Ajax’s first professional coach was Wicklow native John Kirwan, who allegedly played a key role in choosing the club’s iconic white shirt with a red vertical strip.

Culture is a word and a concept that gets bandied around with some abandon in modern sport.

When Piri Weepu began to feel unwell while swimming lengths back in early March he put it down to delayed concussion.

Michael Cheika said the "real physical business" was about to begin for Australia, after they marked the start of their European tour with a dramatic 40-36 win over the Barbarians in his first game as Wallaby coach.

Barbarians 36 Australia 40

A quick glance at the Dublin club hurling roll of honour and one trend becomes instantly apparent.

Heineken Cup Pool 3: Harlequins V Connacht

New Zealander Pat Lam is expected to be unveiled as Connacht’s new head coach this week.

A late Felipe Contepomi penalty handed defeat to an Ireland XV at Kingsholm on the eve of their three-Test tour to New Zealand.

Leinster forwards coach Jono Gibbes has dismissed reports in New Zealand linking Joe Schmidt with the soon-to-be-vacant Super Rugby head coach role at the Auckland Blues.

Anthony Foley will be announced as Munster’s new director of rugby/head coach in the next week or so, Evening Echo writer Conor George has reported today.

After the most public of auditions, Stuart Lancaster will be interviewed by the RFU today for the full-time position of England head coach.

John Kirwan last night joined the race to succeed Tony McGahan at Munster.

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder has joined former New Zealand assistant Wayne Smith in ruling himself out of contention to be the next permanent England head coach.

Ulster yesterday confirmed that the contract of head coach Brian McLaughlin is “under review”.

Ulster’s head coach Brian McLaughlin looks set to lose his job at the end of the season, despite pulling the side out from the depths of despair.

Former Australia boss Eddie Jones has been appointed the new head coach of Japan.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS insist there has been no formal contact from England to Jim Mallinder about taking over Martin Johnson’s role — but the Saints insist they will battle to keep hold of their director of rugby.

Japan coach John Kirwan admitted Tonga’s physicality had been crucial in his side’s 31-18 World Cup Pool A defeat in Whangarei.

THE World Cup has been turned on its head and Ireland are the talk of New Zealand.

New Zealand head coach Graham Henry insisted he was not prepared to gamble on the fitness of captain Richie McCaw and full-back Mils Muliaina for the World Cup Pool A clash with Japan in Hamilton.

FIRST, something we expected — a New Zealand win.

ANOTHER back-three speedster will miss the World Cup after it emerged Scotland wing Nikki Walker’s knee injury suffered against Italy on Saturday will rule him out of the tournament.

HAVE you been following the Women’s Rugby World Cup? It seems a simple enough enquiry, doesn’t it, that I punted at half-a-dozen or more of my laddish, sports-mad, acquaintances in the past week.

FORMER Celtic captain Neil Lennon will be among a host of sports legends revealing their battle with depression on television tonight.

Japan coach John Kirwan has called for an end to the “political games” and insisted the International Rugby Board must take the 2015 World Cup to Asia.

REIGNING Waterford senior football champions Ballinacourty advanced impressively into the quarter-finals when they overwhelmed Kilrossanty 3-14 to 0-7 at Bohadoon in one of six games played over the weekend.

Fiji 35 Japan 31

Italy 36 Japan 12

Fly-half Andrea Scanavacca was the most notable absentee from a 40-man squad named by Italy coach Pierre Berbizier today for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

PAUL GRAYSON has paid the price for Northampton’s relegation from the Guinness Premiership by losing his role as head coach.

Pierre Berbizier will not extend his current contract as coach of Italy, according to the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR).

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier made three changes to his line-up for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match with Wales on a day when the Azzurri were upheld as an example for Italian sport by the country’s government.

Edinburgh Rugby have been boosted by the announcement of Lynn Howells as their new head coach ahead of the visit of Leinster in the Magners League on Friday night.

Edinburgh Rugby have appointed Lynn Howells as their new head coach.

Thomas Lievremont believes he is the man who can provide the backbone that has so far been lacking in France’s RBS Six Nations Championship campaign when they host Italy at the Stade de France.

Italy flanker Mauro Bergamasco believes the Pierre Berbizier factor could weigh in favour of his team in Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with France at the Stade de France.

IN a year when Italy has been devastated by injuries, new coach Pierre Berbizier has dropped a bombshell by excluding one of his most experienced players for tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin.

Eddie O’Sullivan insists Ireland will be ready for an early onslaught from Italy in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash at Lansdowne Road.

ON THE eve of the Six Nations Championship, a feeling of quiet optimism has stirred the Irish rugby fraternity.

Versatility and a focus on improving the depth of talent have been the key elements in the New Zealand squad named by Graham Henry for their tour of Britain and Ireland next month.

The Scottish Rugby Union chairmen have launched the first steps towards making a permanent appointment as Scotland head coach.