Award-winner Watson merits Lions call-up
Hamish Watson could not have done any more to nail down a British and Irish Lions slot, according to his Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill, after being named the Guinness Six Nations player of the tournament.
The Scotland flanker who has been named the tournament’s top performer, beating off competition from Welsh title-winning pair Louis Rees-zammit and Taulupe Faletau to land the prize.
Ireland duo Tadhg Beirne and Robbie Henshaw plus France’s star scrum-half Antoine Dupont were also among those in the running.
Cockerill believes Watson, the second Scot to win the award following Stuart Hogg’s back-toback successes in 2016 and 2017, is now a firm favourite to make Warren Gatland’s cut for the Lions’ summer tour of South Africa.
“He’s been the standout for Scotland,” said the Edinburgh coach. “He’s been consistently good. He hasn’t just played one game then had an average game the next. He’s probably been Scotland’s best player the whole way through.
“We’re delighted for him. We’ve got the player of the tournament for the Six Nations playing for Edinburgh Rugby which is a credit to him and to the club too.
“Hopefully that will put him in a really strong position for the Lions tour coming up in the summer.”
CRICKET: India cricket superstar Sachin Tendulkar has been admitted to hospital as he continues his battle against coronavirus.
The 47-year-old revealed last weekend he had tested positive for Covid-19 and was quarantining at home with only mild symptoms.
However, in a post on his official Twitter account yesterday, he confirmed he had been admitted as a precaution but hoped to be discharged “in a few days”.
Dubbed ‘the Little Master’ by his legions of fans, Tendulkar scored a record 15,921 Test runs for India during a 24-year international career.
GOLF: England’s Georgia Hall, Charley Hull and Bronte Law were three shots off the pace after the first round of the ANA Inspiration LPGA tournament at Rancho Mirage, California.
The trio shot three-under 69s to be in a share of eighth place behind Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, who birdied four of the last six holes for a 66.
Ireland’s Leona Maguire was one stroke off the lead to share second with China’s Feng Shanshan, with four players a shot further back at four-under.