Bizarre, odd, inexplicable. Dave Hannigan nigh on ran out of words to describe the inclusion of Lionel Messi in the latest list of recipients of the United States’ Presidential Medal of Freedom, Joe Biden’s last selection before he vacates the White House on Monday week. Messi himself was so unenthused by it all he didn’t even turn up to collect his medal, instead attending a reunion of his childhood team back in Argentina. Dave runs us through the list of reasons for why this was a particularly peculiar pick.
In rugby, Gerry Thornley has a chat with La Rochelle’s Will Skelton ahead of Sunday’s Champions Cup meeting with Leinster, a game the Australian lock could miss because, as he tells Gerry, “I’m injured bro”.
Garry Ringrose is, though, hale and hearty after an injury-interrupted 2024, John O’Sullivan talking to the Leinster man ahead of that date at the Stade Marcel Deflandre. And Gerry catches up with former Connacht centre Tom Farrell who is loving life with Munster and is looking forward to taking on Saracens at Thomond Park on Saturday.
In Gaelic games, Ciarán Murphy reckons the Sigerson Cup missed a trick by not playing this season’s competition under the new rules. “Think of the publicity the competition would have attracted,” he writes, reckoning curiosity about the new “enhancements” would have “won them plenty of eyeballs”.
Daire Cregg, meanwhile, has opted not to play Aussie Rules this year, having turned down an offer to join Carlton, the Roscommon man telling Gordon Manning that his sole focus is on helping his county compete at the top level of Gaelic football. “I didn’t grow up wearing a Carlton jersey,” he says.
And Gordon also talks to Limerick hurler Shane O’Brien about his county’s determination to bounce back from last year’s disappointment when Cork put paid to their five-in-a-row hopes with that All Ireland semi-final victory.
Philip Reid, meanwhile, is wondering if Tom McKibbin’s refusal to comment on rumours that he is moving to LIV Golf was actually confirmation that he will do just that. Shane Lowry has moved to the TGL Golf League, temporarily, and wants to be “the indoor Scottie Scheffler”. Philip tuned in to the inaugural match of the newfangled version of the sport, concluding that “it’s new, innovative” and it “looks like it could work”. “This is golf ... but not as we know it.”
TV Watch: The temperatures have been nudging around 26 or 27 degrees in Honolulu this week, but are they happy? There’ll be no need for thermals, then, for the field in the Sony Open In Hawaii (Sky Sports Golf, 5pm). It’ll be somewhat chillier at Goodison Park this evening where Everton host Peterborough in the FA Cup (Premier Sports 1, 7.45). If Everton don’t win, Sean Dyche could well find himself frozen out of his job.
- Listen and subscribe to our Counter Ruck rugby podcast
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Sign up for Sport push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
