After last week's address by IRFU chief executive Philip Browne the message is very clear – rugby needs to be played this year to avoid huge financial problems. One of the potential solutions to increasing the number of matches and maximising TV and advertising revenue – with no matchday income available – is to play a home and away Six Nations. However, Gerry Thornley writes in his column this morning that such an idea could be the ruination of the tournament. "The Six Nations need only look at the Rugby Championship as a cautionary tale or, even more so, the once almighty Super Rugby. While expansions and reaching into new territory are commendable, both have suffered for the constant tampering," he writes. Meanwhile, 10-year Aviva Stadium ticket holders are seeking clarity over their payments during the likely prolonged stretch of time when fans won't be allowed at matches. A third and final payment of €8,7000 is due by June 1st and the IRFU said they will be correspnding with ticket holders soon.
Moving on to soccer and the return of the Premier League looks to be inching closer with yet another vote set to take place this week. Today the clubs will be able to examine the rules for a return to contact training with a vote on the matter set to take place tomorrow. One area of uncertainty that remains over the protocols is the rules it will set on quarantine, specifically regarding players who have not failed a test but have come into contact, while training, with someone who has. Meanwhile, with the Football League also looking to make a return there are reports that crowd noises may be piped into grounds to create some sort of atmosphere.
In GAA, Declan Darcy believes the current enforced break from play could end up being a positive for Dublin. Darcy was alongside Jim Gavin for Dublin's historic five-in-a-row last year and says that "for teams trying to reach a pinnacle there would be particular positives for players in a couple of cohorts. Younger players have extra time to train for getting physically up to the level of older panel members."
In golf, Sunday's charity match featuring Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning against Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady proved to be the most watched cable TV golf event in history while also raising €20 million for charity. Elsewhere, Philip Reid writes that Justin Rose's switch away from Japanese clubmaker Honma shows that players should be careful what they wish for when big-money deals are proposed.
Finally, speaking to Ian O'Riordan this morning, Eddie Dunbar tells of how his season has been turned upside down by the current crisis. "I was down for the Giro again, that was to be a big part of the season, for me. So trying to match some of that, more or less, and with the weather being so good, riding as much as possible, building up the hours, without the same intensity of the Giro, obviously," he says.
