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Morning brief: Two true sporting greats leave the pitch

Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer and Wales’ JPR Williams passed away, while the provinces have been hit with a horrendous spate of injuries

Germany captain Franz Beckenbauer receives the World Cup after defeating the Netherlands in 1974 at Munich's Olympic stadium. Photograph: STF/AFP via Getty Images

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Mary Hannigan
Tue Jan 9 2024 - 11:12

If you’re of a certain vintage, then Monday brought no little sadness with the news of the deaths of both Franz Beckenbauer and JPR Williams, two of their sports’ true greats through careers that spanned three decades, from the 1960s to the eighties. “Few football careers can hold a candle to what Beckenbauer packed into his time in the game,” writes Paul Wilson of one of only three men to win the World Cup as both a player and manager, while there were few more thrilling sights in rugby than Williams in full flow, whether it be for Wales, the Lions or the Barbarians.

Back to today’s rugby and there’s no shortage of gloomy injury news, Mack Hansen ruled out of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign after undergoing surgery on a dislocated shoulder. When it rains it pours: Linley MacKenzie brings word that Connacht will also be without Cathal Forde for a spell, the talented young centre also laid low by a shoulder injury.

Munster, who announced yesterday that Joey Carbery will leave at end of the season, will be without Jean Kleyn for the entire campaign after he had surgery on a knee problem, while Leinster will have to make do without Jimmy O’Brien “for a number of months” due to a neck injury. It’s carnage.

In the absence of Hansen, Gerry Thornley looks at Andy Farrell’s options to replace him, noting that Ireland’s production line of wingers has stuttered of late. Munster’s Calvin Nash, he reckons, is the man most likely.

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In Gaelic games, Gordan Manning reports on the GAA giving referee Conor Lane their backing after he deemed the conditions in Newry on Sunday playable for the All-Ireland club football semi-final between Glen and Kilmacud Crokes. Gordon also brings news of Donegal’s plan to challenge the eight-week suspension handed out to manager Jim McGuinness after the fielding of an ineligible player in last week’s McKenna Cup win over Armagh.

Meanwhile, Naas officials are keeping a beady eye on the weather forecast ahead of Friday’s rescheduled meeting, cancelled last Sunday after just one race due to the fog. “It’s another F word – frost – that could give cause for concern later this week,” writes Brian O’Connor.

Frost, you’d imagine, is unlikely to be an issue in the United Arab Emirates this week where Rory McIlroy gets his year under way at the Dubai Invitational, the start of his build-up to April’s Masters.

And Ian O’Riordan talks to a man with a life story like few others, Charlie Engle, who spent time in a US prison, swapping his addiction to drink and drugs for what seems very much like an addiction to running – of the extreme kind. Like running 7,200km across the Sahara desert. And he’s now aiming to run from the Dead Sea to Mount Everest. Like you do.

TV Watch: There’s continuing coverage of the snooker Masters on BBC2 and Eurosport through the day and evening, and tonight Sky Sports Football have the first leg of the League Cup semi-final between Middlesbrough and Chelsea (kick-off 8.0).