Author: Kate Man

Backs (17): Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, Jack Crowley, Ciaran Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Stuart McCloskey, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Jimmy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Sam Prendergast, Jacob Stockdale, Garry RingroseForwards (23): Ryan Baird, Finlay Bealham, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Jack Conan, Gavin Coombes, Caelan Doris, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Rob Herring, John Hodnett, Ronan Kelleher, Diarmuid Mangan, Gus McCarthy, Joe McCarthy, Peter O’Mahony, Andrew Porter, Cian Prendergast, James Ryan, Dan Sheehan, Nick Timoney, Josh van der Flier

Irish jockey Michael O’Sullivan has died after a fall at Thurles, Republic of Ireland, earlier this month.The 24-year-old had been in an induced coma in intensive care at Cork University Hospital since the incident during racing on 6 February.”Michael sadly passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning surrounded by his loving family in Cork University Hospital,” said the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s (IHRB) chief medical officer Dr Jennifer Pugh.”We extend our appreciation to the multidisciplinary teams who provided the best of medical care to Michael, both on the racecourse and in Cork University Hospital. “Michael’s family would like…

Europe’s largest indoor arena – with a capacity of 23,500 – was around a third full as a boisterous crowd repeatedly chanted ‘Chorley’ to welcome Lancastrian Catterall to the ring.Quite fittingly, he made his entrance to the song ‘I just can’t wait to be king’ from the Lion King.Catterall, who started boxing aged 11 and turned pro in 2012, is a reserved family man, yet there has been a swagger and spring in his step throughout fight week. Barboza, though, had won all 31 of his pro fights and arrived in the UK full of confidence on the back of…

Britain’s Charlotte Bankes claimed her third successive snowboard cross World Cup victory of the season as she triumphed in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.The 29-year-old finished second in the quarters and semi-finals but came from third place in the final to triumph.French pair Lea Casta and Manon Petit Lenoir finished second and third respectively.Bankes finished fourth in the first race of the season but has won the past three events to put herself top of the overall standings.The result gives Bankes a third consecutive World Cup victory, with only fourth place in the season’s opening race preventing a clean sweep of victories…

The world’s most successful alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin has spoken openly about her mental health struggles in returning to competition after a freak race injury.The American was set for her 100th World Cup victory when leading the second leg of a giant slalom race in Killington in December when she crashed out near the end of the run, somersaulting into the safety nets.Shiffrin sustained a puncture wound and muscle damage to her stomach, an injury she told BBC’s Ski Sunday was “weird, gross and painful”.The 29-year-old spent two months out injured but is back competing at the Alpine World Ski…

American Grant Fisher broke his second world indoor record in six days by setting a new mark in the 5,000m on Friday.The 27-year-old clocked 12 minutes 44.09 seconds at the Boston University David Hemery Valentine Invitational, to smash the mark of 12:49.60 set by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele in 2004.He was well clear of France’s Jimmy Gressier who finished in a new European indoor standard of 12:54.92.Fisher, who won bronze in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at last year’s Paris Olympics, set a new 3,000m record at the Millrose Games in New York last Saturday.Friday’s achievement came a day after Norway’s…

Trying to call this is a bit like a game I used to play with my kids, poker dice, where you roll five dice and it is completely random what you end up with.This is the first time I have so little idea of what to expect from both sides that I actually think I need to make two predictions, rather than one.I can guarantee you this, though. Whatever result I go for, it will end up being the opposite of what actually happens.Tottenham demolished Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford in September but that does not really have any…

The Premier League’s rules governing sponsorship deals from the period between 2021 and 2024 are “void and unenforceable”, a tribunal has ruled.Last year, an independent arbitration panel found against aspects of the league’s Associated Party Transaction regulations (APTs) after a lawsuit instigated by Manchester City.The Premier League says the tribunal’s ruling does not impact the “valid operation” of current APT rules, which it believes are still “valid and enforceable” and remain in “full force”.The rules were formed by the Premier League to prevent clubs from profiting from commercial deals with companies linked to their owners that are deemed above “fair…

Various reports in recent years have valued Tottenham at between £3.5bn and £4bn.Chelsea were bought in a deal worth up to £4.25bn from Roman Abramovich in 2022 by a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital. The purchase price was £2.5bn with a commitment to spending £1.75bn over the next 10 years.Meanwhile, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos bought a 25% stake in Manchester United for £1.03bn in December 2023 in a process which included a rival bid from Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim, reported to be nearer to £5bn for 100% of the club.Despite those huge sums,…

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce says he is considering retirement from the NFL, but is yet to decide on his future. The 35-year-old struggled as the Chiefs were resoundingly beaten 40-22 by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl at the weekend. Kelce, who is dating pop star Taylor Swift, is contracted to the Chiefs for the 2025 season but the American says he will delay any decision until he is certain he knows what he wants to do. “I know everybody wants to know whether I’m playing next year and, right now, I’m just kicking everything down…