Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will soon hold discussions with the Irish Rugby Football Union regarding his long-term future following a successful Six Nations campaign.
Speculation surrounding the 48-year-old’s position intensified during the tournament amid recent links to Premiership side Saracens.
The English club recently released a statement dismissing reports that suggested they had offered the former dual-code international a coaching role after the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Focus turns to impending negotiations
Following a resounding 43-21 victory over Scotland, attention has firmly shifted back to the manager’s contract situation.
The Wigan native reiterated his commitment to the national setup while humorously noting the immense pressures of elite management.
“We’ve already spoken about having a conversation, and that won’t be too far away, so we’ll see how that goes,” Farrell said.
“You know that I love this, but there’s all sorts of stuff that needs to be talked about.”
Building momentum for the Nations Championship
Despite retaining the Triple Crown with four wins from five matches, the Irish squad narrowly missed out on the overall championship title to France.
The coaching staff are now tasked with priming a 35-player group for the inaugural summer Nations Championship.
This upcoming tournament features high-profile fixtures against Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.
In order to guarantee selection, the head coach expects his team to replicate their dominant international form upon returning to their provincial clubs.
“We’ll see what the momentum is when the lads go back to their provinces now,” he added.
“People have to grow through this, and the lads who have had a sniff of it, it’s up to them to keep competing to show they’ve learned some lessons.”
The Asian Football Confederation has not received official notification of Iran withdrawing from the upcoming World Cup, despite claims from the country’s sports minister that participation is impossible.
Team Melli have qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament, which is scheduled to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.
The Middle Eastern nation are slated to play two group-stage fixtures in Los Angeles and a third match in Seattle.
Political tensions cast doubt over participation
Uncertainty surrounding the team’s involvement intensified following recent geopolitical escalations in the region.
Iran’s sports minister recently stated it would be impossible for their squad to travel after joint United States and Israeli airstrikes targeted Tehran.
Those military actions resulted in the death of the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
US President Donald Trump addressed the situation last week, stating the Iranian squad was technically welcome to attend the global showpiece.
However, the American leader added that it might not be appropriate for the players to travel for the sake of their own life and safety.
Fifa faces potential replacement headache
AFC general secretary Windsor John addressed the growing speculation during a press briefing in Kuala Lumpur.
It’s a very emotional moment. Everybody’s saying a lot of things.
At the end of the day, it’s the federation who should decide if they’re playing, and as of today, the federation has told us that they are going to the World Cup.
They are our member, we want them to play. You know, they qualified… so we hope that they will solve their issues, whatever it is, and be able to participate.
An official withdrawal by the Asian powerhouse would be the first instance of a nation pulling out of the modern tournament.
Such a late departure would present world governing body Fifa with an urgent logistical crisis to find a suitable replacement team.
The summer competition is scheduled to run from 11 June to 19 July.
Istanbulspor defender Baran Alp Vardar has died at the age of 20 following a long battle with cancer, the Turkish club has announced.
The highly-rated centre-back came through the academy system at the Istanbul-based side.
He made his top-flight debut earlier this year, registering three appearances for the first team during the 2023-24 campaign.
However, the young prospect was forced to put his professional career on hold to undergo extensive medical treatment for his illness.
‘Profound grief over the loss’
The TFF First League club confirmed the tragic news on Sunday via a social media statement.
We are experiencing profound grief over the loss of our footballer, our dear Baran Alp Vardar, who has been undergoing cancer treatment for some time.
Baran Alp, with his character, loyalty to his team-mates and cheerful smile, will always be remembered.
Club officials added that his departure at such a young age had deeply wounded everyone associated with the team.
A funeral service for the former academy graduate will take place at the Beylikduzu Mevlana Mosque on Sunday afternoon.
Turkish football unites in mourning
Tributes have poured in from across the sporting community following the devastating announcement.
Super Lig giants Galatasaray expressed their sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the player’s family.
May Allah grant mercy to the deceased; we extend our condolences to his family, loved ones, and the Istanbulspor community.
Rivals Fenerbahce released a similar statement echoing those sentiments and wishing the young defender peace.
A challenging domestic campaign
The tragic loss comes during a difficult season on the pitch for the deceased defender’s club.
They currently sit 14th in Turkey’s second tier, having accumulated 39 points from 31 matches.
The squad must now begin the heartbreaking process of navigating the remainder of their schedule while coming to terms with the death of their team-mate.
Arsenal are awaiting vital injury updates on Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard ahead of a defining week in their pursuit of an unprecedented quadruple.
The Premier League leaders extended their advantage at the summit with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Everton.
Late strikes from Viktor Gyokeres and Max Dowman, who became the youngest scorer in Premier League history, secured the points.
Mikel Arteta’s side now require just 16 points from their remaining seven league fixtures after title rivals Manchester City drew at West Ham.
Timber concern clouds vital week
Attention now shifts to a Champions League last-16 second leg against Bayer Leverkusen, followed by Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City.
However, preparations have been disrupted after Timber was forced off late in the first half against the Toffees.
The Dutch defender received on-pitch treatment before being surprisingly replaced by Cristhian Mosquera.
He is now considered a major doubt for both crucial cup fixtures at the Emirates Stadium and Wembley respectively.
Captain nearing crucial comeback
Arsenal have been without club captain Odegaard since he provided an assist in last month’s resounding north London derby victory over Tottenham.
The Norwegian playmaker has missed five matches across all competitions with a persistent knee problem.
Leandro Trossard also sat out the weekend victory having sustained a knock against Mansfield.
The Belgian international did participate in training before the first-leg trip to Germany, raising hopes of an imminent return.
When questioned on the availability of his captain and Trossard, the Arsenal manager remained cautious.
“We will have to wait and see, speak to the doctors on whether they are involved or not.”
Long-term midfield absentee
While Arteta hopes to welcome back key attacking personnel, his midfield options remain restricted.
Spanish international Mikel Merino remains sidelined after undergoing surgery last month on a serious foot injury.
Defending champions the UConn Huskies begin their quest for a 13th national title and a seventh perfect season when they face UTSA in the opening round of the 2026 women’s NCAA tournament.
Geno Auriemma’s side enter March Madness as the number one overall seed on the back of a formidable 50-game winning streak.
The collegiate powerhouse boast an unblemished 34-0 record this campaign.
They currently possess Division I’s most relentless defence, conceding a mere 50.4 points per game while averaging 88.8 points offensively.
Scouting the unbeatable
Rival coaches and analysts face an immense challenge in devising a blueprint to disrupt the tournament favourites.
Led by national player of the year favourite Sarah Strong, the Huskies have dismantled almost every opponent with ease.
Projected 2026 WNBA number one draft pick Azzi Fudd provides devastating firepower for the reigning champions.
The dominant programme has secured victory by double digits in all but one fixture this season.
The path to another crown
The road to glory begins in the Fort Worth 1 Regional on Saturday against 16th seed UTSA.
Karen Aston’s Roadrunners claimed the American Conference championship to secure only their third ever NCAA tournament appearance.
Despite the Texas-based outfit arriving with momentum, history remains heavily stacked against them.
Only one 16th seed has ever eliminated a top seed in the history of the women’s competition.
Overcoming the psychological hurdle
A significant part of defeating the 12-time national champions involves overcoming their towering reputation.
“They win so many games before the tip.”
One anonymous evaluator highlighted the immense mental block teams face before even stepping onto the court.
Should the tournament follow projected seedings, a tantalising rematch of the 2025 NCAA title game against South Carolina awaits in the Final Four.
However, snapping this historic undefeated run will require a flawless performance from any challenger brave enough to take them on.
Arsenal will host Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday amid transfer interest in Kai Havertz and praise for record-breaking teenager Max Dowman.
The Premier League leaders are looking to advance in Europe after extending their advantage at the summit of the domestic table with a weekend victory over Everton.
German international Havertz is vying for a starting spot against his former employers, having scored a crucial late penalty to equalise in the first leg.
Leverkusen leave door open for Havertz
The 25-year-old forward initially made his name at the BayArena, registering 150 appearances as a teenager before sealing a lucrative £72m move to Chelsea in 2020.
Leverkusen managing director Simon Rolfes has publicly admitted he would make a rare exception to re-sign the versatile attacker.
“I’m generally sceptical about bringing former players back, but with Kai and Florian Wirtz, I would make an exception,” Rolfes told German television.
The Bundesliga club maintain a close relationship with their academy graduate following his departure four years ago.
“He spent 10 years in our youth system, we maintain close contact with Kai and if the situation arises, we would need to have a conversation,” the director added.
However, the Leverkusen chief acknowledged that the in-form forward is currently thriving in North London and remains focused on reaching the pinnacle of world football.
Arteta calls for calm over record-breaker Dowman
While the former Chelsea man drew a blank against the Toffees last weekend, 16-year-old academy product Max Dowman seized the spotlight.
The highly-rated midfielder became the Premier League’s youngest-ever goalscorer to secure a vital three points for Mikel Arteta’s side.
The teenage starlet previously made his European debut as a substitute against Slavia Prague in November.
Despite the growing clamour for the youngster to earn a starting berth, the Gunners boss is determined to manage expectations carefully.
“Let’s come down to earth today and enjoy the moment, because it was intense and it was worth it and we will see tomorrow,” Arteta stated.
The Spanish tactician must now balance his squad effectively as the title challengers continue to compete for silverware across four different competitions.
Duke have been named the top overall seed for the men’s NCAA tournament, joining Arizona, Michigan and defending champions Florida as the four number one seeds for March Madness.
The Blue Devils enter the three-week post-season tournament boasting an impressive 11-game winning streak.
They possess a formidable 32-2 record and feature player-of-the-year favourite Cameron Boozer.
Boozer has been instrumental in guiding the Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouse to the summit of collegiate basketball this season.
Heavyweights clash in East Region
The top-seeded squad will face stiff competition in a highly competitive East bracket.
Connecticut have been drawn as the number two seed in the same section.
A storied group of Hall of Fame coaches will also navigate the East region.
Tom Izzo’s Michigan State, Bill Self’s Kansas and Rick Pitino’s St John’s all pose significant threats in the 16-team quadrant.
Wildcats aim to end Final Four drought
Out West, Arizona are targeting their first Final Four appearance since 2001.
The Tucson-based outfit must navigate a challenging path that includes second-seeded Purdue.
Gonzaga, Arkansas and Wisconsin also feature in a punishing West bracket.
Miami secure final tournament spot
Further down the seeding, Miami of Ohio successfully claimed the final at-large tournament berth.
The RedHawks recently suffered their first defeat of the campaign against UMass in the Mid-American Conference quarter-finals.
They will now face Southern Methodist University in the preliminary First Four round.
Former heavyweight world champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have reportedly agreed terms for a highly anticipated all-British mega-fight.
The historic bout between the iconic fighters has been speculated upon for years but repeatedly failed to materialise.
However, veteran boxing journalist Gareth A Davies has now revealed that a deal is firmly in place for the long-time rivals to finally meet in the ring.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Davies claimed that an agreement has been quietly secured by major financial backers.
“The Fury-Joshua fight is signed. Okay, it is signed in the background. I’ve got that on good authority,” Davies said.
Fury builds towards highly anticipated ring return
‘The Gypsy King’ is currently preparing to end his brief retirement when he faces Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April.
The 37-year-old previously stepped away from the sport following consecutive defeats to Ukrainian undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2024.
His upcoming comeback card is being facilitated by Saudi Arabian powerbrokers, which perfectly aligns with the lucrative forces expected to back the Joshua clash.
Addressing the definitive timeline for the domestic showdown, Davies expressed supreme confidence that the historic event is firmly on track.
“Agreed. They are moving towards it, but they both want the fight. It’s on the cards and it’s going to happen.”
Joshua plans comeback following tragic accident
While his rival prepares for April, the Watford-born star remains sidelined following his involvement in a fatal car crash in Nigeria last December.
The tragic accident cast significant doubt over his boxing future, but the Olympic gold medallist is now expected to resume his professional career.
Prior to the incident, the 35-year-old had returned to winning ways with a brutal knockout victory against American crossover star Jake Paul.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has publicly indicated that a July return is the most realistic target for the former unified champion.
Recent reports suggest he could initially face compatriot Dillian Whyte to settle an old rivalry before turning his full attention to the looming mega-fight.