The world of rugby and beyond yesterday has paid tribute to All Black legend Jonah Lomu, who passed away suddenly at the age of 40.

When New Zealand and South Africa clash, all bets are off.

All of the focus may be on the Six Nations and World Cup next year but Ireland are also looking beyond that, with a three-match summer tour to South Africa confirmed for 2016.

It’s doubtful in their professional careers if any of the Ulster or Saracens players have had to shovel dog pooh off pitches before training, but that was exactly Francois Pienaar’s experience when he first joined the English side.

He emerged into bright winter sunshine, stepped onto the lush field, and pulled on a cap.

Unless you were asleep over the weekend, you will have already seen Simon Zebo's outstanding piece of skill in Ireland's second try against Wales on Saturday.

Former Australia and Saracens fly-half Michael Lynagh has been released from hospital, two weeks after suffering a stroke.

THIS defeat feels every bit asbad as Wellington even if the consequences are not quite as drastic.

Mike Tindall insisted England’s World Cup party days are over as they gear up for the business end of the tournament – starting with next Saturday’s showdown with Scotland.

MARTIN JOHNSON insists England’s preparations for tomorrow’s clash with Romania will not be thrown off course by the arrival in Dunedin of Zara Phillips.

South Africa 87 Namibia 0

HT: South Africa 31 Namibia 0

In a month or so where dropped passes will be called disasters, missed kicks labelled catastrophes and defeats likened to tragedies, the stories of Joost Van der Westhuizen and former Springbok team-mates puts things in perspective, explains Ciaran Cronin.

Matt Damon took six months to learn a South African accent.

Matt Damon isn’t bothered about turning 40.

Matt Damon was worried about playing a rugby player in new film 'Invictus'.

THE Scottish Rugby Union have confirmed Euan Murray will sit out Scotland’s opening RBS 6 Nations match because of his religious views.

MUNSTER’S status as one of Europe’s leading attractions for the world’s best players was confirmed yesterday when Springbok centre, Jean de Villiers, agreed terms to join the two-time Heineken Cup champions.

South Africa 9 British and Irish Lions 28

SOUTH AFRICAN rugby bosses have moved to defuse a potentially explosive row over the Springboks’ behaviour during the national anthem before Saturday’s test win over the British and Irish Lions.

AT lunchtime today, if the weekend reports are correct, Paul O’Connell of Young Munster, Munster and Ireland will be named captain of the British and Irish Lions to tour South Africa this summer.

Former Great Britain scrum-half Bobbie Goulding was today appointed as national coach of France.

IT WAS quite a coup for Declan Kidney during his summer recruitment drive to land the services of 2007 World Cup-winning forwards coach and former Springbok, Gert Smal.

Former Wigan forward Mick Cassidy, who played for England in the 1995 World Cup, will bridge a 13-year gap when he represents Ireland in this year’s Rugby League tournament in Australia.

Morgan Freeman is to play former South African leader Nelson Mandela in a new film about the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

South Africa have appointed their first black rugby union coach in naming Peter de Villiers as the man to succeed World Cup winner Jake White.

THE task of finding a new South Africa rugby coach shifted up a gear yesterday when the first two candidates for the vacant position were interviewed by the country’s rugby bosses.

Just like New Zealand great Jonah Lomu did in the 1995 World Cup, dazzling South Africa flyer Bryan Habana lit up the 2007 tournament from the left wing.

South Africa coach Jake White this morning named an unchanged starting XV for Saturday’s World Cup final against England.

IT’S NOT just the GAA that has a problem with losing players to Aussie Rules. Seems almost sacrilegious to say so, but in the land of the long white cloud, where rugby is king and Australia the eternal enemy, the ‘other’ oval ball game has also made an impact, to such an extent that Nick Evans, starting out-half for the All-Blacks against Portugal in Lyon today, came within a bounce of a ball (metaphorically speaking) of crossing the divide.

Pierre Berbizier will not extend his current contract as coach of Italy, according to the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR).

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has issued a scathing attack on France counterpart Bernard Laporte just days before the two meet in the opening match of the RBS 6 Nations Championship in Rome on Saturday.

LLANELLI pledged to slap a life ban on the fan who confronted All Black great Jonah Lomu at Stradey Park during Monday’s Celtic League clash against Welsh rivals Cardiff.

JONAH LOMU has been named in the Cardiff Blues starting lineup for Saturday’s Heineken European Cup clash against Calvisano.

ULSTER forwards Matt McCullough and Roger Wilson look set to make their international debuts when Ireland take on Japan in Osaka on Sunday (6am Irish time).

All Blacks great Jonah Lomu today confirmed he will make a long-awaited return to competitive rugby with New Zealand provincial side North Harbour.

Japan is planning to bid for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

IT was supposed to be his first official day in office but the evidence surrounding new Leinster coach Declan Kidney yesterday suggested that the Corkman had been beavering away long beforehand.

FORMER New Zealand wing Jonah Lomu has had a kidney transplant.

Ireland’s series defeat should not hide the fact they have had a brilliant, if gruelling, international season.

He knows very little about Sunday’s Heineken Cup Munster and cannot name one prop that really troubled him, but All Black legend Craig Dowd ia not an arrogant player, merely an honest one. Hugh Farrelly met the family man who is loving his rugby with the Wasps.

JONAH LOMU fears he faces life in a wheelchair if he does not get a kidney transplant.