The team that had supposedly forgotten how to lose suddenly remembered at the worst possible time yesterday and the first all-Six Nations global decider vanished like a mirage.

Rob Kearney has agreed a “nine-month extension” to his IRFU contract and will play with Leinster next season.

Even with a 747 at his disposal, Marco Polo would probably have thought twice about rushing to map out Rory Best’s last rugby journey, from Armagh to Yokohama.

In total there are five changes to the side defeated by Scotland at Murrayfield.

Doncaster prop forward Ian Williams has died after he collapsed at training, the Greene King IPA Championship club have announced.

Is it any wonder the structure of the professional game in Ireland is the envy of so many of our international counterparts at present?

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend says Chris Harris has earned his place in the starting line-up of their NatWest 6 Nations opener in Cardiff.

Police raided the headquarters of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) yesterday as part of an investigation into alleged conflict of interest involving the federation’s president Bernard Laporte, a source close to the matter said.

A decision to extend the English rugby season has been met by a wave of disapproval, writes Simon Collings.

Eddie Jones has criticised Australia for seeking to influence referee Ben O’Keeffe through the media.

Hurricanes 31 - Lions 31: IF CJ Stander, Iain Henderson and Dan Cole had any hope of staking their claims to a place in Warren Gatland’s matchday squad for Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks, it surely waned as the clock ticked past 75 minutes and they were still on the pitch, running themselves into the ground for the British & Irish Lions.

Rory Best is set to captain the British & Irish Lions against the Chiefs on Tuesday after Warren Gatland named a matchday squad missing tour skipper Sam Warburton in the final game before Saturday’s first Test with the All Blacks.

Lions rookie Kyle Sinckler feels like he is in rugby heaven on the eve of his debut in the famous red jersey. Yet his thirst for knowledge may be hell for his teammates.

Warren Gatland has thrown down a challenge to his Lions to get the tourists off to a winning start this Saturday after last night naming a strong team to face the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.

Here is the possible make-up of a squad charged with targeting a first Test series triumph against the All Blacks since 1971.

England and Wales. Two countries steeped in rugby history with a rivalry to match.

Chris Robshaw will miss the entire RBS 6 Nations with a shoulder problem that further deepens England’s injury troubles.

The game was littered with red cards.

England and Harlequins prop Joe Marler was last night banned for two games after his “gypsy boy” slur against Wales forward Samson Lee during last month’s RBS 6 Nations Championship game at Twickenham.

England prop Joe Marler has been described as “not in any way shape or form racist” just hours after being was told he will face an independent misconduct hearing for verbally abusing Samson Lee.

Wales assistant coach Robin McBryde says prop Samson Lee is not someone “distracted by things on the outside”.

Eddie Jones has placed his players on standby to round up any loose cockerels at the Stade de France as England prepare for fun and games from opponents intent on denying them the Grand Slam.

England prop Joe Marler currently remains available for Saturday's Grand Slam match against France in Paris after escaping sanction for striking Wales' Rob Evans.

Wales prop Tomas Francis has received an eight-week ban for making contact with the “eye or eye area” of England forward Dan Cole in last Saturday’s Six Nations game at Twickenham.

England head coach Eddie Jones has accused Wales of scrummaging “terribly illegally” as the build-up to tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations title showdown between the arch-rivals finally ignited.

ENGLAND:

England boss Eddie Jones is hoping to turn uncapped lock Maro Itoje into a “BMW”, with the Saracens man set to see action in Rome tomorrow.

England have selected Danny Care at scrum-half and Joe Marler at loosehead prop for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland.

Eddie Jones looks set to select a sprinkling of uncapped talent and leave out some established names when his first England elite player squad is announced today.

Rugby World Cup Pool A

Stuart Lancaster has accepted his entire England tenure could rest on tomorrow night’s decisive World Cup clash with Australia.