Joe Schmidt has hinted Wales broke protocol in asking Six Nations bosses to close the Principality Stadium roof in Saturday's tournament decider in Cardiff.

The Principality Stadium roof will be left open for Wales' Six Nations Grand Slam game in Cardiff against Ireland, despite yellow wind warnings set for Saturday.

WILL KELLEHER'S SCRUM'S THE WORD: This week we have tales of Beards, beers, and Beirnes ahead of the biggest game of the weekend: Wales v Ireland, and plenty more besides.

Rory Best has tipped rookie lineout caller James Ryan to come of age for Ireland against the 'world's best lock' Alun Wyn Jones in Cardiff for their Six Nations clash.

Best suffered the damage to his left foot in Ulster's Champions Cup quarter-final defeat by Leinster on Saturday and following a scan on Monday it was confirmed he will be fit to lead Ireland in Japan

Ireland and Ulster captain Rory Best has announced he will retire from professional rugby after the World Cup in Japan. Hooker Best has been capped 116 times by his country.

Premier playmaker Johnny Sexton is expected to be fit shortly, but Ireland can ill afford to lose either of their main backline pivots. They open their World Cup by taking on Scotland on September 22.

Gregor Townsend confessed it 'doesn't look good' for Hamish Watson after admitting the Scotland flanker's World Cup might be over already. The Dark Blues suffered a 27-3 mauling from Ireland.

RORY KEANE IN YOKOHAMA: Iain Henderson hailed the performance of Rory Best after Ireland trounced Scotland, claiming the captain had 'silenced a lot of his critics'.

Brian O'Driscoll praised Japan and poured scorn on Ireland's performance after the Brave Blossoms produced a stunning World Cup upset. 

Bundee Aki was sent off in the 29th minute after a high tackle at Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium and faces a multiple-game suspension, souring the win that put Ireland through to the quarters.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: This game will be massive. So far in Anglo-Australian encounters at World Cups we have one victory apiece in the final, two England quarter-final wins and two Aussie pool wins.

Bundee Aki will miss the rest of the World Cup after receiving a three-match ban for his red card against Samoa. The Ireland centre was sent off in the 47-5 win for a high tackle on UJ Seuteni.

SCRUM'S THE WORD: South Africa star Cheslin Kolbe has warned that a new wave of pint-sized wingers are ready to explode into life at the World Cup.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Johnny Sexton says Ireland are trying to draw a line under the hellish events of last year and Saturday was a good start as Andy Farrell's side won.

Conor Murray admits the father-son dynamic between the Farrells will be strange when Ireland face England on Sunday, but hopes his coach can provide crucial insights into his son's game.

DYLAN HARTLEY: A lot of people have been chucking stones at Eddie Jones but my message for the RFU is clear: give him a new contract. Dave at the pub might disagree.

HUGH MacDONALD: It is a testament to the power of sport in Ed Chamberlin's life that it both consoled and excited him as he laboured under the shadow of death.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY MIKE DICKSON: The BBC's voice of racing is in the final furlong of his career with the corporation, and admits it will hurt when he crosses the finish line.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The 77-year-old is very well-connected in racing circles and has good relationships with key figures at ITV, where he was first employed as a pundit in 1971.

Sire Du Berlais led home a Gordon Elliott one-two as he recorded back-to-back victories in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.

It worked with Politologue in Wednesday's Queen Mother Champion Chase and Paul Nicholls is hoping that saving Clan Des Obeaux for one big shot will pay off in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Reports suggesting that large public gatherings will soon be banned mean racing's position as the last major sport to still be operating normally looks close to ending.

The BHA have postponed their consultation into the use of the whip while operation duties during the COVID-19 pandemic take priority.

Horse racing will be ready to resume in five weeks just in time for the first two Classics of the flat season, according to top trainer Ralph Beckett. Beckett believes acing can resume behind on May 1.

Former jockey Mark Dwyer has paid tribute to Cheltenham Gold Cup winning trainer Peter Beaumont, who has died at the age of 85.

New dates will now have to be sought for the four Classics, which are the 2,000 Guineas on May 4 and the 1,000 Guineas on May 5 at Newmarket, as well as the Oaks on June 5 and Derby on June 6.

William Haggas' runner struck Group One gold under Tom Marquand in the Ranvet Stakes last month and he added another top-level success as he saw off Verry Elleegant in some style.

The fund, co-ordinated by the Racehorse Owners Association, is part of a £22m cash flow and hardship funding package for racing announced on Friday.

France Galop president consulted with members of the French Government with the parties giving themselves 48 hours to come up with agreement on how racing will deal with impact of coronavirus.

Races will be restricted to 12 runners to comply with social distancing rules in plans to race behind closed doors next month. 

SAM TURNER (Robin Goodfellow) spoke to some successful horse racing professionals and sports bettors about their views and methods they endeavour to employ on a daily basis.

Racing aims to be one of the first sports to emerge from lockdown, with the British Horseracing Authority releasing a provisional list of big races it could run on the final two weekends of this month.

French racing moved a step closer to returning at Longchamp next Monday (May 11) after the French racing authorities were given permission to stage the meeting by Paris police.

Newmarket trainer Amy Murphy says maintaining a routine has been key to keep a racing stable operating inside the COVID-19 shut down.

Andrea Pirlo has sued a man who pretended to be the Italian footballer for two years in order to receive free clothes and jewellery.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The extremely-talented Juventus forward and Italy international is on the brink of sealing a £36million move to the Premier League, which would be a great coup by Marco Silva.

Luis Alberto's second-half equaliser earned Lazio a 1-1 draw with AS Roma in a fast and furious Rome derby in Serie A on Sunday. Aleksander Kolarov opened the scoring with a penalty.

Azzurri coach Roberto Mancini was enraged as his squad failed to produce any serious chances in the second half when it held a man advantage - until substitute Lorenzo Pellegrini scored.

Italy benefited from a generous hand ball decision and converted a late penalty for a 2-1 win at Finland to extend its perfect start to European Championship qualifying on Sunday.

Former Italy under-21 coach Luigi Di Biagio believes Manchester City's Phil Foden has everything it takes to be a 'champion' and will thrive under Pep Guardiola's tutelage.

Italy are meant to have lucrative a trip to Qatar in March that will include two friendly games as part of their preparations for the upcoming Euro 2020. But Roberto Mancini does not see this as tough enough.

Euro 2020 is under serious threat as the coronavirus continues to sweep its way across the world, with organisers of the championships monitoring the situation closely.

SHERIDAN BIRD IN ITALY: Italy's love for football is on another level. But there is no live action. No sport. Where does all that energy go, and with no matches to talk about, what are fans doing?

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani was the first Serie A player to test positive for Covid-19, just days after he was in the matchday squad for the club's win over Inter behind closed doors.

Serie A bosses are reportedly working out plans to resume training and hope to be playing by the end of May or the start of June, with each side still having 12 fixtures remaining.

Light looked stunning in a couture dress by Badgley Mischka when she arrived, at the Tony Awards in New York City, Sunday night. The 70-year-old star of Transparent shined in silver on the red carpet.

British stars Sam Mendes and Bertie Carvel took home two of the most coveted accolades at the Tony Awards 2019 on Sunday night in New York.

She has a varied and accomplished acting career, delighting fans on the stage and screen. And Ruth looked radiant as she attended the 73rd Annual Tony Awards at the Radio City Music Hall.

Abigail Breslin arrived on the red carpet with her boyfriend Ira Kunyansky before heading inside for the ceremony.She also presented an early award of the evening with fellow actress Samira Wiley.