Brennan granted more time

Sports Digest/ RUGBY: Trevor Brennan must reappear before a independent disciplinary committee on February 26th after his legal team were granted further time to prepare and present their arguments on preliminary matters regarding whether he should face a hearing for allegedly assaulting a supporter.

Brennan was called before disciplinary chiefs in Dublin yesterday following an alleged incident involving a visiting fan during Toulouse's 28-13 European Cup victory over Ulster last month.

A European Rugby Cup statement read: "Following an application by Mr Brennan's representatives for further time to prepare and present their arguments on these preliminary matters, the independent Disciplinary Committee agreed to adjourn until Monday, February 26th, 2007, when the preliminary matters will be considered."

MOTOR SPORT: Marcus Gronholm led the Swedish Rally after the first day yesterday, winning three of the initial eight stages of one of the toughest competitions on the world championship calendar.

The tall Finn, who has combated the snow and ice to win the Swedish Rally four times, was just ahead of Frenchman Sebastien Loeb, who leads the world championship standings after winning last month's opening Monte Carlo Rally.

Gronholm, who won in 2006, overhauled the early leader Petter Solberg of Norway on the fifth stage, despite softer snow depriving the cars of strong grip and as temperatures hovered around minus-7 Celsius all day.

Italian Gigi Galli, driving a Citroen Xsara, slipped from an early second place to an end-of-day 24th after driving off the track on the same route.

"I don't know what happened. We drove out into a snowdrift and there was nothing stopping us. Luckily, there were people around and they could help us back on the road," Galli told the Swedish Rally website.

Loeb, in a Citroen, climbed to second place by the end of the day, 11.1 seconds behind Gronholm. Solberg, driving a Subaru, was third and 22.6 seconds off the pace.

Loeb won two stages on the day, including the classic Vargasen route with the "Colins Crest" jump in the middle.

He is the only non-Nordic driver since 1950 to have won the Swedish Rally, taking the crown in 2004.

ROWING: The organisers of today's Neptune Head of the River, postponed in November because of inclement weather, will again be looking nervously at the skies. The main worry is not sleet or snow, but wind.

The British trials fixed for this weekend have been cancelled because of the weather.

There are two heads, set for 11.30 and 2.30, and there is a good entry - including elite athlete Sinéad Jennings in the single scull.

Trinity and St Michael's have entered senior eights, and there will also be real interest in the form of the big selection of intermediate eights.

In the men's senior four, Commercial's crew feature Owen Byrne, who is making a comeback after injury.