How much sympathy has Matt Williams for those in the Munster, Ulster and Connacht camps complaining that Leinster’s signing of Rieko Ioane is yet more proof that they have an “unfair advantage in the overseas player market”? Zilch. “Winning attracts winners,” he writes. What’s more, he worries that the IRFU’s efforts to address the other three provinces’ problems will “drag Leinster down”. Thoughts and prayers to our letters editor whose inbox is about to be inundated.
Munster’s sole focus for now, though, is on dragging Cardiff down in their URC meeting this evening, John O’Sullivan previewing the game. He also talks to James Culhane on the eve of Leinster taking on Scarlets, and looks ahead to Ireland’s final game of their Six Nations campaign away to Scotland. Gerry Thornley, meanwhile, hears from Cork Con’s Jack Kelleher in the build-up to Sunday’s All-Ireland League final against Clontarf.
In Gaelic games, Joe Canning gives his thoughts on how the hurling championship contenders are shaping up, while Owen Ryan looks at the challenges facing Clare in light of the county’s changing population that has seen several clubs struggle to field teams.
In soccer, Martin Clancy committed himself to Leeds United back when he was seven. Since then? Significantly more agony than ecstasy. At least his devotion has seen him develop “a high pain threshold” that has helped him “cope stoically with life’s broader disappointments”. This week, though, Elland Road (and Martin) was bouncing again, promotion to the Premier League secured. Yes, they’ll be relegated this time next year, but for now, Martin is marching towards cloud nine.
In his League of Ireland column, Gavin Cummiskey looks at the strikers in form this weather, among them Shelbourne’s Mipo Odubeko and Galway United’s Moses Dyer. Our relay runners have been in good shape too, although as Sonia O’Sullivan notes “our marathon running standards are going in the opposition direction”.
Tennis is, Johnny Watterson believes, struggling too with its lack of “personalities and X factor”. With the French Open starting in a few weeks, he wonders how many of its top seeds could be “picked out of a line-up” by anyone other than the most devoted of fans.
You’d have no trouble picking Willie Mullins out in a winner’s enclosure, so often has he appeared in one this season. He is all but certain to retain the British trainers’ championship on Saturday. His achievements are, writes Brian O’Connor, “watershed stuff”.
The same could be said about Rory McIlroy’s recent Masters’ exploits. That final round? “It is hard for me to even watch it back..... just the feelings … aargh." We know what you mean Rory, we know what you mean.
TV Watch: Sky Sports Golf has round two of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (1.45pm-4pm) and The Chevron Championship (4pm-8pm, 11pm-1am) today, and at 7.35 Munster are away to Cardiff in the URC (TG4 and Premier Sports 1). Ten minutes later, there’s a tasty Dublin derby in the Premier Division - Shamrock Rovers host Shelbourne in Tallaght (Virgin Media Two).
