was awesome and he seemed to relish a bit of soft ground, which he’ll get again. He’s the one we all have to beat but if you’re not in, you can’t win.”
Jessica Harrington is confident her fast-improving mare Jetara can give the boys a run for their money in the curtain-raising Nathaniel Lacy And Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.
The two-mile-six-furlong contest is the first of eight scheduled Grade Ones across the two-day Dublin Racing Festival and, as is the case with most of them, the market is dominated by Willie Mullins.
The champion trainer is responsible for four of the six runners, with hot favourite Predators Gold joined by Loughglynn, I Will Be Baie and Dancing City, but Harrington has high hopes for the well-related Jetara, who since disappointing on her Down Royal comeback has rattled off a hat-trick of wins.
“She had the summer off, she grew, she filled out and when she came back, she was great, but unfortunately she went to Down Royal, was very fresh and made a mistake at the first hurdle and after that it was a non-event,” said the Moone-based trainer.
“Since then, she’s won her next three and done nothing but improve. I think that has happened because she has got a lot stronger.
“She did everything right the last day. I was a bit worried because they took the last hurdle out because of low sun, so it was a long way home. I knew she would stay but I was worried the others might have a better turn of foot.
“She’s from a great family, her dam is a full-sister to Jezki and she’s related to Jetson. Her dam was much smaller, she won a bumper and went off to stud and Jetara is her first foal.
“She jumps well and they (geldings) are going to have to give her 7lb. She’s above average and they are going to have to be above average to give her 7lb. She wouldn’t be there unless I thought she could win, I hope she lives up to my expectations.”
Goffs Bumper winner Predators Gold impressed on his hurdling debut at Punchestown before finishing best of the rest behind Caldwell Potter in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at this track in December.
Eddie O’Leary, racing manager for owners Gigginstown House Stud, views a significant step up in trip as a positive for the five-year-old.
He said: “This will be his acid test, we always thought he was a stayer until Willie ran him back over two miles and he ran well. We will get to see where we are.”
The second Grade One on the card is the McCann FitzGerald Spring Juvenile Hurdle, in which Gigginstown’s market leader Storm Heart leads a six-strong Mullins assault.
The French recruit won by 22 lengths on his Irish debut at Punchestown but faces a sizeable step up in class for what promises to be a hugely informative event with the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in mind.
“We will see on Saturday what we have and I hope he comes through it well. We know he won his race well and this will tell us where we are now. He has to take the next step,” O’Leary added.
Joseph O’Brien claimed back-to-back wins in this race in 2019 and 2020 with Sir Erec and A Wave Of The Sea and has another interesting contender on his hands in the form of Intellotto, who impressed on his hurdling bow over the course and distance.
Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, said: “Daryl (Jacob) won on him for Joseph over Christmas at Leopardstown and we’re going back to course and distance.
“We had the option of going over to Cheltenham last Saturday, but decided to stay local and see where we are in the pecking order.”
A Dream To Share is the star attraction in the concluding Donohue Marquees Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race.
The six-year-old really burst onto the scene when landing this Grade Two prize 12 months ago before going on to win the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and a second Grade One at Punchestown.
John and Thomas Kiely’s charge was due to pursue a career over obstacles this term, but with a setback delaying his return, he instead bids to complete the very rare feat of winning six bumpers.
Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale is a rarity at the Dublin Racing Festival this weekend in that he is the red-hot favourite for the Goffs Irish Arkle and not trained by Willie Mullins.
Ireland’s champion trainer generally flexes his muscles at the meeting and of the eight Grade One contests across the two-day fixture, Mullins houses the ante-post market leaders for every race but this one.
The exciting Gaelic Warrior, so impressive at Limerick over Christmas, was suggested as a possible challenger, but Mullins will instead look to Facile Vega to lead his team.
Everything has gone smoothly for Connell, though, with his unbeaten Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner from last season seemingly holding all the aces.
“We’ve had a clear run with the horse, everything has been good with no hiccups,” said Connell.
“He looks the one to beat on all known form and ratings and so forth. It’s a small field and he’s a course and distance winner already, so that in itself is a positive.
“He loves jumping and I think the ground will probably dry out, I think it’ll be no worse than yielding ground and this horse goes on anything from good ground to soft ground, so that’s not going to be an issue.
“Normally Willie doesn’t say anything, but he got everybody excited about a big clash with Gaelic Warrior and then changed his mind at the last minute.
“We can only talk about our own horse and we’re happy to take on whoever turns up.”
Connell went on: “He’s the first horse that I’ve had that has the ability that he has. We haven’t got to the bottom of him yet.
“He’s very straightforward, which is massive when you get into these big festivals, you know he isn’t going to boil over and give the race away because he’s too nervous about things. He never turns a hair.
“Touch wood, he seems to have the full package and it’s our job to keep him sound.”
Facile Vega was put in his place last time out by Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty in a Boxing Day Grade One and the two clash again.
“He’s in good form, he came out of the race very well, so we’re looking forward to running him again,” said Elliott.
“There’s six declared in it, Facile Vega and Barry Connell’s horse, who was very good the last day, so he’s the horse we’re all going to have to beat. We’re looking forward to running him and it looks a good race.”
As for Mullins, the final gameplan was made due to the way Facile Vega has been working since his defeat, as it had looked as if he would be stepping up in trip.
“Marine Nationale is obviously the horse to beat. He was very good over Christmas and has just had the one run over fences,” said Mullins. “But I’m much happier with Facile since Christmas.”
The champion trainer also runs Il Etait Temps and multiple Grade One winner Sharjah, while outsider Senecia completes the field.
David Noonan maintains his partnership with Gary Moore’s Le Patron as the pair seek a second Grade One victory this season in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.
Having won the Henry VIII over two miles in early December, Moore is happy to step his charge back up in trip and, given he was not entered for the Arkle, connections seemingly view him as a horse for middle distances.
With stable jockey Jamie Moore still on the sidelines, Caoilin Quinn and Niall Houlihan have been riding the majority of the string, but as Noonan did the steering last time out, he has been entrusted with the ride once again.
“He was pretty good when he won at Sandown last time,” said Moore.
“He’s had a bit of a break with this race in mind, but he’s got to prove it again now.
“I think moving back up in trip is a benefit. When he won first time, and I know it wasn’t a very clever race he won at Fontwell, but it was only good ground that day and I think he will be fine on it.
“David keeps the ride, as I like continuity. He knows where his feet are and he has been good over fences, so I hope he is on Saturday as well.”
Venetia Williams won the race two years ago with L’Homme Presse, who went on to win at the Cheltenham Festival, but it remains to be seen if her Djelo can scale those heights.
He looked very good in winning his first three over fences but then Charlie Deutsch had the misfortune of being knocked out of his saddle at the very first fence in the Lightning Novices’ Chase last time out.
“He’s fine since Lingfield and Charlie gave him another pop over the fences on Thursday morning,” said Williams.
“We hope for a bit better luck this time and obviously, as you would expect for a Grade One, it’s a strong race, but he deserves to take his chance.
“This is a much stronger race than anything he has been in before but it is to be expected.”
The Paul Nicholls-trained Hermes Allen could not get close to French star Il Est Francais at Christmas but his time still compared favourably to those in the King George later on the card.
“He couldn’t lay a glove on the hugely impressive Kempton winner Il Est Francais, who looked like a machine on Boxing Day,” Nicholls told Betfair.
“But he kept on to finish second and I’m sure a stiff two and a half miles will suit him well. There should be plenty of pace, which will be in the favour of Hermes Allen, who worked pleasingly on Thursday morning.”
Hermes Allen had previously recorded a convincing victory at Newbury on his debut over fences, with the reopposing Nickle Back six and a half lengths behind in second.
Jamie Snowden’s Colonel Harry finished just over a length behind Le Patron in the Henry VIII and has subsequently stepped up in trip to win the Grade Two Towton at Wetherby.
“He’s had a wonderful season over fences so far and just got touched off in the Henry VIII,” said Snowden.
“He improved for going up in trip when winning the Towton last time out and we’ll now have another crack at a Grade One at Sandown.
“It looks a very competitive race, but our chap is in great order; he’s fresh, he’s well and bounced out of Wetherby, and fingers crossed he can run another decent race.”
Colonel Harry sports the same colours as those of Coral Gold Cup winner Datsalrightgino, who suffered a fatal fall at Cheltenham last weekend.
“It was not nice for anybody and to lose a wonderful horse like Datsalrightgino was very hard and very tough for the whole team, the owners and everyone, but hopefully we can bounce back here,” said Snowden.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has no concerns over Lewis Hamilton’s integrity ahead of the seven-time world champion’s drawn out move to Ferrari.
Hamilton is entering the first year of a new two-year deal with Mercedes worth £100million, but shocked the world of Formula One by activating a release clause in the agreement to join Ferrari from 2025.
Wolff insisted he would not hold a grudge against Hamilton after the 39-year-old broke the news over breakfast at Wolff’s home in Oxford on Wednesday, and also has no concerns about the Briton sharing sensitive information with his future team.
“I’ve always tried to be transparent and fair and nothing’s going to change in that respect in 2024,” Wolff said. “We owe it to our principals and our racing intent and I will ensure that the drivers respect that.
“In terms of development going forward, it’s something we need to look at. When it comes to 2025 we will evaluate later in the season what it means in terms of technical information.
“But it’s not something that bothers me at all. We have engineers that go to other teams and the notice periods are sometimes as short as six months.
“I don’t have any doubt in Lewis’ integrity in terms of sharing information. We want to make sure that this is a successful season for both drivers and for Mercedes and all of us will give our utmost to achieve that.”
Wolff revealed he had heard rumours of Hamilton’s move earlier this week, but made no attempt to change his mind.
“When we signed the contract with Lewis we opted for a shorter term so the events are not a surprise, maybe the timing,” Wolff said.
“We were very aligned when went into the Christmas period. You need to ask Lewis why he changed his mind. How he framed it to me is perfectly understandable.
“He needed a new challenge, he was looking for a different environment and that it was maybe the last possibility to do something else.
“We are big boys, we knew that signing a short-term contract it could be of benefit for both sides. We couldn’t commit for a longer period and he has taken the option to exit.
“We totally respect that you can change your mind and switching to Ferrari, maybe rolling the dice a bit, I can follow that decision. Every driver dreams of being in the red car.
“My first thought was practical. The team’s mind kicked in. Now, having slept a few nights on it, it means our professional journey comes to an end, but it doesn’t mean that our personal relationship ends.
“I’ve found a friend, we’ve built a relationship over the last 10 years and he faced a very, very difficult situation, taking a decision of where to drive, maybe for the first time in 10 years without being able to brainstorm with me and therefore I will always respect the difficulty of the situation that he faced.
“In the future we will discuss whether this could have been done in a different way but I hold no grudge.”
Wolff said he would love Hamilton to win a record eighth world title this season after controversially missing out in the final race of 2021, but conceded that would be an uphill task given Red Bull’s recent dominance.
“Is it realistic we are competing for a world championship against Max [Verstappen] in a Red Bull? If I’m a probability person the odds are against us. But nevertheless we will give it our best shot,” Wolff said.
“There’s a friend side in me that says he should have an eighth [title] because that was taken away from him so if he wins that in 2024 that would be a great thing.
“Going forward, competing on track, I’d rather us win.”
Wolff refused to be drawn on who would replace Hamilton in 2025 as he noted that the likes of Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris had recently signed new deals with Ferrari and McLaren respectively, but praised George Russell as a lead driver in waiting.
“We have such a solid foundation, such a quick and talented and intelligent guy in the car,” Wolff said. “We just need to take the right choice for the second seat and it’s not something I want to be rushed in.
“I guess that a few contracts have been signed a few weeks ago that we would have looked at that could have been interesting, but in a way I always like change because change provides you with opportunity.
“Maybe it’s a chance to do something bold.”
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