New Zealand star Dan Carter has announced he will join wealthy French club Racing Metro at the end of 2015 on a three-year contract.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has named the team for the first Test against Argentina in Resistencia on Saturday (kick-off 3.40pm local time/7.40pm Irish time).

He has kicked a Grand Slam-winning drop goal and piloted Munster to a pair of memorable Heineken Cup successes. He has been to World Cups and on three Lions tours to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Robbie Deans has been sacked as Australia head coach following the Wallabies’ Test series defeat to the British and Irish Lions, according to reports in the Australian press.

A rugby referee of 20 years says he is “astonished and disappointed” after being banned for 12 weeks for a comment he made on Twitter.

Scotland and Edinburgh prop Allan Jacobsen has retired from international rugby, the Scottish Rugby Union has announced.

The resources of Fijian rugby have, by necessity and design, been ravaged over the years by the loss of 80% of their highest quality players.

His name is Ruaidhri Murphy.

Ronan O’Gara will line up opposite Ruaridh Jackson as Ireland take on Scotland in the RBS 6 Nations at Murrayfield today.

The disappointment of defeat to Wales has lingered in the Scotland camp but captain Alastair Kellock is determined to right the wrongs in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland.

Head coach Andy Robinson has made seven changes to his starting XV for Sunday’s vital RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland at Murrayfield.

NICK EASTER will captain England in Saturday’s Investec Test against Samoa after manager Martin Johnson made four changes to the team that beat Australia.

MARTIN JOHNSON insisted the time has come for England to end seven years of hurt against New Zealand.

The Aviva Stadium will host a pre-World Cup fixture between Ireland and England on August 27, 2011, just two weeks before the start of the Rugby World Cup next year.

IF Martin Johnson needed any reassurance the anguish of developing a new England team can ultimately be worth it, he need only listen to Marc Lievremont.

ARGENTINA are set to join the Tri Nations in 2012 after International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset confirmed the body would provide a crucial funding package.

Argentina is set to join the Tri Nations in 2012 after International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset confirmed the body would provide a crucial funding package for the project.

DAVID HUMPHREYS says Ulster have secured a world-class forward in South African Johann Muller.

Bath lock Danny Grewcock has been suspended for seven weeks after being found guilty of stamping on Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris in last weekend’s Heineken Cup game, the ERC have announced.

THREE Irish referees are among the 13 officials who will oversee the 2010 RBS Six Nations next spring.

FRANKIE SHEAHAN yesterday described his time with Munster and Ireland as a “great adventure” after deciding to call time on a successful 14-year professional career.

LEINSTER’S Heineken Cup hero, Jonathan Sexton, is a notable absentee from the Ireland A side that faces Canada in the 2009 Churchill Cup at Denver, Colorado tomorrow (4.30pm local time, 11.30pm Irish time).

Eddie O’Sullivan has named a squad split between youth and experience for his first Test as USA Eagles head coach later this month.

WASPS and Ireland scrum half Eoin Reddan, pictured, hopes his move to Leinster will aid his international career.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN was last night appointed head coach of the US Eagles after 13 months away from full-time professional coaching.

Australia are set to play Italy in Melbourne during 2009 as part of the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series leading into the Tri-Nations.

Munster and Ireland forward Denis Leamy has set a target to be back playing from his shoulder reconstruction by early November.

THE IRFU yesterday insisted they’ve priced their corporate seats right at the new Lansdowne Road — even though their co-tenants, the FAI is seeking twice as much from potential buyers for their own premium packages.

England and Leicester Tigers flanker Lewis Moody said today he was “devastated” to be missing the rest of the season through injury.

THE 2008 RBS Six Nations Championship may be only two games old, but Brian O’Driscoll’s form has never come under so much scrutiny since the day he first broke onto the senior side on tour in Australia in 1999.

ALAN GAFFNEY is likely to return to Ireland as assistant to Leinster coach Michael Cheika — and not as backs coach with Ireland.

Sampling the sights, shopping and cuisine are some of the main factors Irish rugby fans have returned to Paris this weekend ahead of the final pool match to determine whether Eddie O'Sullivan's side will play any further part in the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

TUESDAY evening, my first day in Marseille following the All-Blacks for the 2007 rugby World Cup, and we’re notified that they will be training at Stade Jean Bouin the following morning at 9.30am, and that we may have ‘vision access for the first 20 minutes.’

France launched the 2007 Rugby World Cup tonight amid huge expectancy levels in coach Bernard Laporte’s final assignment before he takes up a French ministerial post.

Dominic Crotty looks for the positives from the defeat inflicted on Ireland in Murrayfield last Saturday.

Scotland head coach Frank Hadden believes his World Cup squad is the “most competitive” he could have selected.

England boss Brian Ashton has named his 30-man World Cup squad – with Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson the big-name casualties.

Shane Horgan has been included in Ireland’s World Cup squad and will be given until the Georgia match on September 15 to prove his fitness.

SETANTA Sports has unveiled plans to cover all 48 games live at the Rugby World Cup in France this autumn.

RTÉ’s traditional grip on key global sports events took another hit yesterday as Setanta Sports inked a contract extension with the International Rugby Board for live coverage of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Irish sports broadcaster Setanta Sports Ireland today secured a contract to show live coverage of all matches from the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cups.

IRISH people’s appetite for gossip and entertainment is set to reach new levels with TV3 devoting a new daily magazine programme to the celebrity life of leading Irish and international stars.