Ronnie tears his hair out

HE need not weep for long. Knowing how much UEFA are in thrall to Cristiano Ronaldo’s celebrity, they will probably come up with an end-of-season award for Red Card of the Year.

And for playing with the hair of Valencia’s Jeison Murillo – and for his ludicrously tearful reaction – Ronaldo will walk it.

IN the coaching and even the playing ranks, nationality has long since failed to matter to the Rugby Football Union. So it was no surprise when Kiwi John Mitchell (below) was confirmed as a key member of Eddie Jones’ staff.

Mitchell rejoins as defence coach, working alongside attack coach Scott Wisemantel, an Australian like Jones.

Public and pundits alike seem to accept that having an English coach for an English team is not a necessity.

What they should struggle to accept is Jones, for “100 per cent rugby reasons”, leaving the most talented English player out of his latest squad.

Never mind his recent arrest for assault in Jersey, Danny Cipriani has paid his legal penalty and remains England’s best fly-half. Leaving him out of this squad smacks of Jones being too smart for his own good. BY the time Sir Alex Ferguson won the Champions League with Manchester United in 1999, the club had five Premier League titles to its name. It had established domestic dominance. That must surely be Manchester City’s priority. No team since United in 2008-09 has defended the Premier League title – that is City’s real challenge this season. IN 2016, Alexander Povetkin failed two drug tests inside seven months.

Less than a year later, he was fighting again.

At Wembley tomorrow night, the Russian will be an extremely dangerous opponent.

For the sake of boxing’s credibility when it comes to doping, let’s hope Anthony Joshua sees him off.