logo
Irish international Burns among Munster departures

Irish international Burns among Munster departures

BBC News16-05-2025

Fly-half Billy Burns will leave Munster at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.The former Gloucester player joined the province last summer after spending six seasons with Ulster. The 30-year-old has won seven caps for Ireland having made his debut against Wales in 2020. Munster, who will be under new head coach Clayton McMillan next season, have also confirmed that Scott Buckley, Patrick Campbell, Liam Coombes, Jack Daly and Cian Hurley will depart Thomond Park once the season has concluded.It had previously been announced that Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, David Kilcoyne and Stephen Archer are also in their last seasons with the side.Munster face Edinburgh on Friday evening knowing that victory will secure their spot in the United Rugby Championship play-offs and next season's Champions Cup.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The Simon Yates lesson that Isaac del Toro must learn from unforgettable Giro d'Italia
The Simon Yates lesson that Isaac del Toro must learn from unforgettable Giro d'Italia

The Independent

time29 minutes ago

  • The Independent

The Simon Yates lesson that Isaac del Toro must learn from unforgettable Giro d'Italia

One year on from Tadej Pogacar 's demolition job of the competition at his maiden Giro d'Italia, another young climber was having his moment in the sun. The comparisons were inevitable as soon as Isaac Del Toro appeared on the scene: lean, explosive, with a natural gift for spotting his moment, an obvious thrill for racing. But as the Mexican progressed through this Giro d'Italia it felt like the Tadej Pogacar comparisons weighed lightly on his shoulders. The 21-year-old seemed a changed figure from the wide-eyed figure who pulled on the maglia rosa in disbelief on stage nine, at the end of an audacious attack on one of the race's toughest stages, the gravel-dotted run into Siena. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider grew into the race, seeming to grow in confidence and stature with each day in head-to-toe pink. It proved difficult for the likes of Richard Carapaz to dislodge him as he marked every one of his rivals' moves, never missing a beat. He outlasted both Juan Ayuso and Adam Yates, in theory the squad's official co-leaders going into the race. There were echoes of another prodigious talent's youthful enthusiasm in his attacking racing style, and like with Pogacar's Tour de France in 2022, it proved insufficient to win the Giro d'Italia. Jumbo-Visma isolated Pogacar in the French Alps, wearing the Slovenian down through an all-out assault, as his tremendous efforts over the course of the race told and he finally buckled. A similar situation happened the following year. In Italy, Del Toro appeared at ease closing gaps when other GC contenders attacked, but there were raised eyebrows at his decision to do it all himself, rather than letting his teammates do the dirty work. Question marks remain over UAE Team Emirates' tactics at this race, from their unwillingness to throw the full weight of the squad behind one or the other of del Toro and Ayuso when the Mexican was in the ascendancy, to the failure to work to bring back Yates on the Colle delle Finestre, instead letting the race win ride away into the clouds. Ironically, it was partially a reversion to conservative tactics that cost Del Toro the win – but his exhaustion on the penultimate stage will only have been compounded by the unnecessary energy he spent earlier in the race. Inevitably, Del Toro will be back; his class and ability were apparent as a youngster and have only been emphasised by his near two-week stint in the pink jersey. He is the youngest podium finisher at the Giro since Fausto Coppi 85 years ago, and second on his Giro debut. Grand Tour wins are in his future. But rather than youthful enthusiasm and star power, this Giro was won on patience and experience. Simon Yates raced his 2018 Giro in the aggressive way Del Toro began his stint in pink, before cracking spectacularly with the finish line in sight, losing 38 minutes on the Finestre as he watched Chris Froome ride away to glory. This time Yates, 21st on stage one, kept a low profile until the last possible moment. It was a win seven years in the making. While Del Toro stole the show for much of this race, and the complex politics among UAE's young cohort of starlets made for drama, this race was one for a generation of old-timers. Comparatively, at least. For Primoz Roglic, the overwhelming pre-race favourite, it was a disappointment. In his last twelve Grand Tours, going back to his maiden Vuelta victory in 2019, he has either finished on the podium (seven times) or abandoned the race (five). But this was the redemption tour for the 32-year-old Simon Yates; the exhilarating comeback of 28-year-old Egan Bernal, seventh on GC in Rome and back to attacking ways, three years on from the crash that nearly killed him; the unexpected renaissance of one of cycling's canniest racers, 32-year-old Richard Carapaz. Last year's Giro was a story of untempered dominance, of one of the most brilliant riders to ever grace the sport. This year's was a story of romance, of incredible perseverance, of a rider returning triumphant to the scene of one of his lowest moments. On the other side, it was a story of a young man with the hopes of an entire nation on his shoulders, making history for Mexico and breaking new ground. Lit up by the attacks of the 2019 and 2021 winners, won by a rider who may have thought his chances of another victory at the corsa rosa had passed him by, and the scene of Del Toro's coming of age, this Giro was the sport's past, present and future, all in one.

Cameron Norrie v Novak Djokovic LIVE: French Open score and updates ahead of Draper v Bublik
Cameron Norrie v Novak Djokovic LIVE: French Open score and updates ahead of Draper v Bublik

The Independent

time34 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Cameron Norrie v Novak Djokovic LIVE: French Open score and updates ahead of Draper v Bublik

The French Open continues with gusto today as the fourth round concludes at Roland Garros with Britain's two remaining hopefuls each targeting a spot in the quarter-finals. Monday's main event is Cameron Norrie 's clash with Novak Djokovic on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The pair are up third on the main court following Ekaterina Alexandrova's meeting with American Coco Gauff and Lois Boisson's clash with Jessica Pegula. Norrie has never beaten Djokovic before having lost all five of their meetings including the semi-final of the Geneva Open back in May. Later on, British No. 1 Jack Draper aims to continue his fine form when he faces Alexander Bublik last on Court Suzanne Lenglen. Bublik has already sprung a surprise in this tournament when beating Alex de Minaur in five sets and his heavy serving style of play will keep Draper on his toes. The evening session is headlined by men's No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner who has yet to drop a set in this campaign having swept Arthur Rinderknech, Richard Gasquet, and Jiri Lehecka aside with relative ease. Tonight's opponent is Andrey Rublev who should pose more of a threat. French Open order of play Court Suzanne-Lenglen Mirra Andreeva [6] vs Daria Kasatkina [17] Alexander Zverev [3] vs Tallon Griekspoor Madison Keys [7] vs Hailey Baptiste Alexander Bublik vs Jack Draper [5] Mike Jones2 June 2025 09:46 Mike Jones2 June 2025 09:42 Good morning! Welcome to The Independent's coverage on today's French Open action. We'll be covering the main matches throughout the day with the headline being Cameron Norrie's clash against Novak Djokovic. The duo are up third on Court Philippe Chatrier and the Serb seeks to continue his dominance over Norrie and book a place in the quarter-finals. Djokovic hopes to win this tournament for a fourth time and will be confident about overcoming the British No. 3. Stick with us as we build up to their clash with coverage beginning with Ekaterina Alexandrova taking on Coco Gauff this morning. Mike Jones2 June 2025 09:36

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store