joe wilson, bbc news. brilliant. time for a look at the weather. here's susan powell. we are getting quite a few reports of snow coming in from scotland, the met office has concerns for the amount of snow that might fall here into tomorrow morning and has issued an amberwarning for into tomorrow morning and has issued an amber warning for scotland and northern england down to the pennines, for the highest ground up to 20 centimetres is possible but even at lower levels we could see up to four inches and i will emphasise the areas affected by snow will not just be under the amber shading. a big bank of cold air to the east extending from scandinavia, mild air trying to creep in from the west but between the two are weather front,

as that meets the colder air the rain turning increasingly to snow, extending overnight across much of scotland, sparing the far north east, extending south into the south pennines by morning, maybe even something wintry in east anglia. icy freezing weather for scotland and northern england, 9 degrees in plymouth, the contrast either side of the weather front marked. high pressure behind and ahead of it, it's going nowhere on thursday at the colder air will try to extend further south so early in the day there will be a risk of some of this rain across the midlands, east anglia, maybe even for a time across the south—east, turning to sleet on higher ground, don't think it will settle much but more accumulation is possible for northern england and scotland as the front slowly weakens and it's cold for central and eastern areas, a high ofjust 4

degrees in london, further north temperatures around freezing, but balmy for northern ireland, sunshine for belfast and a high of 8 degrees. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me, and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc�*s news teams where you are.

hello, and welcome to sportsday. football celebrations are still in the spotlight, as authorties remind players and clubs to stick to social distancing guidelines amid rising coronavirus cases. the women's six nations will be delayed, as planning has proved too tricky for isolation bubbles with england being the sole professional side. and pandemic permiting, it's a big year for england's

cricketers, who start it against sri lanka tomorrow. also coming up in the programme... we hearfrom francesca jones, who has qualified for a grand slam for the first time. if you are constantly working on putting someone down i think that eventually against you in long run. hello, and welcome to sportsday. welcome along to sportsday. football heard the warnings to stick to the rules, after a weekend of cup celebrations drew critism — so when the premier league returned last night, many eyes were trained on the players' behaviour. despite being told not to, goals were celebrated with hugging. the sports minister nigel huddleston was critical on social media this morning, saying, "footballers are no exceptions" while crystal palace.

manager roy hodgson says people have engrained habits — and in that moment, there is a risk players will run to each other. let's bring in our senior sports news reporter laura scott, whojoins us now. pressure not going away — is there a danger to football continuing? now, it is not. i mean that tweet that we saw from the speights minister this morning was the government's strongest warning yet about the importance of those particles. not only the fact that players and managers need to stick to them but also that the premier league and clubs need to enforce them. we have these tighter protocols because of what's been seeing in wider society with a new variant of coronavirus but also because of the cases in the premier league and the efl and also fixtures being postponed. in those tougher protocols comes the lying that unnecessary contacts should and must be avoided. that includes goal

celebrations and handshakes and start swapping and we know premier league compliance officers are taking a closer watch on this and clubs and players risk sanctions if they are seen to be flouting the roles. the polarity chief executive told clubs of the critical importance of following the protocols. of course, the counter argument to all of this is that goal celebrations are an emotional and spontaneous reaction. but, what it is about is it about avoidable contact and avoidable risks and the premier league clubs have signed up to these protocols. this morning, the health minister or health secretary matt hancock was asked about base and this is what he had to say on the matter. the? about base and this is what he had to say on the matter.— to say on the matter. they have secial to say on the matter. they have special arrangements _ to say on the matter. they have special arrangements to - to say on the matter. they have special arrangements to ensure | to say on the matter. they have - special arrangements to ensure that the players are safe and have a testing — the players are safe and have a testing regime for instance. but i do think— testing regime for instance. but i do think that it is important that everybody respects not just the left there but— everybody respects not just the left there but the spirit of their wills because — there but the spirit of their wills because it — there but the spirit of their wills because it is the spirit of the rules— because it is the spirit of the rules that _ because it is the spirit of the rules that is important. is

because it is the spirit of the rules that is important. is there a dancer to rules that is important. is there a danger to football _ rules that is important. is there a danger to football continuing? i l danger to football continuing? i don't think there is an immediate threat to the elite sports exemption being taken away. remember, it would notjust be being taken away. remember, it would not just be football. being taken away. remember, it would notjust be football. we understand it would be in the sport. i don't think that is going to happen at the moment. said to of the government are happy for us but to continue. they say it's a good thing to keep people in their homes, watching sports on television. and also to a welcome distraction and some semblance of normality to watch sports on television. but the optics of sports are really important. and i message extending to people at home about the importance of sticking to protocols. what the government want to see and premier league want to see is a change of behaviour and some self—control from players and managers to stick to these protocols and if they do not, and clearly they are sanctions. but the elite sports exemption is not

guaranteed to be forever. elite sports was stopped last march and it could be again on public health grounds. but at the moment, the pressure is on, all eyes are on football, and the it will be incredibly interesting to see if the message that —— does get with the players and every see any socially distant celebration tonight. manchester city against brighton under way. 6pm kick off there. no goals so no celebration. 38 minutes gone. you can follow that on five live right now. there is commentary. well, at 8:15pm, fulham host tottenham. the pair couldn't play over christmas because of a covid outbreak in the fulham squad then. and now, with an outbreak in the aston villa squad, who were due to play spurs tonight, the premier league confirmed on monday that fulham would fulfill this fixture. the decision led to some frustration

from manager scott parker. totte n ha m tottenham new they had the fixture in. that team selection of the weekend suggested that he planned for the next however many games he has got and i got a lot of games. granted so yes, that's exactly where i see it. do i see that this would happen if this was a top of the title clash with two of biggest themes and managers what are probably confident here speaking? no, probably not. do we want to finish the season or not? _ do we want to finish the season or not? do— do we want to finish the season or not? do we — do we want to finish the season or not? do we want football to keep going _ not? do we want football to keep going or— not? do we want football to keep going or not? do we want to be the only country — going or not? do we want to be the only country in europe without football — only country in europe without football or not? do we want the end of this— football or not? do we want the end of this season with their champions lawyer— of this season with their champions lawyer with — of this season with their champions lawyer with the coupling there, or with medication or airway if poorly

do not? _ with medication or airway if poorly do not? that is the main question. well, we can go to the tottenham hotspur stadium. alistair bruce ball is there for 5live commentary tonight and joins us now. what did you make of those comments around trying to schedule football at the moment and how it's done? i think 96. i think we are in a situation where you have sympathy with both parties. so scott parker i can understand his dismay at being told on 9:30am monday morning that they have a game away from home on wednesday night particularly considering for them players only got the training on friday. they have got chelsea at home on the weekend and manchester united until next wednesday. equally tottenham have so many games to play. they have so many games to play. they have the original fixture called off on that day when they were getting

ready for the game. i think the point is the premier league will tell you that because of the situation we are in, all the clubs at the start of the season are pretty much signed up to have to be flexible and beef is one of those instances. i can understand the points of both sides.— instances. i can understand the points of both sides. what are we exectin: points of both sides. what are we exnecting from — points of both sides. what are we expecting from this _ points of both sides. what are we expecting from this game - points of both sides. what are we expecting from this game and - points of both sides. what are we i expecting from this game and what tottenham made out of it? if tottenham made out of it? if tottenham can win the game and it is just one dream in the last five premier league games. they have improved it in cup competition recently but if they can win tonight, then they are back into the top four. further, ourfour points behind brighton at the bottom three. brighton ip —— playing at manchester city. at the start of the season i watch them a bit more recently and scott parker has gotten them organised and got them playing to a plan and i think they will give tottenham a decent game. we will have to see what the manager as a after the game. in terms of preparation and how they were affected. let's see how his team

placed first. now, we've seen some significant changes and cancellations in rugby union over the last few days. and today, it was announced that the women's six nations has been postponed until later this year, because of the coronavirus pandemic. at the moment, the men's event is due to start as scheduled, but we know that the french authorities are seeking reassurances over the safety of it. our sports reporterjo currie explains why there has been this call on the women's event. this is very much an announcement you were expecting today. at the six nations would be pushback. many in women's rugby did not have a bit to work towards and the organisers said it should be pushed back to spring maybe early summer which does not give you an idea when it will go ahead. and for players to find out that it ahead. and for players to find out thatitis ahead. and for players to find out that it is being moved is not a great look. essentially this all comes down to safety and it's hard to argue with. of the six teams that

take part, on the england are the full—time professional team. there are already and whether full—time professional team. there are already other whether full—time professional team. there are already other team 1er full—time professional team. there are already other tee which have got —— jobs to go to. which makes testing impossible. it is not safe to go ahead at the moment. hopefully the pandemic has come down to some degree hopefully this can still go ahead.— still go ahead. when you bear in mind the fact — still go ahead. when you bear in mind the fact that _ still go ahead. when you bear in mind the fact that this _ still go ahead. when you bear in mind the fact that this year - still go ahead. when you bear in mind the fact that this year is i mind the fact that this year is going — mind the fact that this year is going to _ mind the fact that this year is going to be celebrate for the women's _ going to be celebrate for the women's game probably, there was going _ women's game probably, there was going to _ women's game probably, there was going to be world cup qualification oniine _ going to be world cup qualification oniine for— going to be world cup qualification online for some of the teams in the women's _ online for some of the teams in the women's six — online for some of the teams in the women's six nations.— online for some of the teams in the women's six nations. when it comes to international _ women's six nations. when it comes to international women's _ women's six nations. when it comes to international women's rugby - women's six nations. when it comes to international women's rugby all . to international women's rugby all eyes are being on the world cup in the back end of september and october and whereas england, wales and france have already qualified, scotland, italy and ireland have not. some of the six nations matches could potentially be used as world cup qualifiers. if not it may come down to rankings and no one wants to see that. it's hopefully an olympic

year and it may be some of the players will be involved in the six nations and want to throw their hat into the ring for the rugby team in tokyo this summer as well. if the six nations will be pushed it depends well. it could be a crash. one of the discussions we have a lot around the six nations is how much of a platform it gets when it's at the same time as the men's events and we have no news at the moment on the men's event. it will go ahead as scheduled friday morning. it could be an interesting test for the women's game. for be an interesting test for the women's game.— be an interesting test for the women's game. be an interesting test for the women'suame. ., , ., women's game. for some years now, there has been — women's game. for some years now, there has been an — women's game. for some years now, there has been an argument - women's game. for some years now, there has been an argument that - women's game. for some years now, there has been an argument that six| there has been an argument that six nations needs to move away from the men's competition because it's very much in the shadow of it. it moves away from being played at the same time and it will have a better try and generating new fans as well. not having to compete with the names game. this year being pushed back

the other positive is as you know women's rugby is such a developing sport and it can be so important. let's take a quick look at some other stories making the news. in the men's six nations, england will be without prop kyle sinkler for their first match against scotland. sinckler�*s been banned for two weeks for swearing at a referee. he'll be free to return to face italy a week later on 13 february. he has apologised and his squad return from training on friday with christopherjullien testing positive for covid—i9 and 15 others having to self—isolate. he won two gold medals at that centre 19 world championship. also

representing team great britain