stats counter admin – Page 112 – soka sardar

admin

Ireland to be without key pair for Six Nations clash with Scotland but Simon Easterby boosted by injury returns

IRELAND will be without Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy for the Six Nations clash against Scotland.

But interim head coach Simon Easterby could be able to call upon Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham after they took part in full training.

Mack Hansen of Ireland during a rugby match.
Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham, not pictured, could be fit to play against Scotland
Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Tadhg Furlong of Ireland before a rugby match.
Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy, not pictured, will miss the game
Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Ireland travel to Edinburgh to face Scotland on Sunday after kicking off their Six Nations campaign with a 27-22 win over England.

Tadhg Furlong and Joe McCarthy – who missed last weekend’s tie due to injury – have also been ruled out of the game at Murrayfield.

However, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham could be available despite both suffering leg injuries against England.

Scrum coach John Fogarty commented: “They trained just now and it looks positive for both.

He added: “[Hansen] had quite a deep cut on his knee but movement-wise, he was good when he come back on.

“Mack doesn’t think too much. It was a nasty enough cut but he doesn’t spend time dwelling on it.

“He’s moving really, really well. He’s out there sprinting and chasing kicks. He’s good.”

Bealham started the game in place of Furlong, with Fogarty saying: “He’s had issues with his ankle before and he got caught, it was nasty enough.

“But the medical staff have managed to put him in a good place and he looks good. He’s moving well on the field and he’s good.”

Ireland have not lost to Scotland since the hosts beat them 27-22 at Murrayfield in 2017, and have won the last ten on the bounce.

However, scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park warned that the Tartan Army are good enough to cause an upset on home turf.

He said: “That’s the case for a lot of teams now. We’ve kind of been near enough to the top of the rankings for a while.

“I know myself that if I’m coming up against a quality side you want to put your best performance out there.

Next week will be no different.”

Scotland view themselves as potential champions and the Leinster star agreed: “One hundred per cent. They’re a classy side.

“They’re playing good footie and they’re stacked full of really good individuals, so it will be a tough challenge.

“I know it’s been a long time since they won but there’s no reason they can’t.

“But what a place to go and what an opportunity for us to go there and have a crack at them.”

Read More »

‘Laws of logic disqualify that’ – Conor McGregor told UFC career is OVER as MMA legend says ‘you’re not fighting again’

CONOR MCGREGOR has been brutally told he’s NEVER “fighting again”.

The Notorious’ long wait to return to the octagon was supposed to end last summer in a long-overdue showdown with Michael Chandler.

Conor McGregor reacting to an injury during a UFC match.
REUTERS
Conor McGregor hasn’t set foot inside the cage since breaking his leg in[/caption]
Conor McGregor holding up a glass of Forged Irish Stout at a fan event.
SPLASH
The Irishman hasn’t been living the life of an athlete over the last few months[/caption]
Conor McGregor speaking at a news conference.
AP
The former fan favourite been brutally told his UFC career is over[/caption]

But he was forced out of the Sin City showdown after breaking his left pinky toe just weeks before the June joust

McGregor has found himself embroiled in several controversies since the cancellation of the contest, including being found civilly liable for assaulting Nikita Hand in December 2018.

And the Irishman‘s behaviour has former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen convinced he’ll never fight again.

The former UFC middle and light-heavyweight title challenger told Ariel Helwani: “He pulled out of his last fight which was a record gate.

“He beat all of his own gate records. They had $25million (£20m) waiting for them for the live gate and still had $2million (£1.6m) worth of tickets to sell.

“He pulled out of a press conference where they took an American company to Ireland, played the video game like everybody had set up shop.

“I mean, it’s a big deal to leave them hanging right there.

“The official reason he did that was for a discoloured pinky toe which may or may not be broken and may or may not be his.

a poster showing mcgregor 's top 5 mma fighters

“He didn’t take a picture of himself with the toe. He took a picture of a toe and posted it online.

“It was discoloured red and purple and I’m sure it was very sore.

“But with no evidence that it was broken, or even any evidence that it was even his.

“If you pull out of a fight because of a discoloured pinky toe that may or may not be yours, that may or may not be broken, you’re not fighting again. It’s just the truth.”

McGregor, 36, hasn’t set foot inside the cage since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

The Dubliner – who was filmed this week spitting at a Khabib Nurmagomedov fan – seemingly hasn’t lived the life of a professional athlete since the cancellation of his clash with Chandler.

And Sonnen believes he’s in no fit shape to be stepping foot inside the cage.

He said: “Whatever adult allows Conor McGregor to return with the same exact injury that Chris Weidman had.

“Chris Weidman being possibly the most disciplined guy in the sport, Conor being the most undisciplined guy in the sport.

“Chris Weidman doing everything right, from rehab to taking his time to focusing to being at home at night and going to bed and getting rest on his leg.

“He did everything right, and did not return as somebody that could follow the basic rule, which was to protect himself at all times. Right?

Chael Sonnen and Conor McGregor at a UFC Q&A session.
GETTY
Chael Sonnen reckons Conor McGregor’s fighting days are well and truly over[/caption]

“That hindered, repaired leg was that big of an obstacle.

“But we’re supposed to believe that Conor not only can return from the same thing, he can return better?

“And we know we think he’s going to be better, because we’re not booking him in three-round fights.

“We’re booking him exclusively in five-round main events, so he is going to have to perform at a much higher level than ‘The All-American.’

“The laws of logic disqualify that. The basic rule is protect yourself at all times.

Conor McGregor is not in a position with anybody under contract at the UFC to protect himself at all times. It’s a silly proposition, and that is just the truth.

“That is just the truth. There’s not another way to say it. I also want in on the Conor business.

I also want to cover him and have him back, and it’s different when he’s there.

“I acknowledge the fun. But if you’re talking about any level of responsibility, you can’t book him — and you definitely can’t book him in a five-round fight. That’s insane.”

Read More »

Jurassic World Rebirth Trailer: New Stars Visit The Original Jurassic Park’s Secret Research Island, And Unleash The Dinos That Were Too Dangerous For It

Jurassic World Rebirth The first trailer has been received. The upcoming sequel will be the seventh part of the long-running ...

Read more

Read More »