The some times invisible line between the summit and the basement of affairs in Division 2 was summed up at the end of this entertaining tussle of many twists before Laois finally turned for home with two precious points in their safe-keeping.

Ireland have won their Six Nations clash with Wales by 24-14 to record a second successive victory under new head coach Andy Farrell.

Mike Quirke’s Laois footballers recorded their first win of the campaign when they emerged with six-points to spare over Armagh at MW Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Saturday evening.

Stuart Hogg’s cock-up at a crucial moment was in stark contrast to Ireland’s new skipper Johnny Sexton, writes Simon Lewis.

Cork got their Littlewoods Ireland Division One camogie league campaign off to a winning start at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Andy Farrell has handed Leinster No.8 Caelan Doris a Test debut against Scotland this Saturday at the expense of Peter O’Mahony.

Another runaway success, but some signs of vulnerability too.

Leinster's bid to claim top seeding for the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup was buttressed by an ultimately convincing win over Lyon in Dublin on Sunday afternoon.

Good things are coming in twos to Alan O’Connor this week.

Seven tries last week, another seven tonight.

The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

Leinster were relieved to leave Lyon with their winning record intact in the European Champions Cup after a nervous end to their win in Stade Matmut de Gerland.

Keith Earls will make his first Munster appearance of the season in tomorrow's Champions Cup opener against the Ospreys.

Glen Rovers eased into their fourth Cork SHC final in six years courtesy of this facile victory over an outclassed Carrigtwohill side.

Ireland suffered one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history as Japan repeated their Brighton miracle against South Africa on home soil to leave Joe Schmidt’s men stunned at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa.

Simon Lewis reports from Yokohama.

Newcestown have qualified for a first Cork SFC semi-final after battling past Ilen Rovers in difficult conditions at Rosscarbery.

Champions of 2015 and 2016, Glen Rovers moved a step closer to regaining the Cork senior hurling championship title following their single point win over Newtownshandrum at Páirc Uí Rinn tonight.

It is difficult to imagine a coach as demanding as Joe Schmidt putting his feet up on Saturday night and thinking he has this World Cup campaign nicely sized up.

Having trailed 10-7 at half-time, Ireland started the second period with intent with two tries before the hour mark

Glenville held out for a merited Cork IFC second round victory at Ballyhooley yesterday.

England have beaten Ireland 57-15 in their World Cup warm-up Test at Twickenham.

The Ireland team to play England on Saturday has been announced and Ross Byrne is set to win his third cap.

For long stages in this compelling Cork SHC third round in Mallow on Saturday, it looked like championship newcomers Charleville might prevail.

Munster lock Jean Kleyn has been handed a Test debut for Ireland and a chance to stake his claim for a World Cup squad berth as Joe Schmidt’s side play the first of four warm-up matches against Italy in Dublin on Saturday.

St Brendan’s Ardfert were pushed all the way by Crotta O’Neill’s before joining Lixnaw in the semi-finals of this year’s Kerry SHC, after a tense encounter played at the Austin Stack Park.

No fireworks in Newbridge. Not this time.

Cian Lynch, Declan Hannon, Gearoid Hegarty, and Graeme Mulcahy have been restored to the Limerick team for tomorrow’s Munster hurling final.

Cian O’Neill’s Kildare impressively navigated a potential Belfast banana skin on Saturday, coming away from Corrigan Park with a double-scores 14-point win over Antrim to secure a place in this morning’s draw for Round 3 of the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers.

Kildare’s footballers recovered from their Dublin hangover in fine style with an impressive 14-point win over Antrim at a sun-soaked Corrigan Park, Belfast in the second round of the All- Ireland SFC qualifiers.

Leinster’s bid for a record fifth European crown came up short at St James’ Park on Saturday as Saracens reclaimed the Heineken Champions Cup for their third title in four seasons.

Leinster refuse to be a team that limits their eggs to the one basket.

Leo Cullen saw this coming.

It was third time lucky for Mercy Ballymahon as Clodagh Lohan’s hat-trick helped them claim the Lidl All-Ireland PPS Senior C title with an emphatic win over St Mary’s, Midleton in Bannagher.

No Jonathan Sexton, Rob Kearney on the bench and Jack McGrath given the weekend off.

Donegal waltzed back to the top flight of the Allianz League with a comprehensive 13-point win over a listless Kildare at Fr Tierney Park in Ballyshannon yesterday.

Joe Schmidt admits that the decision to start Robbie Henshaw at full-back against England in Saturday's Six Nations opener has been made with one eye on the upcoming World Cup in Japan.

Leinster have brought the curtain down on the Heineken Champions Cup pool stages with the easiest of victories away to Wasps on Sunday afternoon that confirms for them an all-Irish home quarter-final against Ulster at the end of March.

Kilcummin advanced to the All-Intermediate Club football final following a thrilling 0-11 to 0-10 win over Two Mile House at the Gaelic Grounds.

Leinster 30 Munster 22

CAITRIONA COLLINS scored a goal and six points while Minor star Saoirse McCarthy added four from play as Cork put the agony of two consecutive defeats at the last hurdle behind them to become Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Camogie champions.

In the end, it was all too comfortable for Kerry. But it mattered little, the result they needed from Pearse Stadium didn't materialise.

Donegal came through something of a must-win to give themselves a fighting chance of Division 1 survival at Kildare’s expense at Ballyshannon.

Leinster 22 Exeter Chiefs 17: There are any number of arbitrary ways to measure a team’s progress, but it seemed the obvious thing to think back to Leinster’s semi-final loss to Clermont Auvergne last April as they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat on Saturday evening.

Leinster overcame the reigning English champions and league leaders for the second time in six days this evening.

Munster boss Rassie Erasmus admitted his side only had themselves to blame after poor discipline allowed man of the match Johnny Sexton to secure derby victory for Leinster at Aviva Stadium today.

Cheetahs 38 Leinster 19: So much for the failed experiment, the useless additions, the pointless expansion.