General Sports 3d Briefing
×Last updated: March 13, 2026, 7:38 PM ET
Rugby Union
A superb Ulster fightback bbc.com dented Edinburgh's play-off hopes as the Irish province secured a bonus-point victory in the United Rugby Championship. In Galway, Connacht's five-try performance bbc.com kept their play-off ambitions alive with a decisive win over Scarlets. Meanwhile, Scotland's Six Nations campaign bbc.com has been described as a "hell and back" journey by Sione Tuipulotu, with the team now poised for a historic tilt at glory against Ireland. Andy Farrell's side bbc.com faces a Triple Crown decider after James Ryan's injury forced four changes to the starting lineup. In France, uncapped flanker Temo Matiu bbc.com will make his debut against England in Paris, while Ireland's Jack Conan bbc.com warned of Scotland's Finn Russell, calling him a player who can "pull a rabbit out of a hat." Wales named an unchanged side bbc.com for their Six Nations finale against Italy, as head coach Steve Tandy prepares for the Principality Stadium clash.
Horse Racing
The Cheltenham Festival delivered heartbreak and triumph bbc.com on its final day, with Envoi Allen and Saint Le Fort both dying on Friday. Gaelic Warrior bbc.com won the Gold Cup in supreme fashion, while Heart Wood bbc.com triumphed in the Ryanair Chase for Willie Mullins. Harry Redknapp's Jukebox Man bbc.com finished eighth in the Gold Cup, with Redknapp describing a potential victory as a "dream come true." Trainer Nicky Henderson bbc.com threatened to boycott future festivals over concerns about ground conditions after Fact To File's withdrawal. Ben Jones bbc.com, once a promising Scarlets fly-half, now rides Jukebox Man in his quest for Gold Cup glory.
Football & Basketball
Jeff Capel espn.com will return for a ninth season at Pittsburgh despite a campaign that "fell well short" of expectations, according to athletic director Allen Greene. In contrast, Wes Miller espn.com was fired by Cincinnati after five seasons, with sources confirming the decision to ESPN. Adrian Autry espn.com lost his job at Syracuse after three tournament-less seasons, with Jim Boeheim defending him as "a good coach" but citing poor performance by star players and lack of NIL funding. Bobby Hurley espn.com saw his Arizona State contract not renewed hours after a historic 91-42 Big 12 tournament blowout loss to Iowa State, the largest margin in conference history. Kim English espn.com was fired by Providence following a loss to St. John's, ending his three-year tenure.
College Basketball
The college basketball landscape saw significant coaching changes espn.com as Kansas State is expected to hire Belmont's Casey Alexander, a perennial 20-game winner. Josh Schertz espn.com secured a contract extension at Saint Louis after leading the Billikens to an Atlantic 10 regular-season title. Nate Ament espn.com is set to return for Tennessee in the SEC tournament after missing two games with a leg injury. AJ Dybantsa espn.com shattered the Big 12 freshman record with 40 points in BYU's tournament-opening victory. Hofstra espn.com reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in 25 years after defeating Monmouth in the Coastal Athletic Association championship.
Women's Sports
Ellie Kildunne and Sadia Kabeya bbc.com returned to action as Loughborough Lightning defeated Harlequins 43-33 in Premiership Women's Rugby. Caitlin Clark espn.com made her Team USA debut with 17 points and 12 assists in a 110-64 FIBA World Cup qualifier victory. Mikayla Blakes espn.com ensured the women's POY race wasn't a one-player contest, while Aaliyah Chavez espn.com had company in the freshman of the year discussion. Sarah Strong espn.com led UConn to top honors in the women's college basketball awards.
Winter Sports
The Winter Paralympics in Milan-Cortina saw historic achievements bbc.com as Haiti's Ralf Etienne became his nation's first Winter Paralympian, 16 years after losing his leg in an earthquake. Jake Adicoff bbc.com became the first out gay man to win an individual Paralympic gold medal. Hester Poole bbc.com vowed a "redemption arc" after crashing out of her giant slalom debut. Britain's Neil Simpson and Rob Poth bbc.com failed to finish their opening run in the men's visually impaired giant slalom, leaving Simpson bitterly disappointed. The Aigner siblings bbc.com from Austria continued their dominance, winning medals and entertaining the athletes' village as the "Von Trapp" skiing family.
Combat Sports
The UFC announced Khamzat Chimaev will defend bbc.com his middleweight title against Sean Strickland in May, with Michael Bisping suggesting Chimaev could move up to light heavyweight afterward. Ryan Garner bbc.com targeted the winner of Anthony Cacace-James Dickens for a super featherweight world title shot. Harry Hardwick bbc.com described MMA as a "stupid" career choice but counts himself among the lucky few who succeeded. Andreas Hale espn.com addressed key boxing storylines, including potential Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney and Floyd Mayweather-Mike Tyson matchups.
Golf
Graeme McDowell bbc.com created LIV Golf history with a second consecutive hole-in-one, becoming the first player to achieve the feat on tour. Scottie Scheffler espn.com remains the overwhelming betting favorite at The Players Championship, seeking his third career title at TPC Sawgrass. Brian Rolapp outlined ambitious changes espn.com for the PGA Tour, including potential relegation, a revamped schedule, and match play in the playoffs. Brooks Koepka's espn.com chances at The Players were analyzed alongside sleeper picks for the prestigious event.
Motorsport
Luis Hamilton espn.com attributed Ferrari's gap to Mercedes primarily to power unit performance deficits after qualifying fourth for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race. Hamilton explored "every way" espn.com to attend the Oscars despite Mercedes' commitments in Shanghai, ultimately deciding it was impossible to arrive on time. The NFLPA leadership vote espn.com approaches amid tension, with representatives set to choose a successor to disgraced former leader Lloyd Howell.
Cricket & Other Sports
The Hundred auction marked a historic moment bbc.com for UK professional sports, with 89 players picked in the first-ever televised sporting auction. IPL-affiliated coaches bbc.com denied being directed to avoid Pakistan players, while Abrar Ahmed's signing bbc.com by Sunrisers Leeds allayed concerns about Pakistan player exclusion. Afghanistan's series against Sri Lanka bbc.com in the UAE was postponed until year's end due to Middle East conflict. Tom Dean bbc.com uprooted his life to move to Stirling, setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after winning triple gold.
Miscellaneous
The NCAA tournaments are expected to see approximately $3.3 billion espn.com in U.S. sportsbook bets, a slight year-over-year increase according to the AGA. Alysa Liu espn.com received a key to her hometown in a rally featuring Bay Area artists after her Olympic success. The Big Ten's request espn.com to the NCAA asked for a pause on tampering investigations and modernization of rules. Texas Tech's Christian Anderson espn.com strained a muscle slipping on the Big 12's new glass court during Iowa State's 75-53 win. Colin Dorgan espn.com, who lost three family members in a Rhode Island rink shooting, scored the game-winning goal in double overtime for his high school team.