Sexton to join Farrell’s Lions backroom team

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Former Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton will join Andy Farrell’s British and Irish Lions coaching team for this summer’s tour of Australia.

Sexton, who retired after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, played on two Lions tours in 2013 and 2017.

The five-time Six Nations winner has been working with Ireland in a casual coaching capacity since last November’s Autumn Nations Series and will take up a full-time position with the Irish Rugby Football Union from 1 August.

His new role with the IRFU will involve coaching the senior men’s team, while he will also work with various men’s and women’s age-grade sides.

“I am hugely excited to continue the next chapter in my coaching journey with the British and Irish Lions and I would like to thank Andy for this incredible opportunity,” said Sexton.

“It promises to be an exciting tour to Australia and I know from experience the challenges that awaits us.

“Playing for the Lions was a huge ambition of mine during my playing career and my memories of those Tours to Australia and New Zealand will stay with me forever.”

The British and Irish Lions will face Argentina in a send-off game in Dublin on 20 June before travelling to Australia.

‘His influence cannot be underestimated’

Sexton, 39, started all three Tests of the Lions’ 2013 series win over Australia and a further two in the drawn series with New Zealand in 2017, but was overlooked for selection in 2021.

The 2018 world player of the year earned 118 Ireland caps and captained the team to a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand in 2022 and the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2023.

“I coached Johnny for the very first time during the 2013 tour to Australia and the love that he had for the British and Irish Lions was reflected in how he operated on a daily basis,” said Farrell, who also coached Sexton with Ireland.

“His influence on that Lions team and that Series win, our only win in the last 24 years, cannot be underestimated.

Johnny Sexton in action for the Lions in 2013Getty Images

Last month, Farrell added Richard Wigglesworth, Simon Easterby, John Dalziel, Andrew Goodman and John Fogarty to his coaching ticket.

Farrell described adding Sexton as a “significant coup”.

“It was clear from working together during the recent Autumn Nations Series that he has the talent and skillset to add to our coaching team with Ireland and I know how driven he is to add to the Lions, firstly this summer, and then on a full-time basis with Ireland later this year,” added Farrell.

IRFU performance director David Humphreys said he is “delighted” to have secured Sexton’s services on a long-term basis.

“I believe that he will play an important role in sharing his coaching insights with male and female players from the Age Grade system right up to the Ireland national teams,” said Humphreys.

“In formally welcoming Johnny to the IRFU I would also like to congratulate him on his selection with the British & Irish Lions.

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‘We Lost Against A Superior Arsenal,’ What Courtois, Others Said After Champions League Quarters

Key quotes after Arsenal swept aside holders Real Madrid and Inter Milan held off Bayern Munich in the second legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties on Wednesday:

“It’s such a special night for this club, it’s a historic night for this club. We have an objective in this competition: we want to play the best teams and we want to win this competition.

“There was a lot of talk coming here about them coming back because they’ve done it so many times before but we had so much belief and confidence from that first leg that we could come here and win the game. We knew we were going to suffer but we knew we were going to win. What a night for the club!” – Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice to TNT Sports

“The history we have in this competition is so short. It’s the third time in our history that we’ve done what we’ve just done (reach the semi-finals). So we need to build on that. We are really hungry, we want more. It’s a really young team that is very determined. And all these experiences, including me for sure, is going to help us a lot to try to achieve something big.” – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta

READ ALSO: Arsenal Knock Out Holders Real Madrid To Reach Champions League Semis

Real Madrid’s Belgian goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois stops the ball as Arsenal’s English midfielder #07 Bukayo Saka shoots from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and Arsenal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on April 16, 2025. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

“It’s a difficult moment… it was a difficult game, we didn’t have all the chances we would have liked.” – Madrid midfielder Lucas Vazquez to Movistar

“We didn’t have the accuracy up front, I don’t think (David) Raya had a save to make. We lost against a superior Arsenal and we have to accept it” – Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois

“We’ll remember this for a long time.” – Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez to Amazon Prime

“We’re disappointed. I gave everything, we gave everything. I think Inter’s second goal in the first leg was decisive. The fans saw that we gave everything. It’s a pity for us because the final was in Munich, but the Champions League is not a picnic.” – Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller to DAZN

“That’s football, that’s life. In two months we have the Club World Cup and we’ll try to win another title. Of course it’s bitter that we’re out, but we had our chances.”  – Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany

‘We Lost Against A Superior Arsenal,’ What Courtois, Others Said After Champions League Quarters

Key quotes after Arsenal swept aside holders Real Madrid and Inter Milan held off Bayern Munich in the second legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final ties on Wednesday:

“It’s such a special night for this club, it’s a historic night for this club. We have an objective in this competition: we want to play the best teams and we want to win this competition.

“There was a lot of talk coming here about them coming back because they’ve done it so many times before but we had so much belief and confidence from that first leg that we could come here and win the game. We knew we were going to suffer but we knew we were going to win. What a night for the club!” – Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice to TNT Sports

“The history we have in this competition is so short. It’s the third time in our history that we’ve done what we’ve just done (reach the semi-finals). So we need to build on that. We are really hungry, we want more. It’s a really young team that is very determined. And all these experiences, including me for sure, is going to help us a lot to try to achieve something big.” – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta

READ ALSO: Arsenal Knock Out Holders Real Madrid To Reach Champions League Semis

Real Madrid’s Belgian goalkeeper #01 Thibaut Courtois stops the ball as Arsenal’s English midfielder #07 Bukayo Saka shoots from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and Arsenal at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on April 16, 2025. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)

“It’s a difficult moment… it was a difficult game, we didn’t have all the chances we would have liked.” – Madrid midfielder Lucas Vazquez to Movistar

“We didn’t have the accuracy up front, I don’t think (David) Raya had a save to make. We lost against a superior Arsenal and we have to accept it” – Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois

“We’ll remember this for a long time.” – Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez to Amazon Prime

“We’re disappointed. I gave everything, we gave everything. I think Inter’s second goal in the first leg was decisive. The fans saw that we gave everything. It’s a pity for us because the final was in Munich, but the Champions League is not a picnic.” – Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller to DAZN

“That’s football, that’s life. In two months we have the Club World Cup and we’ll try to win another title. Of course it’s bitter that we’re out, but we had our chances.”  – Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany

Nigeria, Niger Hold Talks To Mend Strained Ties

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has embarked on a working visit to Niamey, Niger Republic’s capital.

This comes amid a frosty relationship between Nigeria and Niger.

Tuggar was received by his Nigerien counterpart, Bakary Sangaré, according to a statement on Thursday via his X handle.

“Rebuilding trust and fostering regional stability remain central to Nigeria’s diplomatic efforts,” he stated.

“I led a delegation to the Republic of Niger to renew bilateral ties and strengthen cooperation in key areas such as security, trade, and energy.”

According to him, the “engagements also addressed pressing shared concerns, including migration management, the fight against desertification, and the revitalisation of the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission (NNJC).”

READ ALSO: West African Juntas Impose 0.5% Levy On Goods From Nigeria, Other ECOWAS Nations

The minister stated that Nigeria and Niger remain united in their commitment to advancing regional peace and development.

Both West African nations have been having lingering tensions following the July 2023 coup in Niger.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), under the chairmanship of President Bola Tinubu, had imposed stringent sanctions on Niger and advocated for the restoration of constitutional order while threatening military intervention.

FILE: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at an event. (Photo by Kola Sulaimon / AFP)

The strong reaction led to a significant cooling of diplomatic ties between Abuja and Niamey, with border closures and the suspension of some cooperative efforts.

Wilson to face Lei, O’Sullivan v Carter at World Championship

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Halo World Championship

Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 19 April to 5 May

Defending champion Kyren Wilson will play Lei Peifan in the World Championship first round – with Ronnie O’Sullivan set to face Ali Carter as he bids for a record eighth title in the modern era.

O’Sullivan, 49, who confirmed on Thursday that he plans to participate in the tournament, has not played competitively since snapping his cue at the Championship League in January.

His prospective meeting with Carter, who at 18th in the world is the highest ranked qualifier, is a repeat of the 2008 and 2012 finals, which were both won by ‘The Rocket’.

World number one Judd Trump will take on Zhou Yuelong, while Masters winner Shaun Murphy will play debutant Daniel Wells.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby will meet qualifier Ben Woollaston, who is appearing in the televised stages of the competition for the first time since 2013.

John Higgins, who has also won four world crowns, will play Joe O’Connor, while 2024 finalist Jak Jones faces a difficult assignment against former UK champion Zhao Xintong, who is competing as an amateur having served a ban for breaching betting regulations.

Zhao is one of a record 10 Chinese players to reach this stage of the tournament -with Ding Junhui facing another man making his debut in Zak Surety and Si Jiahui, who reached the last four two years ago, playing David Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2024.

There are a number of other intriguing encounters in the draw, with 2010 champion Neil Robertson facing Chris Wakelin, Mark Allen taking on Fan Zhengyi, and Barry Hawkins playing Hossein Vafaei.

O’Sullivan & Carter to renew rivalry

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There is plenty of history when it comes to O’Sullivan versus Carter.

Formerly practice partners, their relationship appears to have soured over the years. They have met twice with the world title on the line and more recently played out a fiercely contested Masters final in 2024, with O’Sullivan victorious.

After that encounter, O’Sullivan called Carter “not a nice person” and “a nightmare” to play against after being criticised by his opponent.

O’Sullivan, who has claimed a record 41 ranking titles, has dominated their head-to-head statistics, winning 24 of their 27 matches in varying formats of the game.

However, Carter did triumph in the second-round contest at the World Championship in April 2018, in another match with a bit of spice to it.

The pair barged shoulders during the 19th frame of Carter’s 13-9 second-round win at the Crucible. Referee Paul Collier told the players to get back to the game after words were exchanged between the pair.

First-round draw

Kyren Wilson v Lei Peifan

Jak Jones v Zhao Xintong

Neil Robertson v Chris Wakelin

Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ali Carter

Zhang Anda v Pang Junxu

Si Jiahui v David Gilbert

Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston

John Higgins v Joe O’Connor

Xiao Guodong v Matthew Selt

Barry Hawkins v Hossein Vafaei

Mark Williams v Wu Yize

Luca Brecel v Ryan Day

Ding Junhui v Zak Surety

Shaun Murphy v Daniel Wells

Analysis – ‘It’s a horrible draw’ for O’Sullivan

Mark Selby, four-time world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

I don’t think either of them [Ronnie O’Sullivan or Ali Carter] will be happy with that draw. It is great Ronnie is in the competition – we’ve not seen him since January. I want him to play and as it stands, it seems like he is playing which is fantastic for the game.

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  • Snooker

Wilson to face Lei, O’Sullivan v Carter at World Championship

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

  • 391 Comments

Halo World Championship

Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 19 April to 5 May

Defending champion Kyren Wilson will play Lei Peifan in the World Championship first round – with Ronnie O’Sullivan set to face Ali Carter as he bids for a record eighth title in the modern era.

O’Sullivan, 49, who confirmed on Thursday that he plans to participate in the tournament, has not played competitively since snapping his cue at the Championship League in January.

His prospective meeting with Carter, who at 18th in the world is the highest ranked qualifier, is a repeat of the 2008 and 2012 finals, which were both won by ‘The Rocket’.

World number one Judd Trump will take on Zhou Yuelong, while Masters winner Shaun Murphy will play debutant Daniel Wells.

Four-time world champion Mark Selby will meet qualifier Ben Woollaston, who is appearing in the televised stages of the competition for the first time since 2013.

John Higgins, who has also won four world crowns, will play Joe O’Connor, while 2024 finalist Jak Jones faces a difficult assignment against former UK champion Zhao Xintong, who is competing as an amateur having served a ban for breaching betting regulations.

Zhao is one of a record 10 Chinese players to reach this stage of the tournament -with Ding Junhui facing another man making his debut in Zak Surety and Si Jiahui, who reached the last four two years ago, playing David Gilbert, a semi-finalist in 2024.

There are a number of other intriguing encounters in the draw, with 2010 champion Neil Robertson facing Chris Wakelin, Mark Allen taking on Fan Zhengyi, and Barry Hawkins playing Hossein Vafaei.

O’Sullivan & Carter to renew rivalry

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

There is plenty of history when it comes to O’Sullivan versus Carter.

Formerly practice partners, their relationship appears to have soured over the years. They have met twice with the world title on the line and more recently played out a fiercely contested Masters final in 2024, with O’Sullivan victorious.

After that encounter, O’Sullivan called Carter “not a nice person” and “a nightmare” to play against after being criticised by his opponent.

O’Sullivan, who has claimed a record 41 ranking titles, has dominated their head-to-head statistics, winning 24 of their 27 matches in varying formats of the game.

However, Carter did triumph in the second-round contest at the World Championship in April 2018, in another match with a bit of spice to it.

The pair barged shoulders during the 19th frame of Carter’s 13-9 second-round win at the Crucible. Referee Paul Collier told the players to get back to the game after words were exchanged between the pair.

First-round draw

Kyren Wilson v Lei Peifan

Jak Jones v Zhao Xintong

Neil Robertson v Chris Wakelin

Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ali Carter

Zhang Anda v Pang Junxu

Si Jiahui v David Gilbert

Mark Selby v Ben Woollaston

John Higgins v Joe O’Connor

Xiao Guodong v Matthew Selt

Barry Hawkins v Hossein Vafaei

Mark Williams v Wu Yize

Luca Brecel v Ryan Day

Ding Junhui v Zak Surety

Shaun Murphy v Daniel Wells

Analysis – ‘It’s a horrible draw’ for O’Sullivan

Mark Selby, four-time world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

I don’t think either of them [Ronnie O’Sullivan or Ali Carter] will be happy with that draw. It is great Ronnie is in the competition – we’ve not seen him since January. I want him to play and as it stands, it seems like he is playing which is fantastic for the game.

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To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

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  • Snooker