‘Tis the season for Christmas jumpers, blue Santa hats, and Leinster at the Aviva.

Seven tries to one. A 27-point differential. This Pool 1 Heineken Champions Cup encounter turned into a rout but Leinster were just three points to the good when Jonathan Sexton went down in the tackle four minutes after half-time.

Pressure is mounting on gang members involved in planning and executing the abduction of businessman Kevin Lunney following the arrest of three people suspected of being on the fringes of the crime.

Police believe computers, phones and documentation seized from a “safe house” used by the suspected orchestrator of the abduction of Kevin Lunney could have “significant potential” in unearthing evidence.

Considering Arsenal were pleading poverty at the start of the window, the capture of a player who has been of interest to every big club on the planet was a huge statement of intent from the Emirates’ new-look recruitment team.

There are newish fans who may not fully get the testing faith that is Tottenham Hotspur. But already they recognise the importance of fearing the worst on a daily basis. We must continue to answer the call though, says Enda McEvoy. Audere Est Facere.

Peter Jackson gets over the gain line, behind the headline

Two planes were involved in a minor collision at the UK's East Midlands Airport during early morning fog.

It can be hard to swallow when you have Parkinson’s disease, writes Paula Gilmore.

Passengers travelling to and from Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff, London Southend and Southampton were among those affected.

It was a performance riddled with mistakes, so many of them elementary, but the side's reaction to adversity in the second-half, when coming from 13-0 down to claim the lead and hold out in the face of considerable pressure, was impressive.

Derby are in the hunt for their sixth manager in three years following Gary Rowett's departure to Stoke.

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following a deadly blast in Leicester, England.

Heavy snow has caused more misery for travellers overnight - with the wintry weather disruption set to continue during the morning rush hour in the UK.

Plunging temperatures and widespread ice are expected to cause more problems for road and air travellers in the UK today.

Stuart Lancaster has confirmed he has had no contact with Northampton Saints about their vacant director of rugby position and that he has no intention of calling time on his involvement with Leinster.

Peter O’Mahony has urged Munster supporters to forget last year’s 38-0 European drubbing of Leicester at Thomond Park and brace for impact when the Tigers return to Limerick on Saturday.

Shocking footage has been released showing a lorry driver in England checking his mobile phone while resting his right foot on the dashboard.

The national living wage in the UK helped cut the number of workers on low pay by more than 300,000 last year rather than being a "jobs-killing disaster" as some had warned, a new report reveals.

JJ Hanrahan is already revving in red on his return to Munster, writes Simon Lewis. What did he miss? “What you cannot replace. It’s what you’re representing. You can’t buy that anywhere else in the world.”

London house prices have recorded a year-on-year fall for the first time in eight years, according to an index.

Further complications have emerged at Ryanair as some staff at the East Midlands base in England have allegedly been told to take a six-week block of unpaid leave.

Disabled passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport are being forced to wait up to two hours for assistance disembarking aircraft, the aviation regulator said.

Officials at a mosque in England have answered the "hatred and division" of an English Defence League (EDL) rally by hosting a "best of British" tea party.

Fifty years ago sons of Glasgow marched on Lisbon, as Celtic became the first British team to win football’s European Cup. Now the city’s rugby Warriors are striving for their own European conquest — at the home of seemingly invincible Saracens.