Six Nations third round winners and losers: Ireland and Scotland joy, woe for Wales
The Six Nations third round kicked off with one of the oldest international rugby rivalries, England vs Ireland.
Wales played Scotland next with a much-improved home-crowd attendance in Cardiff compared to the week prior. The final game of the weekend was between France and Italy in Paris.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s rugby writer James Corrigan outlines his winners and losers from the weekend’s action.
England analysis: How Man City’s Nico O’Reilly can fit into Thomas Tuchel’s 2026 World Cup squad
England is not short of talent; they are saturated with it. The challenge has been arranging that abundance into a balanced, cohesive team – particularly down the left side, where structure has often looked uneven.
It is into this very gap that Nico O’Reilly has emerged, a versatile midfielder capable of operating across multiple roles and offering a tactical intelligence that could help England’s World Cup hopes, writes Sports News Blitz’s Ruben Picardo Ashworth.
Premier League news: Aston Villa and Leeds Utd share spoils in dramatic Villa Park draw
Aston Villa were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with Leeds United on Saturday in a Premier League encounter that delivered quality goals, tactical intrigue, and a dramatic late turnaround.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Harrison Pearce reviews the action from Villa Park.
MMA news: Champion Khamzat Chimaev reacts to Sean Strickland KO win over Anthony Hernandez
Sean Strickland beat Anthony Hernandez by third-round TKO at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Saturday.
The result was only Strickland’s fifth TKO/KO in 24 UFC fights, meaning he has just a 21% TKO/KO rate.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Samuel Faris-Clark rounds up the reaction to the fight.
Serie A news: How repeated referee and VAR errors sparked a crisis in Italian football
Controversy has rocked Serie A in recent weeks as numerous referees, in conjunction with VAR officials, have come under scrutiny for questionable choices.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Lorenzo Gagliotta takes a closer look at the decisions that have angered fans across the league.
Cheltenham Festival 2026: The challenge, UK vs Ireland
Cheltenham Festival is upon us. Between March 10 and March 13 in Gloucestershire, one of the most historical horse racing meetings in the whole world will take place for its latest edition.
The event attracts all horse racing enthusiasts, who will already be busy searching for the favorites to win the individual races.
If you're one of them, you can take advantage of the Cheltenham Festival free bets to reduce your losses and bet on your favourite horse, or your favourite jockey.
Tennis news: Jack Pinnington Jones – the British star looking to follow in Jacob Fearnley’s footsteps
Glancing at the current ATP rankings makes it plain that Britain has a preponderance of players (12) between positions No.50 and No.250 – something largely absent from those rankings a year ago, when just half that number were GB athletes.
The man now at world No.138 is very much a part of that strength in depth and could not be found this time last year even if one scanned as low as No.350. His name is Jack Pinnington Jones.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s tennis writer AJ Becker takes a look at the latest rising star.
League One news: Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy is destined for the Premier League
Brian Barry-Murphy has done a tremendous job since taking over at Cardiff City in June, with the Bluebirds now looking for an instant return to the EFL Championship.
Cardiff are flying high at the top of League One, having collected an impressive 69 points from 32 games, and Barry-Murphy could be a manager in demand this summer, writes Sports News Blitz’s Gareth Hinton.
Premier League betting tips: Both Man City and Arsenal to win in tense Premier League title race, and more Gameweek 27 betting tips
Read on for a breakdown of the best bets from this weekend’s Premier League TV games from Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher - including Sunday’s huge North London derby between Spurs and Arsenal.
ITV horse racing tips and best bets for Southwell on Friday, February 20
After taking a profit in five races last week, Sports News Blitz’s horse racing pundit Kieran McHugh is hoping to continue his good run of form.
Friday Night Live returns at Southwell on ITV, and amidst the excitement of Constitution Hill’s flat debut, our pundit is hoping to provide some guidance through the card.
Can West Ham still climb out of the relegation zone?
West Ham's survival battle has reached crunch time. After a nightmare run of results, back-to-back victories briefly threw them a lifeline, only for another defeat to stall that momentum and sharpen the relegation scrap narratives around the bottom of the table.
But the fight is far from over, and what happens in the next five games could define their entire season.
Survival scraps are not won in one afternoon. They're about grinding out results, holding your nerve when it matters, and claiming points wherever you can.
West Ham have dug themselves into a hole, but they're not buried yet. There's still time to claw their way out, even if the path ahead looks brutal.
Premier League news: Should Nick Woltemade remain in Newcastle XI after thriving in new role?
Newcastle United’s fourth-round FA Cup victory over Aston Villa saw a different midfield set-up as Nick Woltemade took up an attacking midfield role.
With another away fixture coming up against Manchester City, should Woltemade remain in Eddie Howe’s starting eleven?
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu explains why the 24-year-old’s new role should keep him in the team.
Horse racing news: Five horses of interest at huge odds for the 2026 Grand National
The Grand National picture has become much clearer following the reveal of the weights for the 2026 edition.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s horse racing expert Kieran McHugh picks out five horses to keep an eye on.
Wrestling news: AEW Revolution set for unpredictable main event between MJF and Hangman Page
On February 19, AEW world champion MJF and ‘Hangman’ Adam Page came face-to-face on AEW Dynamite to confirm their world title match at Revolution.
However, the caveat is that if Page loses, he will never challenge for the world championship ever again, adding unpredictability to the main event as MJF is only 55 days into his second championship run.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Mosaddek Abu takes a look at both competitors and explains who should walk out of Revolution as world champion.
England women squad news: Who’s in and who’s out for the World Cup qualifiers?
England captain Leah Williamson and forward Lauren James headline a number of high-profile returns in Sarina Wiegman’s latest 25-player squad for the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.
The build-up has been shaped by persistent injury concerns and important recalls that have forced the England manager to be cautious when making her selections.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Liberty Nicholson-Hulse breaks down the key talking points from England’s latest squad announcement, taking a closer look at the notable inclusions and absences shaping Wiegman’s plans.
From the pitch to the phone: Social media’s positive influence on football
Football has always been more than a sport. It’s a culture, a community, and for millions, a core part of their identity.
But in the last decade, social media has transformed the way fans experience the game. So, how has social media created an influence on sport?
What once relied on matchday attendance, newspaper reports, or televised highlights has evolved into a 24/7 digital ecosystem where football lives, breathes and grows.
From strengthening the bond between players and supporters to creating global fanbases and preserving memories, social media has reshaped football for the better, writes Sports News Blitz’s Joshua Topping.
Over 92,000 at Sha Tin to witness former Joseph O’Brien-trained Stunning Peach land Year of the Horse Cup
A Chinese New Year Raceday crowd of 92,612 were in attendance at Sha Tin to welcome in the New Year and see Stunning Peach, formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien, win the feature HK$3.12 million (approx. £300,000) Class 2 Year of the Horse Cup.
In total nearly 100,000 fans were watching in Hong Kong, with another 5,000 people watching the action on screens at Happy Valley Racecourse, and turnover on the day hit HK$1840 million (approx. £175m).
Tournated Joins Forces with World Padel Rating to Launch White-Label Digital Platform for the United States Padel Association
First U.S. governing body partnership marks Tournated’s largest padel federation project to date and creates “first true home for America’s padel-playing community”
Ante-post market leaders with Cheltenham Festival just around the corner
Sports News Blitz’s Charlie Fawcett takes an admittedly premature look at some of the form fancies and runners of interest at the upcoming 2026 Cheltenham Festival as the countdown to the huge week continues.
With “The Greatest Show on Turf” now just T-minus 20 days away, all eyes are on which runners will be confirmed to feature at this year’s festival, and crucially, who will pick up the spoils in some of the most prestigious contests in all of racing.
With 28 races being crammed into one of the most iconic and highly anticipated events in the British sporting calendar, we focus on those with the most eyes upon them.
Six Nations news: Second-round power rankings as Scotland surge, England and Ireland disappoint
France cemented their place as favourites to win the 2026 Six Nations in round two as Scotland redeemed themselves by claiming a famous victory over Grand Slam hopefuls England.
Scotland defeated their lacklustre neighbours 31-20, France crushed beleaguered Wales 54-12, and Ireland failed to impress in beating Italy 20-13.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Joseph Terry gives his second-round power rankings as Scotland climb and title not-so-contenders shuffle down the order.