MEN’S FOOTBALL: League of Ireland action returns Friday evening with table-toppers Shamrock Rovers looking to preserve their six-point lead when they visit Bohemians in the big Dublin derby.

Second-placed Derry play second bottom Cork, Dundalk make the short trip to Drogheda, St Patrick’s take on Shelbourne and bottom of the pile UCD, already 17 points adrift of safety with less than half of the season remaining, host Sligo.

MEN’S RUGBY UNION: Champions Cup runners-up Leinster have been drawn with their nemesis, current cup-holders La Rochelle, in Pool 4 as the competition reverts to a group stage format for next season.

They will be joined by Stade Francais, Leicester, Cape Town’s Stormers and Sale in a very tough group.

English champions Saracens will face Bordeaux-Begles, Bristol, Connacht, Lyon and Pretoria’s Bulls in Pool 1. 

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Valentine Holmes scored two tries and kicked four goals as a Lindsay Collins-inspired Queensland, orchestrated by superb displays from Cam Munster and Daly Cherry-Evans, brushed aside New South Wales 32-6 in Brisbane.

Queensland now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the State of Origin series and retain the shield. Coached by legendary Kangaroo full-back Billy Slater, Queensland had won the first game 26-18 in Adelaide.

CYCLING: 19-year-old Welshman Josh Tarling powered to victory by more than a minute at Darlington on Wednesday to become the youngest-ever men’s National Time Trial champion.

Fred Wright kept up his excellent early season form with an almost predictable second place while Connor Swift was third.

Lizzie Holden won the women’s race by 14 seconds from Anna Morris with Elinor Barker a further two seconds back in third.