General Sports 24-Hour Briefing
×Football & Rugby
Scotland will be without a first-choice second-row pair and winger Duhan van der Merwe for their Six Nations clash against Ireland. Ireland head coach Andy Farrell acknowledges his side must secure a win to claim the Triple Crown, embracing the pressure of the occasion. Meanwhile, England head coach Steve Borthwick faces scrutiny after three straight defeats and could make major changes for the trip to France. A sensational weekend saw Scotland revive their title hopes while Italy beat England, and former England flanker Ben Earl defended Borthwick, calling large parts of the Italy loss brilliant. Wales learned their 2027 Six Nations schedule, starting away to France and Scotland. Ireland debutant Nathan Doak said his first cap came at the right time in the win over Wales. In club rugby, Leicester overpowered Bath to reach the Prem Rugby Cup final, while Exeter overpowered Northampton to join them.
Motorsport
Sweeping generalisations followed a wild Australian Grand Prix, prompting analysis on whether Max Verstappen could really quit F1 or if McLaren is in crisis. The conclusions suggest many reactions are overblown. The UFC's upcoming Freedom Fights 250 at the White House has been announced, raising questions about the sport's state.
College Basketball
The women's NCAA tournament field is set, with UCLA rolling to a second straight Big Ten tournament title and No. 13 Duke rallying for a second consecutive ACC crown. No. 4 Texas sprinted to its first women's SEC tournament title, overwhelming South Carolina. Queens University earned an NCAA berth in its first year eligible, while UNI won the MVC for its first bid since 2016. On the men's side, No. 15 West Virginia avenged losses to TCU to win the Big 12 tournament. Georgia Tech fired Damon Stoudamire after a last-place finish, and Boston College dismissed Earl Grant following five seasons.
March Madness & NIL
The dominance of power conferences in March has analysts wondering if NIL killed the upset, with fewer Cinderella stories busting brackets. This trend continued as higher seeds advanced, though Queens' run provided a notable mid-major story.
Combat Sports
A major boxing weekend saw Jai Opetaia win the inaugural Zuffa World cruiserweight title, but his IBF title is in doubt as a potential stripping looms. In Dublin, James Dickens and Anthony Cacace prepare for a WBA title fight. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Akshay Bhatia beat Daniel Berger in a playoff to claim the title. At the Paralympics, Italy's Emanuel Perathoner won gold years after an Olympic career and a devastating injury. Russia won its first gold since 2014 via para-alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina. Britain's Neil Simpson missed a Paralympic medal by one second, citing mistakes.
Skateboarding & Athletics
Britain's Sky Brown became world champion for a second time, winning gold in a rain-disrupted park event in Brazil. Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo regained the half-marathon record with a victory in Lisbon.
Hockey & Cricket
Ireland's men clinched a World Cup place with a dramatic shootout win over Japan. England's men won their qualification tournament with a 4-1 victory over Pakistan. India's T20 World Cup triumph prompts the question if anyone can catch them after three straight white-ball titles.
Other Sports
The Hundred's Welsh Fire co-owner Sanjay Govil explained his plan to revive the struggling franchise ahead of the player auction. In darts, Luke Littler defended his UK Open title by beating James Wade. NASCAR's Ryan Blaney completed a Team Penske sweep at Phoenix. Michigan State's Jeremy Fears Jr. received another technical foul for a groin kick. The Champions League's financial importance is underscored as missing out could cost giants dearly. College football's tampering rules were broken down in a tampering explainer. Emma Raducanu lost badly at Indian Wells, winning just 11 points in the first set. Golden Ace aims to defend her Champion Hurdle title at Cheltenham for trainer Jeremy Scott.