Brendan O’Brien The news that a foreign coach had been co-opted onto the Springboks ticket before leaving for Japan stirred fond memories for Bryan Habana.

Former Ireland international and Munster coach Felix Jones has joined South Africa's Rugby World Cup coaching ticket.

Antoine Griezmann responded to the challenge laid down by coach Ernesto Valverde with a brilliant display as Barcelona came from behind to thrash Real Betis 5-2.

This version of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple with female main characters is light, enjoyable summer theatre for fans of Broadway.

Legendary writer Neil Simon had a long list of stage and screen hits to his name, but The Odd Couple remains one of his most famous, with the iconic pairing of Jack Lemmon as fussy Felix and Walter Matthau as slob Oscar making for a memorable and much-loved movie.

News of the Munster legend's Paris departure was announced at the end of March

Munster Rugby has made an “inspired appointment” in securing the services of Wallaby legend Stephen Larkham

Munster Rugby’s search for a “next-level” experienced senior coach is close to a conclusion and will not be limited by financial considerations, acting CEO Philip Quinn has assured supporters.

Discovering new species and protecting them is all in a day’s work for Professor Louise Allcock, as she explores one of the planet’s last great frontiers, writes Lorna Siggins.

When you are idle in a hotel room in Johannesburg, the pre-match statistics booklet for the Heineken Cup final offers welcome respite from the boredom. Where’s the oul paddies out here when you need one for a chat? Which is why a mass of statistics has become my coffee buddy for part of the week.

It is only a month ago that Munster Rugby was looking forward to a new era of stability, brought about by a settled coaching ticket.

Munster Rugby and the IRFU have confirmed that Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones will leave at the end of the season.

More often than not, it is a pleasurable homecoming that greets John Ryan on his return from a road trip.

Eintracht Frankfurt wiped out a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Benfica 2-0 in Germany and advance into the Europa League semi-finals on the away goals rule.

Johann van Graan is hopeful his decision to stay on as Munster boss beyond his current contract can give the province the sort of stability that has propelled the likes of Saracens and the All Blacks to long-term and sustained success.

Christmas holidays don’t come a whole lot better than the one recently enjoyed by John Ryan.

Triskel’s annual mini-festival dedicated to the acclaimed German record label ECM moved this year, its fourth, from its regular slot at the end of November to the October Bank Holiday weekend, and a space within the wider Cork Jazz Festival.

Tori Bowie was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Keith Earls, named by his peers last night as Zurich’s Irish player of the year, is aiming to cap a memorable season by accounting for Leinster’s European champions and claiming a first trophy for Munster since 2011.

A vanity case belonging to the fiancee of Michael Collins is to go under the auction hammer next month.

Munster coach Johann van Graan is at a loss to understand why his side were able to reap a reasonable return from their away games in the European Champions Cup but are struggling to achieve any degree of consistency from their travels in the Guinness PRO14.

Jordan Larmour is the only uncapped player involved in this week’s Ireland camp ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations opener in Paris.

It doesn’t take Marcus Horan long to highlight the most notable contrasts between his playing days and the current crop of men proudly wearing the red of Munster.

Johann van Graan is not giving up hope that Munster legend Paul O’Connell will join his coaching think tank at the province.

He’s the coaching constant at Munster, working under three different head coaches in as many years. Jerry Flannery understands better than most the value system crucial to the province’s future - and the importance of the Munster manual.

Johann van Graan welcomed his family off the plane from South Africa on Thursday and then sat down to pick his first team in 15 years as he settled into a new life as a professional head coach at Munster.

A grand total of 34 minutes off the bench wouldn’t be everyone’s idea of a good November, but Dave Kilcoyne returns to Munster this week more than satisfied with his month’s work with Ireland.

Zebre 19 Munster 29: Alex Wootton was one of the players that Rassie Erasmus name-checked in his final week with Munster when he was asked what he would miss when he returned to South Africa.

Munster centre Rory Scannell is aiming to ‘put his hand up’ for the Six Nations squad after failing to find a place in Joe Schmidt’s selections for the November Internationals.

Billy Holland laughs heartily at suggestions he might be approaching the veteran stage of a long and distinguished career.

Key Munster players Keith Earls and James Cronin are unlikely to play any rugby for the remainder of 2017.

Former Munster out-half Johnny Holland was forced to retire from rugby in September 2016, two days after his 25th birthday, due to a recurring hamstring injury. Now, the Cork Con backs coach is launching his wellness and performance coaching workshops.

It is perfectly plausible when Rassie Erasmus explains that after all the Munster organisation has been through over the past 13 months, the departure of a director of rugby is no reason for emotion.

When Rassie Erasmus arrived in Munster in the summer of 2016 to assume the role of Director of Rugby at the famous province, he was in many ways entering the unknown.

CJ Stander may be Munster’s go-to ball carrier but he takes exception to Leinster head coach Leo Cullen’s analysis that if you stop him, you stop the reds in their tracks.

Munster boss Rassie Erasmus has every confidence Tyler Bleyendaal is about to hit his straps this season but has warned that the number 10 jersey is very much up for grabs.

You may think that Darren Sweetnam could be feeling some pressure as he looks around the Munster training ground and sees the likes of Keith Earls and Simon Zebo limbering up for their first starts of the campaign.

Rassie Erasmus has endorsed potential Munster successor Dave Wessels as “one of the good fits” to replace him as director of rugby.