A total of 115 entries are received for this year's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday 5 April.

It is an increase of 31 on the 2013 figure and is the highest number of entries for the most valuable jump race in Europe since 2009 when 123 horses were put forward.

Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins, who won with Hedgehunter in 2005, is responsible for eight entries - the most of any handler, including the Graham Wylie-owned trio of On His Own, Prince de Beauchene and Boston Bob.

Last year's winner Auroras Encore was retired this week after suffering a leg injury.

Full Scotland team to play Ireland in Dublin on Sunday:

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), 14 Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), 13 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), 12 Duncan Taylor (Saracens), 11 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors); 10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors), 9 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby); 1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors), 2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby), 3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors), 4 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), 5 Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), 6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors), 7 Kelly Brown (Saracens), 8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby).

Replacements:

16 Pat MacArthur (Glasgow Warriors), 17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby), 18 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby), 19 Richie Gray (Castres), 20 Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier), 21 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), 22 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), 23 Max Evans (Castres).

England need 59 from the last three overs of their T20 international against Australia.

Can they do it? It's highly unlikely. But follow our live text commentary to see if they can shock the Aussies.

Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg returns to head coach Scott Johnson's starting XV for their opening Six Nations match in Ireland on Sunday.

The British and Irish Lions star missed the Autumn Tests with a wrist injury, while centre Alex Dunbar, second rower Tim Swinson and blindside flanker Ryan Wilson also start in four changes from November's defeat by Australia.

Dunbar, Swinson and Wilson, along with centre Duncan Taylor, will all make their Championship debuts in Dublin.

Image source, AFP

Rafael Nadal says he does not expect to miss any tournaments as a result of the back injury that hampered him in Sunday's Australian Open final.

The world number one, who lost to Stanislas Wawrinka in Melbourne, had his back examined on his return to Barcelona and has been prescribed anti-inflammatories and physio by doctors, but will have another medical exam on Monday.

He is next due to play in Buenos Aires in the second week of February before tournaments in Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells and Miami.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall signs a new contract at the Premiership leaders until the end of the 2017 season.

Six members of his backroom staff - Alex Sanderson (forwards coach), Paul Gustard (forwards coach), Dan Vickers (kicking coach), Kevin Sorrell (backline coach), Joe Shaw (skills coach), Phil Morrow (performance director), Joe Collins (head of medical) - also agree three-year deals.

With the transfer window due to close on Friday, it is a hectic time for managers and players but also for agents.

BBC Sport speaks to leading Scottish agent Raymond Sparkes to find out what are the challenges he faces at this time of year.

After Everton were embarrassed in a 4-0 thrashing at neighbours Liverpool, we are asking for (bad) memories of your derby nightmares.

Luke Dady:, external Losing 5-1 to West Brom, we sacked our manager, and began the long spiral down to League 1. Not a great time for Wolves fans.

Biggiewallace:, external The 6-1 loss to Man City at Old Trafford still gives me nightmares. Why Always Me???

Leigh Hine:, external The return of Paul Lambert to Colchester United with Norwich City. Won 7-1 opening day, lost 0-5 at home in the reverse.

The International Cricket Council board approves the introduction of a new women's competition to feed qualification for 2017 World Cup in England.

The International Women's Championship will involve the world's top eight countries with promotion and relegation at the end of the first cycle.

Each team will play the others in a series of matches between mid-2014 and the end of 2016, with the top teams qualifying automatically for the World Cup.

"This is a very positive step for the profile and competitiveness of women's cricket," says ICC chief executive David Richardson.

Premier League clubs spent £660m on international transfers last year, including more than £50m on agents' fees, a Fifa report reveals.

After the Premier League, Italian clubs were the next biggest spenders overseas (£286m), followed by France (£253m), Spain (£192m) and Germany (£144m) while Brazil supplied the most players sold overseas with 1,558 - 13% of the total.

Spanish clubs were the biggest net earners when it came to deals in 2013, earning £150m selling players abroad.

Three quick wickets leave England floundering in their first T20 international against Australia.

Luke Wright, Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan walk in the space of 12 balls with England on 51-4 in their chase of 214.

Follow the action with our live text commentary.

Image source, Reuters

Mahela Jayawardene hits a double century and Kithuruwan Vithanage claims a maiden century in only his second Test to help Sri Lanka declare their first innings at 730-6 on the third day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Jayawardene was unbeaten on 203 for his 33rd Test century while Vithanage made 103 not out as they replied to Bangladesh's first innings total of 232.

Bangladesh made 35-1 in the final nine overs of the day and trail by 463 runs with nine wickets remaining.

Last night was a good night for the red half of Merseyside after Liverpool beat neighbours Everton 4-0 at Anfield.

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty looks at what Liverpool's biggest derby win since November 1982 means and explains why Brendan Rodgers should be looking forward to the remainder of the Premier League season.

England prop Lee Mossop will have to wait over two months to make his NRL debut because of a shoulder injury.

The 25-year-old, who left Wigan Warriors for Parramatta Eels at the end of last season, will miss the first nine weeks of the Australian season while recovering from shoulder surgery.

Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham says his side can be encouraged ahead of a busy month, despite the 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.

Image source, AFP

Cardiff, who remain bottom of the Premier League table, despite the arrival of new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, now face three crucial Premier League games against Norwich City, Swansea City and Aston Villa.

"There's a lot of positives but we need to start picking up points," he said. "It's going to be a big month for us now. There's a lot of games coming up with teams in and around us. We have to stand up and be counted."

After Everton were embarrassed in a 4-0 thrashing at neighbours Liverpool, we are asking for (bad) memories of your derby nightmares.

Rodge:, external Losing 5-1 at Scarborough on Boxing Day 2004....one of the lowest moments as a York City fan.

Niel Buller:, external Newcastle losing 0-3 last year at home to Sunderland, or losing in the play offs after being 17 points clear at home 0-2. Gutted.

Simeon Ayling:, external Brighton waited over a decade to renew hostilities with Crystal Palace. 26/10/02 is etched horribly on my mind forever. We lost 0-5.

Tell us about the games which forced you into hiding from your mates or work colleagues. Use #bbcsportsday on Twitter, text 81111 or post on the BBC Facebook page

England are set 214 to win the first T20 international against Australia.

Decent knocks from Cameron White (75) and Aaron Finch (52) took the home side to 213-4 in Hobart.

Can Stuart Broad's men reach their target? Find out with our live text commentary.

Rangers reject offers from Nottingham Forest for defender Lee Wallace.

The Ibrox club are desperate to cut costs but have told the Championship club they will need to increase their offer in order to sign the former Hearts player, who is contracted to the Ibrox club until 2017.

Forest's bids for the 26-year-old were below the widely speculated £900,000.

McLaren confirm they have appointed former Lotus team principal Eric Boullier as their racing director.

Frenchman Boullier, who left Lotus last week, replaces Martin Whitmarsh.

The future of former team principal Whitmarsh, who has not been at work since Dennis regained control of the F1 team on 16 January, remains unclear.

And there are also some football games off because of the weather. Tonight's League One game between Sheffield United and Peterborough has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.