I Dig Sports
Fit-again Dan Sheehan and James Lowe are set to return to action for Leinster this week before linking up with Ireland's Six Nations squad.
Hooker Sheehan, 26, has not played since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Ireland's defeat by South Africa in July.
New Zealand-born wing Lowe, 32, has been out since Ireland's Autumn Nations Series win over Australia on 30 November with a calf problem.
On Monday, Leinster confirmed both players are available for Saturday's United Rugby Championship match against the Stormers at Aviva Stadium.
Sheehan and Lowe returned to full training last week but did not feature in Saturday's Investec Champions Cup win over Bath.
Back row Will Connors is also available for Leinster, who have won all 13 of their games in the URC and Champions Cup this season.
The Ireland squad gathered in Dublin on Monday before travelling to Portugal for a training camp.
Ireland begin their bid for a third successive Six Nations title at home to England on 1 February.
"We have a Six Nations campaign and Rugby World Cup to prepare for in what promises to be the biggest year in the history of women's rugby.
"We have work to do but having coached, and coached against, the Welsh internationals in England, I know we have the players to make the nation proud."
As well as coaching the PWR team, Lynn oversaw the rugby programme at Hartpury College and University.
He was unveiled by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) at the Principality Stadium on Monday.
Lynn had made no secret of his ambition to coach at international level, but played down links to the role a few weeks after Cunningham's exit.
His appointment could be a good fit for Wales, with Gloucester-Hartpury home to a large contingent of Welsh internationals including Hannah Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Lleucu George, Bethan Lewis, Kate Williams and Kelsey Jones.
He will work closely with Belinda Moore, who was recently named the WRU's head of women's rugby in Wales, a new high-profile role.
WRU chief executive Abi Tierney said Lynn's appointment "underlines the importance" of Wales' women's team and emphasises how the union want the side to progress.
She added: "His ability as a coach is second to none as he has proved with two back-to-back titles in the PWR.
"I am delighted he has accepted the role. He was the outstanding candidate among a field of high-calibre of applicants who recognised what a prestigious and important role it is to be the Wales head coach."
Saracens' Phil Morrow will join England as head of performance at the end of the season, after an initial attempt to recruit him was blocked by Premiership clubs.
England had hoped to bring in Morrow last autumn, but Saracens would only allow him to take up the role midway though a campaign if he continued with his club duties.
Premiership clubs blocked the job-sharing proposal over concerns of a potential conflict of interest, with England's strength and conditioning department now working more closely with top-flight sides over star players' fitness and recovery programmes as part the new Professional Game Agreement.
However, Morrow will step down from his Saracens post at the end of the domestic season to make the switch.
The situation means England will continue with a reduced conditioning department through the Six Nations.
Gloucester fitness coach Dan Tobin was recruited in September after Aled Walters switched to Ireland and long-serving Tom Tombleson left the camp.
"I'm incredibly proud to be joining England Rugby," said Morrow.
"I've worked in the Premiership for a long time and week in, week out I see the quality of the players we have in England. The clubs do an outstanding job of developing these players, and I look forward to working with them to help them reach their full potential.
"Under Steve [Borthwick] the England team is in an exciting phase of growth and development, and I cannot wait to start contributing to the team's future success."
Morrow has spent almost 14 years with Saracens, during which they have won five Premiership titles and three European crowns.
He was also part of the strength and conditioning staff on the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand in 2017.
As part of his role, Humphreys - who won 72 caps for Ireland and captained Ulster to the European Cup in 1999 - says he wants to return all four Irish provincial teams to the "top end of Europe".
Leinster, Munster and Ulster have all qualified for this season's Investec Champions Cup knockout rounds while Connacht have reached the last 16 in the second-tier Challenge Cup.
But while Leinster have played in each of the last three Champions Cup finals (losing all three), Ulster have not featured in a decider since 2012, Munster have been absent from the showpiece since winning the competition in 2008 while Connacht have not qualified since the 2021-22 season.
Leinster also provide the majority of players to the Irish national team, with 23 of Easterby's 36-man Six Nations squad selected from Leo Cullen's side.
Humphreys, however, does not believe such an imbalance will be "detrimental" for Irish rugby in the long run.
"For me, it's very simple: it's not about taking anything away from Leinster," he said.
"No business in the world we'd look at the strongest asset and say 'we have to take a bit away' to do something else.
"For me, it's about making sure that Leinster not just retain their status in European rugby but go on and win some European Cups, they've been so close.
"For the long-term success of Irish rugby, four competitive provinces, we have to get to that point."
During his time as Ulster's director of rugby, Humphreys recruited high-profile southern hemisphere players such as Ruan Pienaar, Johann Muller and John Afoa.
And with New Zealand's Jordie Barrett having starred in the early stages of his loan spell at Leinster, Humphreys says there is "huge value" in having established overseas internationals playing alongside homegrown players in Ireland.
"For me, the model is: top quality international players playing alongside top quality Irish players.
"That, to me, is not a solution but a way to make sure Irish rugby becomes stronger at all levels of the game."
Scotland captain Tuipulotu ruled out of Six Nations
Analysis - Tom English, BBC Scotland's chief sport writer
The grim confirmation of Sione Tuipulotu's Six Nations-ending injury was expected but it still landed with a thud nonetheless.
Tuipulotu is one of the form inside centres in the game; a captain, a physical brute, an artist, an inspiration to his team. He's a pretty rare amalgam of world-class bludgeon and world-class rapier.
His absence - and that of the outstanding lock Scott Cummings - has seen Scottish optimism, racing along merrily last week, reduced to a slow crawl. Glasgow have also suffered a double blow in the loss of two critical operators.
Tuipulotu's partnership with Huw Jones is a cosmic blend. Now an alternative is needed. Jones and his excellent Warriors' team-mate, Tom Jordan, don't pack enough physical punch for Test rugby as a duo. Franco Smith never plays them together at 12-13 for Glasgow.
The same could be said for Rory Hutchinson, the dangerous Northampton centre. A Hutchinson-Jones combo lacks enough muscle for the unforgiving fields of Six Nations rugby.
Most likely, it's going to be another Warriors pair, Stafford McDowall and Jones in the midfield in the championship.
McDowall is a tough operator and Glasgow's captain but nobody inside the Scotland camp is pretending Tuipulotu's absence is anything other than a nightmare.
As for Tuipulotu's fitness for the Lions - pretty much every pundit in all four nations has picked him at 12 in the Test series - let's just hope that his operation is successful and that his recovery is swift.
Losing Cummings is also hellish news given his power game and his form. Grant Gilchrist and Jonny Gray will surely now start against Italy in the opening day of the championship, but their back-up, Glasgow's Max Williamson, is also out for the tournament, so there are problems in multiple places.
Glasgow head coach Smith, like Gregor Townsend, must be a disappointed man today.
Scotland began their Six Nations season with two home games back-to-back, with Italy and then Ireland coming to Murrayfield in the first nine days of February.
The odds on Townsend's team causing a sensation this season will have drifted with Monday's news.
The Xtreme Dirt Midget Association has finalized its schedule for the upcoming season with Bear Ridge Speedway once again hosting the club for 11 races.
The series will also visit Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Devils Bowl Speedway and the Flat Track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for single races.
Bear Ridge, located in Bradford, Vt., has been the home of the Xtreme DMA since the series began in 2011. The DMA will begin its season at Bear Ridge on May 3. The remaining 10 races at the track are May 17, May 24, June 14, June 21, July 5, July 26, Aug. 9, Aug. 23, Sept. 6 and the series finale on Sept. 20.
Albany-Saratoga Speedway is the first stop away from Bear Ridge with the annual trek to Malta N.Y. taking place on June 6. After making their debut at Devils Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt. in 2024, the DMA will return to the track on Aug. 30.
Sept. 19 is the annual Friday Night Dirt Duels at New Hampshire Motor Speedways Flat Track. A highly anticipated event draws a large crowd during the tracks NASCAR weekend
Brandon Piastka had a breakout season last year, winning six races on the way to his first championship in the Ray Miller Racing No. 7. Piastka is ready to go to back up his great season.
We are going through all the cars and getting ready for 2025, Piastka said. Hopefully we can get a little better start to the season after crashing out opening night last year. It will be hard to top 2024 but we are going to give it our best to repeat.
I cant wait to get the season underway.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Wayne Taylor Racings No. 10 IMSA GTP entry features a nearly identical driver lineup as it did for the 2024 Rolex 24.
The quartet of Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, Will Stevens, and Brendan Hartley are familiar with each other, but during the weekends test session at Daytona Intl Speedway the drivers had to come to grips with the Cadillac V-Series.R for the first time after driving either Acura ARX-06 or ARX-05 cars in recent years.
Amongst us as drivers, weve driven quite a few of the prototypes during this new era, said Stevens, who last raced with WTR at the 2022 Rolex 24. His full-time ride the last two years was in a Porsche 963 for Hertz Team Jota in the FIA World Endurance Championship, where he earned a win at Spa-Francorchamps.
The first few laps when you get in a car are when you feel the biggest difference, Stevens continued. Your body is used to certain feelings and certain sounds, and those initial 5-10 laps in the car are where everything is kind of a shock to the system because its all different. You have to kind of try to erase what your previous assumptions were and learn new ones. But I think once youre in the car and stop looking off a piece of paper to try and explain everything, it comes a lot quicker than just studying a driver manual.
A lot of our task is to settle down and understand how the systems of the Cadillac work and how to use them to our best advantage. Because at the end of the day, they are a driver tool. Each driver wants has certain things they want to have from a balance point of view, so its trying to fine-tune and understand what each driver wants. Simulators are very good these days, but nothing beats on-track driving.
TULSA, Okla. The old saying suggesting that there are lies, damn lies and statistics held true for the Saturday night finale of the 39th Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa Expo Raceway.
The final report will read that Kyle Larson led every lap but that hardly tells the story. Larson used up two lives. First, he somehow ramped over a car without sustaining damage and then there was the errant banner that may have saved his night. For a dozen years luck was not on Larsons side whether the issues were self-imposed or not. This year Dame Fortune smiled upon him.
The banner was on the race track. The yellow had to be thrown. Thats the bottom line. No, the fact that Kyle Larson running the high line against the wall may have been the final factor in the banner coming dislodged, does not signify that he was the cause of the yellow flag. It is in essence a track equipment failure.
The Daison Pursley story continued with his second-place finish on Saturday night. It is a sure bet that the USAC national midget champion made hundreds of fans with his wont-quit attitude. There was nothing for this kid to hang his head about. He truly is an inspiration to many. He went toe to toe with Kyle Larson and did not blink,
It was clear that the return of Christopher Bell, and the knowledge that Kyle Larson was committed to the race created a discernable buzz that only a rivalry can. Because they are high-profile talents the interest in the Chili Bowl is elevated among casual fans.
This began with the Tulsa Shootout where both men had success. Bells joy to be back seemed to be genuine and it speaks to a theme that has been echoed for years. For many the dream is to get a chance in a series like NASCAR, but once there, some long for a simpler time.
As an extension of this theme, although Bell fell one spot short of an automatic transfer on his preliminary night he was still grinning from ear to ear. One had the sense that he genuinely had fun.
One wonders if the return to a dirt or short track might provide the needed spark that some need to regain passion for the sport. This suggests that some owners in series like NASCAR or IndyCar should not only refrain from restricting their drivers participation in such events but encourage it.
Bells situation (and others) is a reminder in this format getting the automatic transfer is huge. Given the overall quality of the equipment on hand, and the depth of the talent level you cannot spot the field five rows. Nonetheless, it was surprising to most that he (finished 10th) made so little noise in the end.
At the conclusion of the 2024 race there appeared to be more open conversations about tire doping, and other forms of cheating. There was a time when the Chili Bowl was conducted like the early days of the World of Outlaws where the operating slogan was Run Whatya Brung.
Given how big this race has become it seems that officials felt the need to tighten the reins. A message was sent during the Tulsa Shootout with tire doping penalties and transparent tech procedures.
Which leads to this week. The social response to the disqualifications over tires suffered by Clinton Boyles and Hunter Schuerenberg is a reminder that people who complain that officials never enforce the rules are the same people who complain when they do. You cant win.
Along this line, the decision to dial the Saturday night feature back from 55 to 40 laps had to be made with a great deal of sensitivity. The relationship between the Hahn and Crawford family is decades deep, and honoring the late Donnie Ray Crawford was important.
Yet, it was deflating to spend a full week building up to one of the most important races of the year only to have a track that could not support multi-groove racing. Most competitors seemed to be on board with the change.
However, some candid observations exonerated the track crew and pointed the finger at tire doping. In fact, it was suggested by some that once doping was brought under control a return to a 55-lap finale would be feasible.
The Tulsa Shootout, given the quality of the racing this year may have been the greatest commercial the Chili Bowl has ever had. If this assessment is correct, it is an endorsement of the positive power of streamed events. This may pay off in an influx of sponsors for both events. Look for the Shootout attendance to rise significantly in 2026.
As for the Chili Bowl, how many people can the place hold? By Friday night it was shoulder to shoulder everywhere you turned. If you were on hand for the inaugural edition of the Chili Bowl, consider that there were nearly ten times the number of entries in 2024. How much of an increase have we seen in attendance? That would require a calculator to figure out.
Perhaps it is a function of racing primarily in the West, but Shane Golobic does not receive the recognition he deserves. Among the stars of the 2025 Chili Bowl was Matt Wood Racing. It was interesting to note how many of the team drivers highlighted Golobics role as a leader. There may be a real future for him outside the cockpit the moment he decides to hang up his helmet.
Until then, perhaps this third-place finish will shine a deserved light on him.
The youth movement was in full force. It is interesting to note that some of the drivers who were the source of scorn and consternation just a few years ago have blossomed into prime-time players. The Wednesday night finish was Emerson Axsom, Daison Pursley and Corey Day. Combined age? 59. It was also a breakout Chili Bowl for Landon Brooks.
On Wednesday night, a thrilled Ryan Bernal snatched second place away from Christopher Bell. His post-race comments, including the idea of working on himself were candid.
In 2021, Jason McDougals spectacular run through the alphabet soup on Saturday ended abruptly after contact with Bernal. The reaction at the venue and on social media was not kind, and occasionally clearly over the top. This felt like a redemption moment for Bernal, who backed it up with a fourth-place run on Saturday.
More people should understand that Tim Buckwalter, the Saturday night hard charger, can wheel any type of car you give him. Modified, midget, sprint car it doesnt matter.
This may have been from start to finish the best Chili Bowl Nationals ever. The quality of the racing, the intensity and the fan support was remarkable. Was it the crackdown on tire doping that made the difference?
Perhaps. Either way the track crew, a squad which has been maligned in the past, should take a bow. Saturday night the best in the business used the ledge to their advantage. It was compelling.
The Chili Bowl always delivers, but this year was truly special.
A Dream Come True For Earnhardt Jr., JRM At Daytona
As successful as JR Motorsports has been in stock car racing for more than two decades, its been long a question of when the team, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, would enter a car in the NASCAR Cup Series.
That moment finally came to fruition as the team announced its intent to compete in this years Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) Intl Speedway with longtime driver and reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier in the seat.
Allgaiers No. 40 Chevrolet will be sponsored by Traveller Whisky, a label created by country music star Chris Stapleton.
For Allgaier, the opportunity to compete in the Great American Race fresh off a long-awaited first Xfinity Series title is fitting.
When I got brought into the office to discuss this, I thought I was being called to the principals office, to be honest with you at first, Allgaier said. I wasnt really sure what to expect. When they were explaining some of the process about it, I kind of didnt put myself in the position of them offering me the job to drive the car. I just thought they were kind of filling me in on what the plans were for JR Motorsports.
When the opportunity was presented to obviously drive the car and to be a part of the foray for JR Motorsports in the Cup Series, I mean, thats a big opportunity. I take a lot of pressure on myself in that moment to see this organization compete on the grand scale of the Cup Series something that I am surprised that has never come to fruition before this point.
But then to add somebody like Chris Stapleton and Traveller Whiskey into this, to see how involved Chris has been in this process and how much passion hes had. I mean, really, in the conversations of whats going back and forth between him and the team, and then just today to see his passion for this, is really, really cool for me and something that Im not taking lightly.
Earnhardt, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, is anxious to experience as much as he can throughout the weeks and days leading up to the event.
I did tell Kelley that I wanted to be present for all the moments, Earnhardt said. And so from the moment we started to select the chassis and purchase the car; start to build, find the components and get the components.
Even going through that with NASCAR and understanding that whole process is really unique and new, compared to how things work in the Xfinity Series. So, I want to be involved or at least a witness to everything.
Im going to be on pit road when the car is pushed out for qualifying. Ill be there when its going out for practice. Ill be there when they unload it on Wednesday at the race track. I want to go through tech. I want to see everything.
Earnhardts excitement was apparent. While he doesnt know whats realistic because there will be some other obligations during the lead-up to the Daytona 500, the champion team owner is focused on soaking up every moment that he can.
Im approaching this like its a one and only opportunity a dream come true, Earnhardt said. I told Kelley that I want her there for all of it, as well, because weve done this together from the start.
This was something that we really waited for the right moment and Chris and his brand, Traveller and their excitement around it feels nice and genuine. Theyre experiencing it for the first time, as well. So yeah, were all kind of going through that.
Earnhardt Miller echoed her brothers statements with heartfelt gratitude as she reflected on the journey that she walked alongside him as co-owners of the standout race team.
I cant really sum it up any better than Dale did, Earnhardt Miller said. You know, we talked about the opportunity. Weve been talking about the opportunity to be in the Cup Series. And obviously, were a family of racers.
This is our life. This is our passion. And so to be able to have a Cup entry at the Daytona 500, a place thats really special to us, a place where the Earnhardts have had a lot of history and a lot of success with both my dad and Dale its just really kind of full circle.
This is the perfect situation, the right moment, as Chris said. So were just pretty thankful and glad to be here.
JRMs entry at Daytona isnt guaranteed to see the track on race day as the No. 40 will be one of the numerous open entries meaning Allgaier will have to either qualify on time or by racing his way into the field during his duel race.
However, Allgaier is focusing on the moment at hand and the significance of being a part of the teams first foray in the Cup Series.
I know that its going to be a stacked field at the race track, Allgaier said. Theres a lot of open cars trying to battle for a few spots.
But, as somebody thats been a part of the Cup Series, its great to get back. But this is a lot bigger than that for me.
This is about seeing JR Motorsports make this transition for this race. Who knows if there will ever be another JR Motorsports Cup Series entry. But regardless, there will always be one first, and this is obviously something thats really, really important to all of us.
Brazil forward Neymar is looking to terminate his contract with Al Hilal and return to Santos instead of a move to MLS, sources have told ESPN.
ESPN reported last week that Neymar, whose contract with the Saudi Pro League club ends in June, is in preliminary talks with three MLS teams, including the Chicago Fire.
The Brazil international has said in the past he would like to play in the MLS one day, but never stated when.
Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus recently said that Neymar "can no longer play at the level we are used to" and that the forward would not be registered to play in the Saudi Pro League for the second half of the season.
Neymar, 32, is recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up in November in just his second game back after being sidelined for a year following a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee.
With no regular playing time guaranteed at Al Hilal, sources have told ESPN that Neymar has held discussions with Santos over a deal that would see him return to the club for six months. Sources insist that wages would not be a hurdle for his return.
Neymar, however, will attempt to negotiate an exit from Al Hilal that would see him receive some of the contract money owed from his initial two-year deal with the SPL club.
Santos CEO Pedro Martins appeared to rule out taking Neymar on loan from Al Hilal. When asked about the star's potential return, Martins said: "There is nothing advanced, nothing closed. The club is monitoring Neymar's situation to see how he will resolve his case with his current club.
"Neymar has a contract with the club. If they resolve it there, we will evaluate what the possibility of coming here could look like."
Information from ESPN Brasil contributed to this report.
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