DECLAN KIDNEY hasconsistently maintained Ireland haven’t become a bad team since that memorable day last March when they played England off the Aviva Stadium pitch in the last match of the Six Nations.

An anxious wait ahead for Irish rugby supporters and management with fitness verdicts looming on a quartet of senior players ahead of final preparations for the opening game of the Guinness November International Series.

WHEN one of our most famous sportsmen married actress and author Amy Huberman it was never going to be a quiet registry office wedding, but until the day itself the couple remained secretive about the details of the much-anticipated nuptials, until now.

DESPITE a few early showers the weather played its part beautifully for the celebrity wedding of the year.

IRISH rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll is used to high- pressure encounters at this stage but today promises to be a whole new ball game as he ties the knot with his fiancee, actress and author Amy Huberman.

SUB-ZERO temperatures, rain and a bitter wind. It sounds like dream conditions for hardened rugby star Donncha O’Callaghan, but maybe not what he wanted for his wedding day.

IT SEEMED fitting in a French-based tournament that the guillotine should finally fall on Ireland’s World Cup aspirations in the Parc Des Princes, a venue that has wreaked so much pain and havoc on a succession of Irish teams throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Scottish side Border Reivers have referred their claim of an alleged stamping by Brian O’Driscoll to the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU).

Cardiff Blues 6 Leinster 15

Paul O’Connell will play captain Ireland in the opening RBS Six Nations championship game against France in Paris on Saturday next.

Brian O'Driscoll has been named as Ireland captain for the 2004 Six Nations team, though his participation in the sqaud's preliminary training camp on Februaury 2-6 is subject to fitness.

CLIVE WOODWARD isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but it is difficult to disagree with his view that it was a mistake to axe the Six Nations A International Championship.

CHRISTMAS or not, Eddie O’Sullivan showed no mercy yesterday when he omitted Anthony Horgan and Malcolm O’Kelly from the Irish squad for a pre-Six Nations training session at City West on December 29 and 30.

Leinster's Malcolm O'Kelly and Munster's Anthony Horgan have been omitted from an Ireland pre-RBS Six Nations mini training camp at Citywest on December 29 and 30 for failing to atten a training session during last week's camp in Lanzarote.

Thirty-two players have been invited to take part in an Ireland team pre-RBS Six Nations mini training camp at Citywest on December 29 and 30.

Ireland will commence their preparations for the 2004 Six Nations championship with a weeklong fitness camp in Lanzarote from December 14 to 21.

Ulster centre Jonathan Bell has been forced to withdraw from Ireland’s warm weather training camp in Bilbao this week.

DAVID WALLACE’S outstanding performance for Ireland against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday has proved insufficient to earn him a place in the World Cup squad.

The squad of 40 players to take part in an Ireland training camp in Athlone next week includes Keith Wood, who has not played Test rugby since playing against Russia in the World Cup qualifying match on September 21 last.

Anthony Horgan of Munster and Cork Constitution has been selected to win his first cap at left wing on the Ireland team to play Samoa at Apia on Friday.

Reggie Corrigan, winning his 22nd cap, will captain Ireland for the first time in their second Tour match, against Tonga in Nuku’alofa on Saturday next. Kick off is at 3.30am Irish time.

IRELAND captain Brian O’Driscoll has been ruled out of a Whites v Colours National trial match at Lansdowne Road on Friday (ko 6.30 pm) and also a pre-Summer Tour squad training camp in Dublin on May 11 to 14, because of a hamstring injury.

The Ireland A team to play England A on Friday has been announced.

The Irish A team to play France A in Ravenhill, on Friday, March 7 at 7.30pm is as follows:

The Ireland Squad of 24 from which the team to play France in the RBS 6 Nations Championship on Saturday week will be picked.

Gordon Darcy has scored Leinster's eighth try of the night against Swansea.

Irish captain Keith Wood, his Harlequins teammate Paul Burke, London Irish's Kieron Dawson and Bath centre Kevin Maggs are all back in Ireland's 37-strong party recalled for an intensive six day training session at Limerick.

Ireland skipper Keith Wood returns to international duty next week, as part of a 37-man training squad.

Leinster have announced their team to play Munster in their Interprovincial game at Musgrave Park on Friday.

Tyrone Howe has been called into the Ireland Six Nations squad for Saturday's showdown against France in Paris.

The Irish A team to play France A at Stade Henri, Desgranges la Roches sur Yon, on Friday has been announced.

The Irish A team to play Italy A at Donnybrook on Friday, March 22nd at 6pm, is as follows:

The Ireland rugby squad of 23 from which the team to play Italy in the Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, March 23rd has been announced.

Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan has called up two more players to his senior squad, for this weeks training session in Belfast.

Keith Wood is still missing from Ireland's squad due to injury.