Peter Stringer has signed a one-year extension to his contract at Bath Rugby after a snub by Munster.

Veteran Munster scrum-half Peter Stringer has signed a new contract extension which will keep him at Premiership outfit Bath next season.

Munster scrum-half Peter Stringer will remain at English club Bath until the end of the season after the Premiership outfit and Munster agree terms to extend what was initially intended to be a short-term loan.

Former England hooker Lee Mears has been forced to retire with immediate effect due to a heart condition, his club Bath have announced.

Newcastle Falcons have announced that following his loan spell at Saracens, former Munster and Irish scrum-half Peter Stringer has arrived at Kingston Park until the end of the season.

GARY GOLD believes an eagerly-awaited breakdown battle could prove the “defining factor” in tomorrow’s quarter-final.

IT IS somewhat unfortunate that the ongoing saga about the IRFU ticketing policy has overshadowed the return of international rugby to its traditional home in Lansdowne Road.

CONOR O’SHEA is expected to be named as Harlequins’ new director of rugby.

IT WON’T happen too often, so you might as well make a note of it – four Irish-based players in front row action for a Test against a southern hemisphere side.

BIGGER THAN the Lions, and bigger than the Tri-Nations decider. That’s how the visiting World Cup champion Springboks are looking at tomorrow’s clash with Ireland in Croke Park, according to assistant coach Gary Gold, who said yesterday that he “had not encountered anything as big as the build-up to Saturday . . . the pressure and expectations are bigger than they were before the first Lions Test in Durban or that final Tri-Nations clash in Hamilton.”

FORMER Irish international Conor O’Shea believes coach Declan Kidney is the key to Irish success in the autumn’s internationals.

SOUTH AFRICA coach Peter de Villiers has been forced into a humiliating apology for suggesting rugby players should “get some nice tutus and have a great dancing show” if they didn’t accept gouging was part of the game.

SOUTH Africa assistant coach Gary Gold has revealed Schalk Burger was always going to be in the starting line-up for the series against the British and Irish Lions as long as he was fit.

SOUTH AFRICA assistant coach Gary Gold insists there is no danger the Springboks will go into tomorrow’s first Test against the British and Irish Lions under-prepared.

WHILE Ian McGeechan will officially announce the Lions side for the opening test in Durban at lunchtime tomorrow, this is the day that will make or break the aspirations and dreams of all within the Lions playing party.

London Irish have confirmed that head coach Gary Gold has been released from his contract to join South African side Western Province.

THE boot of fly-half Chris Malone handed Bath a crucial 21-19 win over London Irish at the Madejski Stadium - but his injury-time drop-goal could condemn the Exiles to relegation.

London Irish today announced the appointment of Australian Brian Smith as their new rugby director.

London Irish are ready to hit the high spot of their season tomorrow after what coach Gary Gold admits has been a “rollercoaster” ride.

London Irish may be in the midst of their worst run of results this season - but Wasps boss Warren Gatland is still expecting fireworks at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow.

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Neal Hatley returns at number one for London Irish in their Powergen Cup quarter-final against Saracens on Sunday at Vicarage Road.

London Irish can compound Northampton’s relegation fears at the Madejski Stadium on Monday – but Exiles coach Gary Gold has braced his team for a tough examination.

London Irish coach Gary Gold believes his team have got “a tough hill to climb” in their quest for a European Challenge Cup quarter-final place.

London Irish will hope they can overcome their injury problems when they face Pau in the European Challenge Cup second round at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

London Irish will be without almost a quarter of their squad for tomorrow night’s tough European Challenge Cup second round tie against Pau in France.

Rob Andrew criticised his Newcastle side for failing to kill off London Irish and questioned refereeing standards after his team’s 21-16 Zurich Premiership defeat today.

LONDON IRISH head coach Gary Gold will watch a video of his side’s 25-15 home victory over Worcester yesterday before deciding whether or not to file a complaint about the refereeing of Chris White.

LONDON IRISH coach Gary Gold could find himself in hot water with the English RFU following his furious condemnation of referee Sean Davey.

London Irish boss Gary Gold blamed his side’s careless errors after they threw away a 10-point lead and sacrificed a precious Zurich Premiership win over Gloucester at Kingsholm.

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For the first time in three seasons London Irish will bring its full 31-man professional squad on its pre-season tour to Ireland later this month.

South Africa coach Jake White is to use the wise acumen of some of Europe’s top coaches in order to get the better of Ireland in the two Test series next month.

The London Irish team to take on Saracens on Saturday in the club’s final Zurich Premiership game of the season at home has been named.

LONDON IRISH head coach Gary Gold praised his side’s “courageous display” in their 16-15 win over Newcastle in their final home Zurich Premiership game of the season.

London Irish have made two changes for Sunday’s trip to play Newcastle Falcons.

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Leicester have been tipped to become a major force in the Zurich Premiership again after beating London Irish for their first win since parting company with coach Dean Richards.

Kieron Dawson and Chris Sheasby return to the Exiles back row for Friday's Zurich Premiership showdown with Leeds Tykes at Headingley Stadium.

London Irish face a testing Parker Pen Challenge Cup trip to Narbonne tomorrow, with coach Gary Gold admitting: “We have made life a bit difficult for ourselves.”

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London Irish are counting the cost of a bruising Zurich Premiership battle with Wasps which has sidelined three key forwards for tomorrow’s clash against play-off rivals Northampton.