We have, alas, become accustomed to seismic sporting scandals down the years, but has there ever been a more shocking one than 82-year-old David Jakins being accused of using a steel chestnut in the World Conker Championships? Malachy Clerkin isn’t remotely surprised, though. “Conkers has always been dirty,” he alleges. “One lad came into my primary school in the 1980s with a brown pool ball on a string and proceeded to demolish the knuckles of half the yard.” And then he details, in a suspiciously informed kind of way, the myriad of ways you can cheat in conkers. “Some stick them in the oven, but they have to be careful – too high a heat and the skin cracks.” That sounds like the voice of bitter experience.
But Malachy concedes that it’s time for “root and branch reform” of conkers. Some argue that Gaelic football is in need of the same, so they’ll hope that this weekend’s interprovincial trials of the proposed new rules prove a success. This is, writes Seán Moran, “a hugely important stepping stone in the Football Review Committee project”.
In rugby, Gordon D’Arcy reflects on last Saturday’s Leinster v Munster game, and while it was a happy day for the former, he argues that they are “destined to repeat mistakes of the past” if they don’t give Ciarán Frawley time to bed in at outhalf, rather than being “shunted” to fullback when Leinster’s backline requires a “reshuffle”.
Leinster’s next challenge comes on Saturday when they take on Connacht at the Dexcom Stadium, Gerry Thornley talking to coach Pete Wilkins ahead of the game. Ulster, meanwhile, have an injury crisis on their hands in the run-up to their meeting with Ospreys on Friday, but Munster are in healthier shape going in to their game against the Stormers in South Africa, Billy Burns, Shane Daly and Rory Scannell all having returned to training.
Your complete guide to all the festive sporting action including TV details
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In football, there was heartbreak for our under-21 side on Tuesday evening when their 1-1 draw away to Italy ended their hopes of qualifying for the European Championships. And over in England, Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor has been confirmed. A German managing England? Imagine that.
And in horse racing, Brian O’Connor reports on the disqualification of the Irish-trained Alphonse Le Grande from the English Cesarewitch, three days after he ‘won’ the race, due to his jockey’s excessive use of the whip. Spare a thought for the poor bookies. Ah do. They’ve already paid out to those who backed the horse at ... 33-1.
TV Watch: Cycling’s Track World Championships get under way in Denmark today (Eurosport 1, 5.30-7.45). Ireland will have three representatives at the event, Lara Gillespie, Mia Griffin and Lucy Bénézet Minns, Gillespie the first in action on Thursday. And in the evening, Katie McCabe will be in Champions League action with malfunctioning Arsenal, who have just sacked their manager, with Norway’s Valerenga their opponents (TNT Sports 1, 8pm).
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