The prospect of an Ireland versus South Africa World cup quarter-final remains a possibility after the Springboks did their bit by beating Italy 49-3 in Shizuoka on Friday.

Today’s meeting between New Zealand and South Africa will be their 99th.

Joe Schmidt has urged his players to be “cleaner than clean” and not hand their World Cup fates over to match officials during Ireland’s summer Tests.

Ireland’s win over Italy at the weekend told us little about the eventual destination of the Webb Ellis trophy this year – for that you had to look to the other side of the world.

Connacht’s focus for the remainder of the season will be trying to claim a knockout spot in the PRO14 and a place in next season’s Champions Cup but they will be disappointed to bow out of the Challenge Cup without firing a decent shot.

Sale Sharks 20 Connacht 10

It’s almost four years to the day since Connacht last lost a European pool game at home, and they need to maintain that impressive record against Sale Sharks this afternoon to claim top spot in Pool Three.

There are many examples that can be given to demonstrate just how talented a player Franco Mostert is.

It mightn’t be the Six Nations but in a World Cup year, the autumn series of Tests is what GAA fans feel at the start of the national leagues every spring, writes Ronan O'Gara

Eddie Jones has swatted aside doubt over his future by declaring he is ready to restore England to the summit of the game.

They led 24-3 early on in a thrilling Test.

Beauden, Jordie, and Scott Barrett will become the first trio of brothers to start a Test together for the All Blacks when they line up in the series-opener against France at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday.

The immediate response on the final whistle at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was one of acute disappointment given Ireland finished this gruelling series camped on the South African line after a 19-phase onslaught in search of what could have been a winning score and a series clincher. It was that tight.

There’s a huge onus on Ireland’s new boys to hold the defensive line, writes Donal Lenihan.