Connacht fly-half Dan Parks has announced his retirement from rugby.

Ireland have named an unchanged starting XV for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy at the Aviva Stadium (KO 1.30pm).

As far as Rory Best is concerned, revenge is a dish best served at home.

Don Revie would have loved modern professional sport. It seems remarkable now, in these days of hi-tech performance analysis data, that the late Leeds United manager was derided in the 1960s and 70s for preparing his dossiers on opposition teams.

The biggest competition in international rugby has come and gone and left Ireland in 6th place in the IRB world rankings.