In my early weeks in Christchurch I picked up some helpful pointers from the Crusaders’ head coach Scott Robertson, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Racing 92 owner and president Jacky Lorenzetti tried four times to persuade Ronan O’Gara to pass on a move to Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders, without success, the Munster and Ireland legend revealed last night.

Islamic State sees the whole of Europe, including Ireland, as the “home of the Jews and the Crusaders” and one “vast battleground” for its terrorists, a leading expert has warned.

New Zealanders have been fretting just a little about this emotional Carter and McCaw farewell storyline. Is this World Cup one tour too many for the pair of them? Ian Chadband finds out

Those looking for clues as to how Kieran Read went from being a promising but skinny kid to one of the best rugby players in the world should start at his modest secondary school at Papakura, a working class suburb south of Auckland.

Setanta Cup holders Crusaders visit Turner’s Cross tonight to take on Cork City in the quarter-final first leg of this year’s competition (kick off 7.45pm).

Crusaders 2 Derry City 2, AET: Crusaders won 5-4 on pens

At a time of year when things should be slowing down, last week proved one of the busiest for those charged with the responsibility of running the game in Munster.

If the reaction of Canterbury supporters back in his native province is anything to go by, Munster’s appointment of Rob Penney as their new head coach is right on the money.

A Colin Coates penalty in extra-time booked Crusaders’ place in the final of the Setanta Sports Cup.

THE Crusaders will play another Super rugby season away from home next year after Christchurch City Council (CCC) said that a stand at the team’s Lancaster Park stadium needed to be demolished because of earthquake damage.

Fulham 4 Crusaders 0 (Fulham win 7-1 on aggregate)

DAN CARTER is the best fly-half in the world, but the New Zealand superstar admits even he would struggle to choose between Ronan O’Gara and Jonathan Sexton when it comes to who should wear the number 10 jersey for Ireland.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has admitted he has no idea what his own future holds beyond this season.

Australia coach Robbie Deans will place an emphasis on scrummaging this week as his side look to avoid a repeat of their front-row horror show against Wales when they face England on Saturday.

Australia coach Robbie Deans insists his men are taking nothing for granted as they prepare to meet injury-ravaged Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

New Zealand playmaker Dan Carter believes putting the All Black jersey back on will bring the best out of him ahead of the season-opening Test against Ireland on Saturday.

THE Canterbury Crusaders are turning to Gaelic football in an effort to reclaim their place at the summit of the Super 14 pile.

IF THE mind games in the build-up to the first Test are anything to go by, we’re in for one hell of a game tomorrow in Christchurch.

Eddie O’Sullivan insisted the performance of referee Jonathan Kaplan in today’s Super 12 final will not come under the scrutiny of the Lions management - though the form of the potential All Blacks will.

Arabic satellite channel al-Jazeera broadcast video footage of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahri, while an accompanying audio tape attributed to al-Zawahri called on Iraqi guerrillas to “bury” American troops in Iraq.

NEW ZEALAND’S dominance of the Super 12 series is showcased this weekend with three out of four Kiwi teams in a semi-final line-up being billed as a trial for All Blacks World Cup places.

JONAH LOMU and his Wellington Hurricanes team-mate Tana Umaga have been dropped from the New Zealand squad named yesterday for the opening Tri-Nations clash of the season against Australia.