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“Duck is a delicacy in Bordeaux. One of the first meals I got taken out for was to a restaurant that served only duck.”

Gabriel Oghre fondly remembers the welcome at Bordeaux-Begles in early 2023.

Then 24, the hooker’s career had been whipped from under him by Wasps’ demise three months before.

He had had a short-term stint with Leicester, but, after hearing former team-mate Tom Willis rave about life in south-west France, Oghre took the chance to reunite with him.

“It was amazing to be honest – they’re great people, and it is a great organisation,” he tells BBC Sport.

“They were really good to me and Tom.

“My French wasn’t very good, so they tried their best to help me.

“There were a lot of off-field get-togethers, being invited around players houses for barbeques or out to meals, to make me feel welcome and introduce me to their culture.”

Oghre reels off the name of the friends he made – “Nico [Nicolas Depoortere], Louis [Bielle-Biarrey], Jali [Mathieu Jalibert], Jeff [Jefferson Poirot], a lot of them.”

This Sunday though, when Bordeaux-Begles arrive at Ashton Gate to face Bristol, the reunion will have to wait.

“It’ll be nice to catch after the game,” says Oghre. “After the game.”

Although both teams are qualified for the last 16, victory would ensure home advantage for the knockout stages.

Last season, Bordeaux-Begles showed how key it can be.

They topped their pool, scoring 40 points or more in every match, before sweeping to a glorious maiden European title with victory over Northampton in Cardiff in May.

Oghre was never going to be part of that run.

Despite a successful five months with Bordeaux-Begles, he signed a deal to return to England with Bristol.

“I definitely really enjoyed my time in the Top 14 and at Bordeaux, but I had big aspirations to play for England, and you can’t do that playing in France,” he says.

“I wanted to come back and try and push to achieve some personal goals.”

In July, he did.

After touring New Zealand and Japan with England in 2024, but not getting any game time, Oghre made his debut off the bench against the United States in a match that was delayed and then interrupted by lightning storms.

“It was a bit of a weird game,” he remembers. “I sat on the bench and every time we had to go inside, I was like, ‘is this game going to get called off? Am I going to be able to get on the pitch?’

“But it was a real special moment to win my first cap.”

When another might arrive is difficult to predict.

England are well stocked at hooker. But as Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie, 35 and 32, approach the end of their careers, there may be vacancies.

Leicester’s Jamie Blamire (28), Saracens’ Theo Dan (25) and Sale’s Nathan Jibulu (22) join 27-year-old Oghre among the younger generation.

Lee Blackett, now England’s attack coach, but formerly with Wasps, knows what he can bring.

“Lee was always good to me, even when I was in the academy,” says Oghre of the pair’s time at Wasps.

“He’s a very honest person, which I like.

For now, though Oghre’s focus is being better for the Bears.

Bristol endured a painful Premiership semi-final defeat by rivals Bath in June. Leading 13-6 at half-time, the underdogs were eventually beaten 34-20 at the Rec.

This season, despite a raft of injuries, they have mixed grit and glitter to ride high in both the Prem and Europe.

“We don’t really have to speak about that pain,” Oghre says of how Bristol’s 2024-25 campaign ended.

“If you were in the changing room after the game, you could feel it. You could feel the hurt of how we were close, but we didn’t get the job done.

“I think that’s something we’re carrying. We’re aware that we’re doing well and we still haven’t got the job done.

“There’s no point in having a good start to the season if we don’t continue. We’re very aware of that.”

Dubai Invitational, round two

-5 S Lowry (Ire), N Elvira (Spa); -3 D Puig (Spa), M Armitage (Eng); -2 A Ayora (Spa), A Rozner (Fra), T Lawrence (SA), R McIlroy (NI)

Selected others: -1 M Wallace (Eng); C Syme (Sco); Level E Ferguson (Sco); +1 P Reed (US); +5 T Fleetwood (Eng), T McKibbin (NI)

Rory McIlroy hit four shots into the water in an erratic second round at the Dubai Invitational as he slipped out of the lead.

In windy conditions at Dubai Creek Resort, the world number two mixed mixed five bogeys – three of which came after hitting his ball into the water – with two birdies in a scrappy 74.

McIlroy’s good friend Shane Lowry coped with the conditions much better, carding five birdies in his three-under 68 as he chases his first individual victory since 2022.

The 2019 Open champion improved to five under and is tied at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage with Spain’s Nacho Elvira, who matched the Irishman’s 68.

After hitting seven birdies in an opening 66 on Thursday, McIlroy cemented his place at the top of the leaderboard with a birdie at the par-four third.

But the Masters champion hooked an iron into the water with his tee shot on the sixth before dropping another shot on the ninth.

While he scrambled to save par on the long 13th, McIlroy incurred another penalty on the short 14th before bouncing back with a birdie at the 16th by sinking a 45-foot putt for birdie.

Another wayward shot into water on the 17th led to a bogey and the 36-year-old finished with another dropped shot after he failed to get up and down from beside a rock to the right of the green.

Playing with Ryder Cup team-mate McIlroy, Lowry mixed three birdies and two bogeys on the front nine but picked up shots at the 10th and 16th to sit alongside two-time DP World Tour winner Elvira.

“I do quite enjoy it, the artistry of moving the ball around and hitting different shots,” Lowry told Sky Sports.

“We had a great group today. When you’re out there having a bit of fun it’s easier to play good golf so that attitude for the rest of the year and I’ll be pretty good.”

It was a rough Friday for Fleetwood, however, as the Englishman failed to make a birdie or eagle in a round for the first time since the US PGA Championship last May.

There are two versions of Michael Carrick the coach: the interim manager who took charge of Manchester United for three games and the Middlesbrough manager who spent three years in the Championship.

The nature of both projects could not have been more different, with one an extremely short-term job and the other a long-term assignment.

Five months, as interim head coach until the end of the season, lands awkwardly in the middle, so how might Carrick set United up?

Carrick’s first two games as United’s head coach are a difficult challenge, against the two best teams in the league at present, Manchester City and Arsenal.

At Middlesbrough, Carrick was reluctant to change his system, looking to dominate the game through high possession.

When he was United’s interim boss in 2021 he faced Thomas Tuchel, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta, winning twice and drawing once, and changing the system each game in a pragmatic manner.

The most significant tweak was in how his United side nullified Tuchel’s Chelsea with a 4-3-1-2 defensive shape that blocked the centre of the pitch. Speaking on Match of the Day earlier this season, Carrick said that his rationale was to stop all access to Tuchel’s midfield two because their progression was typically through the middle.

United’s narrow front three stopped passes into Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek while the physical centre-midfielders in Scott McTominay and Fred tracked and pressed Chelsea’s wing-backs.

To ensure United kept three in midfield when McTominay or Fred pressed, the other two midfielders would shift over and the far-side attacker would drop in.

The game ended 1-1 with Chelsea’s only goal coming from a penalty.

Rayan Cherki’s performances this season have stood out and blocking the middle of the pitch, minimising his influence in dangerous areas, might be something Carrick’s side look to do.

The recent signing of Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku’s return from injury make City equally dangerous from out wide so doubling up on the wingers may also minimise their threat.

A 4-5-1 that blocks space, instead of pressing, before launching quick attacks against a less experienced defence might be how an adaptable Carrick counters City.

Against Arsenal, Liverpool’s performance last week provides a helpful, albeit risky, blueprint.

In possession, Florian Wirtz played as a false nine, dropping deep and creating an overload for Liverpool in midfield, with Gabriel reluctant to track him. Their technical quality ensured Liverpool kept the ball well, taking the sting out of the game.

Out of possession, both Liverpool wingers man-marked Arsenal’s roaming full-backs, reducing their influence.

There is also the possibility that Carrick opts to build on things Ruben Amorim did before his departure, not wanting to introduce too much change too quickly against difficult opposition.

Game-specific tweaks are key, especially when looking to bridge a gap in quality.

United do have top talent of their own and as time passes, Carrick will certainly put his stamp on how they look to play.

In the Championship, Carrick’s side played a 4-2-3-1 on paper but this shape changed in-game depending on the phase of play. “The actual formation often doesn’t make a huge difference to how we do things,” were Carrick’s words when talking about his system in 2024.

When Middlesbrough had solid possession in the middle of the pitch, they would move into a 3-2-5 shape.

Criticism of Amorim was heavily based on his 3-2-4-1 shape so it is interesting that Carrick likes his teams to attack in a similar way. Where they differ however is in how they move into that shape, the roles each player is given and the balance between freedom and tactical instruction.

Middlesbrough’s shape moved into a 3-2-5 primarily through left-back Ryan Giles staying high and wide while the right-back in defence.

No team in the Championship scored more goals in the league during Carrick’s time as manager using these tactics. They dominated possession most games and their approach was measured as they looked to unpick teams.

Although they favoured possession, when the opportunity to pass the ball more directly opened up, players were encouraged to play at speed. They scored often from fast breaks but this was mainly after the opposition turned the ball over in dangerous areas.

Player quality and outgoing transfers meant these moments became less frequent in Carrick’s final season.

The main critique was that they became too slow and predictable on the ball. That and the space they would leave defensively, if they attacked or pressed too aggressively.

The 3-2-5 shape, although a constant for Carrick, did leave room for rotations and freedom in attack, something that will suit United’s attackers, many who have shown qualities in more than one position.

Put simply, Carrick will look to play a high-possession 3-2-5 on the ball while defending in a 4-4-2 that looks to block space. You could replace Carrick’s name with many modern coaches and that sentence would remain true.

Looking at coaches who dominate the ball, the two shapes mentioned are perhaps the most popular combination used at the top level.

If Carrick can drill this into them over the next few months this will bode well for a Manchester United in flux, leaving them with a foundation that many coaches could build upon with ease.

Steve Holland, United’s new assistant manager, has explained that there are numerous ways to end up in the 3-2-5 attack shape that Carrick will likely use.

Middlesbrough did it with Giles pushing up, given his pace, endurance and quality as a crosser.

A player like Luke Shaw at left-back might keep his position as a third central defender in possession, for example, instead of playing high and wide, with another playing holding width.

Every player does not have to do the same job their Middlesbrough equivalent did but the principles between both sides will likely remain the same. This is something Amorim struggled with – looking for like-for-like copies of his successful Sporting side.

Briton Luke Browning has been chosen as Williams’ reserve driver for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Browning, 23, impressed during the Formula 2 campaign in 2025, finishing fourth in the championship with Hitech GP after nine podium finishes and one victory.

It has earned him the chance to be back-up to Williams’ main drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.

“I’m incredibly excited to be stepping up as reserve driver with Atlassian Williams F1 Team this year,” said Browning, who took part in some practice and test sessions for the team last year.

“I look forward to working alongside Alex and Carlos to drive the team forward in this new era for Formula 1.”

Alongside his reserve role, Browning will compete for the first time in the Japanese Super Formula Championship for Kondo Racing.

Williams team principal James Vowles said it was a “proud moment” to see Browning step up into his new F1 role.

“He has made immense progress since he joined the Williams F1 Driver Academy in 2023, and has supported the team’s journey back towards the front of the grid through his involvement in simulator and FP1 work,” Vowles said.

On Thursday, McLaren announced Leonardo Fornaroli and Pato O’Ward as reserve drivers for 2026.