MIKE MILLER is stepping down as International Rugby Board chief executive.

The New Year has brought a bonus for Ulster Rugby supporters with the news that scrum-halves Ruan Pienaar and Paul Marshall have each signed new two-year contracts, keeping them at the club until June 2014.

Thomas Waldrom has joined England’s Rugby World Cup squad as the official replacement for injured prop Andrew Sheridan, manager Martin Johnson has announced.

Both sides will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks before Ireland’s opening World Cup bout with the US Eagles at Yarrow Stadium on Sunday.

Ross Rennie is focusing on performing well in his first Scotland start this weekend, rather than the prize of a place in the Rugby World Cup squad.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) insist that World Cup hosts New Zealand are happy for England to wear an all-black ’away’ kit during this autumn’s tournament.

THOSE who like to champion young players will be pleased at the elevation of both Felix Jones and Conor Murray into the Irish squad to begin preparations later this month for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The Ireland squad that will take part in the first preseason camp in preparation for the Rugby World Cup in September has been named today.

Leicester’s New Zealand-born number eight Thomas Waldrom is targeting a place in England’s Rugby World Cup squad after discovering his grandmother was born in this country.

Scotland and Edinburgh fly-half Phil Godman has been ruled out of rugby for at least six months after suffering a serious knee injury in training, the Scottish Rugby Union announced today.

MUNSTER rugby star and former international Alan Quinlan was yesterday named as the 2010 Tipperary Person of the Year.

Gavin Henson has been ruled out of the World Cup after failing to make the Wales squad for Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden has added the 13 times-capped wing Simon Danielli to the Scots' Rugby World Cup training squad.

England will qualify automatically for the 2011 World Cup – even if they finish third in their pool at this year’s tournament.

Tyrone Howe did not blink a weary eyebrow after he made the exhausting trip from Belfast to Dublin - London - Frankfurt - Singapore and finally to Melbourne and answered an SOS call to join Ireland’s Rugby World Cup squad today.

CLIVE WOODWARD last night urged rugby chiefs to hand England's £10,000 World Cup fine to cash-strapped Samoa.

Ulster scrum-half Neil Doak was the only uncapped player named in Ireland’s 2003 Rugby World Cup squad when it was announced this morning at Lansdowne Road.

England today issued a warning that international rugby could run out of money within five years.

The Australian Rugby Union have hit back at damaging accusations from New Zealand by denying they ever wanted to host the World Cup alone.

John O’Neill, managing director of the Australian Rugby Union, has denied the Wallabies deliberately made things hard for New Zealand so they could grab exclusive rights to the World Cup next year.