Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says Saturday’s Six Nations Triple Crown decider against Scotland in Dublin provides the perfect high-stakes preparation for the next World Cup.

The men in green are aiming to secure a trio of victories over their Celtic and English rivals for the second successive year.

Meanwhile, the visiting side will attempt to achieve that exact same feat for the first time since 1990.

High stakes at the Aviva Stadium

A championship title remains a distinct possibility for whichever nation emerges victorious from this weekend’s highly anticipated clash.

That wider tournament outcome depends entirely on England defeating France in Paris later on Saturday evening.

“You should never underestimate going for a Triple Crown, it’s huge and it means a lot to us, but it’s also going to mean a lot to them as well.”

The English-born tactician is eager to evaluate his squad under the intense scrutiny of a must-win scenario.

“What’s coming down the line in the next 18 months, coming into the last week with the Triple Crown on the line, it’s going to be the type of pressure that we want to be able to deal with.”

Historical records become irrelevant

The Scottish outfit have failed to defeat their opponents since a memorable triumph at Murrayfield during the 2017 tournament.

However, the national team manager insists that recent dominance counts for absolutely nothing when the opening whistle blows.

“The record becomes irrelevant when next week comes around, because they’re a great side, a talented side, they’re well coached, they’ve had some big wins.”
“We’re expecting a massive game next week and the record doesn’t come into it because it’s a proper Test match and a good week to get excited about.”

Praise for versatile O’Toole

Beyond the collective team goals, the former rugby league star singled out Ulster prop Tom O’Toole for his impressive adaptability.

The forward performed admirably at loose-head against Wales during Friday’s 27-17 victory, despite traditionally operating on the tight-head side.

“It’s amazing what he’s done, it’s a lot more difficult than what people would think.”

The coaching staff were particularly thrilled by the player’s mental resilience and strict refusal to search for convenient excuses in an unfamiliar role.

“Everyone knows how difficult it is to switch but he committed to it and we’ve seen that type of scrummaging performance in training, and he got us a few penalties on the back of that.”

Such positional flexibility offers invaluable tactical options as the squad navigates potential injury crises ahead of the global showcase.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is intensifying his training to regain pace ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 trip to Real Madrid.

The Norwegian forward was omitted from the squad that secured an FA Cup fifth-round victory at Newcastle United on Saturday.

Manager Pep Guardiola opted to rest his star attacker following a recent knock that also forced him to miss a Premier League win at Leeds United.

Instead of travelling to St James’ Park, the former Borussia Dortmund man spent the weekend focusing on tailored fitness work.

Guardiola prioritises match rhythm

The City boss believes dedicated training sessions are currently more beneficial for the prolific goalscorer than limited match minutes.

“I didn’t think to let him play and I prefer him training to make a rhythm,” said Guardiola.

“After injury, when he drops, he always struggles a little bit to have that real, real pace.”

The Catalan manager heavily rotated his side against Newcastle, leaving crucial figures like Rodri, Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva as unused substitutes.

Defensive injury concerns linger

The reigning European champions will travel to the Bernabeu for the first leg of their crucial knockout tie without several defensive options.

Versatile teenager Rico Lewis is nearing a return from a swollen ankle but the midweek clash in Spain arrives too soon.

Guardiola also provided updates on long-term absentees Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol as the business end of the season approaches.

Kovacic returns to training

Croatian midfielder Kovacic has been restricted to just two appearances this campaign due to a persistent ankle issue.

“Great news, finally he’s back training for the last three or four training sessions,” Guardiola added.

However, the manager cautioned that the former Chelsea playmaker still requires time to rebuild his match conditioning.

Fellow international Gvardiol faces a more extended spell in the treatment room after sustaining a broken leg in January.

“There’s a bit longer still,” the City manager admitted regarding the centre-back.

“I hope so [he’ll return] but I don’t know when.”

Great Britain’s Sky Brown has secured her second world championship gold medal after topping the standings in a rain-shortened park event final in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday.

The 17-year-old was comfortably leading the pack with an impressive score of 88.16 when organisers were forced to abandon the third run due to adverse weather.

Japan’s Mizuho Hasegawa claimed the silver medal with a score of 84.36, while American skater Minna Stess took bronze with 83.90.

Mixed emotions despite victory

Despite claiming the top spot on the podium, the teenage sensation expressed slight disappointment regarding the abrupt conclusion to the competition when speaking to World Skate.

“The level is crazy. I had to put a lot down to get here, but I am definitely bummed how we couldn’t fully do a final.”

Securing the victory on International Women’s Day added profound emotional weight to the achievement for the British Olympian.

“To win, to be a world champion on International Women’s Day definitely means a lot, but there are bigger things going on.”

“This feels huge and I am so thankful but there are bigger things, I just pray for peace.”

A history of record-breaking success

This latest triumph adds another remarkable chapter to an already glittering career for the young athlete.

She previously made history by becoming her nation’s first skateboarding world champion at the age of 14 after securing park gold in Sharjah in 2023.

The prodigy also remains Britain’s youngest Olympic medal winner of all time.

That historic milestone was achieved when she won park bronze as a 13-year-old at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games.

Para-alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina has won Russia’s first Paralympic gold medal since 2014 by securing victory in the standing super G on Monday.

The 23-year-old crossed the finish line in one minute 15.6 seconds on the iconic Olimpia delle Tofane piste.

She finished almost two seconds clear of French silver medallist Aurelie Richard, while Sweden’s Ebba Aarsjoe claimed bronze.

This triumphant run comes just two days after the two-time world champion secured a standing downhill bronze to claim her nation’s first medal of the Games.

Russian flag returns to the podium

These Games mark the first appearance of the Russian flag at a Paralympics since the nation hosted the Sochi event 12 years ago.

Russia and its athletes were previously banned following a massive state-sponsored doping scandal.

Further sporting sanctions were subsequently imposed following the country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The national anthem will now be played during the victory ceremony once all daily Para-alpine events conclude.

Late clearance for competition

The newly crowned Paralympic champion and her team-mates only returned to international skiing competition this January.

This followed a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the international governing body, FIS.

FIS had initially refused to lift its ban on competitors from Russia and Belarus despite the International Paralympic Committee ending its own suspension last September.

The initial ban was implemented on the eve of the Winter Paralympics four years ago before being softened to allow neutral participation.

Competing at her debut Games, the lightning-fast skier still has four additional opportunities to secure further medals.

Formula 1 returns to Shanghai for the first Sprint weekend of the 2026 season, with George Russell and Mercedes looking to extend their early championship lead following a dominant display in Australia.

The Shanghai International Circuit hosts the second round of the new regulatory era, introducing the alternative weekend format to the dramatically redesigned cars.

Just a single practice session will be available before competitive action begins with Friday’s Sprint Qualifying.

New regulations face severe aerodynamic test

While the season-opening race in Melbourne heavily rewarded teams who mastered the new power units, the Chinese track presents an entirely different technical challenge.

Sweeping turns and a grueling 3.387-mile layout demand exceptional aerodynamic balance from the entire grid.

High tyre degradation is historically a major factor at this venue, largely driven by the long, high-speed corners that lead onto the expansive back straight.

Chasing pack aims to close the gap

Ferrari arrive in Asia carrying significant momentum after an impressive opening weekend.

The Scuderia will also be buoyed by a return to the scene of Lewis Hamilton’s most successful outing for the Italian marque during the previous campaign.

The seven-time world champion secured a memorable Sprint victory at this very circuit last year.

Meanwhile, both McLaren and Red Bull are desperately seeking stronger performances to prevent the Brackley-based squad from establishing an early advantage.

Cool conditions and F1 Academy action

Track temperatures will remain unusually low throughout the three days of running, with ambient readings hovering around a cool 18C.

Crucially for the teams attempting to understand their new machinery, current forecasts predict a completely dry weekend with no rain expected to disrupt the tightly packed schedule.

Fans will also see the return of the all-female F1 Academy series, which commences its fourth season with two support races across the weekend.

The crucial 19-lap Sprint itself gets underway in the early hours of Saturday morning for UK audiences, offering the first bonus points of the new campaign.

Six English clubs will continue their Champions League campaigns this week across TNT Sports and Prime Video as the knockout stages begin.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur all feature in the round of 16.

The knockout phase commences on Tuesday with Liverpool visiting Turkey to play Galatasaray.

Meanwhile, Spurs travel to Spain to face Atlético Madrid despite hovering just one point above the Premier League relegation zone.

Newcastle face Barcelona test

Newcastle United host Spanish giants Barcelona in the most highly anticipated Tuesday evening fixture.

Eddie Howe’s side secured their progression by comfortably dispatching Qarabag 9-3 on aggregate in the play-off round.

Amazon Prime Video exclusively holds the broadcasting rights for the Magpies’ crucial first-leg encounter.

This allows supporters to stream the match for free using an active Amazon Prime subscription or trial.

Arsenal and City face away trips

Arsenal resume their European journey on Wednesday following an exceptional group stage performance.

The Gunners finished top of the league phase to end three points clear of German powerhouses Bayern Munich.

Mikel Arteta’s squad now travel to Germany to take on Bayer Leverkusen.

Manchester City also face a challenging away tie against European specialists Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Elsewhere, Chelsea visit the French capital to challenge Paris St-Germain.

Complete television schedule

The remaining matches across the two days will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports.

Here are the confirmed television details for the upcoming Champions League fixtures.

Former Barcelona manager Xavi has accused club president Joan Laporta of deliberately vetoing a proposed return for Lionel Messi in 2023 despite securing financial approval from La Liga.

The revelation comes during an explosive interview with La Vanguardia just a week before the Catalan club’s presidential elections are scheduled to take place.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner famously left Camp Nou in 2021 amid severe financial difficulties, spending two unhappy seasons at Paris St-Germain before ultimately joining Inter Miami.

‘Laporta threw everything out’

Rumours of a romantic return to Spain heavily circulated following the Argentine’s triumphant World Cup campaign in Qatar.

Discussions between the coaching staff and the player’s camp apparently progressed seamlessly for several months during early 2023.

However, the legendary Spanish midfielder alleges that the highly anticipated transfer collapsed entirely due to executive interference.

“The president started negotiating the contract with Leo’s father, and we had La Liga’s approval, but it was the president who threw everything out.”

Fears of a ‘war’ and damaged relationships

According to the 44-year-old tactician, the club hierarchy feared the unparalleled influence the forward would wield upon his homecoming.

“Laporta told me, and I quote, that if Leo came back, he was going to wage war against him and that he couldn’t allow it.”

Following this private declaration, communication between the recruitment team and the player’s representatives abruptly ceased.

The South American icon reportedly stopped answering calls from his former team-mate after being informed by executives that the transfer was unfeasible.

This sudden breakdown in communication temporarily fractured the bond between two of Barcelona’s most celebrated figures.

“It affected my relationship with Leo a lot, but now it’s good again because he understands it now,” added Xavi.

Jose Mourinho was sent off during Benfica’s 2-2 draw with former club Porto on Sunday following a touchline altercation where he was allegedly branded a “traitor” by an opposing coach.

The Portuguese manager was shown a red card in the second half after match officials deemed he had intentionally kicked a ball towards the away bench.

However, the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss was left furious with Porto assistant Lucho Gonzalez, who he claims repeatedly insulted him in the tunnel.

Mourinho famously led Porto to Champions League glory in 2004 but now finds himself managing their fierce domestic rivals.

‘A traitor to what?’

The veteran tactician was eager to defend his professionalism following the fiery encounter at the Estadio da Luz.

“The FC Porto bench person who was also sent off called me a traitor 50 times in the tunnel,” Mourinho stated post-match.

“I’d like him to explain: traitor to what?”

The two-time European Cup winner emphasised that his commitment to his current employers is absolute, regardless of his historic ties to the opposition.

“I was at FC Porto, I gave my soul to FC Porto,” he added.

“I went to Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Fenerbahce, I turned things around; I gave my all to the world, my soul, my life every day.”

Late comeback and red card dispute

The home side scored twice in the final 20 minutes to salvage a crucial point, with Leandro Barreiro netting the dramatic equaliser.

Despite remaining unbeaten this calendar year, Benfica still trail league leaders Porto by seven points in the race for the Portuguese title.

Gonzalez, who spent six years at Porto as a player across two spells, now serves as an assistant for the current league pacesetters.

Regarding his dismissal, the outspoken manager insisted he was innocent and placed the blame firmly on the officiating team.

“The referee says he sent me off because I kicked a ball towards the FC Porto bench, which is completely false,” he claimed.

He explained that his intended target was the crowd, describing it as a celebration he frequently performs to give a lucky fan a match ball.