Easterby became a legend in Welsh club rugby, but he also forged a pretty decent career in green.

Having turned down Clive Woodward's invitation to play for England, he chose Ireland. He won 65 caps, and by the time he announced his retirement on St Patrick's Day in 2008, he was the country's most-capped flanker.

He made his debut against Scotland in the 2000 Six Nations, one of five new faces - alongside Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, Shane Horgan and John Hayes - introduced by Ireland boss Warren Gatland in a shake-up after a 50-18 thumping by England.

Easterby played the full game, which Ireland won 44-22, and was retained at blind-side flanker for the remainder of the championship.

He wasn't always a guaranteed starter, though. At the 2003 World Cup in Australia, he was on the fringes of Eddie O'Sullivan's side, but became a success story in an otherwise familiar tale of Irish woe that ended in a quarter-final exit.

From there, Easterby became one of O'Sullivan's most trusted on-field lieutenants.

"He was a physical and powerful athlete, as you'd expect from a back row, but you could see he was one of the smarter ones," says Chris Henry, one of Easterby's successors in the Irish back row.

"He was part of that class back-row era with Denis Leamy, David Wallace and Neil Best."

Two years after the World Cup, O'Sullivan handed him the captaincy for the 2005 autumn series following injuries to Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell.

That was an especially big year for him. In addition to seizing his Lions chance - which came after fellow Ampleforth College alum Lawrence Dallaglio's injury - he also married Sarra Elgan Rees, the television presenter and daughter of former Wales international Elgan Rees.

Marcus Smith delivered the stand-out moment of England's last campaign, with a last-play drop-goal that snatched victory over Ireland at Twickenham in March.

That replacement appearance, his first Test of the year, was the start of a sparkling run on the international stage.

With George Ford injured, the 25-year-old assumed the 10 shirt for the summer tour and was the brightest point in a drab autumn for England.

Smith's matador trickery makes him a running threat to rival the best wings.

Among players representing top-10 Test nations last year, only New Zealand's Mark Tele'a, France's Damian Penaud and Scotland's Duhan van der Merwe beat defenders more regularly than Smith's average of 4.5 per 80 minutes.

His game-breaking ability has been central to England's attack.

He was involved in 12.7% of England's tries in 2024 - a number that eclipses New Zealand's Beauden Barrett and most others in the international game, and is all the more impressive considering Smith didn't start a single Six Nations match.

Part of Borthwick's mission has been to create a team that excites England fans.

And no-one has done that better than Smith.

When the team was announced to Allianz Stadium in the autumn internationals, his name was cheered loudest.

When fans thought Borthwick was preparing to replace Smith against Australia, their jeers almost matched those decibels.

So, where is the doubt? Where is the duel?

While Marcus Smith has been excellent, results haven't been.

In the seven matches that he started at 10 last year, England won only two - both against Japan.

Meanwhile, Fin Smith is a precocious understudy.

The 22-year-old plays flat, picking passes and poking holes while close enough to the defensive line to sniff a potential tackler's pre-match snack.

He steered Northampton to the Premiership title last season, marshalling a backline that includes fellow England internationals Tommy Freeman, George Furbank and Ollie Sleightholme.

If selected, he and Saints' team-mate Alex Mitchell would form a pre-baked half-back partnership.

While Marcus Smith often operates with a gain-line battering ram at 12, Fin Smith's usual inside centres - Rory Hutchinson or Fraser Dingwall - more closely match the playmaker skills of Henry Slade, England's current occupant.

Many of Marcus Smith's best moments have come in pockets of space that open up behind the backline or after multiple phases - the sort of opportunities that are often easier to access from full-back.

Could the moving parts of the puzzle need another nudge?

In Marcus Smith might England have found their virtuoso soloist, but lumbered him with the conductor's baton as well?

Gatland looked a broken man at times during the latter stages of 2024 but has been publicly defiant before this latest campaign.

Pre-tournament comments have included how he believes Wales can win the tournament, how he is building "a siege mentality" and how people should write his side off "at their peril".

He has also tried to heap pressure on France by stating he hopes Wales "can catch them cold" and highlighted the pressure his opposite number Fabien Galthie faces to defeat Wales comfortably.

In 2019, Gatland said if Wales beat France they would go on to win the Six Nations - exactly what happened.

Six years ago, you believed those swaggering sentiments. He also had the tools at his disposal to back up his actions with words.

Now it feels the Gatland soundbites are the right things to say but you wonder whether he believes them himself.

Speculation is rife this will be his final tournament, whatever might happen over the next two months. Gatland has accepted change is likely if signs of improvement are not shown during the Six Nations.

The 61-year-old has spoken himself about whether he needs the pressure and whether he could just retire to his beach house in New Zealand and reflect on his memorable achievements in the game.

Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief executive Abi Tierney said Gatland's position had been "on the line" as a review into the miserable autumn campaign commenced earlier this season.

He was given the green light to continue with another detailed assessment planned after Wales finish the tournament at home to England in mid-March.

There have been changes to Gatland's staff. As well as scrum consultant Jones coming in, attack coach Alex King has left with Rob Howley taking over those responsibilities. How much that can influence events remains to be seen.

In November, England suffered narrow defeats by Australia and New Zealand, having led those matches heading into the closing stages.

They last won the Six Nations in 2020 and head to Dublin to face champions Ireland on Saturday before hosting France at home.

Former England wing Ugo Monye told BBC Sport: "England are at a stage now that they need to deliver a title. With the player pool, domestic game and finances, they have to do it.

"It is time that the team get a lot closer to their potential."

The loss of captain Sione Tuipulotu for the championship because of injury was a major blow for Scotland, who host Italy on Saturday.

Former Scotland international Johnnie Beattie told BBC Sport: "This is the best Scottish side I've seen. It is the best-coached side and in terms of talent the best since they won the last Five Nations in 1999. However, other sides have a greater depth of talent.

"Tuipulotu has been our brightest spark over the last three years with the way he challenges the gainline physically and brings Huw Jones on to the ball with short passes.

"It will be a huge opportunity for Stafford McDowall, who operated at a high level in the autumn. He knows his role as it is similar to how Glasgow play.

"Success for Scotland would be a top-three finish."

MONTREAL -- Marc-Andre Fleury made 19 saves for his first shutout of the season in likely his final game in Montreal, helping the Minnesota Wild beat the Canadiens 4-0 on Thursday night.

The 40-year-old Fleury, from Sorel-Tracy about 50 miles northeast of Montreal, is retiring after the season. He has 76 career shutouts -- three at Bell Centre, where more than 100 friends and family cheered him Thursday.

In doing so, Fleury became the first goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout as a teenager and at 40 years or older. It was his 76th career shutout overall, tied with Tony Esposito and Ed Belfour for 10th on NHL's all-time list.

"I was just hoping to not let in six," Fleury said, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. "Little stressed, but so many people watching I wanted to put on a good show so they could remember me playing well.

"I'm happy it went well."

Fleury was the star of the night.

The crowd roared for more than 30 seconds when the camera flipped to him during the signing of "O Canada." Canadiens fans serenaded him with another lengthy ovation during a TV timeout late in the third period before chanting "Fleury! Fleury!"

And Montreal players lined up to shake his hand after the game.

"A little surprised, but it was very kind and very humbling for me that they stayed out there," Fleury said.

Liam Ohgren and Devin Shore each scored his first goal of the season. Marco Rossi had a goal and an assist, and Frederick Gaudreau added an empty-netter.

Gaudreau didn't mince words when talking of the importance of the game with Fleury on the ice near his hometown.

"Guys would have blocked shots with their face if they had to, honestly," he said. "That's how everybody felt about this game."

The Wild improved to 3-0 on their five-game trip. They beat Chicago 4-2 on Sunday night and topped Toronto 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots for Montreal.

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.

The Calgary Flames bolstered their pursuit of a playoff spot by acquiring forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee from the Philadelphia Flyers for a package that includes forward Andrei Kuzmenko, the teams announced Thursday night.

The Flyers picked up Kuzmenko, forward Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2028 seventh-rounder for Frost and Farabee. No salary was retained in the deal.

Flames general manager Craig Conroy said the initial framework for the deal was a one-for-one player trade between teams, but that it was expanded during negotiations.

"This came together pretty quick this morning, to be honest. We talked about these players last year and this year, but I think it never really made sense. It wasn't the right time or right return," said Conroy. "Today it really sped up and made sense for both teams."

The Flames GM said Frost and Farabee are "a huge bump" in the Calgary lineup.

Frost, 25, has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 49 games this season for the Flyers, who drafted him 27th in 2017. He was a frequent target of criticism and benching by coach John Tortorella over the past two seasons, as his time declined in each. Frost has a $2.1 million salary cap hit and is a restricted free agent after the season.

In his sixth NHL season, Frost gives Calgary a center its lineup has sorely needed.

Farabee, 24, has 19 points (8 goals, 11 assists) in 50 games this season. Drafted 14th by the Flyers in 2018, he has suffered an epic dip in production from his career highs of 22 goals and 50 points last season, with his ice time dropping by over a minute on average year over year.

He's signed through 2028 at a cap hit of $5 million, after which he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

Kuzmenko, 28, has 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 37 games this season. He was held out of Calgary's 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night.

In his third NHL season, Kuzmenko has been unable to match his dynamic rookie season (39 goals and 74 points with Vancouver in 2022-23). He's a former teammate of Flyers star rookie Matvei Michkov, as the two played together for St. Petersburg SKA in Russia's KHL.

Kuzmenko is an unrestricted free agent after the season and has a $5.5 million cap hit.

Pelletier, 23, was drafted 26th overall in 2019 by the Flames. He had 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 23 games for Calgary this season, averaging 12:57 per game. Pelletier has 21 points in 60 career NHL games. He's a restricted free agent after the season.

The Flames have been a surprising playoff contender and currently hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with a .570 points percentage, slightly ahead of the Vancouver Canucks (.560).

The Flyers are four points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They've lost four of their past five games, getting shut out by the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders in their past two games.

Holders England survived Junior Kpoku's 20-minute red card to defeat Ireland in the Under-20s Six Nations opener 19-3 in Cork.

Back row Kpoku was sent off in the 15th minute for a high tackle on Eoghan Smyth, but England held a 9-3 lead at half-time despite losing captain Tom Burrow to the sin-bin.

Restored to their full complement, England were awarded a penalty try in the 68th minute and Ben Coen's fourth penalty of the game handed the visitors a comfortable win.

It is a strong start to England's bid to win back-to-titles, while it is a first home defeat for Ireland in the U20 Six Nations since 2018.

Ireland had dominated possession but England led through Benjamin Coen's penalty before Kpoku was dismissed for a high tackle on Smyth.

The Racing 92 back row became the first player to receive a 20-minute red card in the championship under the new rules that have been implemented by World Rugby.

Burrow then was shown a yellow card for slapping the ball out of the hands of Clark Logan at the breakdown, but the visitors extended their lead through another penalty by Exeter Chiefs fly-half Coen.

Ireland, who struggled to capitalise on their numerical advantage, got on the board through Sam Wisniewski's penalty, but another effort from Coen gave England a 9-3 lead at the break.

In tricky conditions that led to numerous handling errors from both sides, it was a low-scoring second half.

The decisive blow came with 12 minutes to play when England's maul roared over the Irish line and French referee awarded a penalty try after consulting with his TMO.

To add insult for injury for Ireland, replacement Osin Minogue was sent to the sin-bin.

The hosts pressed for a response but were unable to find a clinical touch in England's 22, and Coen's late penalty moved the visitors 16 points clear with two minutes remaining.

Ireland's night was summed up in the final play of the game as Charlie Molony looked to cross for a consolation score in the corner but player of the match James Kane tackled the full-back into touch.

Neil Doak's Ireland will look to bounce back away to Scotland in their second fixture, while England will take on France at the Rec.

Ireland Under-20s: Charlie Molony; Derry Moloney, Connor Fahy, Eoghan Smyth, Ciaran Mangan; Sam Wisniewski, Clark Logan; Alex Usanov, Henry Walker, Alex Mullan, Mahon Ronan, Billy Corrigan; Michael Foy, Bobby Power, Eanna McCarthy (capt).

Replacements: Connor Magee, Billy Bohan, Tom McAllister, David Walsh, Oisin Minogue, Andrew Doyle, Gene O'Leary Kareem, Daniel Green.

England Under-20s: Jack Kinder; Jack Bracken; Angus Hall, Nic Allison; Charlie Griffin; Benjamin Coen, Archie McParland; Ralph MacEachran, Kepu Tuipulotu, Vilikesa Sela; Olamide Sodeke, Tom Burrow (capt); Junior Kpoku, Henry Pollock, Kane James.

Replacements: Louie Gulley, Oliver Scola, Tye Raymont, Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, George Timmins, Lucas Friday, Josh Bellamy, Nick Lilley.