Applause rang out across the stadium when, just after the hour-mark of Czech Republic’s Euro 2012 qualifying defeat to Spain last October, coach Michal Bilek decided to make a change.

Ireland’s hopes of a swift resolution to finding a new date for the postponed RBS 6 Nations clash in Paris were stymied last night by a club versus country conflict in France.

BRIVE’S Irish lock Damien Browne has admitted he’ll be glad to see the back of “the most difficult year of my professional career” after he lifted the lid on the turmoil endured off the field by Munster’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final opponents.

FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont said he was at a “dead end” following Saturday’s shock defeat by Italy in the Six Nations.

WITH four Top 14 sides in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, this is shaping up to be the ‘Year of the French’ and it’s a surge sourced by economics off the pitch as much as élan or elbow grease on it.

THE France-based Chelsea scout at the centre of the Gael Kakuta affair has broken his silence on the controversy and insisted French clubs are willing participants in the transfer of their best talents abroad.

LONDON IRISH boss Brian Smith vowed his men will fight fire with fire in today’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against fierce and physical rivals Perpignan.

GEORGIA captain Ilia Zedginidze is convinced the ‘Lelos’ have the potential to challenge established rugby nations over the next two decades.

Georgia captain Ilia Zedginidze is convinced the ’Lelos’ have the potential to challenge established rugby nations over the next two decades.

CLUB secretary Bryce Morrison admits Liverpool are heading into unknown territory after the Reds were paired with Toulouse in the Champions League third qualifying round.

RUGBY is heading to the law courts for the second time in less than a year with the England RFU and Premier Rugby refusing to concede any ground in their dispute over the Heineken Cup.

HE had another fine day with the boot — six successful kicks from seven for a total haul of 15 points — yet Ronan O’Gara wasn’t exactly jumping out of his skin with excitement: “It was looking hairy there for a while,” he admitted, “But we managed to regroup. The scores we gave away were disappointing; it was nothing they did, really, it was down to our errors.

France coach Bernard Laporte is expecting a tough encounter in their 2007 World Cup opener against Argentina.

THERE’S hardly a rugby fan who hasn’t been blown away by the on field exploits of the legendary Serge Blanco.

Arsenal winger Fredrik Ljungberg insisted he has no intention of leaving Highbury this summer – even if Patrick Vieira departs for Real Madrid.

David Beckham is being blamed by some for Real Madrid’s Champions League exit - even though he never played in the 3-1 defeat by Monaco that sealed the fate of the Spanish champions.

Auxerre 0, Liverpool 1