A legal dispute which has "serious implications" for preparations by the Pacific Island nation of Tonga for this year's Rugby World Cup has come before the High Court.

Two football fixtures over the week-end made me experience the “Wow where did that come from”. Dublin and Kerry both destroyed their opposition on their way to trying to win this year’s All-Ireland Football Championships.

So here’s a thing: There are three counties left in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship and three counties from the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship are still in contention to win the All-Ireland.

New Zealand head coach Steve Hansen has described the decision to charge a man who worked for the All Blacks as a security consultant with public mischief as "unbelievable".

At the last official count two years ago, England had 2,057,797 rugby players, almost 50 percent more than the rest of Europe combined.

The Jonah Lomu Legacy Trust in partnership with Dove Men+Care have released a truly powerful video tribute to the late and very great Jonah Lomu.

Irish wing Alan McMahon, hopes today’s big World Cup qualifying game against Russia at the Carlisle Grounds in Bray (5pm), will provide him with further opportunity to develop his new-found career in Rugby League.

Rugby Challenge 3 will be released on April 22nd and while there hasn’t been much promotion for it to date, a gameplay trailer has just been released.

The death occurred in his native Limerick yesterday of Paddy Reid, one of the country’s most celebrated rugby players.

Forget the debacle that was England’s World Cup campaign, Ireland believe that in landing Andy Farrell as their new defence coach, they have staged a coup in hiring a British & Irish Lions series winner.

Brendan O’Brien looks at what was learned from the weekend’s action at the Rugby World Cup...

London Irish intends making more of its roots in tandem with the responsibility of a Premiership club to generate young English talent.

Former All Blacks rugby star Jerry Collins and his wife Alana Madill have died after their car was hit by a bus on a road outside the southern French town of Beziers.

George North has hailed Wales’ “brilliant” medical staff as he prepares for a world record-breaking Test match return three weeks after dominating images that shocked the sport.

France v Wales

GAA players are professional in everything but name and professional everywhere but pocket, suggests John Fogarty.

Four years after leaving his position as Leinster head coach, it appears Michael Cheika is still having a big impact on the province.

Munster coach Colm McMahon is confident South Africans CJ Stander and Gerhard Van Den Heever will play key roles when they take on powerful opposition in the inaugural Limerick World Club 7s at Thomond Park on August 9-10.

England 42 Ireland 15

Progress has been made “on a number of issues” in the ongoing tussle surrounding European club competitions, independent mediators Graeme Mew and Stephen Drymer said on Thursday.

It was with disgust I read the Irish Examiner (Mar 4) about Ronan O’Gara getting the boot by Declan Kidney.

Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill has announced he will step aside when his current contract expires in two years’ time.

WHAT A wonderful weekend for sport. First, Ireland trounced the Tri-Nations champions in rugby.

All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter has signed a four-year contract to stay in New Zealand.

YOU can see the question coming a mile away …what makes Declan Kidney such a successful rugby coach?

PROFESSOR Tony Collins laughs when you ask about the reaction to his new book: “I’ve gotten a good response from people who aren’t English,” he says.

IS it not rather inept that not a single reporter in RTÉ can pronounce the name of that stricken city Port au Prince? Surely the hint is in the middle preposition “au” that we are “en Francais”.

Australian international rugby star Quade Cooper has been charged with one count of burglary by Queensland Police, according to reports.

HARLEQUINS full back, Tom Williams, has been slapped with a 12-month suspension after faking a blood injury during his side’s Heineken Cup quarter final against Leinster in April.

British and Irish Lions lock Nathan Hines faces a disciplinary hearing tomorrow after being cited for alleged foul play.

FORMER South Africa coach Carel du Plessis does not believe the country’s current injury woes in key positions is a problem ahead of the British and Irish Lions series that begins next month.

Australia rugby union chief executive John O’Neill is confident the Wallabies can clean sweep the home nations after announcing they are close to agreeing the return of the ’grand slam’ tour following a 25-year absence.

TOM COURT and John Hayes may come from opposite ends of the globe but already they’ve a great deal in common.

England will play Argentina at Old Trafford later this year – their first Test match in Manchester since 1997.

South Africa’s rugby world champions will be allowed to continue to use the Springbok emblem for the foreseeable future despite claims it is divisive.

AUSTRALIA and New Zealand would consider scrapping future European tours if northern hemisphere unions continue to send under-strength teams Down Under for June Test matches.

AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union boss John O’Neill has lent cautious support to a proposed one-off match between the Tri-Nations and Six Nations champions.

Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill has lent cautious support to a proposed one-off match between the Tri-Nations and Six Nations champions.

Munster forwards coach Jim Williams has joined the Australia coaching set-up under new head coach Robbie Deans.

There is a suspicion that Munster's Red Army have been responsible of the purchase of many of the 35,000 tickets sold for the 13th Heineken Cup final being played at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, May 24.

AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union chairman Peter McGrath believes Robbie Deans is the right man to lead the Wallabies into a bright new future.