New Zealand winger Hosea Gear is not taking a place in the All Blacks World Cup squad for granted, despite scoring five tries in four games on their Grand Slam tour of the Home Unions.

IRELAND can at least put one annoying statistic to bed this afternoon by ending a run of four Test-match defeats with victory over Samoa at the Aviva Stadium (2.30pm). More pertinent will be the manner in which they achieve that objective.

WHEN the dignitaries have been met, the anthems sung, and the whistle blows on Saturday, the start of the opening Test match to be played at the Aviva Stadium will be as predictable to Tommy Bowe as the ceremonials that preceded.

IT IS somewhat unfortunate that the ongoing saga about the IRFU ticketing policy has overshadowed the return of international rugby to its traditional home in Lansdowne Road.

England face an anxious wait to discover the extent of injuries to key duo Adrian Morley and Sam Tomkins which threaten to thrown their Four Nations plans into chaos.

Canterbury fly-half Colin Slade has won the battle to be Aaron Cruden’s back-up for New Zealand’s final Tri Nations match against Australia in Sydney on September 11.

THE future of Connacht rugby will remain under the microscope until the findings of an independent review are made known in early autumn, the Irish Rugby Football Union AGM has revealed.

Robbie Deans has made two injury-enforced changes to his Australia side ahead of Saturday's one-off Test against Ireland in Brisbane.

NINETY SEVEN days and 320 minutes of international rugby have passed since Declan Kidney last tasted a victory as Ireland coach.

Long-serving full-back Geordan Murphy will captain Ireland against New Zealand Maori in the centenary fixture at Rotorua International Stadium on Friday evening.

Jamie Heaslip’s five-week ban capped off a sorry weekend in New Plymouth for the Ireland rugby team.

Ireland U20 captain Rhys Ruddock has been called up to join the Ireland touring squad in New Zealand.

Jamie Heaslip’s Australasian tour is over after he was handed a five-week ban for striking with the knee.

England wing Mark Cueto has been cited for an alleged dangerous tackle on Australia centre Berrick Barnes five minutes into today’s 27-17 defeat in Perth.

Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip has been cited for striking during the heavy 66-28 loss to New Zealand and will face a hearing in New Plymouth tomorrow.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney admitted his side had suffered a “horror show” as they slipped to a 66-28 defeat against New Zealand in New Plymouth.

In 15 months’ time, Ireland will kick-off their World Cup campaign against the United States at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth – the venue of Saturday’s Test against New Zealand.

Ireland scrum-half Tomás O’Leary admits southern hemisphere heavyweights New Zealand, South Africa and Australia are still leading the way in international rugby – but insists the European sides are starting to close the gap.

FOR a banged-up, beaten-down bunch supposed to be staring down a third defeat on the bounce, the mood in the Ireland camp yesterday was, like the winter sun that shone through Auckland: surprising.

Ireland management says the decision not to spend the entire build-up to Saturday’s Test against New Zealand in New Plymouth was primarily based on player welfare.

A decision on whether Jerry Flannery and Shane Horgan will join the Ireland squad in New Zealand is expected to be made tomorrow.

The Ireland team to play the Barbarians this Friday night in Thomond Park for the Mastercard Trophy contains four uncapped players.

THE New Zealand Maori squad has been named for next month’s Centenary series — which includes a clash with Ireland — with former All Blacks Corey Flynn, Hosea Gear, Tanerau Latimer, Luke McAlister, Liam Messam and Isaac Ross all named.

Agreement has been reached in a pay dispute that threatened to undermine England’s tour of Australia and New Zealand next month.

MARTIN JOHNSON last night revealed his coaching team would remain intact for the summer tour to Australia after branding England’s critics “ill-informed”.

TWO former Irish rugby stars believe there will be no serious fall-out from Saturday’s Croke Park loss to Scotland.

IT was typical of the man.

IRELAND’S second game of the forthcoming Summer tour down under will be against New Zealand Maori on Friday June 18. The game will help mark the Centenary of New Zealand Maori.

England have confirmed a 2010 autumn Test schedule that will include Twickenham clashes against all three Tri-Nations teams.

MUNSTER’S Doug Howlett, Jean de Villiers and Paul Warwick will add a local flavour to the Barbarians squad which returns to Ireland on June 4 for the first time in nine years.

FOUR years have whizzed by since Jono Gibbes enjoyed his moment of glory against the British and Irish Lions. The Leinster forwards coach was captain of the New Zealand Maori for the third game of that ill-fated tour and, with nine All Blacks in the first XV and three more on the bench, it was billed as an unofficial fourth test.

RIKI FLUTEY has faced three of the best centres in world rugby over the past two months for England but has his sights set on gunning down another in Brian O’Driscoll.

Captain Nathan Cayless, Lance Hohaia and Manu Vatuvei have all been cleared of injuries to line up for New Zealand in Sunday’s World Cup encounter with Australia in Sydney.

Leinster have confirmed the appointment of Jonno Gibbes as their new forwards coach.

Daniel Braid has been called into the New Zealand squad ahead of Saturday's Bledisloe Cup showdown with Australia.

MUNSTER have signed another New Zealander, ex Maori representative Jake Paringatai, on a short term contract as cover for the injured John O’Sullivan.

Waikato and Chiefs flanker Marty Holah has confirmed he will join Magners League side Ospreys in October.

NEW ZEALAND Maori captain Rua Tipoki teams up with Munster today, and is all set to get medical and work-permit clearance.

MUNSTER are closing on New Zealand Maori captain Rua Tipoki — despite the inside centre’s disciplinary problems.

Ireland A coach Michael Bradley has made three changes for Saturday’s clash with Scotland A in the plate final of the Barclays Churchill Cup.

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has warned England A they must be ruthless if they are to have any hope of toppling the New Zealand Maori in Saturday’s Churchill Cup final.

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has upped the ante ahead of tonight’s Churchill Cup clash with New Zealand Maori (8pm, Sky Sports 1) by revealing a number of his players are in the mix for World Cup selection.

Ireland A coach Michael Bradley has upped the ante ahead of tomorrow’s Churchill Cup clash with New Zealand Maori by revealing a number of his players are in the mix for World Cup selection.

Defending champions New Zealand Maori have named four debutants in the side to face Canada in tomorrow’s Barclays Churchill Cup clash in Northampton.