There was a time Ireland’s raised bogs were considered to be of little worth but now their value as a refuge for rare and beautiful plant and animal species is recognised across the world, writes Donal Hickey

Latest: Ireland's Sean O'Brien has clarified his "honest and genuine" comments on the coaching staff with the Lions, saying he has "nothing but respect for Warren (Gatland) and the whole coaching team".

Warren Gatland saw his British & Irish Lions lay down a marker ahead of the Test series with the All Blacks and described rival head coach Steve Hansen was sledging his team because he was worried.

The IRFU remains opposed to the prospect of Friday night Six Nations games at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, despite indications the practise will be extended beyond Cardiff where Wales host Ireland in two day’s time.

Two weeks since the last round of Six Nations games and Ireland’s annihilation of Italy in Rome all but ensured that the vacuum would be at least partly filled by the sort of big picture debate that is only ever held in the absence of any live distractions.

Yes, there are a few stragglers still out there begrudging, but it is time to give rugby its due.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Last week RTÉ screened a documentary about this year’s All-Ireland football final, a peek behind the scenes in the run-up to Dublin-Kerry clash as well as a look at the main stage, when players ‘engaged’ with referee David Coldrick about his handling of the game.

The Six Nations board will consider offers from subscription television channels when the current broadcasting rights deal expires, after the 2017 tournament.

The 2015 Guinness PRO12 final will be held in Kingspan Stadium, the home of Ulster Rugby.

The widely anticipated sponsorship deal was confirmed today as the PRO12 fixtures were released.

We look at the power brokers of Irish rugby and find out how they influence the game.

Plans are believed to be afoot to launch a third-tier competition comprising low-ranked national teams and club sides in a move that could help solve the European rugby union crisis.

THERE was a poignant moment at Campbell’s Hill Cemetery, just outside Newcastle, New South Wales, in the small hours of the Irish night as Lions captain Sam Warburton came face to face with the grave of the original captain, Robert Seddon.

The cliffs of the Seven Heads in west Cork are garnished with confections of sea pinks in full bloom, blankets of yellow kidney vetch and mantles of golden bird’s-foot trefoil.

Amongst his many titles, Eanna Falvey is Director of Sports Medicine at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry and team medic to the Irish rugby team. This summer, the Corkman will travel to Australia as assistant Tour doctor with the Lions.

One of European rugby’s top administrators has warned that professional rugby would cease to exist in this country if the IRFU tries to compete with cash rich French clubs in the battle for Irish players.

The Royal Bank of Scotland will continue as Six Nations Championship title sponsors until at least 2017.

Rugby pundit George Hook has called on Joe Schmidt to end Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll’s dominance of Leinster’s centre positions.

The young rugby star killed in a farming tragedy alongside his brother and his father in Northern Ireland was today hailed by teammates as a wonderful sportsman and a wonderful person.

Teagasc and the School of Agriculture & Food Science UCD’s 226-page book entitled The Grasses of Ireland by John Feehan, Helen Sheridan and Damian Egan is intended for farmers, agriculturalists, horticulturalists, botanists, green-keepers, teachers, students and anyone who wishes to know more about our unique suite of Irish grasses.

Please do not ask Declan Kidney what difference a day makes.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) have condemned Six Nations Ltd’s decision to stage their rearranged match against France on Sunday, March 4.

REGRETS?

SUPPORTERS short-changed by last Saturday’s non-event in Paris will be reimbursed the price of their match ticket if they so choose but the Six Nations have confirmed there will be no contribution made to offset any travel or accommodation expenses.

Ireland’s postponed match against France has been rescheduled for Sunday March 4, Six Nations Rugby Ltd have confirmed.

DECLAN KIDNEY, Warren Gatland and Andy Robinson will all effectively be on trial during the forthcoming Six Nations to be head coach of the 2013 British and Irish Lions.

RaboDirect, the online banking arm of Rabobank, has become the new sponsor of the Magners League which will become the RaboDirect PRO12 from the start of the new rugby season in a four-year contract.

CELTIC Rugby chief executive John Feehan last night expressed confidence that their league will have a title sponsor next season.

The British and Irish Lions today announced they will launch their 2013 tour to Australia with a match in Hong Kong.

The British and Irish Lions have announced the appointment of former Scotland team manager Guy Richardson as director of operations for the tour of Australia in 2013.

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt is scouring the world for a replacement prop following a serious injury to Stan Wright.

THE pressure on Communications Minister Eamon Ryan to abandon his plans to designate Six Nations and Heineken Cup matches to be shown on free-to-air television has increased after an Oireachtas committee came out in support of the IRFU being allowed to continue to negotiate deals on TV rights with broadcasters.

Banning broadcasters from charging viewers to watch Heineken Cup and Six Nations clashes could devastate Irish rugby for generations to come, rugby chiefs warned tonight.

IF there is such a thing as a rugby apocalypse, then Philip Browne painted a pretty convincing picture of it yesterday as opposition to Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan’s free-to-air TV proposals took on an international dimension.

The IRFU have described Communications Minister Eamon Ryan's proposal to ensure that future Six Nations and Heineken Cup matches can be watched on free-to-air television as "seriously misguided" and "the greatest threat to the sport of rugby in Ireland since it went professional in 1995".

A murder victim found lying beaten in a lane was Polish, it was confirmed tonight.

Six Nations Rugby Ltd has awarded its international media distribution rights to Pitch International, the London-based sports rights agency.

THE British and Irish Lions have insisted they are not to blame for the high ticket prices that have led to disappointing attendances during their tour of South Africa.