The news probably didn’t come as the biggest surprise, but Tadhg Furlong now faces an edgy wait for the verdict of the disciplinary hearing he will face after being cited for an incident in Leinster’s URC win over Munster on Saturday. As Gerry Thornley reports, Andy Farrell faces an anxious wait too, with Furlong likely to be ruled out of the forthcoming Nations Championship northern series should he receive a hefty enough ban.
There are those who believe Gavin Coombes, the Munster man on the receiving end of Furlong’s alleged transgression, should have “kept schtum … a rugby-style code of omerta”. “Nonsense,” says Owen Doyle in his column, “he was absolutely right to call it.”
But Leinster are backing Furlong’s good character and track record. “I know Tadhg,” assistant coach Robin McBryde tells Michael Scully. “If I was to give him a character reference, I wouldn’t hesitate. He’s got no history of anything like that.”
Furlong and the rest of the Irish squad are in training camp this week so won’t be available for URC duty. That, writes Gerry, will deprive the expected sell-out crowd at the Dexcom Stadium on Friday evening, where Connacht will host Leinster, of seeing the Prendergast brothers, Cian and Sam, square up. Opportunity could knock, then, for some of the “younger lads”, as Connacht coach Stuart Lancaster tells Linley MacKenzie.
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In football, England’s 25-year wait for a fifth Ballon d’Or ended on Monday evening when Harry Kane beat Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to the prize, while Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas collected a record-equalling third Ballon d’Or Feminin.
On the international front, Fifa will investigate events in an under-15 World Cup game between Ireland and England, England walking off the pitch after it was alleged that one of the Irish team made a racist remark towards one of their players.
Former under-15 international Victor Ozhianvuna will leave Shamrock Rovers for Arsenal in January, when he turns 18. Gavin Cummiskey talks to Rovers manager Stephen Bradley about the gifted youngster who he hopes will be fit enough to make a final appearance for the champions against Dundalk on Friday.
In golf, Philip Reid reports on a day of mixed fortunes for Séamus Power at the weather-delayed Butterfield Bermuda Championship. A third PGA Tour career win eluded him when he lost in a play-off, but his runner-up finish guarantees him a full tour card on the PGA Tour for 2027. And in his Different Strokes column, Philip has news on Graeme McDowell joining the exodus from the LIV Golf circuit.
And in racing, Brian O’Connor looks ahead to this week’s Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky where Aidan O’Brien will be seeking yet more success - he has just the 21 winners in US racing’s showpiece event thus far.
TV Watch: Honest, the TV schedules were scoured to find some scintillating sports-related viewing for you today, but short of tuning in to see Donncha O’Callaghan take part in a paella-making competition in Spain (RTE2, 7pm), all we can suggest is Fleetwood v Arsenal in the League Cup (Sky Sports Football, 8pm). This is a wild guess: Arsenal may not play their first team.
