The Morning Sports Briefing

Tennis

Maria Sharapova broke the huge news last night that she failed a drugs test at this year's Australian Open. The Russian tennis player - who is the highest earning female athlete in the world - was found to have taken the substance meldonium. Sharapova said it was contained in a supplement she had been taking for years to counteract an irregular heartbeat and early signs of diabetes. The substance had been legal until January 1st 2016.

The five-time Grand Slam winner could be hit with a four year ban for the infringement.

Since the announcement Nike have become the first of Sharapova's sponsors to suspend their contract with the tennis player.

“We are saddened and surprised by the news about Maria Sharapova.

“We have decided to suspend our relationship with Maria while the investigation continues,” a statement from Nike said.

But what is meldonium and why did Sharapova take it? Find out all you need to knwo about the banned substance with our explainer.

Rugby

After Friday's bonus point win away to Edinburgh, Connacht are continuing to confound the sceptics and maintain their course for Champions Cup qualification. In his column this morning Gerry Thornley examines the key factors behind the rise of Pat Lam's team.

With a two point lead at the top of the Pro12 table Connacht look likely not only to qualify for Europe’s premier competition but also to consign one of their Irish rivals - most likely Munster or Ulster - to the play-offs.

“Connacht have been, and continue to be, the story of the Irish rugby season and perhaps even the European club season. They are the Leicester City of the Guinness Pro12 and as with the English Premier League, Connacht’s success is liable to have seismic repercussions for ‘bigger’ rivals,” Thornley writes.

In international news Andrew Trimble has spoken about the frustration in the Ireland camp over what has been a poor Six Nations campaign, and the need to improve matters with a win against Italy this weekend.

“We’re very close to clicking,” said Trimble, “and when we do, hopefully the players and coaches will be vindicated.”

Soccer

Arsene Wenger has hit out at his critics ahead of Arsenal's FA Cup fifth round replay against Hull City this evening. Wenger has come under increased scrutiny over the last few weeks as his team have faltered when they looked to be moving into a position to win the Premier League.

“Look, I have worked here for 19 years and I’m always sitting here having to justify that I’m good enough to do the job,” he said.

Meanwhile, and in a similar vein, Steve McClaren is expected to be sacked as Newcastle manager within the next 48 hours.

Yesterday Newcastle’s board met to formalise crisis talks which had begun on Sunday after the 3-1 surrender the day before against Bournemouth at St James’ Park. McClaren is still scheduled to take training this morning.

Ahead of tonight's Champions League last 16 second leg clash at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has told Cristiano Ronaldo to ignore fans' criticism and reiterated his stance on wanting to keep the Portuguese player at the club.

“I’m not in favour of selling him. I am the coach and I want him,” Zidane told the club’s official website. “They [the fans] whistled at me, at everyone.

“It’s not a question of any player in particular, it’s the fans who want more from their players and this is better for the players, trying to make them always do their best.

GAA

St Vincent's already multi-talented squad will be buoyed this year by the arrival of three intercounty transfers - Mayo's Enda Varley, Westmeath panellist Lorcan Smyth and former Galway attacker Fiachra Breathnach.

The trio will join the famous north Dublin club who have won two of the last three Dublin senior football championships, as well as their third All-Ireland club title in 2014.

Meanwhile Tipperary hurler Brendan Maher has spoken about how his experience playing cricket has acted as a real eye-opener for him.

Maher joined Adelaide Strikers as part of ‘The Toughest Trade’ documentary series.

“One of the main things I took out of it is that in most GAA teams, training is very serious,” says Maher. “Everything is like ‘you can’t laugh or you can’t smile’ nearly. And I just noticed that in the warm-ups for the cricket training it was all laughing and joking, very relaxed. And I was thinking ‘maybe we should have that approach a little bit more in the GAA’, that you bring a little more element of fun into your sessions.

Racing

Irish champion flat jockey Pat Smullen is hoping to seize Cheltenham glory next month when he teams up with Dermot Weld's First Figaro in the Wetherby's Champion Bumper.

Smullen has finished fifth in the same race for the last two years aboard Vigil and hopes that a change might bring success this year.

Meanwhile, Roi Des Francs has been installed as one of the early favourites to bring Willie Mullins a first Irish Grand National success at Fairyhouse later this month.

Golf

After a disappointing final round collapse which saw him throw away a four shot lead at the WGC Cadillac Championship, Rory McIlroy will be hopeful that he can learn from the mistakes made.

Doing so has become a trait of McIlroy – remember 2011 when, just two months after capitulating in the final round of the Masters at Augusta, he blew away the field to win the US Open.

The man who McIlroy opened the door for – Adam Scott – is in absolutely scintillating form heading into the first major of the year, having won the last two tournaments on the PGA Tour.

Scott’s one and only major win came at Augusta in 2013 and, in current form, he looks set to be a hard man to beat once again when he makes his way up the Washington Road and onto Magnolia Lane.

What to watch out for

Cricket: The ICC World Twenty20 gets underway today. Zimbabwe take on Hong Kong in the opening game before Scotland face Afghanistan. Sky Sports 2 from 9am.

Soccer: Arsenal travel to play Hull City in their FA Cup fifth round replay. BT Sport 1 from 6.30pm.

In the Champions League Real Madrid play Roma (TV3 from 7.30) while Wolfsburg take on Gent (BT Sport 2 from 7.30).