“Ever the drama kings, ne’er a dull moment, a passionate if sometimes disgruntled fan base and all the while both inspired and judged by their illustrious and sometimes glorious history.” As Gerry Thornley puts it, “the similarities between Munster and Manchester United have certainly extended beyond wearing red this week”. A day after Erik ten Hag packed his bags at United, Graham Rowntree was doing the same at Munster, Gerry reckoning the former England prop will be remembered considerably more fondly for his time with the province than the Dutch man will be for his at United.
David Gorman looks back at Rowntree’s Munster highs and lows, while Gerry sifts through the list of possible replacements, the Dream Ticket of Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell looking unattainable. Gordon D’Arcy, meanwhile, has no little sympathy for Rowntree, believing that despite their recent run of losses “Munster seemed to show enough to suggest they were pointing in the right direction”.
The Republic of Ireland are heading towards a Euro 2025 qualifying play-off with Wales after they saw off Georgia in Tallaght on Tuesday night, Gavin Cummiskey was there to see them made light work of the opposition.
In Gaelic games, Seán Moran recalls that when Jarlath Burns started his presidency back in February, he believed the GAA’s most pressing concerns were the state of football and the future for amateur status. Progress could be made on the former, thanks to Jim Gavin’s Football Review Committee, but “amateurism was always going to be the more intractable issue”.
Sports Books of the Year: Conor Niland’s The Racket the best in a year dominated by autobiographies
Manchester City approach the surreal as they head for Liverpool
Mark Ella was ‘the fulcrum ... the genius’ of Australia’s trailblazing tour of 1984
Patrick Reed returns to winning ways despite worst warm-up
And Gordon Manning previews this year’s All Stars football selection, which will be revealed on Thursday morning, All Ireland champions Armagh likely to take a hefty chunk of slots on the team – they have 11 players nominated.
Those of you who were among the billion people around the world who tuned in to Muhammad Ali and George Foreman’s Rumble in the Jungle will be alarmed to know that it took place 50 years ago today. Dave Hannigan writes about the occasion in Kinshasa, events outside the ring almost as remarkable as what happened inside it.
TV Watch: The Ruud van Nistelrooy revolution begins tonight when he takes the reins for Manchester United’s League Cup meeting with Leicester City at Old Trafford (Sky Sports +, kick-off 7.45). And it might end at the full-time whistle, the talk being that Rúben Amorim’s appointment is imminent. Sky also have live coverage of Tottenham v Man City (8.15pm), with Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, Brighton v Liverpool, Newcastle v Chelsea, Preston v Arsenal (all 7.30 kick-offs) all viewable on their + thingie.
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