One of the advantages of this being the first season Stephen Rochford has not been involved with a senior intercounty football team since he became Mayo manager in 2015 is that he has time to write a column for us: welcome to The Rochford Files. In the weeks ahead, he’ll explore how the game is evolving - and it’s been a dramatic evolution of late too. As he writes today, football is currently “undergoing its most significant transformation”, all of which necessitates coaches being innovative, not least with the kickout. “Those who adapt quickest will have a head start in the race for Sam Maguire.”
Featuring in our writers’ pick of “what we learned from the weekend” are the Dublin footballers’ continuing slide back into the Leinster pack, the Cork hurlers’ impressive championship record against Tipperary, but worries about their goal-shyness, Galway’s novel tactics and the brilliance of Waterford’s Stephen Bennett.
And Seán Moran gives his take on the latest championship action, reckoning that the results accelerate the move away from predictability, Kilkenny’s hurlers and the Dubs’ footballers looking particularly frail.
In rugby, Gerry Thornley looks back at one of Connacht’s greatest ever results, that URC victory over the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend, with Stuart Lancaster’s emphasis on youth reaping rewards. Lancaster, incidentally, will have a new scrum coach to work with next season, Connacht announcing the appointment of Trevor Woodman, a World Cup winner with England. “A serious coup,” says Gerry.
Leinster won their last URC outing too, against Ulster, but Johnny Watterson hears assistant coach Jacques Nienaber concede that if they were to repeat how they finished that game in Belfast against Toulon in the Champions Cup next month, they could be in a world of bother.
Owen Doyle, meanwhile, gives his thoughts on the weekend’s officiating, and as ever he was impressed by Mike Adamson. Jesting. “I had zero interest in watching Adamson.” He has even less tolerance for “chumminess” between referees and players than he does for the Scottish official, this “on first-name terms” business driving him to despair.
And on the domestic front, Gerry talks to St Mary’s captain Conor Dean, “the All-Ireland League’s best outhalf”, about their semi-final triumph over Terenure and Sunday’s meeting in the final against champions Clontarf.
In his Different Strokes column, Philip Reid brings us the latest news from the world of golf, including Leona Maguire shaping up for the first major of the season - The Chevron Championship in Houston.
And Philip also reviews the hottest balls in the sport, including the ones Rory McIlroy used to retain his Masters title, and another lot that will set you back €57.95 per dozen - which means you’ll lose €4.83 every time you send one in to the sea.
TV Watch: It’s day four at snooker’s world championships and there’s more coverage through to tonight on BBC 2, BBC Four and TNT Sports 3. At 7.45 this evening, Leicester City will be relegated to the third tier of English football if they don’t beat Hull City, a mere decade after they won the Premier League (Sky Sports Football), and Brighton host Chelsea at 8pm (Sky Sports Premier League).
