The Morning Sports Briefing

Rugby

Having already qualified for the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup, a win tonight against Castres at Pierre-Antoine would ensure Leinster of a lucrative and advantageous home quarter-final.

Gerry Thornley explains how a “quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium would be worth the guts of €1 million, of which €600,000-€700,00 would go to Leinster’s coffers, while history has shown us that home sides have won more than 75 per cent of quarter-finals in the last 20 seasons.”

Cian Healy has been handed a start for the encounter, and he is relishing his opportunity. Along with Healy, Richardt Strauss has been promoted in the front row while Ross Molony replaces the suspended Hayden Triggs.

Liam Toland: All schools games should be played on 4G pitches

---

Bord Gáis Energy hurling deal worth more than €1m a year

---

Leinster championship gate receipts fall by nearly €1m

---

Lee Chin’s late points secure thrilling win for Wexford over Dublin

---

Liam Toland believes that all schools rugby games should be played on 4G pitches after witnessing Glenstal and St Clement's do battle in the Munster Senior Cup at the University of Limerick.

“The 4G pitch has transformed the early stages (January) of schools competitions where there was no lack of ambition on the ball and the ball carrier got to full flight within a few paces as opposed to being dragged down in the quagmire of mud.”

GAA

Bord Gáis Energy was formally announced on Thursday as the All-Ireland hurling championship's seventh sponsorship partner since the GAA adopted the multi-sponsor model in 2008. The three-year deal is believed to be worth more than €1,000,000 a year.

Galway's three-time All Star Joe Canning says that hurling in his county is suffering because of a lack of big championship matches to showcase at home

In the nine years since he made his debut, the Portumna attacker has played only two championship matches at home - “It’s very hard for people in Connemara for people who love hurling to travel an hour to Galway and then two hours to Dublin or wherever to see a game.”

Tennis

Meanwhile this morning Andy Murray beat Sam Querrey with ease to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open. He will now face Germany’s world number 50 Mischa Zverev, who is into the last 16 at a major tournament for the first time.

What to watch out for

Leinster travel to face Castres tonight, kick-off is at 7.45pm.

Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm

Two live matches from the African Cup of Nations today, Ivory Coast play Congo at 4pm, while Morocco play Togo at 7pm.

Eurosport 1 from 3.45pm

Australian Open (day five) action continues until 3.30pm.

Eurosport