General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Rugby Union
Wales Under-20s released Leggatt-Jones to join Scarlets for Friday's United Rugby Championship clash against Connacht in Galway, while Scotland's selection dilemmas mount ahead of Saturday's Six Nations showdown with Ireland. Assistant coach Andrew Goodman said Ireland are feeling an "edge" in their build-up to the Triple Crown decider, with flanker Josh van der Flier emphasizing that recent wins over Scotland have come when his side "played particularly well". Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend faces his "most significant" team selection of his tenure, writes BBC Scotland's Tom English. Meanwhile, Wales' excitement returns after slow starts, with Louis Rees-Zammit confident they'll give fans plenty to cheer in Cardiff against Italy in their Six Nations finale. The Welsh have gone three years since their last Six Nations win against Italy, with much changed since that victory.
College Basketball
Hofstra returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 25 years after defeating Monmouth 75-69 for the Coastal Athletic Association tournament championship Tuesday night. In the Big, AJ Dybantsa poured in 40 points in a freshman-record performance, willing No. 10-seeded BYU to a 105-91 victory over No. 15 seed Kansas State. Syracuse fired Adrian Autry after the Orange failed to make the NCAA tournament in his three years as head coach. The men's coaching carousel continues to spin, with candidates emerging for Georgia Tech and Kansas State. Meanwhile, Bam Adebayo's 83-point game Tuesday presented fans with a choice that forces a side: Celebrate it, or audit it.
Women's Basketball
Mikayla Blakes ensured the Player of the Year race wasn't a one-player contest, while Aaliyah Chavez had company in the Freshman of the Year discussion. The WNBA and players' union failed to reach a deal after a marathon 12-hour bargaining session on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Golf
Brooks Koepka wants consistency in his game at the Players Championship, where he'll make just his fourth start since returning to the PGA Tour. Scottie Scheffler attempts a third Players title, with analysts examining course setup and potential sleeper picks. The tournament features five big topics to monitor this week.
Winter Sports
German cross-country skiers turned their backs on Russian gold medallists on the Winter Paralympics podium in protest against Russia's inclusion at the Games. Meanwhile, Austrian siblings Veronika and Johannes Aigner, dubbed the skiing 'Von Trapp' family, dominate the Paralympics, winning medals and entertaining the athletes' village.
Horse Racing
"Queen of Cheltenham" Lossiemouth cruised to Champion Hurdle victory on day one of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival. Harry Redknapp's Jukebox Man joins the Gold Cup field, with 10 other horses competing in Friday's feature race. Thousands of Britons have travelled to the Costa Blanca to enjoy Cheltenham Festival from afar, dubbing it the "Costa del Cheltenham".
Combat Sports
Ronda Rousey wants to rewrite her ending in her first MMA bout in ten years, taking on Gina Carano on May 16. The former UFC champion says she's ready to return to the octagon after a decade away from competition.
Motor Racing
Davey Todd is a doubt for North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT after breaking his femur in a crash at Daytona in the USA. The injury casts uncertainty over his participation in the upcoming road racing events.
Soccer
England head coach Steve Borthwick says the shirt has "weighed heavy" on some players during a disappointing Six Nations campaign. The pressure of representing England has shown at times, according to the team's leadership.
College Recruiting
Caleb Holt, the No. 4 prospect in the 2026 SC Next, committed to Arizona, becoming Tommy Lloyd's highest-ranked recruit since taking over in Tucson. The four-star guard's decision bolsters the Wildcats' 2026 recruiting class.
Conference Disputes
Utah Valley and the Western Athletic Conference cleared up their $1 million dispute that threatened to leave the Wolverines out of the league's men's and women's basketball tournaments. The resolution ensures Utah Valley's participation in the conference championships.
NHL Playoff Picture
With Montreal, Ottawa, Washington, and Philadelphia playing Wednesday, playoff projections identify Eastern wild-card contenders. The race for the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference remains tight heading into the season's final weeks.