Liverpool fan and former Northern Ireland under-19 soccer star Oisin Conaty couldn’t resist a dig after the Carton House misunderstanding

Oisín Conaty has poured cold water on claims of a training ground stand-off between Armagh and Manchester United – insisting the whole thing “never happened”.

Rumours gathered pace online earlier this week, suggesting both teams were due to use Carton House at the same time, with Armagh allegedly forced to step aside as the pitches were lined out for soccer instead of GAA.

But Conaty, who was a talented soccer player himself and represented Northern Ireland at under-19 level, says the reality was far less dramatic.

“The pitches weren’t lined out, so we just went back up the road and we trained in Armagh,” he explained.

“It was a Saturday and Sunday, no big deal. We got three good sessions in and we’re happy with the weekend.

“I saw it coming out yesterday, a few tweets, but it didn’t affect us.”

Rather than any clash with the Premier League giants, Armagh simply adjusted their plans – with no disruption to their preparations.

“Everything was the same – the meetings, the trainings, everything,” Conaty added.

“We got two good sessions in and another walk-through session. It was perfect.”

The Orchard County ultimately lost nothing from the change of venue – aside from a night away.

“We got the same number of training sessions in Armagh that we would have done in Carton House,” he said.

“The only difference was we slept in our own beds.”

And while the supposed run-in with Manchester United never materialised, Conaty couldn’t resist a cheeky dig – especially given his footballing loyalties.

“If United were there, I’m a Liverpool man, so there could have been a bit of a stand-off,” he joked.

“United need the result, don’t they?

“They need the training in the last few years they’ve been going through.”

* Oisin Conaty is an AIB ambassador ahead of the 2026 GAA Championship

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Here are all the amazing things we think you should know as NASA makes history

NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first human spaceflight to travel beyond low‑Earth orbit in more than 50 years, successfully launched on April 1, 2026, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, embarking on a historic journey around the Moon.

The 10‑day flight marks humanity’s return to deep‑space exploration since the end of NASA’s Apollo program and will test critical spacecraft systems ahead of planned lunar landings in years to come.

Here are 12 amazing things we think you should know about the Artemis II mission:

1. First time in 50 years

The Artemis II mission marks the first time in more than 50 years that astronauts have been sent on a mission around the Moon. The last such journey took place during Apollo 17 in 1972.

2. A powerful launch from Florida

The mission lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center aboard NASA’s Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket the agency has ever built. It generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust, rising slowly at first before accelerating into the sky, leaving a bright plume visible for miles and a deep rumble felt by spectators.

3. Delays and last-minute technical concerns

Artemis II faced several delays in the months leading up to launch, including hydrogen and helium leaks discovered during testing. In the final hour before liftoff, engineers also had to resolve a battery issue in the launch abort system, briefly pausing the countdown before confirming the rocket was safe to fly.

4. The four-person crew on board

The astronauts on the mission are commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

The four astronauts include the first woman, the first Black astronaut and the first Canadian astronauts assigned to a lunar mission. A moment in history!

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5. A 10-day mission timeline

The mission is expected to last around 10 days, during which the crew will travel further from Earth than any humans before. However, unlike the Apollo missions, Artemis II is not designed to land on the Moon but to test systems for future missions.

6. Initial testing in Earth orbit

After launch, the Orion spacecraft entered Earth orbit, where the crew is spending the first day carrying out system checks. These include testing navigation, communications, and life-support systems to ensure the spacecraft is ready for the journey into deep space.

7. The journey towards the Moon

Once initial checks are complete, Orion will fire its main engine and begin its journey of approximately 244,000 miles to the Moon. This phase, lasting several days, is critical for assessing the spacecraft’s performance outside Earth’s immediate environment.

8. They will not actually be landing on the moon

On day six, the spacecraft will perform a flyby of the Moon, travelling thousands of miles beyond it. The astronauts will capture images and gather data, helping NASA understand how systems operate in deep space conditions.

9. Returning using gravity

After the flyby, Orion will use the gravitational pull of both the Moon and Earth to guide its return. This planned trajectory allows the spacecraft to conserve fuel while safely heading back home.

10. Re-entry through extreme heat

As the capsule re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, it will experience temperatures of around 1,650°C. The service module will separate before re-entry, leaving the crew module to withstand the intense heat as it descends.

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11. They will land the module in the Pacific Ocean

The mission will end with a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, where recovery teams will retrieve the astronauts. This method follows procedures used during earlier lunar missions.

12. Preparing for future Moon landings

Although Artemis II will not land on the Moon, it is a key step towards future missions that will. NASA plans to use data from this flight to prepare for crewed landings later in the decade, with the long-term goal of establishing a sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually sending astronauts to Mars.

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The force has confirmed three people have been arrested after a ‘shocking’ daylight shooting in Bristol

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A man was left ‘seriously injured’ after a shocking shooting in Bristol on Wednesday. Police have confirmed three people have since been arrested after a major manhunt.

A man in his 20s was rushed to hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds at around 1.47pm yesterday (Wednesday, April 1). Avon and Somerset Police descended on the scene after reports a gun had been fired at a car in Speedwell Road near a pub and car wash.

Officers cordoned off the area, near the Wackum pub, according to Bristol Post, while several local schools went into lockdown.

A manhunt gripped the city yesterday with a helicopter in desperate search for the suspected shooter.

The force have since issued a major update in the early hours as three people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

A man in his twenties was arrested just after 2.30am on suspicion of attempted murder, and another man and a woman in their twenties were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

All three are in police custody.

The police said that enquiries are continuing, however they are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident at this time.

A scene remains in place in St Anne’s Woods, near Brislington, as an area of interest and members of the public can expect to see a heightened police presence in this area and in the Speedwell area of Bristol.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “We understand that this may have been a very concerning incident, but we have deployed a significant number of resources as part of our response, including the National Police Air Service helicopter, specially-trained firearms officers and drone units.

“We continue to appeal for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward, including anyone with footage of the incident. If you can help, please call us.”

As we emerge from a relentlessly gloomy winter in the UK, many are itching for a holiday in the sun. For some that means seeking warmer climates abroad and hopping on a plane to get there.

But as climate change brings wetter winters to the UK, flying for holidays is fuelling rapidly rising aviation emissions. And addressing this not only needs a shift towards climate-friendly travel but a reimagining of where holidays take place.

For years we’ve been sold the promise of guilt-free flying through green technologies such as sustainable aviation fuels and carbon offsetting from polluting airlines.

But all come with significant limitations and none are ready to deliver the emissions reductions we need within the time we have. Ultimately, without curbing demand, current climate policies will not deliver any major emissions reductions in aviation. That makes it more important to reduce how much we fly.

In the UK, aviation is set to become the largest emitting sector by 2040 and this rise is being driven primarily by leisure travel. This includes vacations and visiting family or friends with the majority of departing passengers flying for holidays.

Beyond switching planes for trains

The good news is the growth in aviation emissions isn’t being caused by your annual holiday to Spain. Most flights are taken by a relatively small number flying several times a year, with 70% of flights taken by just 15% of people. This group is also more likely to take frequent short-haul flights which could be replaced by train. Shifting the behaviour of this elite group (from planes to trains) would have a significant impact on cutting emissions.

Trains are significantly better for the climate compared to flying, with a single flight from London to Berlin clocking up the same amount of carbon as 11 trips by train.

As a researcher focusing on how to promote flight-free holidays to reduce aviation emissions, I used to find this reassuring. We didn’t necessarily need to change where we went for holidays. We just needed to get frequent flyers on trains instead of planes.

But, sadly, it isn’t that simple. Recent research has found the majority of UK aviation emissions actually come from long-haul leisure flights. So even if all flights on routes that could be completed by rail in under 24 hours were replaced, this would only address around 14% of UK aviation emissions.

Reducing aviation emissions therefore requires not only getting frequent flyers to shift from planes to trains, but asking wider questions about where people want to go and why.

Rethinking what a ‘proper’ holiday looks like

Reducing demand for flying isn’t just a structural challenge addressing cheap flights and expensive trains, but also a social one. Five minutes scrolling on Instagram bombards you with bucket list destinations and influencers implying a life well lived is a passport full of stamps.

Since the rise of budget airlines in the 1990s, flying for holidays has become increasingly normalised socially, despite largely remaining something only a relatively wealthy few do regularly. And the pull isn’t just about cost and convenience.

Research shows if cost and time weren’t an issue, people say they would fly more. Flying has become a means to an end in reaching the exotic, unfamiliar and – crucially for British people – the sun.

Tourists associate distance with novelty, contributing to domestic holidays being less popular than those abroad. There’s almost a hierarchy of destinations where places furthest away and more novel feel more desirable. My ongoing research on how people talk about holidays reflects this – some questioned whether the UK even counts as a holiday.

I have found that holidays in far-away places seemed to impress participants more than those spent in the UK and Europe, often with responses such as “wow” and “amazing”. Destinations further afield were referred to as “grand”, “swanky”, “extravagant” and “big”, contrasting with the language used when discussing holidays closer to home with “only”, “little” and “just”. In this way, the places we visit on holiday act as social currency in conversations. Being well travelled grants us cultural capital, the accumulated knowledge and experience of the world signalling social status.

But ideas of a good holiday are open to change. In one survey, half of the respondents said they flew less because they knew someone who had given up flying due to climate change. So social influence works in both directions.

Some, for example those part of the slow travel movement, are already resisting the idea that closer destinations are somehow lesser. Participants in our ongoing research described planning trips around where they can feasibly get to by train, making the journey part of the holiday or foregrounding quality time with loved ones over the destination.

This isn’t about giving up holidays abroad and foregoing the sun, especially if you’re only flying to a European destination once or twice a year. Structural change, like fairer pricing and better rail connections, is also essential (and long overdue) if people are to make changes.

Even taking the train from London to Edinburgh costs on average 60% more than flying and this will persist until airlines are taxed fairly and train tickets are made the same price or cheaper than plane tickets. These are policies which the public supports.

So as we look ahead to summer it’s worth asking if what we’re actually longing for – whether it be warmth, rest, adventure, quality time, cultural interest or a change of scenery – really requires a long-haul flight (or lots of short-haul flights). A sustainable holiday starts with asking that question before deciding where to go.

The school – which is currently operating in a £2.7m deficit – has been accused of using gifts intended for some of their most disadvantaged pupils as promotional ‘prizes’

A West Belfast school is facing accusations it misappropriated donations of toys and electronics intended for 80 of the school’s most disadvantaged pupils – and used them for marketing purposes.

De La Salle College is understood to have received toys and other items through the Cash for Kids Mission Christmas Appeal in the run up to Christmas 2025.

The charity confirmed to Belfast Live that the school applied for support for 80 children, who were at risk of waking up with nothing on Christmas morning.

Cash for Kids said organisations applying to the appeal are asked to identify the children who will receive support, including details such as age and any additional needs, with items intended for those specific recipients. However, concerns have since been raised about how the donations were used.

Belfast Live spoke to multiple sources at the school who alleged not all of the items were distributed to the children identified in the application. It was further claimed that some of the goods were instead used as prizes at the school’s ‘Open Night’ in January and distributed more broadly in classrooms.

As part of our investigation, Belfast Live was shown footage that appears to show a large quantity of toys and high-end electronic items stored within the school. Separate footage, posted by the college on social media, shows similar items being distributed to local primary school children following the Open Night. It is not known whether the items shown in either video include those received as part of the Cash for Kids appeal.

When Belfast Live contacted Cash for Kids, the charity confirmed this was the first time they had been made aware of the allegations and are now in contact with the school.

Cash for Kids asks recipient groups to distribute items to children identified in their application and issues a monitoring form in January seeking feedback on how donations were used.

The terms and conditions set out for receipt of the grants explicitly state that: “donated goods must not be sold, cannot be used for fundraising purposes and are strictly non-transferable. Any unused donations must be returned to Cash for Kids for redistribution to support local underprivileged children.”

Organisations that do not meet the terms of a grant application may be refused future support, among other potential steps, depending on the circumstances.

These allegations come on the backdrop of financial pressures at the school. Education Authority records show that the school, which had been operating with a healthy surplus until 2019, is now operating in a budget deficit of £2.7m following a sharp decline in pupil numbers.

In 2016, De La Salle College had an enrolment of 1,117 pupils. By 2024/25, enrolment figures had fallen by more than 30% to just 774 pupils, with more than 50% in receipt of free school meals.

There is no suggestion that the school’s financial position is directly linked to the concerns raised about the use of the donated items.

Belfast Live contacted De La Salle College and presented them with the findings of this investigation. We posed a series of questions to the school, including whether all items were distributed to intended recipients and whether any were used as prizes at the school’s Open Night.

The school was also asked to clarify whether items had been distributed more broadly within the school and to outline its policy on handling charitable donations.

Despite multiple attempts to contact the school via phone and email, no response was received by the time of publication.

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The 33-year-old goalkeeper, who has been absent with fitness issues on several occasions this term, withdrew from the Brazilian squad due to “injury,” according to the country’s football federation, while Slot – speaking in his last post-match press conference on March 21 – said “let’s see afterwards” after confirming that Alisson would “definitely be out during the international break”.

John Sandell, 75, was refused permission to return to Alicante, Spain, after he was found guilty of sexual offences in the UK relating to a young girl

An expat living in Spain has been refused permission to return as he faces sentencing after being found in a caravan with a young girl.

John Sandell was refused permission by a judge at Hull Crown Court to go back to Alicante and was ordered to surrender his passport within 24 hours.

The 75-year-old, who previously lived in the Withernsea, Yorkshire before later moving to Spain, denied six offences of indecency with a child but he was convicted by a jury after a trial on majority verdicts of 11 to one.

He also denied two other similar offences and two of indecent assault and he was cleared of those. The verdicts came after deliberations of 10 hours and 16 minutes spanning two days.

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After the guilty verdicts, sentence was adjourned for reports and defence barrister Julia Baggs said that Sandell had, throughout the proceedings, been living in Alicante – but had returned to this country for court hearings without any problems.

She asked for his bail to be continued on the same terms. Deputy circuit judge Peter Kelson said, however, that allowing Sandell to continue living in Alicante “complicated” the situation.

“I am not comfortable with the defendant returning to Spain,” he said. “I impose a condition of bail that the defendant must reside in the UK and he must surrender his passport to the police within 24 hours. On that understanding, he can leave the dock.”

Sandell was ordered to live with his sister in the Withernsea area until the day of sentence and to speak to the police’s officer in the case, who was sitting in the public gallery, to arrange to hand over his passport. They spoke outside the courtroom to make arrangements for this.

During the trial, the court heard that Sandell was caught with the young girl while they were in a caravan in East Yorkshire. The girl’s mother heard laughing and discovered them together. “He just froze and didn’t say anything,” said the woman. There were two girls in the caravan.

“I didn’t expect to see such a sight,” the mother stated. “All I could think was to get the girls out of the caravan. He was saying it was not what it looked like and nothing had happened. I didn’t believe him.”

During his defence evidence, Sandell, also a former Blackpool hotelier, denied any indecency with the girl. “No, never,” he claimed. But prosecutor Ben Hammersley told him: “You are lying to this jury, aren’t you?” He claimed that Sandell groomed and sexually abused the girl.

“She had no reason to make it up,” said Mr Hammersley. “These things happened, didn’t they?” Sandell replied: “No, they didn’t. Not true.”

Mr Hammersley said: “You gave her cakes and treats.” Sandell replied: “No.” He denied taking the girl to Hull Fair and showing her videos that were inappropriate for her age.

Mr Hammersley claimed: “You were doing this to try to gain her trust and favour. You wanted to make her feel special, didn’t you? You wanted to build a closeness with her. You were grooming her.” Sandell replied: “No.”

Mr Hammersley said: “You knew it was wrong. You told her not to say anything. Your conversations with her became sexual.” Sandell replied: “Never.”

Mr Hammersley said of the caravan incident: “You were caught red-handed and tried to cover your tracks.” Sandell tried to pretend that there was “no hankypanky” involving the girl. He replied: “No.”

During police interview, Sandell made no comment to all questions. “I didn’t know what to do because I had never been in court before,” he claimed. “I was told to say ‘No comment’ so that’s what I said.” He had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Sandell told the court that he was arrested in Manchester and was taken to a police station after hearing that the police wanted to speak to him about something. “I thought I was going to be giving information about an ongoing trial,” he claimed.

Mr Hammersley told him: “Until you were faced with these allegations in 2022, you thought you had got away with it.” Sandell replied: “Not true at all. I didn’t know I was going to be arrested. I was in shock.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected to try quickly passing a measure Thursday that would fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, though it’s unclear how soon the House will follow to largely end the longest partial government shutdown in history.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a plan Wednesday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security as part of a two-step process. The agreement puts the leaders on the same page for ending the impasse after they pursued separate plans that resulted in Congress leaving Washington last week without a fix.

Johnson and Thune announced a return to the bipartisan Senate plan worked out with Democrats that funds most of the department, with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans would then try later to fund those agencies on their own through party-line spending legislation that could take months to finish.

Neither outcome is guaranteed, and the strategy could potentially still face opposition from the GOP’s own ranks even though President Donald Trump has given his support.

“We appreciate and share the President’s determination to once and for all bring an end to the Democrat DHS shutdown,” said Johnson, R-La., and Thune, R-S.D.

House Republicans refused to go along with the Senate plan last week excluding ICE and Border Patrol, instead changing the bill to fund all of DHS for 60 days.

The DHS shutdown reached its 47th day on Wednesday. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement, “Republican divisions derailed a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction.”

The two top Republicans hope to win over skeptical GOP colleagues, but the most conservative lawmakers are likely to seek full funding for all of Trump’s immigration and deportation operations.

“Let’s make this simple: caving to Democrats and not paying CBP and ICE is agreeing to defund Law Enforcement and leaving our borders wide open again,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., posted on X. “If that’s the vote, I’m a NO.”

The Senate meets for an early pro-forma session Thursday. Those generally last just a few minutes as the vast majority of senators are not present. Senators could take up the measure they passed just last week through a unanimous consent request, allowing it to pass if no senator objects. The Senate’s action would then send the bill back to the House, which is also holding a pro-forma session later in the morning.

Meanwhile, the narrow budget package that Trump wants prepared for later this year is expected to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the remainder of Trump’s term, as a way to try to ensure those agencies are no longer at risk from Democrats objecting to the president’s immigration enforcement agenda. Trump said he wants that legislation on his desk by June 1.

“We are going to work as fast, and as focused, as possible to replenish funding for our Border and ICE Agents, and the Radical Left Democrats won’t be able to stop us,” Trump said.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement after Johnson and Thune sent out their announcement, saying, “It’s time to pay TSA agents, end the airport chaos and fully fund every part of the Department of Homeland Security that does not relate to Donald Trump’s violent mass deportation machine.”

The vast majority of Homeland Security workers continue to report to work during the shutdown, but many thousands have been going without pay. That led to more Transportation Security Administration agents calling out from work, causing frustrating security lines at some of the nation’s biggest airports. Those bottlenecks appeared to be clearing this week as agents began receiving backpay, per an executive order from Trump.

___

Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

The latest rugby news from Wales and around the world

Here are your rugby morning headlines for Thursday, April 2.

Star speaks out over Scotland v France controversy

Ben White has broken his silence on the flashpoint involving Antoine Dupont during Scotland’s dramatic Six Nations win over France, insisting he has “a lot of respect” for the French superstar.

The Scotland scrum-half found himself at the centre of controversy during the thrilling 50-40 victory at Murrayfield, where tensions boiled over between the two No 9s.

The key moment came after Kyle Steyn intercepted a Dupont pass and raced in for his second try of the afternoon. White, who had helped force the error with his pressure, appeared to celebrate directly in front of the France captain, prompting an angry reaction from Dupont.

The Toulouse star later refused to shake White’s hand at full-time and admitted afterwards he had “never had that kind of mindset on the field”.

Now White has addressed the incident for the first time, suggesting the moment was simply a product of emotion and adrenaline.

“It’s just that you want to win and you’re passionate about representing your country. There’s adrenaline. That’s all,” he said.

“I have no problem with Antoine Dupont. I have a lot of respect for him.

“He’s an incredible player, and if you want to stay in the game against him, you have to be at your best. It’s as simple as that.”

White, who plays his club rugby for Toulon, has previously spoken glowingly about Dupont and the pair are now set for another showdown in the Top 14 when Toulon host Toulouse in Marseille on May 9.

Given the bad blood that briefly surfaced in Edinburgh, that reunion will now carry even more intrigue.

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Wales star makes decision on future

Wales hooker Brodie Coghlan has committed his future to Dragons RFC after signing a new contract to remain at Rodney Parade.

The 25-year-old, who made his international debut against New Zealand last autumn, has agreed fresh terms with his home region after a breakthrough campaign for both club and country.

Coghlan brought up his 50th Dragons appearance in last weekend’s clash with the Lions, the same opposition he faced when making his debut back in the 2022-23 season, and has now chosen to continue his journey in Newport.

“This club means everything to me,” said the two-cap Wales international.

“I grew up in Newport as a fan of the Dragons and dreamt of playing for them one day. To continue to make my childhood dream come true and play for my home club is very special to me.

“This year has been an incredibly proud one. I was given the opportunity to represent my country and in the same season I got my 50th cap for the club.

“I’m now looking forward to the next step in my career, pushing myself to keep getting better.”

A former back-rower who switched to hooker as a teenager, Coghlan has developed into one of the region’s key front-row options and has scored four tries this season, including in the European win over Newcastle Red Bulls.

Dragons forwards coach Sam Hobbs said the region were delighted to retain a player who has emerged through their own pathway.

“Having come through our academy, he has really pushed on and developed in the last few seasons,” Hobbs said.

“He’s established himself as a senior hooker and after a taste of international rugby in the autumn we know how motivated he is to gain further success.”

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Wales great eyes Ronan O’Gara upset

Stephen Jones is hoping to roll back the years and repeat one of the most memorable European wins of his playing career when Newcastle Red Bulls host Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle this weekend.

The former Wales fly-half will come up against his old British & Irish Lions team-mate in Saturday night’s Challenge Cup last-16 clash at Kingston Park, with a place in the quarter-finals on the line.

Jones and O’Gara shared Lions tours in New Zealand in 2005 and South Africa in 2009, but friendship will be put to one side as the pair go head-to-head in the dugout.

For Jones, the meeting also brings back memories of a famous night in west Wales. He was part of the Scarlets side that stunned O’Gara’s Munster 24-15 at Stradey Park in 2007, ending the Irish province’s reign as Heineken Cup champions.

Now he is aiming to script another upset against a decorated French side.

Jones spoke kindly of O’Gara before the tie, praising both his achievements as a player and the success he has built as a coach with the Crusaders and La Rochelle.

But he also made clear Newcastle are embracing the challenge after an impressive European campaign so far, which has included wins over the Lions, Perpignan and Lyon.

“Obviously, respect him (O’Gara) for what he achieved as a player. We had quite a few games against each other for Munster and Ireland, and obviously teammates on the Lions,” Jones said.

“He’s gone on and had a very good coaching career, with the Crusaders and now with La Rochelle. Hence why he’s got trophies in the cabinet, and he’s built a good group there.

“I know there’s a bit of talk (O’Gara’s future) at the moment, but ultimately, he’s a quality coach and built up a very good group there. They’re very physical, very direct, and give the ball a bit more width, trying to stress us in the wide channels.

“This is a wonderful game for the club. We’re playing a really good side. It’s going to be a nice challenge for our defence. We need to be able to connect in the middle of the park and then make sure we work as a defensive line across the pitch.

“From our perspective, it’s a huge game for us, and it is a priority for us. We respect the competition. The group’s done well in Europe, and the boys should take confidence from that.”

Shanklin delivers Dragons verdict

Tom Shanklin says he has been impressed by the Dragons’ recent progress but admits their Challenge Cup trip to Stade Français looks the toughest task facing any Welsh side this weekend.

The Men of Gwent head to Paris for their EPCR Challenge Cup last-16 clash against a Stade side in ominous scoring form, having racked up 110 points across their two wins in March, including a 64-20 demolition of Clermont last weekend.

Former Wales centre Shanklin believes the scale of the challenge is huge, but says there is still plenty for the Rodney Parade side to gain even if they fall short.

“I’ve been impressed by them,” the Premier Sports pundit told the South Wales Argus.

“They’ve had decent games in the last two weeks. To go to the Stormers and Lions and be competitive all the way through is a promising sign.

“Stade Français will be tough and I can’t see them winning, but I hope they’re competitive and keep their momentum going until the end of the season.”

Shanklin stressed the financial gulf between the two clubs means expectations should be realistic, suggesting a spirited display and a couple of tries in Paris would still represent a positive outcome.

He also believes there are clear signs of growth in the Dragons’ URC campaign despite the mixed results.

“There’s been a lot of improvement,” he added.

“Maybe results haven’t shown that but you’ve certainly seen it in performances. They are far more competitive.

“They look more confident, they’re playing better rugby, but it shows you how tough the league is for them at the moment.”

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