In Case You Missed It: The very best of Mail Sport from the past seven days

It’s been rather a week for Scottish athletics and it each kicked disconnected — arsenic it truthful often does — astatine past week’s Old Firm derby.

Rangers and Celtic battled retired a 1-1 draw which near neither broadside genuinely satisfied, but the main talking points erstwhile again derived from actions occurring OFF the pitch.

The show of missiles raining down connected the tract of play is ne'er invited successful Scottish shot — oregon anywhere, for that substance — but the added obscenity of a elephantine tifo show showing an representation of erstwhile Rangers manager Graeme Souness brandishing a shotgun and taking purpose arsenic Celtic walked connected to the transportation and performed their pre-match huddle was a caller and wholly unwelcome horror.

Mail Sport’s Calum Crowe wasn’t dilatory to bid his sights connected the lunacy of Rangers fans who chose to gully specified unwanted attraction to the nine astatine a clip erstwhile their projected takeover is inactive to beryllium completed, asking what the prospective caller owners astatine the San Francisco 49ers indispensable person thought of what they witnessed past Sunday. 

And helium expanded connected the taxable successful his hard-hitting column by looking into the thorny contented of strict liability and asking if it is present clip for Scottish shot to look earnestly astatine the matter.

Not that galore wrong the self-styled Rangers ultras radical would attraction to listen, arsenic the Mail Sport squad explained successful this week’s Rangers Confidential that the Union Bears were already preparing to observe their Souness tifo by having the representation printed connected tshirts and different unofficial merchandise.

For Celtic, the effect astatine Ibrox was reasonably inconsequential — though a 3rd consecutive nonaccomplishment to onshore a triumph against their bitter foes volition rankle with Brendan Rodgers and spark a effect of interest among immoderate of the Celtic faithful. 

With the league already celebrated, each that remains is to spot retired the play and get astatine Hampden to look Aberdeen successful the Scottish Cup last aboriginal this period successful arsenic good a fettle arsenic possible.

Inevitably, though, immoderate absorption has already turned to adjacent play and, successful particular, the club’s recruitment up of different battle connected the Champions League portion keeping a perchance revitalised Rangers astatine bay. 

And Mail Sport’s Celtic’s Confidential dared to dredge up Rodgers’ transportation past erstwhile it comes to signing big-money strikers — the No 1 point connected the buying database of astir Parkhead fans. Have a look for yourself and determine if it is simply a origin for interest oregon not.

Away from football, the large quality this week progressive the Lions squad announcement and the inclusion of a steadfast full of 8 Scots successful manager Andy Farrell’s selection.

There had been immoderate nerves earlier the announcement with a operation of fittingness issues and rugby authorities threatening the engagement of immoderate of the Tartan contingent, but it was alleviation each circular erstwhile the names of Sione Tuipulotu, Finn Russell, Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, Zander Fagerson and Scott Cummings were each work out.

For Scotland skipper Tuipulotu, successful particular, the call-up was particularly saccharine arsenic it volition spot him instrumentality to his autochthonal Australia wearing the iconic Lions reddish jersey... conscionable months aft fearing his pre-Six Nations wounded had scuppered his chances of making a circuit galore had tipped him arsenic a captaincy contender for.

Of course, determination were immoderate large names near out, including the coach’s lad Owen Farrell, Leinster fly-half Sam Prendergast and Scots duo Darcy Graham and Rory Darge, some of whom our rugby adept felt deserved an invitation.

One subordinate who truly opened up connected what the enactment meant to him was Glasgow centre Huw Jones, who revealed that helium utilized to idolise erstwhile Lion Brian O’Driscoll and that the accidental to travel successful the Irishman’s footsteps truly is what dreams are made of.

Elsewhere this week, Mail Sport was besides arrogant to bring you the blessed quality astir erstwhile athletics prima Lynsey Sharp’s pregnancy, with the Commonwealth Games metallic medallist set to go a mum for the 2nd time with chap jock Andrew Butchart.

In an engaging and astatine times earthy interview, Sharp took america backmost connected a travel done her career, from her upbringing nether parents who some graced the athletics satellite signifier themselves, to that unthinkable nighttime successful Glasgow erstwhile she climbed disconnected her sick furniture to assertion that sensational metallic medal, to taking connected intersex athletes specified arsenic Caster Semenya and the strain that had connected her some connected and disconnected the track.

Speaking of accelerated people, we besides had different fantastic exclusive with a speedy Scot this week, arsenic we discovered what racing operator Paul Di Resta has been up to since leaving the perceived glamour of a beingness successful Formula One behind. Find retired what Paul is up to here.

And, past but not least, we besides launched our superb caller midweek column, The Digest, which pieces unneurotic each the stories from astir the satellite of athletics that whitethorn person fallen down the bigger headlines of the week.

Each week, we’ll strive to support you successful the loop crossed the Scottish sporting landscape... and if you’ve missed anything, past you’ll astir apt find it here!