All week now, the Ireland coaches and players have been running around their team base in Kildare with the metaphorical fire extinguishers, dousing any talk of Triple Crowns or, heaven forbid, a Grand Slam.

It’s s strange one.

A raft of Munster men will get their first taste of senior international hockey when Ireland A take on England A next weekend in Dublin.

Graham Shaw has been appointed the Irish U18 boys coach as he aims to impart some of the top-level knowledge garnered in more than 150 international caps.

Danny Barnes returns to the Munster side for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Cardiff Blues at the Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow night (7.05pm).

MICHAEL BRADLEY wants to make Edinburgh consistent performers next season after being unveiled as head coach at Murrayfield.

Second-row Richie Gray was absent from Scotland’s eve-of-match training session at Murrayfield today amid fears he may miss tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales through illness.

IT seems a lifetime ago since Tom Court was a loner on the athletic fields of Queensland making his name as a champion shot-putter and chasing a place on the Australian Olympic team.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll believes his side has the ability to beat Australia at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night but realises history will be against them as they chase their first win of the tour.

JERRY FLANNERY might be somewhat short of game time, but he has no worries about his ability to stand up to Italy when Ireland open their defence of the RBS Six Nations title at Croke Park today (2.30pm).

The Ireland Wolfhounds, formerly known as Ireland A, will make their debut in Ravenhill on Friday night when they take on Scotland 'A’.

DANNY Cipriani has withdrawn from the England Saxons squad ahead of Sunday’s game against Ireland A after suffering a family bereavement.

Marcus Horan and Rory Best are included in an all-Test front row for Ireland A’s clash with England Saxons in Bath on Sunday.

Declan Kidney has included Marcus Horan and Rory Best in the Ireland A squad that will take on England Saxons in Bath this weekend.

THE bookies have installed Ireland rugby coach Declan Kidney as firm favourite to grab yet another prestigious accolade – this time in his home town.

MUNSTER A will set down in another temporary home at Nenagh tonight (7.30pm) for the second of their British and Irish Cup assignments against top English side Bristol.

LUKE FITZGERALD will miss Ireland’s Six Nations Grand Slam defence after sustaining a serious knee injury in Sunday’s autumn international draw with Australia.

Tonga A, ranked 15 in the world, will offer Ireland A a strong physical challenge at Ravenhill tonight.

IRELAND A skipper Shane Horgan believes tonight’s game at Ravenhill, Belfast (7pm) against Tonga provides the opportunity for players to ask some questions of the senior coaches.

The two Ireland squads for next weekend's internationals against Tonga and Australia have been named today.

IF John Fogarty manages to win his first international cap against Australia next week, he will raise a glass to toast his two brothers, Damian and Denis.

THE Tallaght Stadium in Dublin will host its first rugby game when Argentina’s Jaguars take on Ireland A on November 27 on the eve of Ireland’s clash with world champions South Africa at Croke Park.

Former UCD out-half Eoghan Hickey has signed a one year contract that will see him move from London Irish to London Wasps as back-up to Danny Cipriani and Dave Walder.

IRISH senior women’s vice-captain Ciara O’Brien has announced her retirement from the international game, having amassed 156 caps over nine years.

ANY concerns about the FAI’s ability to fulfil their financial commitments to the Aviva Stadium were allayed at the IRFU’s annual council meeting last evening.

There are seven changes to the Ireland A team that will play England Saxons this Sunday in the final of the Churchill Cup (kick off: 9.30pm Irish time) from the side that won last time out in the tournament against Georgia.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney will look for his players to improve against Georgia on Sunday from their win over Canada in order to qualify for the Churchill Cup final, where the England Saxons will be waiting.

Ulster's Isaac Boss will lead Ireland A team into their opening game of the Churchill Cup against Canada in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN may be looking forward to his reunion with the Ireland team this weekend, but you can be sure he won’t be spending too much time looking back on it once his first Test match in charge of the USA is over.

FORMER Ireland hooker Frankie Sheahan is to undergo a scan to discover the severity of a chest injury which threatens his move from Munster to Brive.

Connacht's John Muldoon will lead the Ireland a squad into the Churchill Cup in June.

Ireland A 35 Scotland A 10

POSSIBLY the lowest moment in Ireland A history came at McDiarmuid Park, Perth, last season when their Scottish counterparts scored 10 tries in a 67-7 demolition of the visitors.

Scotland A coach Andy Robinson has named six Glasgow Warriors and five Edinburgh players in his side to face Ireland A at the RDS on Friday night (7.30pm).

The Ireland A team to play Scotland A this Friday night in the RDS shows two changes to the squad that was due to play England Saxons in the recently cancelled game.

DANNY CIPRIANI is one of six capped players named in the England Saxons side to face Ireland A at Donnybrook. The Wasps fly-half was sent down to the Saxons by Martin Johnson earlier this week in the hope of him rediscovering some of his form, away from the pressures of the 6 Nations.

Andy Goode will make his first England appearance in over two years in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy after being handed a surprise recall.

England team manager Martin Johnson has insisted Danny Cipriani is still part of his plans for this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship.

IRELAND senior women’s hockey coach Gene Muller is hoping his players will give him plenty of food for thought in this weekend’s three-game series against Canada at Belfield.

For all Brian O’Driscoll’s outrageous natural talent, Mike Ruddock insists it is his strong work ethic that has swept him to the brink of a special milestone.

THEY play for clubs with names like Castaway Wanderers, Velox Valhallians, University of Victoria Vikings and Bayside Sharks. Their season is a stop-start affair because of the vast size of the country and its contrasting climates while their coach is still getting to know some of his squad.

Heineken Cup winners Denis Hurley and Tomas O’Leary have been named in the Ireland A team for Wednesday’s Churchill Cup clash with the United States.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll has hailed Munster’s latest Heineken Cup triumph – and admitted he is “very envious” of their achievements.

London Irish captain Bob Casey has been named captain of the Ireland A team for the upcoming Churchill Cup to take place in Canada and the USA in June.