AJ Lee defeated Becky Lynch at the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event to win the Intercontinental Championship for the first time in her career. The victory also marked her first championship win in more than a decade.
Lee made The Man tap out twice during the match. At first, referee Jessika Carr was knocked out and couldn’t make the call. The opening allowed Lynch to bring a steel chair into the ring. She tried to use it to turn the match in her favor, but it was not enough to put The Geek Goddess away. Lee made Lynch tap out with a Black Widow to win the title.
Advertisement
Thanks for the submission!
The Top 10 Moments from Elimination Chamber! 🙌 Presented by @USAFrecruiting #AIMHIGH #WWETop10 ▶️ https://t.co/Obh2JdqH0V
Advertisement
Now, the 38-year-old is heading to WrestleMania 42 as champion with all the momentum on her side. In this article, we will look at three potential challengers for Lee.
#3. Lee could face Nikki Bella
Nikki Bella could be the first challenger for the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion. There is a long and storied history between the duo, and they seemingly still have unfinished business.
Lee and Bella’s history alone makes the idea of a match interesting. WWE would not need to build the rivalry from scratch. The tension is already there, and fans remember what they have put each other through. Although they have faced off before, revisiting their past could add real emotion to the feud.
It will be interesting to see how Bella fares against someone she faced during her first run with WWE. Battling a familiar opponent would show just how much she has evolved.
Advertisement
#2. Roxanne Perez could be a great opponent
Roxanne Perez has often been compared to AJ Lee ever since she made her debut. The 24-year-old has called Lee her dream opponent and has a great relationship with CM Punk. The Straight Edge Superstar was Perez’s mentor during the early stages of her WWE career.
The company has a chance to touch upon the real-life connection between AJ Lee and Perez by booking them in a match at WrestleMania 42. This could be a passing of the torch moment and provide The Prodigy with the exposure she’s been seeking since joining WWE.
#1. Bayley is AJ Lee’s dream opponent
AJ Lee named Bayley as her dream opponent in a recent interview. She said it would be fun to see how a match between them would play out at this stage of their careers.
The former Damage CTRL leader is friends with Lee in real life, which could help the duo bring out their best. Although both stars are currently babyfaces, WWE could book one of them to turn heel for a storyline.
Advertisement
If they face off in April, the duo could come up with a compelling storyline in the coming weeks on RAW. It will be interesting to see if the company can capitalize on the potential of this dream match.
Why did you not like this content?
Advertisement
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
Read all the hottest WWE news from Sportskeeda by choosing us as your preferred source. Click HERE.
Kylian Mbappe’s involvement in next Wednesday’s Champions League first leg tie between Real Madrid and Manchester City is in doubt, after a new injury update was released
Real Madrid have issued an update on Kylian Mbappe as the forward continues to recover from a knee injury which has put his involvement in the upcoming Champions League tie against Manchester City in doubt.
Mbappe, 27, has been struggling with an injury to the external ligament of his left knee since the end of 2025 and missed last Wednesday’s Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica due to “persistent pain” in training.
Advertisement
The France international has also been left out of the squad for Monday’s La Liga game against Getafe and there is concern that he might not return for next Wednesday’s Round of 16 first leg showdown at home to City.
With Mbappe now missing his second successive game, Real released a statement on his condition before the game against Getafe at Santiago Bernabeu – and said that “conservative treatment” is due to follow.
Real said on the club’s website: “Following the tests conducted on our player Kylian Mbappe by French specialist doctors, under the supervision of Real Madrid’s Medical Services, the diagnosis of a sprain in the left knee and the suitability of the conservative treatment being followed are confirmed. Pending evolution.”
Advertisement
The update from Real comes a matter of hours after it emerged Mbappe has been “angered” by the club’s treatment of his ongoing knee problem. According to MARCA, Mbappe has consulted a specialist in France last week having been “not entirely satisfied” with the role Real’s medical staff have played in his bid to recovery.
It meant that Mbappe missed Vinicius Jr scoring in Real’s 2-1 win against Benfica in the Champions League, though he could return to watch his side face Getafe as they look to reignite their La Liga title bid.
Mbappe first flagged an issue with his left knee in early December but pushed through the pain barrier to make 12 appearances across all competitions for Real before being forced to miss the last two.
Advertisement
While there was an initial hope that Mbappe could return for the first leg against City, MARCA add that the ex-Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain man is ‘more likely’ to only be fit in time for the second leg on March 17.
City travel to the Bernabeu on March 11 before hosting Los Blancos at the Etihad Stadium six days later.
Mbappe has been in inspired form for Real this season, scoring a stunning 38 goals in 33 matches. He did, however, fail to find the net in his most recent appearance, a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on February 21.
Find the best flights and hotels for Champions League games
Advertisement
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Booking.com provides countless deals on flights and accommodation across Europe so Man City fans can follow the team on their Champions League campaign.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings
WWE Superstar “Big” Bronson Reed issued a warning to his former The Vision stablemate Seth Rollins. The AusZilla is currently out of action due to injury.
Bronson Reed has a lot of history with The Visionary. He was involved in an intriguing feud with the former World Heavyweight Champion in 2024 before he got injured during the WarGames match. However, Rollins made Reed a member of his faction after the Aussie’s return from injury, only for Reed and Breakker to betray him.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
Seth Rollins made his return to WWE programming last week. He made his way to the ring during the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match to floor The Vision’s Logan Paul with a stomp, allowing Cody Rhodes to eliminate The Maverick.
Advertisement
Earlier today, Reed took to Instagram stories to share an old video of himself posted by a fan. In the backstage interview clip from 2024, the 37-year-old could be seen addressing his attack on Seth Rollins. The post further advised Rollins to be ready for Reed’s return, as there was unfinished business between the two stars.
“When Bronson Reed returns… Seth Rollins better be ready. There is unfinished business waiting,” read the post.
Below is a screenshot of Reed’s Instagram story: Bronson Reed warns Seth Rollins (Image via Instagram/@bronson is here)
Yesterday, RAW General Manager Adam Pearce posted a video on social media to inform the fans about the matches and segments scheduled for the March 2 edition of the red brand’s show. The Scrap Iron also disclosed that he would deal with the whole situation revolving around Seth Rollins on RAW.
WWE Superstar Bronson Reed recently underwent surgery
On the February 23 edition of Monday Night RAW, Bronson Reed competed against Jey Uso and El Grande Americano in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Triple Threat Match. Unfortunately, while attempting to break a pinfall, the member of The Vision landed awkwardly, injuring his biceps. He could not wrestle any further, and Uso secured the win in an impromptu finish.
In an Instagram post he shared last week, Reed revealed that he had undergone surgery. The WWE RAW Superstar shared a picture of himself lying in a hospital bed after going under the knife.
Advertisement
Reed’s stablemate Bron Breakker is also out of action due to injury. It will be interesting to see how much longer it takes for the two members of The Vision to return to the squared circle.
Why did you not like this content?
Advertisement
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
Read all the hottest WWE news from Sportskeeda by choosing us as your preferred source. Click HERE.
March has arrived, and with it, the greatest sporting event on the planet … but also the inevitable commotion that will come with the college basketball coaching carousel. A minimum of 40 coaches currently employed now will no longer be at their schools by the end of this month. That’s an unavoidable reality.
And with a sport of 365 schools, the number could easily hit 50. It’s soared past that number in recent years, as the chaos machine that is the transfer portal (combined with myriad factors that fluctuate NIL budgets across the country) has upped the pressure on coaches and players alike. It’s led to an industry that lacks patience but, come this time of year, rebirths optimism for what could be.
As long as you’ve got the millions to pay off the coach and start anew.
Last March/April we had 14 high-major coaching changes, the same number as in 2024, and then a 15th flipped in 2025 when Bruce Pearl handed the job to his son, Steven, last October. I don’t think we’re hitting 14 power-conference openings in 2026, but double-digit changeover at the Power Five level might be inescapable. To get a wide view of what’s vulnerable to change, I’ve built out a list of programs whose coaches are in the crosshairs at this point.
Advertisement
Some are much more likely to split than others, but all listed have at some point this season been the subject of significant speculation behind the scenes. Keep in mind, Kansas State is already open, therefore it’s not listed below.
Another plot point to acknowledge: At this stage, it sure doesn’t look like a top-20 job will come open in 2026. That’s a big change after the past five years worth of carousel cycles saw most of the big and/or blue blood programs undergo a switch.
There is no doubt here. Bobby Hurley is coaching out the string at Arizona State on the final year of his contract and will leave Tempe after 11 seasons. All told, Hurley is the second-best ASU coach in history both in terms of total wins and NCAA Tournament appearances (he made runs in 2018, 2019 and 2023). It’s time for a change, and agents in the industry have been bracing for the vacancy for essentially a year. The job might not be in the top half of power-conference programs, but even in spite of that, I get the sense this opening will attract some viable and interesting candidates due to having low-level expectations in a good location.
Earl Grant‘s time in Chestnut Hill is soon to be over after five seasons, four of them ending with a sub-.500 record. Boston College has been the black sheep of the ACC for 15-plus years; it’s in the wrong conference, and as a result, the program lost its juice long ago. It ranks among the five-or-so least desirable power-conference jobs out of the ~80 in the sport, but it can and will still draw someone on the upswing. Someone will believe they can be the hero and do something that hasn’t happened since 2009: coach the Eagles into the NCAA Tournament.
Thad Matta, a Butler alum, hasn’t been able to restore glory at Hinkle. BU has finished in the bottom third of the Big East ledger in all four of his seasons in Indianapolis. Matta just crossed the 500-win career mark a few games ago, a proper achievement for a coach whose best days will be linked to his time running Ohio State. Butler’s rapid 2010s ascent from Horizon League to Atlantic 10 to Big East was due to Brad Stevens running the program. News flash: He’s been gone 13 years, and Butler’s in need of some real juice just to be a factor in its own league, let alone being a national presence. I say it’s time to go find a fresh face and try and pounce while the Big East is down.
The Bearcats are still well outside the NCAA Tournament picture at this point under Wes Miller.
Tim Warner / Getty Images
There are some mixed signals at the moment over how firm the ground is under Wes Miller‘s feet in Cincinnati. The Bearcats haven’t been NCAA Tournament-good in any of Miller’s five seasons, a surprising development considering how robust and reliable Miller’s UNC Greensboro teams were in the final five seasons of his time there before getting the UC job in 2021. UC is 16-13 and still has a shot to make a run and win its way into the field, but it will take a home win over BYU on Tuesday for that to even become a possibility. It seems Miller’s chances at holding on seem a lot better now than they did a month ago, and the price (well north of $9 million if fired this month) might be a factor.
The noise surrounding this one has risen a lot in the past month, as the Yellow Jackets have dropped to the basement of the 18-team ACC. Damon Stoudamire is only in his third season, but the athletic director now (Ryan Alpert) is not the AD who hired Stoudamire in 2023. I think this one opens. GT has been outside of the KenPom top 100 in all three of Stoudamire’s seasons. It’s a lower-end ACC job in a really good location. How much can it compete in NIL in 2026? A resourceful hire is vital just to get Tech a shot at playing into the top half of the conference.
This one is all about the money. My sources indicate Matt McMahon is more likely than not to keep this job for one more season. And yet: at 15-14, if LSU were to lose its final two games of the regular season and be one-and-done in the SEC bracket, a change could be on the table. But it would be expensive. LSU just spent tens of millions to fire Brian Kelly and hire Lane Kiffin on the football side, in addition to the support given to Kim Mulkey in women’s hoops. Multiple sources said firing McMahon and hiring a new staff and bringing on NIL assurances would amount to at least $25 million more in resources for men’s basketball. That’s going to be tough to endure. If I’m McMahon, maybe I try and get ahead of it all and see if there’s a mid-major parachute to cling onto. Otherwise, he’ll be given minimal support if he’s back for a fifth season in Baton Rouge.
It’s gotten dire in Bluff City. The Memphis Tigers are 12-17 and enduring their worst season this century, worsened all the more by being a non-factor in the 10th-ranked league in college hoops. Penny Hardaway has lost a vast majority of the fan base in his eighth season — and yet we are just one year removed from Memphis earning a 5-seed and winning 29 games. Wild. Hardaway has taken his alma mater to the NCAAs three times but has just one Big Dance win. I won’t be surprised if he’s back, but there is a case to be made that, with two years left on Hardaway’s deal, the program needs a full-on reboot before lethargy seeps in any further.
Porter Moser‘s situation has been ripe for speculation for much of this season. It doesn’t sound like Oklahoma has quietly gone to the search-firm level behind the scenes just yet. The Sooners are 15-14 and set to miss the NCAAs for the fourth time in five seasons on Moser’s watch, but he’s also never been outright bad: OU’s worst KenPom finish is 54th, and the program has been among the worst in the SEC in NIL support in Moser’s time there. The school just hired a new AD after the legendary, decade-long tenure of Joe Castiglione. There’s minimal investment from fans at this point, and Moser probably will find footing this year or next at a solid mid-major job if he seeks an out. If he sticks on for one more season, it will be non-negotiable that OU needs to make the NCAAs in 2027.
Jeff Capel has had eight seasons to try and right the ship at Pitt, but it surely has to be time. New AD Alan Greene has already had soft contact with potential replacements, sources said, so I’m thinking a formal announcement should be coming in the not-too-distant future. Pitt is going to have to pay a steep price to force Capel off campus (more than $10 million), but at this point, the program is like a lot of ACC schools that need a rejuvenation to end the stagnation. The Panthers have one NCAA tourney appearance (as an 11-seed) in Capel’s time, and last made the second weekend of the Big Dance in 2009. The wheels are spinning in place.
Jeff Capel has had one NCAA Tournament-level team in his eight seasons with the Panters.
Frank Jansky / Getty Images
The industry has been expecting Providence to open for close to two months at this point. Now, Kim English has a team that has top-four talent (and is believed to have a top-four budget) in the Big East. Maybe everything coalesces in Manhattan next week at the Big East Tournament. The Friars (14-15) have won three in a row and need to rally, though. Shy of a huge run, the job is expected to come open after just three seasons for English. If that happens, he’s is going be paid handsomely in the years to come, as his buyout is humongous. The fan base is vocal and has not been shy about its feelings on the matter, which has led to heat on AD Steve Napolillo as well.
The Orange are in danger of falling entirely off the college basketball map after three unimportant seasons under Red Autry. Most everyone tasked with tracking the job market in college basketball expects this one to come open not just because SU again failed to meet program expectations, but a change in athletic director (with the hire to be determined before March 10, I’m told) sparking all more the reason to begin anew. Jim Boeheim’s name and legacy still loom large here, but it’s time to find a fresh face outside the Syracuse family in order to give the program a jolt, lest it risk becoming just another average power-conference team.
Bad this year, but unlikely to change
Tad Boyle is on the record: He’s not retiring. The Buffaloes are 16-13 and at least better than the 14-21 squad from a year ago. I’m not sure when his time will be up, but Boyle’s pretty determined to make sure his last season in Boulder isn’t a bad one. At least the Buffs to this point have avoided being in the bottom four in the 16-team Big 12.
Ed Cooley is not walking away, and Georgetown can’t afford to fire him this year. The Hoyas are going to finish under .500 for the fifth time in seven years, though, and the 2026-27 campaign will see Cooley as a top-five hot-seat candidate. This program cannot revive itself, and that’s a sad state of affairs.
Ducks coach Dana Altman told me over the weekend that he will not be retiring. Altman will turn 68 later this year. He’s overseeing a mess, as Oregon‘s 11-18 and headed toward its worst season since 2008-09 under Ernie Kent. Altman is also under no threat of being fired, so don’t expect Oregon to open, despite some curiosity on the agent side in recent weeks.
Steve Pikiell‘s agent negotiated one of the all-time one-sided contracts. Rutgers might dissolve as a university if it paid out the remainder of his contract: the school would be on the hook for more than $20 million. It doesn’t matter that 12-17 Rutgers has once again sunk into the dredges of high-major basketball; Pikiell will be back next season.
Lamont Paris has a significant buyout, and despite some behind-the-scenes snooping on potential candidates, I don’t think this one is coming open. The Gamecocks (12-17) will have back-to-back sub-.500 seasons, in addition to just 11 wins in Paris’ first year. Not unthinkable, but something drastic would need to force action here.
Steve Forbes might try looking for an escape route, but he doesn’t have to at Wake Forest. The school can’t afford his buyout, so unless someone else wants Forbes, he’ll pull off an uncommon achievement by making it to Year 7 at a high-major program without an NCAA Tournament appearance. Also, Forbes is trying to make chicken salad with one of the ACC’s lowest NIL budgets in men’s basketball.
As we brace for the postseason, keep in mind that there is almost always, every year, an unexpected job pop that tosses the cycle into different directions. In 2025, Kevin Willard leaving Maryland for Villanova was one such example — and Darian DeVries bailing on West Virginia after a single season for Indiana was another. In 2024, John Calipari’s stunning exit from Kentucky to Arkansas wound up creating a cascading domino effect. In 2023, Bob Huggins was fired after the season.
Advertisement
That in mind, know there’s a decent-or-better chance at least one school not listed above (and it could be due to a retirement or something else) winds up coming open and altering the dynamics of this year’s carousel cycle. Stay tuned, because it’s going to get noisy next week.
Floyd Mayweather will fight veteran Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in an exhibition bout in June before his rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, 47, and Mayweather, 49, will fight at Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday, 19 September, live on Netflix, in a rematch of their 2015 ‘Fight of the Century’ – the richest bout in boxing history.
And former five-weight champion Mayweather – who announced he would come out of retirement for a fourth time two weeks ago – has decided to take on Zambidis in Athens to prepare for his first professional boxing match in nine years.
“2026 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for me,” American Mayweather said on Instagram.
Advertisement
“I’m on the way to entertain!! Athens, Greece, get ready. This summer will be a legendary battle.”
Zambidis, 45, boasts a 157-24 kickboxing record with 87 KOs. His last official fight was in June 2015.
Mayweather has not had a pro bout since beating mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor with a 10th-round technical knockout in 2017.
The WrestleMania 42 title picture was cleared up Saturday night at WWE Elimination Chamber.
Randy Orton and Rhea Ripley picked up victories in their respective men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber matches and earned title shots at WrestleMania, which will take place April 18-19 in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium.
Randy Orton celebrates his win during WWE Elimination Chamber at the United Center on Feb. 28, 2026, in Chicago.(Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
Orton came into the men’s match as a wild card. He had to get through Cody Rhodes, Logan Paul, LA Knight, Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans to win the match.
Luckily for Orton, Paul was on a tear as he eliminated three opponents. But Paul didn’t account for being attacked by a masked man. The person entered the chamber after one superstar was eliminated. He then delivered a curb stomp to Paul, who was then eliminated by Rhodes. Moments later, Seth Rollins revealed himself to be the masked man.
Rhodes needed to stay on high alert as Undisputed WWE champion Drew McIntyre entered the fray. He pummeled Rhodes before Orton got involved. He RKO’d McIntyre and Rhodes nailed him with the Cross Rhodes. Rhodes was distracted long enough for Orton to hit the “American Nightmare” with an RKO. Orton pinned Rhodes to get his championship chance.
Rhea Ripley enters the ring during WWE Elimination Chamber at the United Center on Feb. 28, 2026, in Chicago.(Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
In the women’s match, Ripley entered the match fifth. She managed to avoid some of the chaotic moments as Asuka nailed Alexis Bliss with green mist. Kiana James pinned Bliss and eliminated her, but it was enough of a distraction to help Raquel Rodriguez. She capitalized and hit a Tejana Bomb on Asuka and onto James. She pinned both competitors and eliminated them.
Advertisement
Ripley’s experience in the chamber paid off. She went to the high-risk district and nailed a cannonball from the top of a pod. It allowed Tiffany Stratton to nail the Prettiest Moonsault Ever with a pin to eliminate Rodriguez.
Ripley and Stratton were the final two left. Ripley hit Stratton with an electric facebuster, making the former champion bleed from her nose. As Stratton regained the upper hand, she tried to set up Ripley for another moonsault but Ripley pushed her into the pod.
Ripley forced Stratton back into the ring, hit the Riptide and pinned Stratton.
Rhea Ripley celebrates her win during WWE Elimination Chamber at the United Center on Feb. 28, 2026.(Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Before Max Scherzer’s contract had even been finalized, he was in full uniform at the Blue Jays’ player development facility Monday throwing a bullpen session in his familiar No. 31.
Not only that, there’s a chance the 41-year-old will be pitching in Grapefruit League games within the week, as the Blue Jays are tentatively planning to have him start Saturday’s game against the Phillies.
“Good catching up with Gramps,” said manager John Schneider. “It’s nice to have him back. Not only watching him throw — which looked really good — but just catching up with him, really. You guys all know the character that he is and it’s nice to get him back around some new faces and awesome to see him.”
Another bullpen session is slated for Wednesday, but since Scherzer has already been facing free agent hitters, he could be starting games as soon as this weekend.
Advertisement
Earlier in the week, Kevin Gausman will pitch Tuesday, followed by Dylan Cease Thursday and a combination of Jose Berrios and Eric Lauer Friday.
BLUE JAYS CHOOSE UNION REP
The Blue Jays chose an acting union rep Monday, with Davis Schneider officially taking over the duties that were once handled by Chris Bassitt. Early in spring, Daulton Varsho represented the Blue Jays, but Schneider will now handle the role with support from Varsho, George Springer, Tyler Heineman and Scherzer, among others.
“We’re a union, so everyone’s voice matters,” Schneider said. “Making sure everyone’s on the same page, talking to other teams, talking to other reps and discussing what everyone else is thinking.”
Advertisement
The role is especially important at a time that the sport’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire Dec. 1. Union leader Bruce Meyer met with the Blue Jays Monday morning, fielding questions from players for about an hour and a half along with MLBPA executives and former pitchers Kevin Slowey and Andrew Miller.
Schneider was in the minor leagues the last time the sport’s CBA expired, so this is new for him, but he intends to connect regularly with veteran players as questions emerge this season.
“It’s not just me,” Schneider said. “Having Max back is big, being friends with (Chris) Bassitt, I can just text him and what he’s thinking. You’re also boys with everyone around the league, so no one’s afraid to talk to each other.”
Players are bracing for a lockout as MLB is expected to push for a salary cap, which the MLBPA has always opposed.
Matchday 28 of the Nigeria Premier Football League delivered exciting results across different centres, with Bendel Insurance producing the standout performance of the weekend.
Bendel Insurance recorded a dominant 4-0 home win over Ikorodu City. Alex Oweilayefa was the star of the match, scoring three goals in the 15th, 27th and 59th minutes. Wisdom Udom also found the net in the 24th minute as the hosts took full control early in the game and secured an emphatic victory in front of their supporters.
Rangers also enjoyed a good afternoon as they defeated Nasarawa United 2-0. Godwin Obaje opened the scoring in the 18th minute, while Chidiebere Nwobodo added the second goal eight minutes later to seal a comfortable win.
Advertisement
Bayelsa United claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Rivers United in the South South derby. The only goal of the match came in the 13th minute when Temple Emekayi turned the ball into his own net, handing Bayelsa United all three points.
Remo Stars continued their strong form with a 2-0 win against Katsina United. Haruna Hadi scored twice within two minutes in the second half, finding the net in the 60th and 62nd minutes to put the game beyond reach.
There was no breakthrough in Minna as Niger Tornadoes and Warri Wolves played out a goalless draw. Both sides created chances but failed to convert them.
Advertisement
Shooting Stars secured a 2-1 victory over Kano Pillars. Sodiq Ibrahim gave the hosts the lead in the 30th minute before Qamar Adegoke doubled the advantage in the 63rd minute. Mustapha Jibrin reduced the deficit in the 79th minute, but Kano Pillars could not find an equaliser.
In Aba, Enyimba were held to a 1-1 draw by Kun Khalifat. James Ekebuike put the visitors ahead in the 38th minute. Enyimba responded late in the game, with Ekene Awazie scoring in the 85th minute to rescue a point for his side.
Ireland assistant coach Paul O’Connell says it was pleasing to see the coaching plans “come to fruition” in the side’s thumping five-try 42-21 Six Nations win over England at Twickenham on 21 February.
The Irish side catapulted themselves into contention for the title by building on their home win over Italy in Dublin after suffering a humbling opening weekend defeat by France.
Following the tournament’s rest week, a home game against Wales is next up for Ireland this Friday [20:10 GMT], with Scotland the visitors to the Aviva Stadium on the final weekend of the championship on 14 March.
“You have certain messages every week, you’ve a certain plan going into the game thinking it’s going to work, and at times that has happened over the last few weeks – it just hasn’t always happened,” O’Connell reflected at Tuesday’s media conference.
Advertisement
“To see some of the play that came out in the game, to see some of the bits that you’re working on in the training ground come to fruition, was great as well.
“The hunger of the players was enjoyable to watch too, right up until the end of the game, how hard they worked to produce a performance. That’s one of the most satisfying things you experience as coaches in the stand.”
The forwards coach says there remains plenty of room for improvement in the remaining two fixtures.
“For us it’s just about getting better from the last performance and that’s what the focus is on and the excitement for us as coaches and as players.
Advertisement
“Even though it was a good result there are plenty of things we need to improve on.”
O’Connell added that winning the Triple Crown or the championship have not been a topic for discussion but is up front about the side’s ambitions.
“We haven’t discussed trophies or silverware or anything like that, but we might,” he told reporters.
“You always come into a campaign trying to win it and we don’t shy away from it. Andy has a meeting tomorrow, he might mention it, I don’t know.
Advertisement
“But for us as coaches and players, it is just about getting set for the Welsh game.”
The Irish coach explained that the return of centre Bundee Aki after a four-game suspension for “verbal abuse and disrespect” towards match officials in Connacht’s URC loss to Leinster in January had come as a boost before the meeting with Steve Tandy’s side.
“It’s great, he’s a brilliant personality to have around the place. He trained quite well today and it’s great to have that leadership, that kind of personality, around the group.”
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke says he “will never jog again” after being “embarrassed in front of the whole world” by his red card at the end of Saturday’s home defeat by Manchester City.
Farke, 49, headed straight on to the Elland Road pitch at the final whistle to confront referee Peter Bankes, aggrieved at several decisions in his side’s hard-fought 1-0 loss in the Premier League.
Farke, sent off for the first time in his 16-year managerial career, said he did not swear or use threatening language towards Bankes and his fellow officials, and that he was shown the red card before he said anything.
He gave an 11-minute answer when asked about the incident in his news conference for Tuesday’s match with Sunderland (19:30 GMT).
Advertisement
“I jogged over,” he said. “Not one bad word. No swear words or bad language. I just wanted to ask him why he didn’t add any [further stoppage time] on. He didn’t speak to me and just pulled out the red card.
“To pull out a red card and embarrass me in front of the whole world, I wasn’t happy. Even the assistants were shocked the red card was shown. This is not how we should work with each other. I have so much respect for the referees.
“I don’t think Peter did it on purpose, he just misjudged it. I will never jog again.”
The former Norwich boss could appeal against the dismissal but is yet to decide if he will.
Advertisement
“I’m not sure what the processes are and when we can appeal it,” he said. “I can just give you my gut feeling this should not be a red card.
“When there has been a clear and obvious mistake, and for me this was a clear and obvious mistake, it should be overturned. This is what I’ve experienced when players have a red card by mistake, it can be overturned, and I expect the same.”
The WBC’s decision to sanction a heavyweight world title contest between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven has led one fan to label the event as a ‘complete circus’.
Usyk has been an old-school fighter throughout his career and a valid, respected and appreciated world champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, applauded for his triumphs on away soil and fearlessness will to take on all comers.
Following an extraordinary run of arduous and enduring contests, where he maintained his undefeated record, the disciplined Ukrainian has become a pound-for-pound star and is recognised as a modern heavyweight legend.
Advertisement
At 39 years old, most feel he has earned the right to fight who he wants and make as much money as he can.
However, the fact that the coveted WBC heavyweight world title will be on the line for a contest between Usyk and Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven, who boasts a professional boxing record of 1-0, has understandably riled up boxing fans around the globe.
Verhoeven’s solitary win came 12 years ago, against a 0-5 Janos Finfera, and ‘The Prince of Kickboxing’ now has the opportunity to become boxing’s fastest heavyweight world champion, if he manages to do the unthinkable and dethrone Usyk.
After receiving backlash when the event was announced, the WBC explained that they had not yet determined whether Usyk’s belt would be on the line. Although, after 24 hours of ‘careful consideration’, it has now been ruled that will be permitted to fight for the world title.
Advertisement
Update on Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven, scheduled for May 23.
Typically, a fighter must be ranked in the WBC’s top 15 in order to challenge for their belt, a position which boxers regularly risk their lives to reach. Assumably, Verhoeven will usurp those combatants in the coming weeks, skipping the line due to his outstanding kickboxing record.
A recent example of the WBC making the opposite decision entirely was when Tyson Fury, then champion, faced Francis Ngannou in that latter’s first pro bout. While Fury was allowed to keep the belt, the match-up was not a world title fight and Ngannou had no chance of winning the belt.
Advertisement
On social media, the reaction was one-sided, as fight fans unanimously condemned the WBC’s verdict, labelling the state of boxing as a ‘complete circus’ and stating that the sanctioning body are ‘making a mockery of the sport’.
As for Usyk’s WBA and IBF heavyweight world titles, there is no update as of yet. He may be stripped of or vacate those belts prior to his clash with Verhoeven, with Murat Gassiev potentially being elevated to WBA world champion if it does occur.
