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

The Tasmanian Devil was simply snuffling in the snow beneath the bedroom window of the guesthouse where our friend was sleeping somewhere in  upland Tasmania, last month. 

Derek O’Connor consolidated his advantage at the head of the point-to-point riders’ table by partnering a three-timer at yesterday’s well-attended Carbery Hunt point-to-point meeting at Bandon.

Last week, I wrote about the increasing destruction of habitats in marginal areas, where, in the cause of creating more grassland for more cattle to make more beef and now more milk — bedrock is smashed and removed and the land scraped of all the wild and hardy vegetation that has evolved there since the last Ice Age.

THE chatter of rock-breakers have long since replaced the hoarse cries of corncrakes in marginal farming areas of Ireland, writes Damien Enright

It’s as if he’s always been the ideal backup to the stars.

Blarney 1-16 Tracton 0-15

There was a definite class act in action at yesterday’s Kanturk-Duhallow point-to-point meeting at Dromahane for last season’s champion pointer/hunter chaser Mossey Joe lit-up the afternoon by destroying the opposition on his first start for handler Enda Bolger in the open lightweight.

Youghal 1-18 Tracton 1-16

Bandon 0-15 Tracton 0-15

Harlequins head coach John Kingston believes his side’s recent success was built on their stunning victory at Thomond Park two years ago and insists that the spectre of Bloodgate will have no impact on their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Munster in April.

Heineken Cup Pool 3: Harlequins V Connacht

Tracton 0-21 Aghabullogue 1-12

A convincing second-half display ensured victory for Carrigaline in this local derby in the Cork Premier IHC at Páirc Uí Rinn last evening.

NEWLY-APPOINTED Bord Bia chairman Michael Carey has hit the ground running by instantly directing Irish beef exports into welcoming, lucrative markets.

WITH a Heineken Cup medal in his back pocket, a Magners League Grand final against his native province to come and the likelihood of a starting spot in the World Cup, things couldn’t be a whole better right now for Mike Ross.

ENGLAND centre Riki Flutey admits Wasps are “hurting” ahead of tonight’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final clash against London rivals Harlequins.

HUNDREDS of mourners attending the funeral of a promising teenage jockey who suffered a fatal fall were urged to try and draw comfort from the fact that he died doing what he loved best.

TRIBUTES flooded in yesterday for Jack Tyner, a promising young amateur jockey from Kinsale who died in the early hours of Monday morning, having suffered a serious head injury at Dungarvan point-to-point last Tuesday.

OLD rivals and former colleagues clash in tomorrow’s Amlin Challenge Cup when Harlequins host Connacht at the Twickenham Stoop.

“LAZY autumn days in all their glory...” was a line of a song I heard as a youth.

THE big electricity suppliers have been given the go-ahead by the Government to make unlimited profits from a green energy scheme which, while funded by the planned 5% hike in electricity prices, offers consumers no guarantee of future reduced bills.

CONOR O’SHEA has seen off a star-studded field to become the new director of rugby at Harlequins.

Conor O’Shea has seen off a star-studded field to become the new director of rugby at Harlequins.

NORTHAMPTON staged the kind of second-half comeback at Wasps yesterday that their Heineken Cup opponents Munster could have done with in the RDS, but still came up short, losing 20-15.

Toby Booth admits London Irish will be “tested from the outset” when they look to transfer their impressive domestic form into European club rugby’s biggest arena.

MARK EVANS has revealed Harlequins have received “quite a few approaches” to succeed the disgraced Dean Richards as their director of rugby.

Harlequins were plunged into fresh controversy just 46 seconds into the new season and they will find themselves back in familiar territory – in front a disciplinary hearing – in the coming days.

HARLEQUINS chief executive Mark Evans has pleaded for his club not to be thrown out of European competition before Monday’s appeal hearing into the fake blood scandal.

AN EXHIBITION of point scoring by John O’Dwyer powered Ballincollig to a thrilling victory over Tracton in a marvellous Evening Echo Cork Premier IHC quarter-final tie at Pairc Uí Rinn yesterday.

FORMER Ireland A prop Peter Bracken is hopeful that his career can be relaunched by a mid-season move from Bristol to Harlequins.

FARMERS in Bantry have vowed to continue their opposition to ESB plans to erect overhead power lines to serve a wind farm.

THE High Court yesterday granted an injunction against three objectors to overhead ESB power cables in a row involving a West Cork windfarm.

OBJECTORS are expected to take their fight against a €14.5 million water scheme to the courts after Bord Pleanála granted Cork County Council a conditional order to proceed with the project.

A €1 MILLION cheque from a mystery donor has answered the prayers of a country parish.

Waterford 4-17 Dublin 1-3

Connacht and former Ireland A prop Peter Bracken has signed a two-year deal with NEC Harlequins.

RISH players will be out in force to help NEC Harlequins in their bid to rock Munster in the Heineken Cup at Thomond Park tomorrow (5.15pm).

Barry Coughlan

Galwegians coach Kevin Dineen is to resign at the end of this season, due to personal reasons.

Harlequins coach John Kingston has suggested that Ireland hooker Keith Wood could miss the Six Nations clash with Scotland on March 2.

Harlequins coach John Kingston believes Munster face a massive challenge in their next Heineken Cup match away to Castres next week.