Losing the first two games of their URC campaign hasn’t exactly given Leinster an ideal start to their campaign. Put it this way: they’ve already lost as many games this season as they did in their first 18 last time around. Does this constitute a crisis? Johnny Watterson hears Seán O’Brien laugh at the notion, the former Ireland flanker and current Leinster contact skills coach buoyed by the performance against the Bulls last weekend and hopeful that the team will go up another level when they host the Sharks on Saturday.
Johnny also heard O’Brien and James Lowe express their sadness over Monday’s news that former England rugby captain Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. “Cruel doesn’t come close to describing it,” writes Robert Kitson in his tribute to a man “about whom nobody in rugby has a bad word”.
Connacht coach Stuart Lancaster was shaken by the news too. “It is definitely one of those moments that really rocks you,” he said. “He is one of the most respected players that England has ever produced.”
Connacht’s international players are all available for their URC game against a Cardiff side that lost narrowly to Munster on Saturday, Jack Crowley picking up the man of the match award for his display at Thomond Park. And, he tells John Fallon, his focus is purely on helping Munster maintain their strong start to the season, rather than on nailing down the Ireland number 10 jersey for the upcoming autumn internationals.
World Cup qualifiers: Fixture details, team news and where to watch
Jim Gavin enjoys calm before storm at special congress while drama unfolds at Parnell Park
Mikel Arteta looks to the next frontier for high-flying Arsenal with RAF advice
Oisín Murphy: ‘Most of my destruction was done at home, getting drunk on my own’
In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning looks at what could be a highly memorable season for Na Fianna or Ballyboden St Enda’s with both clubs in with a shout of a football and hurling double and in athletics, Ian O’Riordan catches up with Sarah Healy after a year that saw her scale new heights.
Philip Reid brings you the latest golf news in his Different Strokes column, including Shane Lowry’s return to earth after his Ryder Cup heroics - he’s in action at the Spanish Open this week.
If your team, in whatever sporting code, is struggling this weather, spare a thought for fans of the New York Jets five weeks in to the NFL season - played five, lost five. And “somehow they’re getting worse by the week,” writes Melissa Jacobs who gives them a nine out of 10 misery rating. The Jets faithful would no doubt argue that it should have been an eleven.
TV Watch: Cycling fans have the pick of two classics today, the Binche Chimay Binche in Belgium (TNT Sports 1, 1.45pm) and the Tre Valli Varesine in Italy (TNT Sports 2, 2.30pm). Darts’ World Grand Prix continues on Sky Sports Plus (from 6.0pm) and later, Arsenal’s women open the defence of their Champions League title against the competition’s most successful club, Lyon (Disney+, 8.0pm).
