RIO
-0.3300
Ross Byrne and Craig Casey form a new halfback partnership as both make their first Six Nations starts against Italy on Saturday with Ireland bidding to make it three wins from three matches.
Anthony Watson is set for his first start for England since 2021 after being named on the wing to face Wales in Saturday's Six Nations clash in Cardiff.
Giant centre Mason Grady was selected to make his debut for Wales against England on Saturday as coach Warren Gatland dropped George North and Dan Biggar after two opening defeats.
Famed British football commentator John Motson, who had a distinguished 50-year career with the BBC, has died at the age of 77, his family announced on Thursday.
Highly-rated fly-half Paolo Garbisi is fit to make his first start of the Six Nations when Italy host table-topping Ireland in Rome on Saturday.
Ministers have announced plans for an independent football regulator to oversee the financial sustainability of the men's game in England, with powers to prevent clubs from joining breakaway leagues.
American sprint star Fred Kerley kicked off his season Thursday with a comfortable 200m victory in Melbourne, easing up in the final stretch to cross in 20.32 seconds.
New Zealand fast bowler Blair Tickner wants to bring some cheer to the victims of Cyclone Gabrielle by helping the Black Caps win the second Test against England, starting Friday.
England have named an unchanged team for the second and final Test against New Zealand in Wellington on Friday, after captain Ben Stokes they had played "the perfect game" to go 1-0 up in the series.
In-form Mallory Swanson scored again as the United States beat Brazil 2-1 to clinch a fourth straight SheBelieves Cup crown Wednesday.
Reigning British Open champion Cameron Smith and two-time major winner Dustin Johnson are among the big names as the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf League opens its 2023 campaign on Friday.
Wales playing England at home is one of the stand-out fixtures of the Six Nations, a fierce rivalry between neighbours that sees thousands fill Cardiff for a day of rugby, beer and cheer.
Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh will make their international returns from lengthy injury layoffs after being named Thursday in Australia's one-day squad for the series in India.
Italy are at last finding their feet in Test rugby thanks to a mix of talented young players and the "level-headed" approach of coach Kieran Crowley, former fly-half Ian McKinley told AFP.
Ex-Scotland scrum-half Greig Laidlaw said his former side must be wary of France's ability in broken play during Sunday's Six Nations meeting in Paris.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola joked he could throw caution to the wind to finish off Leipzig in the Champions League by fielding "nine strikers".
Japan snapped a four-match losing streak with a 3-0 victory over Olympic champions Canada in their closing match of the SheBelieves Cup on Wednesday.
World number two Carlos Alcaraz overcame 556th-ranked Mateus Alves of Brazil in a rain-delayed opening match Wednesday to advance to the second round of the ATP Rio Open.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is making "good progress" but will miss at least one more week as he recovers from left knee and leg injuries, the NBA team said Wednesday.
Romelu Lukaku boosted Inter Milan's chances of reaching the Champions League quarter finals for the first time in over a decade after scoring the only goal in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Porto.
RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol scored a second-half header, cancelling out Riyad Mahrez's strike to earn a 1-1 with Manchester City in their Champions League last 16 clash on Wednesday.
Romelu Lukaku gave Inter Milan a good chance of reaching the Champions League quarter finals for the first time in over a decade after scoring the only goal in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Porto.
RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol scored a second-half header, cancelling out Riyad Mahrez's strike to earn a 1-1 with Manchester City in their Champions League last 16 clash on Wednesday.
Ireland's Shane Lowry said Wednesday he doesn't know if LIV Golf rebels should be allowed on the European Ryder Cup team, but if they are he hopes it doesn't make for tension in the squad.
Andy Murray teetered on the brink before beating Alexander Zverev in a marathon that lasted more than three hours on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open.
Wales captain Ken Owens said he hoped the country would no longer be the "laughing stock" of rugby now Saturday's Six Nations international against England had been confirmed after a potential strike by Welsh players was averted.
World number one Iga Swiatek swept past Liudmila Samsonova for the loss of just one game in the last 16 of the Dubai WTA tournament on Wednesday, earning praise from fellow three-time major winner Andy Murray.
Wales' Six Nations international against England will go ahead as scheduled after a potential strike by Welsh players was averted, team captain Ken Owens and the Welsh Rugby Union announced Wednesday.
Conor Benn has been cleared of a doping offence after the World Boxing Council ruled a "highly-elevated consumption of eggs" constituted a "reasonable explanation" for his positive finding.
World number one Iga Swiatek swept past Liudmila Samsonova for the loss of just one game to make the Dubai WTA quarter-finals on Wednesday.
England back-row Tom Curry will play no part at all in this season's Six Nations after being ruled out for at least four weeks with a torn hamstring, it was announced Wednesday.
Erik ten Hag picked the brains of Alex Ferguson ahead of Manchester United's Europa League clash against Barcelona on Thursday, admitting his side need to produce their best performance of the season to progress.