Upcoming sports events in this country look set to proceed with the aid of an elite athletes' exemption to avoid mandatory hotel quarantine restrictions. Such is the case for the France squad who are travelling to Dublin for Saturday's women's Six Nations semi-final at Energia Park. The same will apply for the Leinster squad upon returning from their Champions Cup semi-final in three weeks' time. In his column this morning Owen Doyle explains how Irish officials get a very raw deal that no player would accept. Gerry Thornley looks back on eight great Leinster wins in Europe that trump last weekend's Exeter comeback.
Leinster rugby's proposal of a 'proof of concept' trial for a match with spectators has raised hopes within the GAA that some crowds might be allowed to return as this summer's season unfolds. The proof of concept envisages people being invited to attend an antigen test on the morning of the match and if that is passed, the person's phone is contacted and they bring the result as well as the ticket along – or if they fail the test are passed on for a PCR. Tickets are allocated in pairs with a crowd of 2,000 being proposed by Leinster for the trial – each pair to be socially distanced by two metres from others. Of the 232,164 cases of Covid-19 recorded in the State up to March 24th this year, 262 were as a result of outdoor transmission, representing only 0.1 per cent of the total.
In Premier League action last night, Brighton's domination only earned them a point against an Everton side that did not create a clear chance in the entire game. Earlier West Brom were denied an early breakthrough by VAR in confusing circumstances but still played with enough sharpness and skill to blow away Southampton thanks to goals by Matheus Pereira, Matt Philips and Ireland's Callum Robinson. Thomas Tuchel has warned Chelsea to focus on the present and seal their progress against Porto in tonight's Champions League quarter-final second leg.
Meanwhile, following Hideki Matsuyama's achievement in becoming the first Japanese men's player to win a Major, Philip Reid explains how it will only multiply the rock-star status he already received at home, although the Olympics will likely mark the first time that his supporters will get to pay homage. Maybe even as the one to light the flame.
