• Scotland 18-32 Ireland
• Finn Russell forced off early after clash of heads

The song remains the same for Scotland. The sound of bagpipes had drifted around Murrayfield, Flower of Scotland was belted out with customary passion, and the inspirational figure of Chris Hoy even delivered the match ball. But when showtime arrived Ireland were simply too good, too physical, too precise. The reigning champions recorded an 11th straight victory over Scotland to top the table with two bonus-point wins, pleasingly poised for a third successive title.

There had been a sense of triumph in the way Hoy, diagnosed with terminal cancer last year, strode on to the pitch for an emotional pre-match ovation. Hope existed among home fans that this might, finally, be their day against Ireland. And while there were flashes of brilliance, particularly Duhan van der Merwe’s stunning finish before half-time, Scotland’s back line is not complemented by a pack that can compete with the best.

• Fight billed as 41-year-old’s last on British soil
• Chisora recovered from badly cut eye to win

Derek Chisora overcame a badly cut eye to deliver a gusty unanimous points win over Otto Wallin in Manchester in what was billed as his final fight on British soil. If this showdown at the Co-op Live Arena really was his home swansong, it was a fitting send-off.

Chisora started on the front foot and maintained his momentum despite picking up a deep cut above his right eye in the fifth round, as well as one below, which poured with blood, before going on to twice put Wallin on the canvas. Despite not being able to find a knockout blow, Chisora was handed a unanimous decision, which could now set him up for a shot at the IBF heavyweight title against either Daniel Dubois – the champion – or Joseph Parker, who will meet on 22 February.

The match that was billed as a battle of the superheroes ended without a winner, all set up for a sequel instead. Kylian Mbappé and Julián Álvarez had looked out from Madrid’s front pages on the morning of the city derby, the media turning Marvel Comic, and they will probably be there on Sunday too but this isn’t over. The man they liken to a Mutant Turtle and the striker they call The Spider scored one each as another derby finished 1-1, leaving these two great rivals first and second in La Liga, a single point between them, left to fight another day.

Between them Mbappé and Álvarez had already scored 37 goals in their debut seasons; on a night that took a while to get going but did eventually become a real contest if certainly not a classic, they took that to 39. Atlético started in the ascendency then Real were revived.

• England 26-25 France
• England roar back in thrilling clash at Allianz Stadium

Another Saturday night at the movies with a stunningly different conclusion. England have been involved in a few thrillers in recent times but this one could not have had a more dramatic plot twist. The collective roar which greeted the decisive 79th-minute try by the replacement Elliot Daly, bursting unstoppably on to a short ball from his young fly-half Fin Smith, must almost have rattled the windows in Calais.

Previously it had seemed England were about to lose another tight game when France’s precocious winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey went over for his second try six minutes from time. With barely 90 seconds left, though, England had one last chance and, in a set strike move off a lineout, Smith and Daly combined to clinch a result that transforms their team’s Six Nations prospects.

Trump’s attendance at the Super Bowl on Sunday in New Orleans stands to offer more evidence that the sporting climate has shifted from resistance to acceptance

As a 2016 presidential candidate and White House occupant, Donald Trump lambasted NFL players for kneeling during the national anthem in protest at civil rights abuses. Now, set to become the first incumbent president to attend a Super Bowl, it appears that the US’s most popular sport is genuflecting before him.

Trump will reportedly attend the clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in New Orleans as a guest of Gayle Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints. A pre-recorded interview conducted by a Fox News anchor will also air during the pre-game show of an event that last year was viewed by more than 123m Americans. And while he watches the action, Trump will not have to stare at a message inspired by the kind of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies that he is intent on bulldozing.

• Coach ‘understands frustration’ after 14th loss in row
• Gatland says Wales ‘shot ourselves in the foot’

Warren Gatland said he “understands people’s frustration” after his Wales team slumped to a 14th consecutive defeat and a worst‑ever world ranking of 12th, one place below Georgia, losing 22-15 to Italy in Rome.

Speaking to the Welsh language broadcaster S4C, Gatland empathised with his team’s supporters. “I can understand people’s frustration and we are frustrated and disappointed as well because we created opportunities but we have made mistakes and the penalty count was disappointing,” he said. “As a coaching team and players they are not hard fixes but we need to make sure we focus in those key moments.”

• Action relates to new associated party transaction rules
• Guardiola hits back over City’s January splurge

Manchester City have initiated new legal action against the Premier League, as the champions challenge rules on associated party transactions (APT) for a second time.

The news comes as the two parties remain in dispute over an initial challenge to rules that control how much money can be generated through sponsorship from companies with connections to a club’s ownership.

Harry Maguire: from up for sale two summers ago to redemption completed via a 93rd-minute nodded winner. If the defender was clearly offside when meeting Bruno Fernandes’s spiralling free-kick from the left he certainly did not care as here was his own tale of FA Cup romance.

Before the rush of Maguire’s intervention, Joshua Zirkzee’s 67th-minute equaliser appeared the lifeline United needed to keep a shaky FA Cup defence alive.

The world’s greatest teams know who plays when everyone is fit and horses-for-courses selection won’t help Steve Borthwick

When it comes to team selection, it’s important to remember that everything is subjective. Different coaches, five million different fans and the 80,000 people in the stadium will all have different views, different affiliations and different opinions about who should be playing for England. It plays a large part of every Test week and it’s fantastic because it creates debate, it gets people talking.

It is not specific to England either but the problem with Steve Borthwick’s recent team selections is that I just wish it felt like it was coming from a place of understanding exactly what his best team is and precisely how to deliver their best gameplan. I’m not sure we have clarity on either of those things yet and as much as I understand the notion of horses for courses, I would much prefer to have a sense that selection is first and foremost about yourselves rather than the opposition.