Zebre 24 Connacht 10: Michael Bradley knows all about building from the bottom in professional rugby — his seven years at the Sportsground took Connacht through the most difficult period in their history — and he is happy with the progress he is making in his first few months with Zebre. 

Robert Harris never meant to write novels. A political journalist, who, at 30, moved from the BBC to become political editor of the Observer, he enjoyed writing longer pieces; and between 1982 and 1990, he penned five works of non-fiction.

 

Italy 20 Scotland 36: Jason O’Halloran hopes Scotland can shake off their mental shackles after finally halting their long RBS 6 Nations losing streak.

DRINK THIS

Gordon Elliott enjoyed the most successful day of his training career when he saddled a short-priced treble in Bellewstown last night to add to his spectacular four-timer in Perth in the afternoon.

May seems to have become food and wine festival month. This weekend it is Wexford’s turn with a craft beer trail in the town tomorrow. Greenacres wine shop will be hosting wine tastings Saturday and Sunday.

VALENTINE’S Day is an opportunity to celebrate love with a glass of fizz, says Roz Crowley.

Restaurant Forty One, 41 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin; Tel: 01-6620000; residence.ie

Twenty four hours is a long time in racing.

Dermot Weld’s Truthwillsetufree gets the nap in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden at Sligo tonight.

EMULOUS oozed class as she justified favouritism for Dermot Weld and owner Khalid Abdullah in the Group 3 Brownstown Stakes, the feature of last night’s action at Fairyhouse.

Two earthquakes struck south-east Spain in quick succession, killing at least 10 people – the country’s highest quake-related death toll in more than 50 years - injuring dozens and causing major damage.

TWO earthquakes struck southeast Spain in quick succession, killing at least 10 people, injuring dozens and causing major damage to buildings, officials said.

'Britain's Got Talent' judges David Hasselhoff and Michael McIntyre think Scotland has no talent.

IF he wrote about the tribulations of turnip growing or the life story of, say, Noel Dempsey, Peter Ackroyd would still produce a bestseller.

Pop superstar Christina Aguilera has dismissed reports she is expecting her first child with husband Jordan Bratman.

An aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 rattled Pakistan’s quake zone today, but there were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.

Art experts and conservative clerics were putting the blockbuster novel The Da Vinci Code on trial in the art master’s home town tonight.