Saracens have agreed the signing of South African back-row forward Michael Rhodes from Super 15 side Stormers.

The 27-year-old, who can play at flanker or lock, will join Sarries at the beginning of next season.

"Michael was one of the stand-out performers for the Stormers and Western Province last year," said Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has tweeted his sympathy for Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, who he believes was not signed by Louis van Gaal.

Herrera, formerly of Athletic Bilbao, was a target for former United boss David Moyes but moved to Old Trafford five weeks after Van Gaal was named manager.

Following United's 2-1 FA Cup defeat by Arsenal Carragher tweeted:, external "Feel for Herrera not set the world a light but definitely a club signing rather than a Van Gaal one."

Today, we're asking you if coaches like Peter Moores and Louis van Gaal should pay the price for not challenging for trophies, or be given time to get things right. Here are a few of your thoughts...

Aamir Mir:, external Time is key if (re)building a team on a tight budget. However, clubs that invest heavily need an immediate return.

Arasa:, external You can't perform if you aren't given enough time. LVG will achieve something Moyes couldn't, Europa League. Credit to him.

Paul Cummings:, external Managers should be given 2 seasons. First to instil philosophy, then sacked or not depending on success of second season.

Keep them coming in on Twitter at #bbcsportsday, or via the BBC Sport Facebook page., external

Image source, Getty Images

Petrolheads, listen up. Here's a bit of Formula 1 news that you may have missed this morning.

Manor Marussia have announced Spaniard Roberto Merhi as their second driver, joining Briton Will Stevens. The 23-year-old will line up on the grid for the Australian Grand Prix this weekend.

Speaking of which...if you're craving your Formula 1 fix before the season proper gets under way, we've got just the thing for you. At 22:00 GMT this evening, you'll be able to tune in to a 2015 Formula 1 Season Preview, featuring Suzi Perry, David Coulthard et al, on the Red Button and on this very website.

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton has been passed fit for this Saturday's Six Nations clash with Wales in Cardiff.

Assistant coach Richie Murphy confirmed that Sexton trained fully on Tuesday, after recovering from hamstring trouble.

Murphy added that Ireland now have "a full deck to pick from" with Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien and Jared Payne all cleared to face Wales this weekend.

Un De Sceaux wins the Racing Post Arkle and guess who trains the winner and who is on board? Yes, it's the same combination as race one, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Racing Post Arkle: 1 Un De Sceaux (4-6 fav); 2 God's Own (33-1); 3 Josses Hill (12-1).

Image source, Getty Images

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola says he is fully aware of the bleak response failure to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League will provide.

The German champions drew their first-leg meeting with Shakhtar Donetsk 0-0 in Ukraine, with the return set for Wednesday.

"I know what will happen if we do not make it to the next round of the Champions League. Bayern is a big club," Guardiola tells reporters. "I am a young coach but I know what to expect. "I know in what kind of situation we are in. I know it will be a major problem if we do not reach the quarter-finals."

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham Festival

Image source, Getty Images

"How many times have we used the phrase 'Ruby Tuesday' at Cheltenham and here we are again.

"A wall of noise greeted 2-1 favourite Douvan's surge up the hill under jockey Ruby Walsh to win the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle by four-and-a-half lengths.

"It gave the Festival's all-time leading jockey his 42nd winner at the meeting and retains the prospect of a 'Fab Four' of winning favourites for Walsh and trainer Willie Mullins - with Un De Sceaux, Faugheen and Annie Power to come."

Birmingham City say boardroom changes at its parent company will have no impact on the "day to day running" of the club.

Two people, including former Blues chairman Peter Pannu, have been removed from the board of Birmingham International Holdings, while seven others have resigned and two have been suspended.

BIHL has been in receivership since last month but a club statement said: "Ernst & Young...stated last month after its appointment that it is 'business as usual' at St. Andrew's. The club can assure supporters and staff that this still very much the case."

McLaren driver Jenson Button says he has seen "definitive progress" in the manufacturer's MP4-30 car ahead of the season opener in Australia this weekend.

The Briton, a three-time winner in Australia says: "Although we would of course have liked to cover more miles in Jerez and Barcelona, I can definitely see a difference in the car from the first day to the last. The team's commitment to development and improvement, both in Woking and in Japan, is astonishing, and despite some tricky days in testing, we are seeing definitive progress."

Paris St-Germain arrive in London ahead of their Champions League last-16 second-let meeting with Chelsea on Wednesday.

Image source, Julien Laurens

The French champions check into a Kensington hotel and enter the Stamford Bridge meeting level at 1-1 on Wednesday but only won one of their group games away from home.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will speak to the media at 19:00 GMT today.

A number of the Premier League's finest are glued to the racing today with Hull City's David Meyler and Leicester City's Chris Wood tweeting prolifically all morning.

It would appear Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton, external has bagged an early winner as the pairing of trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh combine to win on favourite Douvan in the opener.

Image source, Joey Barton Twitter

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham Festival

"From about two furlongs out, you could not hear the racecourse commentator at Cheltenham as crowd roared 2-1 favourite Douvan to victory. Chants of 'Ruby, Ruby, Ruby' from packed Cheltenham stands as Ruby Walsh rides Douvan to victory for trainer Willie Mullins. Irish 1-2-3."

Result from Cheltenham Supreme Novices' Hurdle: 1 Douvan (2-1 Fav); 2 Shaneshill (9-1); 3 Sizing John (25-1).

Image source, Getty Images

Bahrain and Brunei have thrown their support behind a bid by Jordan's Prince Ali bin al-Hussein to oust incumbent Sepp Blatter as president of world football's ruling body Fifa.

Four candidates are standing for the top job in world soccer at the May 29 election, including Blatter who celebrates his 79th birthday today.

The other two are Michael van Praag, president of the Dutch governing body KNVB, and former Portugal winger Luis Figo.

New Wigan Athletic chairman David Sharpe says the club will prioritise developing its academy, external and wants deeper research done on potential signings.

The 23-year-old, who succeeded his grandfather Dave Whelan, says the clubs ultimate goal is to return to the Premier League.

"We will also continue to prioritise plans to build a first class academy and training ground, where the club can start developing its own players to feature at first team level more regularly," says Sharpe.

"We also need to create a modern and robust player recruitment process, where every targeted player is researched, statistically measured, and watched in different conditions to ensure we have a complete picture of the player and the person we are planning to sign."

The first race of the 2015 Cheltenham Festival is underway...

Full commentary is now available on BBC Radio 5 live.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham Festival

"Crowd of 55,000 ready for the Cheltenham Roar that greets opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle at 13:30 GMT."

Willie Mullins trained Douvan starts as favourite for the opener. AP McCoy - for whom this is the first race of his final Cheltenham Festival - is on board Jollyallan.

His trainer Harry Fry says having McCoy on one of his "best runners" is "fantastic". "He is one of our strongest fancies of the week," Fry tells Channel 4.

The head of world cycling Brian Cookson admits he is alarmed by the prospect of doping within the youth ranks of the sport, as outlined by a Cycling Independent Reform Commission report.

Youth cycling was described as being "particularly vulnerable" to the practice and UCI president Cookson said the prospect causes him "real concern."

"Now frankly if people are supplying youth riders with doping products and procedures that's nothing short of child abuse," says Cookson. "People should be ashamed of themselves and they should be subject to criminal proceedings; that's a disgrace if that's happening and I want to look into that with a bit more seriousness."

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Cheltenham Festival

"The famous Cheltenham hill: The going remains Good to Soft, Good in places. It is dry & sunny."

The first race is just over 10 minutes away. Tune into BBC Radio 5 live for commentary and reaction.

World Cup winner Jason Robinson believes England's current crop of players are "open to criticism" after their Six Nations defeat to Ireland.

Stuart Lancaster's side lost 19-9 to the tournament leaders in their last outing and face Scotland on Saturday.

"England still have quite a bit of work to do," Robinson tells BBC World Service. "We saw them play against Ireland and we all knew what was coming. We knew the game they have, the kicks Sexton would use, and we didn't pressurise it.

"Part of me would say that England are not that far off, but you can't just look towards the World Cup. This Six Nations is still a learning curve for England. We always expect them to be there all the time and when they're not, they're open for criticism."