Premier League clubs returned to training yesterday, and 'Project Restart' was given a boost after only six positive coronavirus tests were returned out of 748 taken. Watford have announced they returned three of the positive tests - one player and two members of staff - while Burnley revealed assistant manager Ian Woan also tested positive. Under the league's new rules, anyone who tests positive must isolate for seven days before taking another test. Meanwhile Manchester City's appeal against their two-year ban from Europe for breaking FFP rules is to be heard by CAS in June, with a decision expected to be announced in July.
Elsewhere this morning John O'Sullivan has written about the spear tackle which ended Brian O'Driscoll's 2005 Lions tour, as part of the Sporting Controversies series. Lions captain O'Driscoll dislocated his shoulder when illegally driven to the turf by Tana Umaga and Kevin Mealamu in the opening minutes of the opening Test match in Christchurch. The All Blacks duo escaped punishment on the pitch and immediately after - but the incident rankled for years. "The 2005 series against the Lions will always be punctuated with an asterisk; unfairly so in some respects because from a rugby perspective in those three Tests New Zealand eviscerated the opponents with a breathtaking brand of rugby."
If the 2019-20 Pro14 season is able to reach a conclusion, then Munster could find themselves boosted by a pair of Rugby World Cup winners. The province have signed Damian de Allende and RG Snyman ahead of next term, with the Springbok duo officially becoming Munster players on July 1st. And a Pro14 board meeting later today is expected to ratify new signings will be allowed to play for their sides when - if - the current campaign is able to reach a conclusion. This would include the interpro derbies, which have been provisionally scheduled for the weekend of Friday August 21st.
Baseball is aiming to be the first sport to be back up and running in Ireland, with plans in place for the 12-team All-Ireland league to get underway on July 25th. Baseball lends itself to social distancing, and looks well placed to resume this summer, writes Malachy Clerkin.
And in his column his morning Sean Moran reflects on Cork's hurling and football All-Ireland double in 1990, something which gave the GAA a landmark in what was a challenging year.
