Simon Easterby sets the tone with Ireland team selection

Only one more sleep before Ireland open their Six Nations campaign against England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon, and among those selected to start the game is Ryan Baird. His inclusion in the line-up is, writes Gerry Thornley, “the most eye-catching of Simon Easterby’s first Ireland selection”, “it has the interim head coach’s imprint all over it”.

Josh van der Flier, of course, starts too, Johnny Watterson talking to him on the eve of his 10th Six Nations Championship. He’s long since overcome the anxiety he used to feel before games – and it’s not just experience that has done the trick, treating himself to a cookie or doughnut has had a calming effect too.

Having incurred a deficit of €18.4 million for the 2023-24 financial year, Irish rugby needs to find new ways of bringing in some loot. Johnny looks at their efforts to turn match-days in to “entertainment” money-spinners.

John O’Sullivan, meanwhile, was in Musgrave Park on Thursday evening to see indiscipline and inaccuracy prove costly for the Irish under-20 team, their Six Nations campaign opening with a 19-3 defeat by England.

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Simon Easterby sets the tone with Ireland team selection

In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey was in Budapest for Thursday’s Europa League tie between the Robbie Keane-managed Ferencváros and AZ Alkmaar, who have Troy Parrott in their ranks. Keane’s side prevailed, but Parrott at least had the consolation of scoring when he came off the bench.

In Gaelic games, Seán Moran hears from Clare’s Conor Cleary who is on the road to recovery after needing surgery on the shoulder he dislocated in last year’s All Ireland final.

In golf, Philip Reid mulls over Tom McKibbin’s decision to sign up with LIV, and he also has news of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry each helping themselves to a hole-in-one at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the pair just two shots behind leader Russell Henley after round one. Over in Florida, Leona Maguire got her season off to a promising start, shooting a two-under-par 70 at the Tournament of Champions.

And on the eve of the Dublin Racing Festival, Brian O’Connor looks at the success of the meeting which has “quickly established itself as a public draw”. “The DRF has prompted the near incredible concept of an Irish racecourse putting up ‘full house’ signs.”

TV Watch: It’s round two at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Sky Sports Golf, 4.45pm-midnight), where Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Séamus Power are in action, and at 8.15 this evening the Six Nations kicks off in Paris (Virgin Media One and ITV) where Wales face the rather daunting task of taking on France.

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