13/02/2016 Saturday Sportsday

Welcome to the BBC sports Centre. I am Lizzie Greenwood Hughes. We will

look ahead to the six Nations action, meet winter styles of the

future and could there be a Great Britain ice hockey team at the next

Olympics? Let's look at the headlines. Beth Twaddle says she

views much better and has begun walking by herself. Britain's

three-time world gymnastics champion had surgery after breaking bones in

her neck following an accident in training for realities is The Jump.

Newcastle stand Leicester rugby last might beat in the champions to move

off the bottom of the table. Falklands boss Dean Richards said he

told them at half-time to lay their bodies on the line and they did. And

the game everyone is talking about, Leicester City against Arsenal

tomorrow. This time last, Leicester were bottom of the Premier League,

battling relegation and now they are five points clear at the top of the

table. Can they go all the way? Rugby union's Six Nations

Championship continues this weekend England don't play until Sunday -

they're in Rome to face Italy, Wales take on Scotland

in Cardiff later on today. First up,

Ireland will be hoping to improve on last week's draw -

they are in France. And it's where Sonja McLaughlan

is stationed for the BBC Welcome to a slightly grey damp

start to France. Ireland against France opening the second weekend of

the RBS six Nations Championship. They met at the recent Rugby World

Cup, Ireland coming out on top, the winger Tommy Bowe was playing in

that game. Tommy, Ireland have a really good recent record against

France and have not lost since 2011. Does that breed confidence? Yes,

they will take huge confidence from that. Coming to this stadium, such a

daunting atmosphere, the last thing we want is the French crowd on our

backs so that we can get off to an early start which we've done in the

last few performances against France that will breed confidence for the

boys. It will be a difficult game but coming here with a great chance

to come away with some points. Ireland's draw with Wales was last

Sunday, how tough is that turnaround given the injuries Ireland have?

That is the hard part, the six Nations is so physical, the

collisions in that game were phenomenal, the defence from both

teams, I know there were battered bodies this week and with only six

days turnaround is difficult. I would say they've done well this

week and tried to keep the training as load. Load as low as possible but

it will be a physical game again today. What about the debutant for

France was scored on his first cap? He looks a classy Blair. With the in

the hand he will be He looks a classy Blair. With the in

today. Ireland will be hoping to maybe put the ball on top of him,

get Andrew Trimble to challenge with him in the air. Try to get him on

the back foot. That could be one of Ireland's strengths. If he gets the

in hand and could be difficult also. Good stuff, thank you, the kick-off

is at 2:25pm your time live on BBC One and our special guest will be

Paul O'Connell. For a country without much snow and

ice Britain has a good record in winter sports and they are hoping

for another star in the shape of George Johnson, the world and about

one in Julia Bobsleigh, part of a strong GB team at the Youth cup next

winter Olympics which starts today. David is in Lillehammer for the BBC.

An opening spectacle fitting of the Olympic brand, nearly 1100 teenagers

from 71 countries have come to Norway to compete in 15 sporting

disciplines at just the second Winter Youth Olympics. Among the

young athletes there are 16 from Great Britain and the leader

carrying the flag is also one of our best medal hopes. Aged 17, George

Johnson from Taunton in Somerset is officially the best Julia Bobsleigh

our fleet in the world. -- the best Julia Bobsleigh athlete. He competes

in this event and is the frontrunner for the gold medal. It is something

I really hope I will be able to do, step on the top step of the podium

on Saturday, just hopefully where I will be. But the eyes changes every

day, things can happen in the race, something can go wrong and we must

just wait for the result and see how it goes. He may be one to watch but

winning medals is just one aspect of the youth movement. They are here to

learn and develop and perform. It isn't just about performance on the

field of play, it's about a pathway. We want these guys to go onto the

Olympic games in two years' time, the Winter games, and the same in

Beijing. I'd like to go to the see the Olympics but there's a long way

to go yet. The short term plan is to make the senior team and hopefully

be on the long list for the Olympics so hopefully I will race on Saturday

and get Olympic experience. So after the next ten days as well as growing

as athletes and hoping for medals the 16 team members will be hoping

to grow as young adults as well. Good George and his team mates one

day compete at a full Winter Olympics alongside these guys? It is

Britain's ice hockey team and they are aiming to qualify for the next

Winter games in the first time in 70 years. They began their campaign by

beating the Netherlands in the prequalifying tournament in Italy.

The Alps provide a stunning backdrop travelled to Cortina to see

The Alps provide a stunning backdrop for thousands of holiday-makers who

make the most of the ski slopes but for thousands of holiday-makers who

this week the mountain town of Cortina is where the Great Britain

men's ice hockey team begin their latest in a big journey in

qualifying latest in a big journey in

2018. 80 years ago latest in a big journey in

and only ice hockey gold. They have not qualified to compete at an

and only ice hockey gold. They have guaranteeing a trip to South Korea,

after victory in their opening game against the Netherlands on Thursday

night. An enormous task, we know it is. We've just got to worry about

the next tournament and worry about tomorrow first before we think too

far ahead. We are going to gain qualification, that's the ultimate

goal now. This tournament is being played in the Olympic Stadium in

Cortina where the games were held in 1956. These surroundings, with the

history, when I was 206I would not have thought about it being here but

when you are older and you see how traditional it is and how it has

been modernised and you see the surroundings and the ski jump, you

start to thinking this is a pretty cool place. What would it mean to

you to stand there on Sunday looking up at the flag and hearing the

national anthem? That would be something special. I think there

will be a lot of emotion if that happened. Even the thought of it

makes me shiver a little. It is Ahmad Everest, if we can climb that

mountain it would be unbelievable for us, a fantastic result for

everyone involved. The champagne remains an ice for now but two

victories in the next two days, they can celebrate the first step towards

Pyongchang. Good luck to them. A quick score update. Second from

bottom Sunderland leading 1-0 after scoring from a free kick against

Manchester United. And remember you can keep up with all the six Nations

action on the BBC starting with the satin and's matches live on BBC One

from 2pm. From all of us, have a great weekend, goodbye -- starting

with this afternoon's matches.