James McClean has been punished after posting an image of himself in a balaclava, accompanied by a caption that read 'today's school lesson - history', interpreted as a reference to the IRA.

James McClean has attempted to defend his controversial Instagram post in which he appeared to mimic the IRA in a home schooling session with his children. 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY IAN LADYMAN: Instead of the intensity of a survival fight and the anticipation of a Euro 2020 play-off game, O'Neill is living his life in suspended animation.

Shaqiri has been a peripheral figure at Anfield having played just 256 minutes of football all season and the Reds are open to bids for the winger but may have to accept a lower fee.

It's a busy night of Carabao Cup action as the leading Premier League clubs enter the competition at the third round stage. Join Sportsmail's ADAM SHERGOLD for all the goals as they go in.

HARRY SLAVIN AT VICARAGE ROAD: Quique Sanchez Flores made the first steps on his road to redemption after Watford battled past Championship high-flyers Swansea.

Sheffield Wednesday halted Stoke's mini-revival and climbed to third in the Sky Bet Championship with a 1-0 victory over the Potters on Tuesday.

STEPHEN STAMMERS AT THE LIBERTY STADIUM: A short corner routine left Cardiff baffled and Routledge's cross was somehow glanced home with a header from Ben Wilmot.

The 21-year-old joined United from Swansea in the Championship this summer in a £15million deal and has fast become one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's go-to men this season.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY KIERAN GILL: What made Ben Wilmot's winner even more impressive was the England Under-21 international was making his first Championship start for Swansea.

ADAM SHERGOLD AT THE LIBERTY STADIUM: Fulham moved to third in the Championship on Friday as the Cottagers were forced to hold onto their lead after a late Swansea fightback.

During a Premier League tie with Swansea City at Old Trafford, Young is seen barking orders at his United team-mates, before an object appears to enter his mouth, believed to be from a bird flying over.

Liverpool striker Rhian Brewster has joined Sky Bet Championship side Swansea on loan for the remainder of the season.

Club legend Gary Neville has brought the 21-year-old back down to Earth and believes he still has things he needs to work on if he is to become truly to draw and establish himself among the elite.

As a result of his support, Michu reached out to the Borussia Dortmund star to send him a signed Brugos jersey with Haaland's name on the back. 'Wow what a legend!!' Haaland responded.

COMMENT BY IAN HERBERT: The genuine acts of sacrifice are the ones there is little song and dance about. There have been acts of kindness from others across the game.

Warren Gatland questioned whether England might have played their World Cup final a game early as Welsh interest in the Webb Ellis Trophy ended in Yokohama.

WILL KELLEHER IN TOKYO: The Boks might be boring, but their boss Rassie Erasmus does not care. South Africa have faced criticism for their limited, combative style at the World Cup.

Wales ensured they kept their distance from the haka in the build-up to their Rugby World third-place play off against New Zealand.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE AJINOMOTO STADIUM: Tears, beers and cheers for departing stars of the game here in Japan, as several glittering eras all ended at once.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced the news, with Jonathan Davies set to be out for more than six months because of a left knee injury suffered. Rhys Patchell has a shoulder issue.

NIK SIMON - THE GAINLINE: Justin Tipuric is weighing up a £500,000-a-year offer from Bristol - but some of France's biggest clubs are also keen on the Wales flanker.

The 28-year-old has been at English and European champions Saracens since 2017, but in 2020 the full back will rejoin the Scarlets where he will earn in the region of £400,000 a year.

If last week was hellish, Northampton were far more saintly in Lyon on Saturday - winning with a bonus-point to do all they could to make the Champions Cup quarter-finals.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The Six Nations powerbrokers are largely content with the existing deal, which is worth £90m a year between the BBC and ITV and is delivering record viewing figures.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign will begin on Saturday, February 1 with a number of teams eyeing glory in this year's competition.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The 2020 Six Nations campaign, which gets underway this weekend, promises to be a closely-fought affair with several teams eyeing the title.

BY WILL KELLEHER AT THE PRINCIPALITY STADIUM: Wales will be ready for a rude awakening in Dublin on Saturday - aware that Ireland will not walk on to their punches as Italy did.

The 24-year-old centre won his first cap against Italy last weekend off the bench, but did enough to prove he should start at No 13 against the Irish.

With England firing bombs at their Championship rivals each week, and Scotland responding with talk of 'hate', Wales coach Wayne Pivac is finding the pre-match mudslinging all a bit unnecessary.

Wales and their fly-half might have been the fancy Dans last week against Italy, but it will be back to basics for Biggar & Co in Dublin on Saturday.

Ireland host Wales in week two of Six Nations action at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Sportsmail's Ieuan Ivett will provide live coverage including score, tryscorers, substitutions, sin bins, injuries and more.

ALEX BYWATER AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Ireland produced a statement 24-14 win over Wales in Dublin to make it back-to-back wins in the Six Nations. Sportsmail rated both sets of players.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: Wayne Pivac rued 'unacceptable' errors made by Wales in their first Six Nations defeat since 2018 as they lost 24-17 in Dublin to Ireland.

WILL KELLEHER AT AVIVA STADIUM: The storm stayed away but Ireland built a big green wall to barricade themselves against Welsh tides in Dublin, beating the Grand Slam champions.

Wayne Pivac called for patience after he lost his first Wales match, saying it would not take major surgery to reinvigorate their Six Nations challenge.

There have been concerns over Biggar's concussion record, having taken two blows to the head during the World Cup against Australia and Fiji in September.

The Welsh face an unbeaten French side in Cardiff on Saturday. Wayne Pivac's side come into the game on the back of a defeat in Dublin to the Irish - their first Six Nations loss since 2018.

Wayne Pivac believes his wise Wales will overcome French flair on Saturday in the Six Nations having picked the most experienced line-up to grace the championship.

Sky are in line to secure a £300million agreement to screen the competition from 2021, leaving terrestrial channels BBC and ITV on the margins with potentially huge implications for the sport.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Mark Wilson and Anthony Watson will make their first England appearances since the World Cup final against Wales on Saturday.

The 21-13 defeat killed off English hopes of a Grand Slam, before Warren Gatland rubbed salt in the wounds by questioning their big-game ability.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: It might have been a little subdued before the match but we should have known England and Wales would provide some action to perk us up. The 33-30 win for England was all action.

WILL KELLEHER AT TWICKENHAM: Justrin Tipuric called for calm after Wales' third consecutive defeat - making this their worst Six Nations run since 2007.

France's Six Nations clash against Ireland joins England v Italy in being pushed back, although RFU chief Bill Sweeney says he sees no reason why Wales v Scotland can't go ahead.

In a shambolic development on Friday afternoon the final match of the Championship was officially postponed while Scotland were warming up for their captain's run ahead of Saturday's game.

INTERVIEW BY STEFFAN THOMAS: Jamie Roberts is far from your average rugby player and the former Wales centre is more qualified than most in sport to articulate his fears over coronavirus.

The Welsh Rugby Union announced on Tuesday that they had to take further measures to reduce costs with no money incoming with postponed indefinitely during pandemic.

Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has revealed that 'two or three' of his squad have tested positive for coronavirus. The pandemic saw the Six Nations brought to a halt before it could finish.

COMMENT: It is a sad fact that the main barrier to rugby's progress lies here; in the home nations and those other centres of the sport's narrow European landscape - France and Italy.