Carl Hoeft, a key member of the Maori All Black management team preparing for Friday’s sold-out clash with Munster at Thomond Park, is under no illusions about the challenge awaiting his side.

"It was a benchmark in underage rugby, you had to play well in the U20 interpros to play for Ireland. All its doing now is helping the pro game instead of the U20 game."

Ulster have confirmed that Ireland’s talented utility back Stuart Olding will be out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

Jamie Heaslip will quickly put his Ireland responsibilities on the back burner and concentrate on getting his Leinster campaign up and running this weekend.

Canada 14 Ireland 40

Rob Kearney has thanked the British and Irish Lions coaching staff for sticking with him during his fightback from injury.

Ireland coach Les Kiss has made seven changes to his team to face Canada with Munster’s James Downey making his debut at 32.

Simon Zebo watched his new British & Irish Lions team-mates in action for the first time yesterday, with head coach Warren Gatland suggesting the Corkman could pull on a red jersey as early as Saturday.

Saturday morning in Houston, Texas and it’s already too hot for rugby or anything really.

Ireland’s preparations for Saturday’s meeting with Canada have been hit by a stomach bug which has struck down a small number of the squad.

Robbie Henshaw found the step up to Test level a real challenge, but Ireland’s newest international relished his first cap against the US Eagles and is now hoping his side can build on their narrow victory when they face Canada next weekend.

USA 12 Ireland 15

When Simon Zebo hopped into an ice bath with his phone in his pocket on Friday, the young Irish rugby star wasn’t to know that the Lions would be trying to get through to him within 24 hours.

Ireland star Tommy Bowe underwent surgery in Brisbane on Sunday - but the British and Irish Lions have not ruled him out of their future tour plans Down Under.

United States 12 Ireland 15

Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony paid tribute to five new faces after the boot of Ian Madigan saw them seal a 15-12 win over the US Eagles in Houston.

Ireland back Simon Zebo has been called up to the British and Irish Lions squad as a replacement for the injured Tommy Bowe after playing against the US Eagles in Houston last night.

Munster openside Tommy O’Donnell admits it has taken some time to absorb the fact he is set to make his international debut for Ireland when they face the US Eagles tonight.

RUGBY INTERNATIONAL:

RUGBY INTERNATIONAL:

The Texan heat has been occupying the mind of IRFU strength and conditioning man Jason Cowman, but it has been a welcome relief to the series of injuries that beset the squad in his first Six Nations in the role.

After a Six Nations riddled with injuries, Ireland interim coach Les Kiss expects to have the luxury of a full deck to choose from when he sits down to pick his team to face the USA after they came through training in 30C heat in Houston yesterday.

Jamie Hagan pauses for more than five seconds, considering his answer to the question: ‘Was Michael Bent’s arrival a kick in the teeth?’

On the same day two Southern Hemisphere products turned to Ireland for international rugby exposure, an East Cork 22-year-old was belting out the Star Spangled Banner to mark his debut for the US Eagles after slipping through the net at home.

Cork native Dave Ryan has revealed how he turned down the chance to play for the United States during the summer so that he could pursue a professional career with Zebre in Italy.

Lansdowne 48 Shannon 7

Munster and Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery has announced that he will retire from professional rugby with immediate effect.

Italy coach Nick Mallett was in bullish form today ahead of his side’s World Cup clash with Ireland in Dunedin next Sunday.

Mike Ross believes the Australian scrum, once an area of severe weakness in the Wallabies pack, will provide a stern test for his fellow forwards in Saturday’s test at Eden Park in Auckland.

US Eagles coach Eddie O’Sullivan has said he was proud of his teams’ efforts despite going down 22-10 to an out-of-sorts Ireland at Stadium Taranaki in their Pool C World Cup game this morning.

Paul O’Connell has dismissed suggestions that the Ireland side will be under extra scrutiny for their "choke tackle" tactics which they have employed in recent times.

Ireland reported no injury concerns from their captain’s run at Yarrow Stadium today.

Ireland skipper Brian O’Driscoll believes Conor Murray will be able to make the step up on his first international start against the US Eagles at Yarrow Stadium in Taranaki on Sunday.

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.

Eddie O’Sullivan, the former Irish rugby coach and now US Eagles coach, was fond of the phrase ‘ducks in a row’. Kilkenny had their ducks in a row as they ‘loaded up’ before this final.

SO round-the-world ticket sales are slow in the recession.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S US Eagles suffered a setback in their build-up towards next month’s Rugby World Cup after losing 28-22 to neighbours Canada in Toronto on Saturday.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN has warned Ireland his US Eagles will “throw the kitchen sink” at them when his current and former charges meet in the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

RTÉ Sport has secured free-to-air broadcasting rights for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, it was announced today.

MUNSTER received a major boost last night with confirmation that Tomás O’Leary could be available for Friday night’s Magners League clash with Newport Gwent Dragons.

FORMER Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan still harbours a strong ambition to coach the British & Irish Lions and believes he will be in the perfect position to carry out the role in 2013.

‘I’ve never enjoyed the media spotlight,’ former Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan insists. The US rugby coach spoke to John Riordan in New York.