Several thousand people gathered today outside Livorno's Armando Picchi stadium to pay tribute to Piermario Morosini, the Livorno midfielder who died yesterday after collapsing on the pitch during his team's Serie B game at Pescara.

IRELAND U20’s head coach Mike Ruddock saluted an improved defensive display as his side secured their first win in this year’s IRB Junior World Championship with a 30-13 defeat of Scotland in Rovigo onSaturday night.

IRELAND U20s captain Niall Annett insists victory over South Africa tonight (7.10pm Irish time) will erase the pain of their agonising 33-25 defeat to England in their IRB Junior World Championship opener on Friday.

MUCH like love and marriage, Italian football and match-fixing seem to go together like a horse and carriage.

Diarmuid O’Flynn pays tribute to Declan O’Connell, the original Munster rugby fan

LAST night’s New Year’s Eve bash at the Anthony Horgan household was due to double as a leaving do.

Quade Cooper scored a try on his international debut to spare Australia‘s blushes against a battling Italy side on Saturday.

Coach Michael Cheika will give a Leinster debut to Isa Nacewa against Padova in the province's opening pre-season game of the season on Wednesday evening in Italy (KO: 7pm Irish time).

COACH Declan Kidney was bursting with pride at the manner in which his team came through to qualify from arguably the toughest pool in the history of the Heineken Cup.

THE Leinster squad to face Edinburgh in the opening game of the Magners League season in the RDS on Saturday (5.30pm) has been named.

Leo Cullen will lead Leinster into action against Padova in UCD tomorrow (KO: 1pm) in the final warm-up game before the start of the Magners League.

Fly-half Andrea Scanavacca was the most notable absentee from a 40-man squad named by Italy coach Pierre Berbizier today for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

Los Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas insists he would "drive him to the airport" if it makes it easier for David Beckham to play for England.

Italy 25 Ireland 36

Leinster secured a 40-21 victory over Benetton Treviso in last night's friendly in Donnybrook.

Michael Cheika has included the likes of Felipe Contepomi, Denis Hickie and Keith Gleeson in the Leinster squad to play Petrarca Padova in Friday's Challenge match in Donnybrook.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL has revealed that a chat with Ireland football captain Roy Keane was the perfect send-off for the Lions tour to New Zealand.

The Argentinian national team have lost three key players for the May 23 duel against the Lions in Cardiff.

The Argentinian national team have lost three key players for the May 23 duel against the Lions in Cardiff.

ENGLAND boss Andy Robinson wants to recreate a “fortress Twickenham” factor - starting with today’s RBS 6 Nations clash against fellow wooden spoon candidates Italy.

Italy coach John Kirwan has made one change to his 25-man squad for their final two RBS 6 Nations games against England and France.

ITALY coach John Kirwan has warned his side they must eradicate the errors that blighted their loss to Wales or risk suffering a third successive RBS Six Nations defeat when they face Scotland on Saturday.

FRANCE’S second-half revival to beat England on Sunday has not stopped coach Bernard Laporte making several changes.

THE Six Nations Championship title may out of reach but Ireland did enough to suggest they will win another Triple Crown in 2004 after putting Italy to the sword.

Italy winger Nicola Mazzucato insists his side will “fight like warriors” against Ireland and look to build on their momentous victory over Scotland a fortnight ago.

Italian centre Manuel Dallan is not fully fit and will only be on the bench for tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against France in Paris.

Italy coach John Kirwan has pulled back from his threat to field an entire second 15 in Saturday’s Pool D clash with New Zealand in Melbourne.

Ireland 61 Italy 6

Cookstown’s Andy Barbour is set to play in his first major competition after being selected in Ireland men’s squad for the European Nations Cup in September - just five months after making his international debut.

Italy have named their team to play Scotland in RBS 6 Nations on Saturday at Murrayfield.

Charlie Hodgson and Lewis Moody have been ruled out of England’s Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship showdown with France in Paris on Saturday.

Diego Dominguez has been named in Italy's team to play Ireland in the Six Nations opener in Rome on Saturday.