The Six Nations returns this weekend and England have it all to play for as they seek to win back-to-back Grand Slams for the first time since 1992. News that fly-half Owen Farrell missed Friday’s training session with a thigh problem is a concern for England, who know that victory over Scotland would give Eddie Jones’s side a record-equalling 18th consecutive win.
Farrell, George Ford and Mike Brown were given kicking guidance by Jonny Wilkinson, but Farrell was purely rehearsing his technique and not actually kicking at goal. Jones has until an hour before kick-off to finalise the side for Saturday’s Calcutta Cup game. If Farrell does not make it, assistant coach Paul Gustard says Ben Te’o will start at inside centre with Jonny May on the bench.
“It will be a loss, of course, but we are very happy with the strengths Ben can bring,” Gustard said. “We are very happy with the 23 we will have on the pitch. We have flexibility, Jack Nowell can come into the centre and Elliot Daly can come in to 13. So we will be very strong regardless.”
Considering the drama that has already unfolded ahead of 2017’s Cheltenham Festival, one can only imagine what lies in wait once the racing gets underway next week. From Tuesday through until Friday, Cheltenham Racecourse becomes the Mecca for National Hunt racing fans, 260,000 of whom will travel from far and wide – albeit mainly Ireland – to immerse themselves in equine exaltation.
When news broke of an impending alcohol crackdown at this year’s Cheltenham festival, the reaction among punters was one of outrage at another ‘nanny-state’ intervention. The newly imposed rule restricts punters to purchasing just four alcoholic drinks at a time. How ever will they cope?! Come to think of it how many pints can a semi-sober person even carry?
The much-fancied horse Thistlecrack has withdrawn from the festival due to injury, leaving many punters cursing themselves for backing him antepost and resultantly losing their stake. Not the be too dispirited, there will be plenty of opportunities to turn said losses into profit once the racing gets underway on Tuesday, and concludes with the 89th annual running of the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.
The Premier League takes a backseat this weekend as the FA Cup quarter-finals dominate all things football. Jose Mourinho returns to Stamford Bridge to take on Champions-elect Chelsea, while Arsenal host non-league minnows Lincoln City at the Emirates stadium. It’s been one of the worst weeks in recent history for the Gunners who were unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League 10-2 on aggregate by Bayern Munich.
Spurs face Millwall at White Hart Lane on Sunday in what is sure to be a white-hot atmosphere. The stadium and its surrounding area is probably not somewhere to be, either immediately before or after kick-off. Although the two team’s hooligan element is thankfully not what it once was, what still lurks is likely to be out in force for this rare encounter between two London clubs who, to put it mildly, do not get along at the best of times.
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