The BBC has been awarded the UK broadcast rights for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.  It will be the 17th consecutive Commonwealth Games to be covered by the UK’s public broadcaster.

The live sporting action will take place nine hours ahead of the UK, with the BBC promising no less than 180 hours of comprehensive through the night coverage, supported by daytime replay and peak time evening highlights across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Sport website, iPlayer and national and local radio.

BBC director of sport Barbara Slater said: "We’re delighted to be continuing our relationship with the Commonwealth Games, an event we have covered for over 60 years. 

"The Games never fail to deliver those moments that unite the nation and we’re delighted that we’ll be there to bring all of the action - free to air – to audiences across all of our platforms."

Image source, Rex Features

Richard Musa: What makes the FA Cup unique is it always comes with a shocker

Gurdy: Like 2008, fans who will appreciate the trips to Wembley and seeing a new name on the cup. It's what it's all about  

David Melton: Most memorable FA Cup finals have Big Team v Little Team, with the underdog winning. Lovely, unless you support the big team.

We want to know if you think the FA Cup is better or worse without teams like Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea in the latter stages.

Image source, Getty Images

England's prop forward Joe Marler has been cited for allegedly striking an opponent during the win over Wales.

A separate incident of alleged verbal abuse involving Marler is still being investigated. Marler apologised to Wales prop Samson Lee for calling him a "gypsy boy" during Saturday's Six Nations match at Twickenham.

Image source, Getty Images

Ross Ford has revealed that Scotland were fired up to beat France for the first time in 10 years by cocky comments in the media.

After winning 29-18 at Murrayfield to claim their first victory over France since 2006, hooker Ford said: "There were a few things said in the French press about how they were going to come here and steamroller us.

"But that just worked in our favour. We knew we could compete with them and it just made us even more determined to go out and prove it.

"We had to fight at times for that victory but they never looked like they were going to run away with it. Once we got a foothold, we were the better team." 

The last time none of Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City made the FA Cup semi-finals was 2008. Name the four teams that did.

Answers later.

Bayern Munich left-back David Alaba, 23 - one of the top defenders in the world - will stay with the Bundesliga side despite interest from Manchester City.

That's according to German publication Bild. Here's the link, , externalalthough you need a subscription to read it (and it's in German).

Image source, EPA

Exeter City chairman Julian Tagg says the use of smoke grenade which caused Saturday's League Two game with Carlisle to be halted for more than an hour was "extremely stupid".

The Stagecoach stand at St James Park had to be evacuated 10 minutes into the match, which went on to finish 2-2.

The police and fire brigade were called to the stadium and an arrest was made.

"It's a wooden grandstand, and everyone remembers the tragic time in Bradford," Tagg told BBC Radio Devon.

Image source, Rex Features

A quick heads up about something coming up fairly soon.

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini is holding a news conference at 12:45 GMT to discuss tomorrow's Champions League clash against Dynamo Kiev.

The Blues are in a comfortable position, 3-1 ahead after the first leg of the round-of-16 tie, so expect the Chilean to be in a fairly chilled out mood, a little like below...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, AP

Leicestershire have signed South Africa batsman Rilee Rossouw to play six games in this summer's T20 Blast.

The 26-year-old will arrive in July to replace Umar Akmal, who will leave Grace Road to take part in the Caribbean Premier League.

Rossouw is currently a members of South Africa's squad at the World Twenty20 in India. 

Valencia manager Gary Neville apologised to fans after an "unacceptable" 1-0 derby defeat by Levante.

Giuseppe Rossi, who played alongside Neville at Manchester United, earned La Liga's bottom club victory as Valencia lost for the fourth time in five games.

"You can't defend a performance like that," said Neville, who has won three out of 15 league games since he was appointed in December.

"I take responsibility and apologise to the fans."

Valencia are 12th in La Liga, eight points above the relegation zone.

Image source, Rex Features

Image source, Getty Images

Good news.

The next in our BBC Winners series - looking at women in sport who have overcome adversity to get to where they are today - is now online and, if we may say so, is well worth a look.

It concerns Ukraine's Yulia Kalina who, despite becoming a mother at 15, is now one of the world's best weightlifters.  

You can watch it here.

Adam Mountford
BBC Test Match Special producer

David Willey took a hat trick - against England. England finished on 177-8 with Joe Root making 48. Willey dismissed Root, Moeen and Jordan in successive balls.

A managerial change during the season could see a team's league position improve by three places, says new research.

A Sheffield Hallam University study of Championship clubs over the last five seasons found that teams in the bottom half who changed their manager saw an increase in points per game - from 1.02 to 1.25 points - and league position from 17.39 to 15.31.

Football finance expert, Rob Wilson, who co-authored the report, said: "The evidence around managerial change in professional football does remain mixed, particularly when you look at the 2014-15 promotions to the Premier League when all three teams achieved success in different ways.

"There are other factors that play a role in this complex issue such as owner objectives, fan emotion and personal relationships which cannot be accounted for in our data. But ultimately, league position is a massive concern for clubs changing managers during the season and our study has found it can be less productive for clubs in the top half who may have less to play for than those fighting relegation."

The first ever European meeting between Manchester United and Liverpool was overshadowed by unsavoury chants from the away end, with sections of the travelling support heard singing about the Hillsborough disaster on several occasions.

A crush during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, in which 96 people were killed, was the subject of chants referencing media coverage at the time.

However, a Uefa spokesperson has confirmed United will not be punished for the incident because the chanting was not mentioned in the match officials' reports.

Manchester United have avoided Uefa sanction for supporters' chants about the Hillsborough disaster during Thursday's Europa League clash with Liverpool.

Fifa's ethics watchdog has banned a former South African football chief, Leslie Sedibe, for five years after an inquiry into match-fixing surrounding the national team.

Sedibe, who was South African Football Association chief executive for one year - including through the 2010 World Cup hosted by the country - was also fined £13,900.

Two former referees officials, Steve Goddard and Adeel Carelse, were also banned for two years by Fifa's ethics committee adjudicator chamber.

Jay: The reaction to Leicester's & Bournemouth's success should answer your question. Most of us love a good underdog story 

Priy D Mistry: It means that there are more local fans, less corporate = more atmospheric Wembley 

James Price: The atmosphere should be electric, a bid to make club history, provided the fans remember how to get to Wembley!

We want to know if you think the FA Cup is better or worse without teams like Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea in the latter stages.

Image source, 1

"Eddie Jones promised us changes and he's delivered," says former England centre Jeremy Guscott.

"I've enjoyed the heads-up rugby. Eddie Jones has instilled this belief to play what's in front of you. They're playing with tempo.

"The accuracy is causing teams problems. They are deserved champions."

Image source, Getty Images

So to the Six Nations, and what a weekend it was for England.

Eddie Jones' men won a first championship since 2011 - overcoming Wales on Saturday, then watching Scotland beat closest rivals France - and can wrap up the Grand Slam with victory over the French on Saturday.

And according to former France fly-half Thomas Castaignede, England can dominate the tournament for years to come - praise indeed.

Castaignede, who won Grand Slams in 1997 and 1998, told BBC Sport: "There are no other teams near England. If they keep the same group of players together, they can win the tournament for many years."