They’ve had “waves of negativity tossed their way - much of it from those who have never laced up a boot,” but, writes Matt Williams, “Leinster refuse to cave in”. And he doffs his cap to them for reaching yet another Champions Cup final, dragging themselves up off the canvas after the heartbreak of losing four finals in the last seven years. This time, though, they’ll go in to the showpiece as underdogs, reigning champions Bordeaux Bègles favourites for a simple reason: “They are a complete team in top form.”
No such joy for Munster this season, their “difficulties on and off the field showing little sign of abating”. Not only could Jack Crowley and Tadhg Beirne be ruled out for the remainder of the season, there are now doubts about Clayton McMillan’s future as head coach.
Things are significantly more stable up in Ulster who have a Challenge Cup final to look forward to. Before that, though, they have to make sure they stay in the hunt for a URC play-off place, the Stormers their opponents in Belfast this evening.
And it is also in Belfast where Ireland will take on Wales in the Six Nations tomorrow, coach Scott Bemand classing it as a must-win game for his team who will wrap up their campaign against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in a week’s time.
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In hurling, Joe Canning looks at Waterford’s never-ending struggle to progress from the round-robin phase of the championship, and with the second favourites and favourites for the All-Ireland their opponents in their next two games, it won’t be easy this time around either. Where there’s Stephen Bennett, though, there’s always hope, Ian O’Riordan talking to April’s hurler of the month who has been in outstanding form for Waterford.
Pádraig O’Hora’s form is good too now that his Everest expedition is getting moving, having been held up by that treacherous icefall. “I couldn’t sleep last night because of the anticipation. I wouldn’t say nerves, just excitement to finally be moving on to Everest herself,” he writes in the latest instalment of his diary.
In golf, there was “an outbreak of honesty” from Graeme McDowell this week regarding his motivation for joining the LIV golf tour, having been “one of the more bullish voices in support of it as Saudi Arabia turbocharged its sportswashing enterprise”. Johnny Watterson reckons McDowell must wish “he had not drunk quite so much of the Saudi Kool-Aid”.
In swimming, having had initial doubts, Mona McSharry has now confirmed that she is aiming to compete in the 2028 Olympics. And in racing, Brian O’Connor writes about the “inverted snootiness towards the perceived elitist branch of the sport”, ie the flat. As Ryanair supremo Michael O’Leary put it, “if they ran the Breeders Cup in my front field, I wouldn’t go out to look at it. Flat racing ... Jesus.”
TV Watch: Sky Sports Golf’s coverage of the Truist Championship continues from 5.30 this afternoon, and at 7.45 this evening Ulster host the Stormers in the URC (Premier Sports 1). Fifteen minutes later, St Patrick’s Athletic and Waterford kick off in the League of Ireland (Virgin Media Two), Waterford with a new manager, Graham Coughlan, at the helm. He has his work cut out - they’ve failed to win any of their first 14 games.
