• Six Nations defeat by Italy was 14th consecutive reverse
• Wales sit 12th in world rankings, lowest-ever position

Cardiff’s Matt Sherratt has been handed the Wales coaching reins on an interim basis after Warren ­Gatland’s second spell as head coach ended abruptly on Tuesday. Welsh ­supporters have been warned, ­however, there is “no magic bullet” that will instantly revive the national team after their dismal 22-15 defeat by Italy on Saturday.

Gatland has departed “by mutual agreement” after 14 successive Test defeats, the worst run in the country’s 144-year international rugby ­history. Gatland, 61, had been contracted until the 2027 World Cup but Abi Tierney, the Welsh Rugby Union chief exe­cutive, acknow­ledged “there was a mounting sense that it wasn’t working” and said the ­decision was “in the best interests of the Wales squad”.

An injury crisis means Carlo Ancelotti must get creative in the Champions League playoff against Manchester City

Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, Éder Militão and Marcelo were in the team photo before the Madrid derby at the Bernabéu on Saturday night. A seriously impressive defence, it was just a pity they weren’t playing. Instead, Marcelo was there so they could pay homage to the full-back, who won 25 trophies with the club, in the week he announced his retirement. The other four had come to join him and support their teammates. None were dressed in white; all are injured.

All of which would be bad enough, but it was about to get worse. The following afternoon, having been named in the squad to travel to Manchester, the captain pulled out too. In the past fortnight Lucas Vázquez had missed visits to Valladolid and Leganés as a precaution but eventually he too fell, calling from home after Sunday’s training session to say something wasn’t right in his thigh. He was the backup, a midfielder at full-back, albeit one who has played there for so long now that it has become his default role. There have been 36 injuries at Madrid this season, 26 of them muscular.

With the wind swirling, the rain beating down and an opposition brimming with confidence and roared on by a full house, this had all the hallmarks of a tricky evening in the FA Cup for Crystal Palace.

But it is testament to the turnaround in Palace’s season that Oliver Glasner’s side navigated this test routinely, albeit not without a spirited showing from Doncaster Rovers, who can exit the Cup with their heads held high. Their attention now turns to pushing for promotion from League Two after Palace set up a south London derby with Millwall in the fifth round.

Fate of Worcester, Wasps and London Irish has left DCMS officials concerned about the state of the sport

Government officials say they are increasingly pessimistic over the financial stability of professional rugby union, as they defended loans given to sports organisations during the pandemic.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report published last year said that as much as £29m of a total £474m lent to sports organisations during the pandemic will not be recovered. Central among the defaulters are three rugby clubs – Worcester, Wasps and London Irish – who went into administration after being lent £41.6m in public money.

Observers have jokingly pointed to Cooper DeJean as a diversity hire for the NFL champions. But they have succeeded by challenging outdated ways of thinking

By now, those who watched Sunday’s Super Bowl have most likely forgotten about the house ads promoting racial and cultural unity. That’s no doubt because a much stronger statement was delivered midway through the second quarter when a pass by the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes was intercepted and returned for an touchdown by Philadelphia’s Cooper DeJean.

DeJean, the first white player to start at cornerback in a Super Bowl in 24 years, has cheekily been described by media figures such as Bomani Jones as the league’s ultimate DEI hire. But while those comments have been made with tongues firmly planted in cheeks, there is some merit in describing the Eagles’ victory as a win for diversity, equity and inclusion – something that suddenly finds itself under attack in America.

• Tougher rules planned for transgender and DSD athletes
• Research reports male advantage exists before puberty

World Athletics is poised to introduce tougher rules for transgender and difference of sex development (DSD) athletes, including a cheek swab test for all elite athletes who want to compete in the female category.

The recommendations from the World Athletics council are based on recent scientific research, which it says shows the male advantage exists even before puberty.

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Because it’s 2025 and he is legally obliged to be in everything, Bob Dylan tribute act (but what a tribute act) Timothée Chalamet pops up chatting to Kendrick Lamar about the half-time show. In black and white because they’re artists. We’ll also have a liveblog and review of Kendrick’s show later – early news is that, no, he’s not going to let Drake off the hook.

Patrick Mahomes has been the Super Bowl MVP for the last two seasons and three times in total (only Tom Brady – five times – has more). Who do our writers think will win in today? I’ll give you one guess …

• Injury-hit side beaten 2-1 in fourth round at Villa Park
• ‘The players are tired. They have been outstanding’

Ange Postecoglou made a ­passionate defence of his ­injury‑ravaged ­Tottenham squad after their 2-1 FA Cup exit at Aston Villa, ­arguing that no team could have survived the same level of absentees for such a prolonged period.

Postecoglou was without 11 ­senior players at Villa Park, where he started with four teenagers and the 21‑year‑old goalkeeper Antonio ­Kinsky, who was at fault for Jacob Ramsey’s opening goal. Morgan Rogers put Villa 2-0 in front before Mathys Tel’s injury-time consolation.

• Liverpool manager rests senior players for later in season
• Muslic’s ‘biggest moment yet to come’ in league survival

Arne Slot defended his team selection after a weakened Liverpool lineup was turfed out of the FA Cup by Plymouth Argyle. Despite a shock 1-0 defeat against the Championship’s bottom club, Slot argued that his decision to give senior players a rest would pay dividends later in the season.

Slot made 10 changes from the win against Tottenham on Thursday night, with a relatively inexperienced bench and players such as Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk left out of the squad entirely.

• Both players could return for business end of tournament
• England beat France on Saturday to get back in title hunt

England are hopeful George Furbank and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will be back for the business end of the Six Nations campaign to bolster their title push after keeping their hopes alive with victory against France.

The Northampton full-back ­Furbank has been out of action since December with a broken arm while Feyi-Waboso is nursing a shoulder injury and both were considered in danger of missing out on the entire championship. But after the last‑gasp win on Saturday kick‑started England’s campaign Steve Borthwick revealed both ­players could yet return for his side’s run-in.