New Ireland women’s head coach Adam Griggs believes a daunting test in France tonight will be the making of his team.

An 18-year-old driver who fled the scene after his car hit a cyclist has been sentenced to community service in lieu of going to prison.

There's a first cap for winger Megan Williams in the Ireland women's side for their first Six Nations game against France on Saturday.

Former courier cyclist Charlie Alliston, who knocked down and killed Kim Briggs, a mother of two as she crossed a London street, has been convicted of wanton and furious driving but cleared of manslaughter at a groundbreaking Old Bailey trial. Alliston will be sentenced next month.

Ireland skipper Niamh Briggs has told her team-mates to embrace their ‘once in a generation’ chance to win a World Cup on home soil.

The sentencing of an inexperienced driver whose failure to properly observe oncoming traffic led to a collision with a cyclist has been adjourned to allow him gather funds.

Ireland captain Niamh Briggs hopes her injuries woes are behind her as the countdown starts to the Rugby World Cup in August.

Niamh Briggs, by her own admission, is ultra-competitive and a disastrous spectator — so this will really test her limits.

"It just seems so cruel and I think he would say the same."

A costly court ruling yesterday put the spotlight on the terms of the debt deal that Providence Resources struck with Melody Finance late last year, as the Barryroe oil and gas explorer led by Tony O’Reilly Jnr unexpectedly lost a multi-million euro legal dispute with an international drilling company over delays in the Celtic Sea.

With Kim Flood, Liz Burke and Claire McLaughlin set to make their debuts against Italy in Donnybrook tomorrow (1pm), Ireland coach Tom Tierney is continuing his development of new playing talent during this Six Nations campaign.

England Women 13 Ireland Women 9: The Ireland women’s team were left regretting their inability to cash in on their best period of dominance as Abbie Scott’s second-half sucker punch try denied Tom Tierney’s side an historic Twickenham win.

France's two-try first half salvo saw the Ireland Women lose 18-6 in tonight's Women's RBS 6 Nations showdown in Perpignan.

Much is expected of the Irish women today as they take to the fast-paced 4G surface at Donnybrook for the first time in the Six Nations, but captain Niamh Briggs as warned her players that they must make the Dublin venue a fortress.

Munster 15 Leinster 7 (Ladies Interpro final): A polished performance from international Niamh Briggs led Munster, who had eight from the Highfield club in the starting side, to back-to-back interprovincial titles before a bigger than expected crowd at Thomond Park on Saturday

USA: A man who was arrested for robbing a Pennsylvania bank when he stopped to eat biscuits at a nearby restaurant will spend two to four years in prison.

Ireland 2 USA 0: Ireland will take aim at a place in the 2016 Olympics with confidence tomorrow after stunning world number five USA 2-0 in Valencia yesterday.

Look past the feelgood, fuzzy factor from the news of Ireland’s success in winning the rights to host the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and one point stands out above all others: it increases the host team’s chances of success.

Leitrim 0-15 Waterford 0-10: Leitrim outplayed Waterford in the first half of Saturday’s meaningless NFL Division 4 clash in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Scotland 3 Ireland 73

RBS Women’s 6 Nations: Wales 0 Ireland 20

Ireland 5 France 10

Italy 5 Ireland 30: Women’s Six Nations Championship: New captain Niamh Briggs led by example with a woman of the match performance as Ireland got their Six Nations campaign off to a winning start.

Italy Women 5 Ireland Women 30

Niamh Briggs will captain the Irish women’s rugby team in the upcoming Six Nations tournament.

Andrew Trimble has been named The Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year at the annual Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Awards.

WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP:

The Ireland Women ended their World Cup journey with a best ever finish of fourth place after falling to France in a bruising 3rd/4th place play-off tie in Paris.

The French rugby union’s HQ in Marcoussis is a quiet enough sort of spot at the best of times, but it must be positively eerie today as so many of its current residents come to terms with the events of Wednesday evening.

Ireland's first ever Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final appearance turned into a nightmare outing as dominant England hit them with 40 unanswered points in Paris.

Niamh Briggs, currently in France preparing for tonight’s World Cup semi-final, has been shortlisted for the IRB Women’s Player of the Year award.

Full-back Niamh Briggs has applauded the Irish support in France and at home, and hopes Ireland’s Rugby World Cup adventure continues to gain momentum.

New Zealand 14 Ireland 17