Australia's offer to host this summer's British and Irish Lions tour has been turned down by the Lions board.

Rugby Australia had bid in January to host the series, with a pledge to have capacity crowds at the Test matches.

But following a meeting on Friday, this option has been declared unviable by the Lions management - with a final decision expected this month.

Four options remain: a UK and Ireland-based home "tour", a tour to South Africa with matches behind closed doors or with very limited crowds, a postponement until 2022, or a cancellation.

While a postponement would protect the Lions' touring ethos and would ensure fans could travel next summer, this is being resisted by some of the home unions.

The situation is complicated by the chief executives of the four home unions all sitting on the Lions board, and are therefore conflicted between what is best for the Lions and what is best for their individual union.

A home "tour" was given fresh impetus following UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement of England's roadmap out of lockdown - which could see capacity crowds in English stadiums by late June - but it needs substantial financial assurances to get off the ground.

Sources have therefore indicated a behind-closed-doors series against the Springboks is the marginal front-runner at this stage, with a final decision expected in the coming weeks.

Mark Pavelich, a member of the "Miracle on Ice" 1980 Olympic hockey team, was found dead at a treatment facility in Minnesota, USA Hockey confirmed on Friday.

The cause of death was not immediately known. Pavelich was 63.

"We are saddened to hear about the passing of 1980 Olympic gold medalist Mark Pavelich," USA Hockey tweeted. "We extend our deepest condolences to Mark's family & friends. Forever a part of hockey history."

The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune first reported details about Pavelich's death. According to the newspaper, police were called to Pavelich's residence at the facility at about 8:30 a.m. local time on Thursday where he was found dead. He was last seen on Wednesday at about 8 p.m. at the facility, where he was receiving mental health treatment.

Pavelich was living at the facility after a court ruled he was unfit to stand trial for an August 2019 assault on his neighbor. Pavelich was charged with four felony counts for the assault, which left the victim with several broken bones.

The judge said that Pavelich "lacks the ability to rationally consult with counsel, is incapable of understanding the proceedings, and is incapable of participating in the defense due to mental illness or deficiency." Pavelich assaulted the neighbor with a metal rod.

Pavelich's sister, Jean Gevik, told the Star Tribune in 2019 that the family believed Pavelich might be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

"Mark is the most kind and gentle person you'd ever know," Gevik told the newspaper. "This is a totally different guy." Gevik said that her brother had a history of concussions in the NHL.

Pavelich, a 5-foot-8 center, was an All-American at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He assisted on Mike Eruzione's game-winning goal that took down the heavily favored Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. Pavelich played in the NHL from 1981 to 1987 and in the 1991-92 season. He spent five seasons with the New York Rangers and also played for the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota North Stars.

"The New York Rangers are saddened to learn of the passing of Mark Pavelich," the Rangers said in a statement. "His determination, passion, and dazzling playmaking ability earned him the adoration of Rangers fans during his five-year tenure in New York. Mark helped inspire a nation through the integral role he played on the 'Miracle on Ice' team in the 1980 Winter Olympics. Our thoughts are with Mark's loved ones during this difficult time."

As the Buffalo Sabres struggle through another calamitous season, first-year general manager Kevyn Adams said that coach Ralph Krueger's status is being evaluated and that frustrated star center Jack Eichel has not requested a trade.

The Sabres are in last place in the East Division with a 6-12-3 record. Their .357 points percentage would be their lowest since the 2014-15 season. Buffalo has failed to qualify for the playoffs in nine straight seasons. MoneyPuck, a hockey odds website, gives the Sabres a 3.1% chance of making the playoffs, second-worst in the NHL, ahead of only Detroit.

"It's just flat-out not good enough. I'm angry. I'd hope all of you are angry. I'd hope all our fans are angry. Because that means you care, and that's a good place to start," Adams said. "I've been empowered by [owners] Terry and Kim Pegula to fix this, and that's what I'm going to do."

One widely speculated fix would be to fire Krueger, who has gone 36-43-11 (.461) since taking over the Buffalo bench last season. He is the team's sixth head coach since 2012.

Adams said Krueger, like everything else around the team, is being evaluated as the season continues. Adams said he's looking at decisions that would impact the Sabres in the short term and long term, but that the belief the players have in Krueger is something he has had to balance in his evaluation process.

"We're very honest with each other," Adams said. "He understands the situation that we're in is unacceptable, that it's flat-out not good enough."

There has been speculation about whether Adams could even make the decision to fire Krueger, given the managerial structure of the organization and the power wielded by owners Terry and Kim Pegula over hockey operations. But Adams said he has "full authority" on hockey decisions, although he speaks with "Terry and Kim about everything."

The other big topic of discussion was Eichel, the 24-year-old franchise player who is struggling through his worst goal-scoring campaign in six NHL seasons, with two goals in 19 games. Eichel does have 16 points.

Adams wouldn't confirm if Eichel is playing through an injury.

"I never would get into what a player is dealing with day to day," he said. "If there are updates, certainly would always be transparent for those type of things."

Last offseason, there was chatter that Eichel was available in a trade and that he had asked out of Buffalo. His agent, Peter Fish, told TSN's Bob McKenzie that "Jack wants to win, he's frustrated, but, no, he doesn't want out."

Adams said despite Eichel's frustration, "he has not asked for a trade" from the Sabres.

"Jack is someone that I've bounced things off of," Adams said. "He's talked to me. We have an open dialogue."

As far as trade talks involving Eichel, Adams reiterated what he said in the offseason: Teams are calling him, but he's not shopping Eichel.

"Jack is one of the best players in the world," he said. "If people are going to make a phone call and ask, of course. But that's the extent of it. For me, Jack is someone when you see the kind of dynamic difference-maker he can be, there's not many in the league like him."

OCALA, Fla. – Jennifer Kupcho and Austin Ernst each shot their second straight 5-under 67 to share the second-round lead Friday in the LPGA Tour’s Drive On Championship.

A day after playing most of the back nine with a migraine that blurs her vision, Kupcho had six birdies and a bogey at Golden Ocala.

“I’m feeling a lot better today,” the 23-year-old former NCAA champion said. “I would say yesterday was pretty rough. Yeah, the whole back nine I just pretty much wanted to get off the golf course and go lay down. ... It was definitely a rough day, but was able to get through it well so that was helpful.”

Golden Ocala is renowned for having replica holes from famous courses, three of them from Augusta National and two from the Old Course at St. Andrews. Kupcho won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 with a back-nine charge.

“They are very similar and the look is definitely very similar, but I think I’m more nervous playing them than I was back then, actually,” Kupcho said.

The former Wake Forest star from Colorado is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory.

“I’ve been in contention before out here,” Kupcho said. “Just go out and relax and have fun.”

Ernst had a bogey-free round. She has two LPGA Tour victories.

“Fairways were a little bouncy this afternoon so got a few more wedges,” Ernst said. “You get quite a few wedge opportunities, so you have to take advantage of it with how firm the greens are.”

Carlota Ciganda of Spain had the best round of the day, a bogey-free 65 to get to 8 under. She played alongside Laura Davies, the 57-year-old Hall of Famer who rebounded from an opening 75 with a 69 to advance to the weekend at even par.

“I love playing with her,” Ciganda said. “I think she’s amazing to play with. I think her talent is unbelievable, like everything she does with her different shots. She’s very creative. Lots of imagination.”

Davies is playing on a World Golf Hall of Fame exemption.

“I’m still a decent ball-striker,” Davies said. “My nerves let me down more than my game. So that’s why I’m still here playing, because I can hit the shots. It’s just hitting them in the right order. That’s the problem.”

Nelly Korda, tied for the first-round lead with Kupcho and Ernst, was three strokes back after a 70. Playing in a group with sister Jessica Korda the first two days, Nelly Korda is trying to win consecutive events and run the family winning streak to three. Jessica Korda won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, and Nelly Korda took the Gainbridge LPGA last week at Lake Nona.

“Honestly, it’s so mentally draining,” Korda said about trying to win two straight events. “I played on Tuesday. I played the back nine and I was just like, ‘I do not want to be out here.’ But it’s just something where you’re like, ‘OK, it’s the first day. Let’s go, come on.’”

Lydia Ko was 3 under after a 72. Second-ranked Sei Young Kim and No. 5 Danielle Kang were another stroke back, each shooting 70.

Lexi Thompson and Brooke Henderson were 1 under, each following an opening 74 with a 69.

Jessica Korda shot a 75 to fall to even par. Top-ranked Jin Young Ko, playing with Korda sisters, followed her opening 75 with a 72 to miss the cut by a stroke.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Corey Conners spent more time grinding out pars than chasing birdies, and that proved to be the right recipe Friday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Bay Hill began to bake under a warm sun.

Conners surged into the lead with a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th hole – his second eagle on that hole in two days – for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot advantage over former Bay Hill winner Martin Laird (67).

Rory McIlroy was poised to at least join Conners in the afternoon until he hit a couple of loose drives that cost him one shot when he could only pitch back to the fairway, leading to bogeys. He closed with five straight pars for a 71 that he figures could have been worse.

“It could have been the round that I could have shot 74 or 75. I got in with 71 and pretty happy with that,” McIlroy said.

He was two shots behind, along with Viktor Hovland and Lanto Griffin, who each had a 68.

Jordan Spieth remained in the mix going into the weekend, which is becoming a regularity in the last month as he tries to end more than three years without winning. Spieth hit a superb flop shot over the bunker to a fast green that rolled out to a foot to escape with par and a 69.

Conners was at 9-under 135, and now everyone braces for the weather.

The forecast featured plenty of rain Saturday, which figures to make Bay Hill play longer and tougher, while also keeping the greens from getting as crusty as they were last year when Tyrrell Hatton won with a closing 74.

“We'll just see what happens and be ready for anything,” Conners said.

Hatton at least gets a chance on the weekend. He opened with a 77 and was 10 shots better Friday, a 67 that allowed him to make the cut was one shot to spare.

Also making the cut were both Ryder Cup captains – Padraig Harrington of Ireland with a 74 to be nine shots behind, Steve Stricker with a 71 that left him one shot better.

Conners, whose lone PGA Tour victory came two years ago at the Texas Open, saved par seven times during his round, the exception coming at the par-3 second hole when he came up short of the green, some 80 feet away, and wound up missing his par putt from 10 feet.

Otherwise, the Canadian has been solid. This is only the second time he has held the lead going into the weekend, the other occasion at the Valspar Championship in 2018 when his bid to go wire-to-wire ended with a 77 in the final round.

“I haven’t really been in this position a lot, but I have a lot of confidence in my game and feeling really relaxed the last few days, so try and keep that going,” Conners said. “I feel like I have a lot of energy. I had an off week last week and really excited for the weekend.”

Laird has recent success winning on a familiar course. In the fall, he ended seven years without a victory by winning in Las Vegas, scene of his first PGA Tour victory in 2009. He won at Bay Hill in 2011 on a final round so tough a 75 was enough to get the job done.

Now there are plenty of others in the mix.

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau overcame consecutive bogeys at the end of his front nine and hot 71. He was three shots behind. Another shot back were Spieth, Justin Rose (68), Sunjae Im (70) and Paul Casey (69).

Hatton wasn't the only player who saw a big improvement. Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand had the low round of the tournament with a 65, which was 10 shots better than his first round.

And then there was Robert Gamez, still exempt from winning in 1990 – three years before Spieth was born – by holing out with a 7-iron on the 18th hole. The 52-year-old Gamez shot a 92 and was disqualified for not signing his card.

Jason Day looked to be in much better shape than seven shots behind. He played in the morning, had a pair of birdies and came to the 16th, the easiest at Bay Hill. He lost his tee shot to the right and to use binoculars and the zoom lens of a camera to make sure the ball stuck in the tree was his.

That led to a double bogey, and he took another double bogey on the 18th hole by taking four to get down from a bunker.

“A little unfortunate that it got stuck. It was literally in a nest," Day said. “So I think mama birdy is going to come back and find another egg there."

When Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund square off in another instalment of "Der Klassiker," on Saturday (LIVE at 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN+ in the U.S.), the two Bundesliga giants will do so wearing their respective signature red and yellow-and-black kits.

Both clubs' uniforms this season are suitably stylish outfits. But they are not the best either team has ever worn or, by any means, the worst.

Germany's top league has had its fair share of iconic creations down the years including special one-off kits, jerseys designed by fans and leaps forward in shirt sponsorship. However, there have also been plenty of design disasters through the years, even among the biggest clubs.

Here are the 10 best and worst kits in Bundesliga history, ranked!

- Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
- ESPN+ viewer's guide: Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS, FA Cup and more

BEST

10. Greuther Furth: home, 2012-13 (Jako)

The three-leaved shamrock of Greuther Furth -- taken from the Bavarian city's coat of arms -- has only ever been seen once in the Bundesliga. The legacy of their sole year in Germany's top flight is this fine kit. The simplistic design features gold trim on the collar and sleeves, a subtle image of the Furth skyline on the front and a larger shamrock on the back.

9. Arminia Bielefeld: away, 2020-21 (Macron)

An instant classic by Macron for this season's home and away designs. Bielefeld, making their return to the Bundesliga after more than a decade away, have provided a fresh take on the sash that was used on their first ever kit 115 years ago. The third kit is also a nod to the club's history, harking back to their first ever match when they borrowed orange kits from the nearby Netherlands as their own could not be made in time.

8. Hansa Rostock: home, 1991-92 (Puma)

The club hailing from the shores of Baltic Sea in Germany's old east won promotion to the top flight in 1991 and competed in the first Bundesliga season of the newly-reunified nation. They did so wearing a distinctive kit that needs to be seen from the front and the back to be fully appreciated. On the final day of the season, Rostock ended Eintracht Frankfurt's title hopes with a 2-1 win. Rostock were still relegated, but they have returned to the top flight several times since.

7. VfB Stuttgart: home, 2013-14 (Puma)

This kit was worn only once, on Sept. 22, 2013 to commemorate Stuttgart's 120th birthday. A young Timo Werner was among the players who took to the pitch in a white, sponsor-free jersey with a single red hoop around the chest for the first time in 40 years. That day, Stuttgart played out a 1-1 draw with Frankfurt in which the 17-year-old Werner scored his first-ever goal in professional football.

6. Eintracht Braunschweig: home, 1973 (Erima)

The first Bundesliga kit to have a shirt sponsor was a memorable one: the logo of liquor brand Jagermeister. The owner of the digestif manufacturer, Gunter Mast, had previously sponsored a local ice hockey team before turning his attention to football. Following long negotiations with the German FA, Braunschweig were allowed to take to the pitch with the deer's head logo on the chest on March 24, 1973. In the first season, Mast paid the club 100,000 Deutschmarks (around €50,000 today). By early 1979, all Bundesliga clubs had jersey sponsors. Mast tried to take things a step further in 1983, but his attempt to get the club's name changed to Jagermeister Braunschweig failed.

5. Borussia Monchengladbach: home, 1974-75 (Puma)

Gladbach won the Bundesliga in this classic kit, their last without a sponsor. Gladbach's home jerseys had gone through several changes during the early years of the Bundesliga. At times, they had the black-and-green stripes as a block on the left, while others had a green band down in the middle with one black stripe on either side. This kit, released right in the middle of their most glorious era, was by far the most successful variation.

4. Borussia Dortmund: home, 1976-78 (Erima)

Samson got more than just their name across the front of Dortmund's jersey for their money; the club even changed their crest to the lion logo of the Dutch tobacco brand. However, Dortmund's dreams went up in smoke at the end of Samson's sponsorship. They lost their last match of the 1977-78 season 12-0 against Borussia Monchengladbach, leaving the club looking for a new coach as well as a new sponsor, and reverting to their iconic "BVB" crest.

3. Bayern Munich: home, 2013 Champions League final and 2013-14 (Adidas)

The first time this kit was worn heralded the beginning of a peak period for German football as one of the all-time great Bayern teams beat Borussia Dortmund in an all-Bundesliga Champions League final. As if they had seen it coming, Adidas gave Bayern an iconic kit for the final and also for the following season, which culminated with Germany's national team winning its fourth World Cup.

A classic dark red with white stripes all the way down the shoulder, shorts and socks, there were only minor changes from the 2012-13 home kit which had been worn in the 2012 Champions League final defeat against Chelsea -- the golden stripes were exchanged with white stripes, in tune with the club colours. Three years later, Bayern wore a very similar, all-red design that was made entirely from recycled plastic bottles collected after washing up on the shores of the Maldives, for one match only.

2. Hamburg: home, 1982-1983 (Adidas)

Hamburg's "Meisterjersey" was specially designed for the final match of the 1982-83 season, when the Bundesliga title race went to the wire. Equal on points with Werder Bremen but with the goal difference in their favour, Hamburg travelled to Schalke, while Bremen hosted Bochum. The German FA decided that Bremen were more likely to win the league and sent the original Meisterschale trophy there, but Hamburg beat Schalke and lifted the replica at the Parkstadion.

1. Eintracht Frankfurt: home, 1987-88 (Puma)

Simple and wonderful, this kit ticks all the boxes: the club colours used in a distinctive way, a local sponsor (chemicals company Hoechst) and a cup final win while wearing it. What makes the design even more special is that an Eintracht Frankfurt fan was responsible for it.

The story, told in Stefan Appenowitz's outstanding book "Trikotbuch: The history of Bundesliga kits from 1963 until today," goes that Peter Wuschek presented his idea to the club after he was disappointed by the previous season's design. When the club ended its relationship with manufacturer Adidas in 1987, Wuschek received a short message confirming that new supplier Puma would be using his design. It was well worth the wait.

WORST

10. Eintracht Frankfurt: away, 1993-95 (Puma)

In the mid-1990s Frankfurt got a new sponsor, Tetra Pak, who demanded the club had a yellow kit. Frankfurt were happy to oblige as part of the most lucrative sponsorship deal in their history.

This change coincided with a drastic downturn in the club's fortunes, though, as they went from regularly finishing near the top of the table at the start of the decade to suffering their first-ever relegation to the 2.Bundesliga in 1996.

9. 1860 Munich: home, 1994-95 (Lotto)

Bayern Munich might be one of the world's biggest clubs, but local rivals 1860 have always been in the hearts and minds of those from the Bavarian capital. When they returned to the top flight in 1994, Italian sportswear brand Lotto made the jump into the Bundesliga for the first time. For the second half of the season, Lotto put a giant club crest on the bottom half of the jersey and gave the blue stripes a stonewashed denim effect. Despite being horrendous, the jersey is now a cult favourite among 1860 fans.

8. Dynamo Dresden: home, 1994-95 (Erima)

The final chapter in Dresden's Bundesliga career. The club went bankrupt wearing this kit, were relegated with only 16 points and had to start all over again in the third tier. They have never returned to the Bundesliga. The design they wore in the season following relegation was even worse, but it was hidden away from the public as they were playing in the lower reaches of the German league system.

7. Mainz: home, 2018-19 (Lotto)

Carnival time is taken so seriously in some parts of Germany that it is known as the fifth season of the year. Cologne wore the first ever special kit for the occasion in 2013, and brought the custom with them into the Bundesliga when they were promoted the following year. They even continued to release a special shirt last year, despite the actual carnival being cancelled.

Mainz, a club representing another German carnival hotspot, followed suit in early 2016 to celebrate the club's 111th anniversary. The 2019 version is strong evidence for the case against them making it an annual tradition, although their 2021 jersey did come with a free bar tab for every purchase.

6. Bayern Munich: away, 1994-96 (Adidas)

This design disaster, with its neon colours and stripes, decorated a jersey which fit like a hessian sack. The template itself was used widely by Adidas at the time but this colourway was by far the worst example. No wonder Borussia Dortmund won back-to-back Bundesliga titles while Bayern had this kit in their locker.

5. Energie Cottbus: away, 2006-07 (Saller)

In the 2006-07 season, Energie Cottbus, only the fourth Bundesliga team from the former GDR of East Germany, sported away kits which made them look like garbage collectors. Regardless, they had a successful season which included a 3-2 win at Dortmund's Westfalenstadion. Dortmund coach Jurgen Rober was fired in the wake of that loss and the club only narrowly avoided relegation. The East German bin men had done their job.

If this kit looks more like one you would expect to see on a goalkeeper rather than an outfield player, that's because it was also worn by the man between the posts at times in the same season (though never at the same time as the rest of the team.)

4. Freiburg: third, 2017-18 (Hummel)

Okay, it's just the third kit. Clubs are always likely to be less conventional designs for them. But this kit actually looks like a Black Forest gateau, the region's famous chocolate sponge cake, complete with dashes of fruity purple. No wonder defender Caglar Soyuncu (pictured above) left the club for Leicester City at the end of the season.

3. Borussia Dortmund: away, 1991-92 (Nike)

In 1990, Borussia Dortmund signed a kit deal with Nike, who took little time to make waves with their output. They used a more fluorescent yellow than fans were used to for the home jersey, and experimented with the away kits. The 1991-92 road strip stands out for its weird mixture of blue and purple.

Still, if fans were happy to see the back of Nike's designs when the deal ended in 2000, worse was to come: that year, Dortmund founded their own sportswear company, the bafflingly titled Goool.de, but by 2008 it had ceased trading as its fate mirrored the financial travails of the club over the same period.

2. VfL Bochum: home, 1997-98 (Faber Lotto)

Already Bochum's shirt sponsors, German gambling company Faber Lotto-Service had a go at being sports kit manufacturers in 1997 when they designed and made a jersey to celebrate the club qualifying for European competition for the first time. It didn't go well -- fans literally cried out in shock as the kit was presented in front of them.

However, in 2020, NBA star Gary Trent Jr. of the Portland Trail Blazers gave Faber's design some redemption when he was pictured wearing that season's goalkeeper jersey.

1. Werder Bremen: home, 2005-06 (Kappa)

Bremen's sponsor at the time was discount fashion outlet KIK, which is rather fitting for this abysmal kit that should have been consigned to the bargain rack at the back of the store.

This orange-and-green combo looks like a jester's outfit -- hardly befitting of a legendary striker like Miroslav Klose, who would finish this season with the Golden Boot at the 2006 World Cup and go on to become the tournament's top scorer of all-time.

After becoming European indoor champion in Belgrade four years ago, the sprint hurdler is aiming to reclaim the title and believes training in Italy could make the difference

Andrew Pozzi has spent the last few months of his life in the backdrop of the Aurunci Mountains, training at the Olympic Training Centre in Formia, Italy. The warm weather camp has allowed Pozzi to mentally and physically prepare for the indoor season and he’s confident of challenging himself in Toruń and bettering his PB of 7.43 that he set at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix in 2017.

“Now I’m back in really good shape and I’m happy going into the championships. If things go well and we have some good races I see no reason why I can’t target a PB,” he tells AW. “It’s wonderful to be back at a championships. It’s obviously got a little bit of a different feel to it but it’s great to be back here even though it’s come with a lot of stress and organisation headache.

“With regards to my training, staying out in Italy was the right decision to make as it means I could train full-time so it’s the other part of my life that sacrificed in that kind of decision. Last summer was a little more difficult as I was in the UK for about three months and away from my coach but we dealt with that situation very well.”

Pozzi returns to Toruń after victory at the Copernicus Cup last year in a then world lead of 7.52. The 28-year-old went 0.01 seconds better when runner-up to Grant Holloway – who broke Colin Jackson’s 27-year-old world record – in Madrid last month. Now back in Poland, that experience may play to his advantage.

“It’s certainly not a bad thing. One of things that I had going back here this year was that I knew what the travel situation was going to be like, with a touch difference due to Covid-19, but I had to do the similar drive from Warsaw airport last year,” he recalls.

“Knowing what to expect cuts out some kind of anxiety and that always helps. I don’t think it’s imperative but having been here and knowing what Toruń is like a little bit, added to the fact I had a good result last year, is definitely not a negative thing!”

While some athletes had a quieter 2020 than usual, Pozzi took part in 10 races including the Rome Diamond League and ones in Monaco, Finland and Hungary. After hearing that the Olympics were cancelled, the sprint hurdler – ravaged by injury through the early years of his career – was keen to get as much competition as was possible to prepare for 2021.

“It [2020] was very difficult and I think from my point of view, where I’ve lost an awful number of years of my career through injury, we’ve just done everything we can so I can stay in the best shape as possible and keep making progress,” he tells AW. “Knowing at some point, we’re going back into that championship environment means you don’t want to make the wrong decision and I really based my training as a top priority.

“Even when I was back in the UK I was doing as much training as was legally allowed knowing an opportunity would come up where I could race as I didn’t want to be stood on the track feeling that I contributed not being in the shape I wanted to be.”

Pozzi can easily look to the past for inspiration. After becoming European indoor champion in 2017 he became world indoor champion the following year in Birmingham and now believes he is far stronger mentally due to that success at an elite level.

“Belgrade for me was really a wonderful championships. Winning that first one was definitely the hardest. I went into that in really good shape, was racing really strong every week and although the final was a little bit closer than anticipated it really gave me confidence and just validated the faith that I always had through years of injury because I was only doing the work to get back to the highest level,” he recalls.

“Similarly, looking at Birmingham a year later, the experience that I had from Belgrade and winning a medal changed my mind going into those championships and I went into it thinking that come to that moment when it mattered I could get the best out of myself.”

Young Norwegian creates history but only after being disqualified – then reinstated – on a dramatic night in Poland

Day two of the European Indoor Championships ended with Jakob Ingebrigtsen eventually being crowned as the 1500m gold medallist after he was dramatically disqualified and then reinstated as the winner.

The 20-year-old had been in complete control of the final, coming home ahead of defending champion Marcin Lewandowski. However his performance was subsequently ruled out after he stepped off the track when jostling for position and seemingly being pushed by Poland’s Michal Rozmys in the early stages.

The Norwegian federation, which had been ready to celebrate the nation’s first ever European indoor 1500m gold, swiftly lodged a protest which was ultimately upheld.

For a while it had looked like Ingebrigtsen’s time of 3:37.56 would be stricken from the record books and that instead Lewandowski would be able to celebrate a fourth successive title thanks to his 3:38.06.

But the day ended with the European outdoor champion in top spot, the Pole having to settle for silver and Spain’s Jesus Gomez (3:38.47) taking bronze. An impressive late charge gave Britain’s Piers Copeland fifth in 3:39.99 while his compatriot and Doha world finalist Neil Gourley finished back in 12th spot with 3:45.99.

Ingebrigtsen had gone into the championships with much expected of him after setting a European indoor record of 3:31.80 last month in Liévin during a race which had left Lewandowski trailing five seconds behind.

There wasn’t quite the same gap this time but the Norwegian cranked up the pace and was clearly the better athlete on the night, avenging his defeat at the Pole’s hands in Glasgow two years ago.

Despite insisting he had done nothing wrong, Ingebrigtsen said he knew a disqualification was coming his way and suggested that 12 athletes was simply too big a field for the final.

“The rules are on my side, there is a paragraph saying if you’re pushed to the inside of the curb and it’s not your fault, it’s okay,” said Ingebrigtsen, who will now attempt to become the first male runner in European indoor history to complete a 1500m and 3000m double.

“There were just too many runners in the race. We talked with Michal Rozmys after the race – none of us was trying to shove the other one, it just happened when too many other guys were coming from the outside. I simply wanted to win the race.

“At the end I kept a safe distance to Marcin so that I could react if he tried to come back. But I knew a disqualification was coming.”

READ MORE: Amy-Eloise Markovc lands Britain’s first gold

Earlier in the session, there had been a surprise in the men’s 400m as three-time world and European indoor champion Pavel Maslak only finished fourth in the opening semi-final with 46.70 and failed to progress.

The Netherlands’ Tony Van Diepen qualified fastest with a PB of 46.06. He will be joined in the final by fellow compatriots and heat winners Jochem Dobber (46.56) and Liemarvin Bonevacia (46.75).

Neither of the British athletes involved made it through, James Williams coming fifth in the opening semi-final with 46.94, while Lee Thompson was fourth in the second race with 47.42.

In the women’s 400m semis, Netherlands’ Femke Bol looked in imperious form as she qualified fastest for the final after winning the third heat in 51.17 ahead British captain Jodie Williams’ PB 52.09. Defending champion Lea Sprunger failed to qualify after finishing third in 52.64.

A Polish record of 51.34 saw Justyna Swiety-Ersetic also progress as she won the second heat ahead of the Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver (52.09).

Ireland’s Phil Healy won the opening heat in 52.41, the same time awarded to second-placed Romanian Andrea Miklos.

Williams will be Britain’s only finalist as Jessie Knight missed out on qualification, clocking 52.22 for fourth in the second semi-final, while compatriot Ama Pipi was third in the opening heat in 52.54.

The men’s 800m competition got under way, with European silver medallist Andreas Kramer qualifying fastest for the semi-finals with his run of 1:47.55 in the fifth heat.

The quickest athlete going into these championships was Jamie Webb and the Briton who has his eyes on succeeding Tom McKean as the last British male winner of the European Indoor title progressed safely from the final heat in 1:47.82.

Compatriot Guy Learmonth also went through after winning heat four in 1:49.66 ahead of three-time champion and home favourite Adam Kszczot (1:50.53). There was progress, too, for Ireland’s Mark English who was third in the second heat with a time of 1:49.79 despite a mid-race stumble, while English’s team-mate Cian McPhillips, 18, also qualified with 1:49.98 for second in the third heat.

Leicester took advantage of an ill-disciplined London Irish display to win a Premiership thriller by one point.

Trailing 23-18, the Exiles had Terrence Hepetema sent off for leading with the shoulder in a head-high tackle.

Kini Murimurivalu dived over to seal victory for Tigers but a penalty try and last-gasp Matt Cornish score saw the visitors snatch two bonus points.

The win lifts Steve Borthwick's Leicester up to eighth before Saturday's matches, closing the gap to sixth-placed Irish to three points.

The Exiles gave away 20 penalties at Mattioli Woods Welford Road - the most by any side in the Premiership this season - with captain Matt Rogerson yellow-carded for a high tackle, which was mitigated down from a red card, in the first half.

Jackson was sent over after just 37 seconds after Hepetema got between two Tigers tacklers to offload to the fly-half, with Kobus van Wyk ghosting in under the posts from a fine Zack Henry pass for the hosts.

Leicester led for the first time after the interval, half-time replacement Ollie Chessum crashing over out wide from the base of a ruck, before Irish had tries of their own ruled out for an unnecessary obstruction from Hepetema and a Nick Phipps knock-on.

Declan Kidney's side did finally get their reward, Ollie Hassell-Collins scoring in the corner after a steady maul, but Hepetema was then red-carded for avoidable contact to the head of Van Wyk, which could lead to a hefty suspension.

Murimurivalu put the Tigers 33-18 up thanks to a magnificent bit of play from Jack van Poortvliet, who was then sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on which resulted in a penalty try for Irish.

The home side finished the game with 13 men as Joe Heyes was shown a yellow for a high tackle and well after the 80-minute mark Cornish drove over to earn the gutsy Exiles losing bonus and try bonus points.

Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick told BBC Radio Leicester:

"We're pleased with the result and the players showed a lot of resilience and composure, but we're disappointed with the first 20 and the last 20 minutes.

"We have high expectations. We left points out on the pitch and let them score too easily. Last season we won 29 points, this season we have 28 already - that's progress.

"The aspect of the performance I was most pleased with was that we started poorly, they were 10-3 up. We hadn't been in the game but the players stuck at it. We built pressure, came in at 13-all. That was as bad as we'd played first 20 and we were still in the game."

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Van Wyk, Moroni, Scott, Porter; Henry, Wigglesworth; De Bruin, T Youngs (capt), Cole, Green, Lavanini, Wells, Reffell, Brink.

Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Chessum, Wallace, Van Poortvliet, McPhillips, Murimurivalu.

London Irish: Parton; Loader, Rona, Hepetema, Hassell-Collins; Jackson, Phipps; Goodrick-Clarke, Creevy, Chawatama, Mafi, Simmons, Rogerson (capt), Cowan, Tuisue.

Replacements: Cornish, Dell, Hoskins, Munga, Nott, Donnell, Meehan, Joseph.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).

Munster reached the Pro14 final for the first time since 2017 thanks to a 20-17 win over Connacht in a wonderfully entertaining derby.

Needing any sort of win to seal top spot, Munster went ahead through a sensational Mike Haley try.

Paul Boyle responded for Connacht but Joey Carbery's penalty gave the hosts the decisive victory.

It means Munster now hold an unassailable 12-point lead at the top of the conference with just two games remaining.

Their opponents for the final on 27 March will be either Leinster or Ulster, who meet in Belfast on Saturday night.

Leinster hold a six-point lead at the top of Conference B so could book their final berth if they secure five points and deny Ulster any losing bonus-points.

Connacht scrap to keep faint hopes alive

Entering the game nine points behind Munster, Connacht knew in reality that even with a win in Limerick they would need a number of results to go their way if they were to overtake their rivals at this late stage of the season.

They began with furious intent and hit the front after five minutes when Healy collected the excellent Jack Carty's looping pass.

With numerous internationals playing for both sides, there were intriguing subplots right across the pitch. Bundee Aki, who was left out of Ireland's matchday squad for their win over Italy, was on his game defensively and produced a brilliant turnover in front of his own line as Connacht absorbed waves of Munster pressure.

Having twice been held up over the line Munster's perseverance finally paid off as Cronin got over from close range.

Where Munster enjoyed the longer spells with good territory, Connacht's work at the breakdown was superb while their defensive line-out totally dominated Munster's set-piece throughout.

Even when they went down to 14 men early in the second half, when Aki was shown a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, Connacht continued to produce a relentless physical effort.

Their resolve was finally broken in the 58th minute through a moment of individual brilliance from Haley, who took the ball out of the air, created space with a strong fend then executed the perfect chip-and-chase to get beyond Tiernan O'Halloran and put his side ahead for the first time.

Shortly after Connacht responded with a beautiful move of their own, which was illegally disrupted by Chris Cloete under the posts, leaving referee Chris Busby with no choice but to show the flanker a yellow card.

Boyle made use of his side's numerical advantage to dive through a gap as Connacht stretched the Munster defence to level.

However it was Carbery, in only his second appearance since returning from over a year on the sidelines, who slotted a regulation penalty to tilt the game in Munster's favour.

Munster: M Haley; A Conway, C Farrell, R Scannell, S Daly; B Healy, C Casey; J Cronin, N Scannell, S Archer; F Wycherley, B Holland (C); J O'Donoghue, C Cloete, G Coombes.

Replacements: K O'Byrne, J Loughman, John Ryan, J Kleyn, J O'Sullivan, N McCarthy, J Carbery, D de Allende.

Connacht: T O'Halloran; J Porch, T Daly, B Aki, M Healy, J Carty, C Blade; D Buckley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, U Dillane, G Thornbury, J Butler, C Oliver, P Boyle

Replacements: S Delahunt, M Burke, J Aungier, N Murray, E Masterson, K Marmion, S O'Brien, A Wootton