BALLSY BURNS

Brother Freddie insists Billy will bounce back after his Cardiff kicking disaster

Tomorrow 3pm

FREDDIE BURNS insists brother Billy has the “balls” to silence his critics as Ireland look to the Ulster out-half to fill the void caused by Johnny Sexton’s absence against France.

Head coach Andy Farrell has been forced to make four changes to his starting line-up and another four to his bench after losing skipper Sexton, pack leader James Ryan and long-time scrum-half Conor Murray to injury. Flanker Peter O’mahony is suspended.

Burns is under the harshest glare of all after his much-criticised missed kick for the corner that ended last week’s loss to Wales.

But sibling Freddie (inset), the Bath out-half, told Off The Ball: “Bill is fine and I know he’s just focused on getting out there and continuing the

Solve the clues and the shaded squares will spell out words linking Mark Owen and Badly Drawn Boy, then call or text the numbers below with your prize words for a chance to win £1000.

ACROSS

1 Creature similar to a cicada (11) 8 Shop selling fruit and vegetables (11)

14 Cape (5)

15 Unsightly (4)

16 Destructive lout (6)

17 Place to watch a film (6)

18 Room in a hospital (4)

19 Pile, heap (5)

20 Be involved (11)

22 Righteous anger (11)

25 Frankness, honesty (7)

27 Take advantage of (7)

30 Sweetener (5)

31 Room in the loft (5)

33 Invest with honour (7)

36 Walk unsteadily (7)

38 Hairdresser’s shop (5)

40 Come back (6)

41 Brave man (4)

43 Thaw (4)

44 Slumbering (6)

45 Staying power,

endurance (7)

46 Outside lavatory (5)

47 Flax fabric (5)

48 Bring upon oneself (5)

52 Word of greeting (5)

53 Fissure, narrow crack (7)

54 Creepy-crawly (6)

55 Wealthy (4)

57 Fury (4)

59 Emergency (6)

60 Foggy (5)

61 Single show

in a TV series (7)

63 Bravery (7)

65 Clear-headed, not

affected by alcohol (5)

67 Skin of the head (5)

69 Silently (7)

71 Violent, whirling storm (7)

74 Clever, sharp on the uptake (5-6)

77 Person who takes advantage in an unscrupulous way (11)

80 Main, primary (5)

81 Skin condition (4)

82 Flourish, do well (6)

84 Type of nut (6)

86 Con (4)

87 Practical joke (5)

88 Spicy sauce

served with beef (11)

89 Clever (11)

DOWN

1 Bad-tempered, tetchy (6) 2 Attractive, tempting (8) 3 Chaos, uproar (5)

4 Sewing implement (3) 5 Precise (5)

6 Sparkle (7)

7 Treat eaten on

Shrove Tuesday (7)

9 Rule as monarch (5)

10 Female sheep (3)

11 Natural wood pattern (5)

12 Woodwind instrument (8)

13 Rat or mouse (6)

21 Homely, unadorned (5)

23 Sweet cake-topping (5)

24 Well-behaved,

peaceful (7)

26 Put off till later, postpone (5)

28 Supple (5)

29 Sunshade (7)

30 Furtive, sneaky (13)

32 Camaraderie, relationship

between friends (13)

34 Deadly (5)

35 Rational thought (5)

37 Set of steps in a building (9)

39 Destitute, impoverished (9)

42 African flightless bird said to bury its head in the sand (7)

43 Person in charge

of a department (7)

49 Garden feature consisting

of decorative boulders (7)

50 Jeans fabric (5)

51 Jollity (5)

52 Reap (7)

56 Scrounge (5)

58 Oak tree fruit (5)

62 Dangerous feat carried out in front of an audience (5)

64 Display of cowboy skills (5)

66 Learner, novice (8)

68 Height above sea level (8)

70 Fermented milk product (7)

71 Greek restaurant (7)

72 Racket sport (6)

73 Road (6)

75 Irrigate (5)

76 Part of a roof that projects beyond its supporting wall (5)

78 Large shrimp (5)

79 Drying cloth (5)

83 Angler’s stick (3)

85 Gardening implement (3)