Ireland will attempt to record their first ever away victory over France in the Women’s Six Nations when the sides meet at the Stade Marcel-Michelin in Clermont on Saturday.
The ambitious visitors have set their sights on shattering the traditional dominance of England and France at the pinnacle of European rugby.
A victory this weekend would mark a significant milestone towards their stated objective of breaking into the world’s top four rankings ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
However, Scott Bemand’s side must overcome a heavy burden of history to emerge triumphant against formidable opposition.
Overcoming past heartbreak
The national team has never defeated Les Bleus on French soil.
Since securing a narrow 13-10 success in Dublin in 2017, the women in green have suffered seven consecutive Six Nations defeats to their continental rivals.
During that barren spell, the average winning margin for the French has been a daunting 30 points.
Recent encounters have been much closer, including an agonising World Cup quarter-final in Exeter where the French recovered from a 13-0 deficit to win 18-13.
Surging momentum and confidence
Despite those painful memories, the current crop of players travel to the continent fueled by genuine belief.
That self-assurance was heavily bolstered by a ruthless nine-try demolition of Italy in Galway last week.
The spectacular 57-20 triumph featured a blistering first-half performance and an impressive hat-trick from explosive winger Beibhinn Parsons.
This attacking display followed a resilient second-half showing against world champions England at Twickenham earlier in the campaign.
A shift in mentality
Refusing to embrace the traditional underdog label, the squad remains publicly defiant ahead of this daunting fixture.
“I’d be worried, if I was them.”
Stacey Flood
The full-back offered that bold assessment when asked how their upcoming opponents would view the recent high-scoring victory over the Italians.
Forward Aoife Wafer echoed that defiant sentiment, emphasizing a deep-seated desire for redemption.
“I think this group has always had belief and it’ll be no different in France. I think we owe them one.”
Aoife Wafer
Head coach Bemand expressed his satisfaction with the confident mindset radiating from the Irish camp.
“We’ve got to take the best bits of both games and continue to go after our own 85-minute performance,” the manager concluded.
To secure a famous upset, the visitors will need to combine that unshakeable belief with relentless consistency until the final whistle blows.
Tottenham Hotspur have placed five players on the transfer list ahead of a crucial summer window as the struggling club battle to avoid Premier League relegation.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are currently enduring a miserable campaign and sit 18th in the top-flight standings.
The north London outfit finished 17th last season, and their continued failure to improve has forced a radical squad overhaul.
Loan departures and expiring contracts
Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani are expected to return to Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain respectively when their temporary deals expire.
The high-profile duo have struggled to find consistent form since arriving in the capital.
Securing permanent deals for the underperforming pair is no longer considered a viable option by the club hierarchy.
Veteran defender Ben Davies is also set to depart when his contract runs out at the end of the current campaign.
First-team regulars face the exit door
Romanian centre-back Radu Dragusin has been deemed surplus to requirements and is expected to be sold.
He is joined on the chopping block by Senegalese international Pape Matar Sarr in a move that may surprise some supporters.
However, there is growing external pressure for the club to be even more ruthless to recoup funds from recent big-money acquisitions.
Calls for further high-profile sales
Club-record signing Dominic Solanke has failed to justify his £65m price tag following a season blighted by fitness issues and poor form.
Guglielmo Vicario is another player facing intense scrutiny after enduring a dismal campaign between the posts.
The Italian goalkeeper cost £17m, but the struggling side desperately need to upgrade their options in that critical position.
Finally, £35m midfielder Yves Bissouma has barely featured this term and remains a prime candidate to be offloaded during the upcoming fire sale.
Recouping the combined £117m spent on that underperforming trio will prove incredibly difficult in the current transfer market.
Tottenham Hotspur want to sign Bayern Munich loanee Joao Palhinha on a permanent deal this summer but are seeking to renegotiate his £26m option-to-buy clause.
The north London club are already planning their summer recruitment despite being embroiled in a desperate battle to avoid Premier League relegation.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi is understood to be keen on keeping the Portugal international after a rollercoaster season in the capital.
Hurdles in permanent deal
Palhinha originally joined Bayern from Fulham for an initial £42m before making the temporary switch to Tottenham.
The current loan agreement includes a £26m purchase option that factors in potential add-ons.
However, the Spurs hierarchy want to drive down that asking price to reflect the 30-year-old’s fading form during the second half of the campaign.
A permanent move is highly unlikely if the German giants refuse to lower their financial demands.
Survival hopes dictate summer plans
Any future transfer activity remains heavily dependent on Tottenham securing their top-flight status.
The club already have agreements in principle to sign Liverpool defender Andy Robertson and Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi.
Both of those prospective free transfers will collapse if the former Europa League champions suffer relegation to the Championship.
Crucial clash at Molineux
De Zerbi’s struggling side travel to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday sitting two points from safety with just five league matches remaining.
The team have incredibly not registered a Premier League victory since December.
Failure to beat Rob Edwards’ side this weekend will push them closer to joining the already-relegated bottom club in England’s second tier next season.
Rangers have asked the Scottish Professional Football League to intervene after Celtic refused to allocate away tickets for the final Old Firm derby of the season unless a prominent ultras group is banned.
A sub-committee of the SPFL board will convene next week to issue a ruling before the crucial Glasgow clash on Sunday, 10 May.
The bitter dispute stems from crowd disorder during a Scottish Cup quarter-final on 8 March, which saw spectators from both clubs invade the pitch following a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
An independent Scottish FA investigation into those events, led by sports event consultant Mark Blackbourne, remains ongoing.
Safety concerns and ticket ultimatums
Ahead of a fixture that could heavily influence a tight three-way Premiership title race involving Heart of Midlothian, the Parkhead side have demanded the exclusion of the Union Bears.
The current league leaders claim this specific section of the visiting support was identifiably engaged in serious violence during the recent cup tie.
“Celtic FC informed us that they will not provide any tickets for the forthcoming game to our supporters unless we agree not to allocate tickets to members of the Union Bears,” a Rangers statement read.
“We have firmly rejected those conditions and have referred the matter to the SPFL board.”
Sporting integrity and precedent fears
The Ibrox club stressed they have strongly condemned the actions of certain individuals involved in the March disturbances and have attempted to work collaboratively on matchday security.
Officials in Govan believe that banning their travelling fans from such a defining fixture would introduce a material sporting imbalance.
“It would also set a precedent with potentially significant consequences for the league in future seasons,” the visitors added.
“This game is an opportunity for Scottish football to demonstrate that it can respond constructively to recent events.”
In response, Celtic have maintained that their primary focus remains the safety of everyone attending the stadium in Glasgow’s East End.
“Celtic’s priority will always be the safety of those attending Celtic Park and, following a detailed risk assessment with regards to the forthcoming match, the club has made a reasonable request of Rangers FC,” the hosts stated.
The home side insists they are fully prepared to release the standard away allocation, provided their specific distribution conditions are met.
Manchester United are planning a £70m summer move for AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit as they look to rebuild their squad and replace the departing Casemiro.
The 20-year-old Dutchman has emerged as a primary target for the Old Trafford club following an impressive domestic campaign.
Caretaker manager Michael Carrick has guided the Red Devils to the brink of Champions League qualification, making them a highly attractive destination.
A crucial 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge has left the club sitting comfortably in third place, representing a remarkable turnaround from their 15th-place finish last season.
Midfield rebuild underway
Club executives view the highly-rated prospect as a foundational piece of a wider midfield overhaul.
The technical department has prioritised finding a long-term successor for veteran Brazilian Casemiro, whose current contract expires at the end of the campaign.
Smit has registered five goals and 10 assists across 45 appearances in all competitions this term, showcasing his ability to dictate play from deep positions.
His general intelligence and confidence on the ball have consequently drawn the attention of several elite European scouts.
Rival interest and key advantages
Chelsea reportedly consider the talented playmaker a long-term development project, while Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are also monitoring his situation.
However, the Manchester side hold two distinct advantages in the race to secure the youngster’s signature.
The impending return of Champions League football to the Theatre of Dreams offers the perfect platform for the player to test himself at the highest level.
Furthermore, the club boasts a strong working relationship with his representative, Jorge Mendes.
The Portuguese super-agent already represents recent high-profile acquisitions Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte, potentially smoothing the path for another lucrative transfer.
England host an injury-hit Wales at Ashton Gate in the Women’s Six Nations on Saturday, aiming to extend their historic 35-Test winning streak against opponents desperate for form.
The Red Roses are chasing a fifth consecutive Grand Slam and remain one of the most dominant sides in global sport.
John Mitchell’s squad delivered a ruthless 12-try demolition of Scotland in Edinburgh last weekend despite carrying their own minor injury concerns.
The visiting side, by stark contrast, arrive at a sold-out Bristol venue possessing just one victory from their last 12 international outings.
Injury crisis deepens for the visitors
Welsh head coach Sean Lynn has been dealt severe blows following the late withdrawals of experienced duo Hannah Dallavalle and captain Kate Williams.
Dallavalle’s groin injury hands Jenna De Vera the biggest start of her fledging career, having only made her international debut against France last week.
Bethan Lewis assumes the back-row captaincy, while Branwen Metcalfe earns her maiden Test start in a heavily disrupted pack.
In a remarkable storyline, flanker Alisha Joyce returns to the replacements bench just five months after giving birth.
The returning back-rower has played only 30 minutes of competitive Celtic Challenge rugby this season but impressed the coaching staff during training.
Mitchell rotates formidable hosts
England manager Mitchell has opted to shake up his starting XV once again, handing a debut to Bristol Bears wing Millie David.
Claudia Moloney-MacDonald starts on the opposite flank as the world’s top-ranked side look to brutally exploit their opponents’ vulnerabilities.
The lethal Ellie Kildunne returns to full-back after scoring a hat-trick in this exact fixture last year.
Up front, MacKenzie Carson and Sarah Bern are promoted from the bench alongside Marlie Packer, while Holly Aitchison reclaims the fly-half shirt.
Facing the ultimate challenge
The away side showed admirable grit during their recent defeat by France, but containing a squad full of household names will require a near-superhuman effort.
“England are the trailblazers in the women’s game and have stolen a march on all of us in the Six Nations.”
Sean Lynn, Wales Head Coach
Defending champion Sabastian Sawe believes he can break the late Kelvin Kiptum’s course record at Sunday’s London Marathon.
The 29-year-old Kenyan triumphed in last year’s race with a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds.
Speaking ahead of the prestigious event, the reigning victor stated that Kiptum’s three-year-old mark of 2:01:25 is well within his sights.
When questioned whether his footwear possessed the required quality to deliver a new world best, the elite distance runner simply replied in the affirmative.
Kiplimo presents primary challenge
His most formidable opposition will likely come from Ugandan star Jacob Kiplimo, who arrives in the English capital fresh from winning the Chicago Marathon.
The home crowd will be disappointed by the absence of Emile Cairess, after the Olympic fourth-place finisher withdrew due to a persistent calf injury while chasing Mo Farah’s British record.
However, domestic hopes remain resting on the shoulders of Mahamed Mahamed, alongside Paris 2024 Olympian Phil Sesemann and Patrick Dever.
Adding a unique subplot to the elite men’s race, reigning Olympic triathlon gold medallist Alex Yee returns to the streets of London to act as a pacemaker.
Assefa eyes further history
In the elite women’s contest, Ethiopian sensation Tigst Assefa intends to shatter her own women-only world record as she defends her crown.
The reigning champion established the current benchmark of 2:15:50 at this exact event last year, sensationally lowering the previous standard by 26 seconds.
My training has gone well, it has been better, even, than my preparation last year, so I think it is possible to beat the record I set last year.
Tigst Assefa
Standing in the way of back-to-back victories is a formidable lineup featuring New York Marathon winner Hellen Obiri and British contenders Eilish McColgan and Jess Warner-Judd.
McColgan reflected warmly on the incredible atmosphere during her debut over the iconic 26.2-mile course last year.
I didn’t even know how I was putting one foot in front of the other after 20 miles, but I was somehow moving forward in some sort of manner, and without the crowds I think that would have been a hell of a lot harder.
Eilish McColgan
Liverpool are weighing up a £22m summer transfer for Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries as manager Arne Slot seeks vital defensive reinforcements.
The Netherlands international reportedly has an active release clause in his current contract at the San Siro ahead of the upcoming window.
According to reporter Paul Joyce, the Anfield hierarchy are acutely aware of the defender’s situation as they prepare for a crucial period of recruitment.
It follows a challenging domestic campaign for the Merseyside club, who are currently battling to secure Champions League qualification after an inconsistent spell.
Injury crisis forces defensive rethink
Liverpool underwent significant changes in the right-back position last summer when they brought in Jeremie Frimpong to replace the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, the former Bayer Leverkusen star has struggled to maintain consistent form and fitness during his debut season in England.
Matters were further complicated when promising youngster Conor Bradley suffered a serious knee injury that sidelined him for a large portion of the campaign.
These setbacks have repeatedly forced head coach Slot to deploy midfield duo Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai in unfamiliar defensive roles.
Experience key for crucial window
Signing the seasoned Serie A defender would provide a reliable and experienced alternative to the attack-minded Frimpong.
While both players naturally prefer operating high up the pitch, the former PSV Eindhoven captain is widely regarded as a more proven asset at the highest level.
The Reds are under significant pressure to ensure their upcoming transfer activity is successful as they attempt to re-establish themselves among Europe’s elite.
Securing a recognised international full-back for a relatively modest fee would represent a pragmatic step toward rebuilding their depleted backline.