Featuring a battle of the airlines, X Factor, premature rumours of an international demise, and much more.

Seiji Hirao played in three World Cups and saw a fourth as Japan's head coach. He was also a superstar in his home country.

Joe Schmidt's side finish second in Pool A to set up quarter-final with All Blacks.

Ronan O’Gara, speaking at the Irish Examiner Rugby World Cup Tournament Preview last Monday, has said there are “question marks” over the make-up of New Zealand’s best backline, as Steve Hansen’s side prepare for their Pool B showdown against South Africa on Saturday.

I now know the feeling of writing something a week too soon and then being left to wonder how much more appropriate it would have been had I wrote it a week later.

Rob Kearney has agreed a “nine-month extension” to his IRFU contract and will play with Leinster next season.

There was more than one reason for Alby Mathewson to welcome Johann van Graan’s decision to extend his term at Munster to June 2022.

For 23 years the name Crusaders was a source of nothing but pride in Christchurch, the uncontroversial identity of a franchise that claims, with some justification, to be the most successful non-national professional rugby team in the world.

Watching those re-runs on RTÉ of Reeling in the Years serves as a graphic reminder of just how much things have changed in modern Ireland — in the majority of cases — for the better.

Here's your morning bulletin.

Watching New Zealand and South Africa there was that very rare feeling - it lasted only a few minutes, like viewing the aurora borealis, where you are mouthing quietly to yourself: this is unbelievable, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Beauden Barrett scored a record four tries as New Zealand routed Australia 40-12 at Eden Park to retain the Bledisloe Cup.

Peter Miskimmin made no bones about it: he was torn.

Former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Michael Bradley is being touted as a contender to take charge of Ulster.

Graham Ford and his Ireland squad had long left these shores for warmer climes by the time the current chill descended, but the cold and wet of an already bleak Irish winter had long since reached his bones over the opening weeks of the New Year.

"I’ve been so proud to be part of it all, but every journey sadly must come to an end."

Burnley have announced the signing of Chris Wood from Leeds on a four-year deal for a club-record fee.

The British and Irish Lions play the final midweek game of their New Zealand tour on Tuesday when they face reigning Super Rugby champions the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Ireland captain Niamh Briggs hopes her injuries woes are behind her as the countdown starts to the Rugby World Cup in August.

Munster supporters who were enthused by the displays of out-half Johnny Holland in the latter stages of the season will also have been impressed by the performance of Bill Johnston on his debut for the Irish U20s on Tuesday night.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Our exchange of salutations with Conor McCarthy in Killarney on Saturday was a brief one. 

When Ireland face England in today’s Royal London one-day international at Malahide, the familiar face of a favourite son will be 5,000 miles away in Delhi.

Investment firms Värde Partners and KKR & Co, along with Deutsche Bank, have agreed to buy General Electric’s Australia and New Zealand financial services unit in what they described as one of the region’s largest private equity deals.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt believes beating England in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam eliminator in Dublin would represent Ireland’s “biggest win” in his Test tenure.

All Black great Dan Carter said the sheer quality of the players in France’s Top 14 was a key reason in him joining Racing Metro — but money was undoubtedly a factor too.

New Zealand star Dan Carter has announced he will join wealthy French club Racing Metro at the end of 2015 on a three-year contract.

Come Sunday the veins under Cedric Abellon’s war paint will be throbbing.

Sporting teasers are the life’s blood of many a barstool conversation so here’s one that will have rugby fans all over the country perplexed: When Felix Jones captained Munster in the Guinness Pro12 match against Treviso, was he the first Leinsterman to do so?

Jerome Kaino will replace Kieran Read in New Zealand’s team to face England in the first Test at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.

Ireland lock Donncha O’Callaghan is one of four players added to the Barbarians’ 24-man squad to face England on June 1.

With just 14 Tests left to play before Ireland open their World Cup campaign against Canada at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on September 19, 2015, Joe Schmidt will take great care in selecting his squad for the forthcoming series against Argentina.

Dan Carter admits he could not have climbed to the top of world rugby without Jonny Wilkinson’s workaholic precedent.

Munster head coach Rob Penney wants his players to hit the ground running this week as they prepare for the return of Heineken Cup action to Thomond Park on Sunday.

Ireland need a quick fix in three key areas...

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen has challenged his players not to get sidetracked by their pursuit of a perfect year and concentrate purely on the business of beating Ireland in Dublin next Sunday.

Rob Kearney will not be carrying any baggage from his personal Lions disappointments when he finally gets to face Australia on Saturday.

It’s not easy to create a stir when your panel extends to 42 names, but Joe Schmidt’s first Irish squad announcement yesterday did at least throw up a handful of interesting talking points.

Dairy giant Fonterra’s products at the centre of a global contamination scare this month did not contain a bacteria that could cause botulism, and posed no food safety threat, New Zealand officials said yesterday.