Rugby Australia and New South Wales have said their position regarding Israel Folau is "unchanged" following a meeting with the fullback.

The sports editor has an interesting habit of framing questions to me in the context of ‘marks out of 10’. So, when he texted me to ask ‘accuracy marks out of 10 for that L’Equipe story’, I gave it a three.

Ronan O'Gara has won the Super Rugby title with Crusaders in his first season as a coach with the New Zealanders.

Being back in Cork next week affords the pause and opportunity to pick the bones of a remarkable eight months here in Christchurch, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Michael Cheika made two changes to Australia’s starting side for the final game of the series with Ireland as he announced his Wallabies matchday squad on his old stomping ground at Randwick yesterday.

Kieran Marmion’s disallowed try right at the death marked a frustrating end to a frustrating day for Ireland in Brisbane.

The Crusaders got a week off after the Chiefs game up in Hamilton. Some of the squad went off to Fiji for R&R. I’m using the time for a bit of a recharge before heading to Brisbane today ahead of the first test.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt expects the full complement of 32 players to train tomorrow on Queensland’s Gold Coast as the Grand Slam winners begin preparations for Saturday’s opening Test against Australia.

ACT Brumbies back row Pete Samu is the standout absentee from Michael Cheika’s Wallabies squad — which features five uncapped players — to face Ireland in the forthcoming June Test series

Leicester Tigers head coach Matt O’Connor believes Leinster must show “defensive energy” if they are to defeat Racing 92 in tomorrow’s European Rugby Champions Cup final in Bilbao.

Israel Folau has addressed his views on homosexuality following the backlash to his divisive social media comments, while revealing how his switch from rugby league to AFL left him “emotionally broken”.

Connacht defence coach Pete Wilkins believes the province can keep their PRO14 season alive with a second away win of the competition against Ospreys this weekend.

Eddie Jones was the one Australian everyone wanted to hear from after Ireland dispensed with his England side so seamlessly at Twickenham last week, but it would have been interesting to mine the thoughts of his compatriot Michael Cheika, who was among the 82,062 souls looking on from the stands, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Munster boss Johann van Graan is relying on his players to have moved on from their St Stephen’s Day defeat at home to Leinster when they travel to face Ulster on New Year’s Day.

Munster props James Cronin and Brian Scott, Connacht second-row Quinn Roux and Leinster’s Jordi Murphy make their first starts in the famous colours of the Barbarians who face Tonga at Thomond Park tonight (7.30pm).

New Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders are targeting Ronan O’Gara for a sensational move to Super Rugby next season.

The South African government have approved a €170m guarantee to strengthen the country’s chances of hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Fergus McFadden believes Leinster can reap the benefits of a rejuvenated Jonathan Sexton as they prepare for a quartet of crucial Guinness PRO12 games starting with the visit of Munster to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

It’s been said that most Rugby World Cup finals have been dour, boring affairs, and there’s good reason for that, but I think we could be looking at the exception to the rule this weekend, writes Ronan O’Gara

Juan Martin Hernandez has warned Argentina to be on guard to face “one of the best players in rugby history” in Matt Giteau.

Very few people say no to Michael Cheika, but Kane Douglas did.

Previous World Cups, in soccer and in rugby, have demonstrated the dangers of bigging up teams during the pool stages, but Michael Cheika and the Wallabies have certainly earned the praise.

Ronan O’Gara analyses all the big issues at the Rugby World Cup.

Australian coach Michael Cheika, who attempts to mastermind England’s downfall at Twickenham tonight, became a millionaire in fashion distribution, but insists rugby is a passion and not a job...

Some striking images of pre-game get-togethers.

Names are flying around for a quality replacement at Munster following the announcement JJ Hanrahan will quit the province and join Northampton at the end of the season.

Kane Douglas is finally ‘feeling at home’ after a turbulent start to his Leinster career following his move from the Waratahs last summer.

Michael Cheika thought twice before allowing his Wallabies wander down Killiney Hill and into Dalkey village on Tuesday evening.

Nothing characterises the Irish sporting psyche like our attitude to the respective Tests this autumn against South Africa and tomorrow’s Test against Australia.

Despite all the upheaval, history has shown the Aussies are a resilient bunch.

On another day, Jake Schatz would have been a great story.

I met Michael Cheika for the first time in 2005.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has seen Michael Cheika make his mark on teams in Dublin, Paris and Sydney, and the one constant he expects to have been passed on to the Wallabies by their new boss is a collective work ethic.

AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL: