Rassie Erasmus will step down from his role as coach of the Springboks after next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Keeping Johann van Graan at Munster is crucial to the province’s ambitions, according to Conor Murray.

Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy this morning begins his bid to earn a European Tour card when he tees it up in Suffolk at qualifying school.

New Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has admitted he faces a "huge task" reviving fallen giants South Africa.

So near and yet so far. It was very disappointing coming so close to making it through to the next round of the European Tour Q-School, but the upshot is my professional ambitions are on hold for a year and I have an opportunity to dedicate a year to elite amateur golf.

Miguel Angel Jimenez has his own record as the oldest winner in European Tour history in his sights after making a flying start to the Omega European Masters.

Ireland made a blistering start to their summer tour with an emphatic 55-19 victory over the US Eagles at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.

Security will be tight in the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey tomorrow night for the clash between the USA and Ireland but AJ MacGinty is no stranger to being escorted in and out of this fixture.

Michael Hoey threatened to record the first 59 in European Tour history before having to settle for a share of the lead on a low-scoring first day of the Rocco Forte Open in Sicily.

Joe Schmidt is today set to unveil his Ireland squad for next month’s Tests in the United States and Japan.

For the Mitchell family, the last two years have been a labour of love, as they worked tirelessly to restore a 1926 Cork-built Model T Ford and get it back on the open road.

“I’d rather be a poor winner than any kind of loser.” - George S Kaufman, American playwright

Monkstown closed the book on 12 months of heartbreak as they claimed their provincial pennant with victory in the AIG Munster Senior Cup final at Cork Golf Club.

Few people understand what it takes to be a successful All Blacks coach more than Richie McCaw and the two-time World Cup-winning captain happens to believe that Joe Schmidt has exactly what it takes to do the job.

Participation numbers continue to drop, but the Munster Branch of the GUI celebrated another good year in 2015, with Gary Hurley, John Murphy, and clubs Tramore and Dooks presented with awards during the annual delegates’ meeting at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, last week.

Richard Nixon had a great influence and his impact is still apparent in much of US public life, says Stanley Kutler.

Tramore crowned a remarkable week for Munster golf clubs at the AIG Cups and Shields national finals when they claimed the Senior Cup at Carton House.

Given there is invariably little between the teams at this stage of the various AIG Irish Cups and Shields competitions, it is not surprising the bookmakers have struggled to separate the qualifiers for this weekend’s Munster semi-finals and finals of the Senior and Junior Cups and Barton Shield at Shannon Golf Club.

Muskerry, Limerick and Doneraile are chasing elusive doubles at this weekend’s Munster finals of the AIG Irish Senior and Junior Cups, along with the Barton Shield, at Shannon Golf Club.

West Waterford’s Gary Hurley stormed into the lead in the European Amateur Championship on the Dukes Course at St Andrews yesterday following a stunning opening round.

Maurice Kelly will be aiming to complete a magnificent quick-fire double when he competes at the British Seniors Amateur Championship, which gets underway at Ganton, Yorkshire, this morning.

Nowadays the only paper I read is the Irish Examiner on Mondays for its comprehensive and unrivalled coverage of Gaelic games.

Hoylake is a course with a fond record for Irish golf but only those who stay out of the deep rough at a lush, green Royal Liverpool will have any chance of winning The Open next week.

Not only did he rob Ireland of a famous victory, but Ryan Crotty has a surname whose origins can be traced back to Co Clare and whose lineage makes him a direct descendant of … wait for it … Brian Boru.

Even for a coach as experienced as Joe Schmidt, international rugby represents a whole new canvass for the affable New Zealander.

Plans to force political parties to publish full financial accounts annually are facing resistance from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who have expressed concerns about the implications for local branches.

THE funding of political parties has long been a closely guarded secret. However, the corruption and abuse of power this has engendered over the years has become an all too familiar story.

Hundreds of Irish died in the Civil War battle 150 years ago, but they and 35,000 other dead Irish have not been recognised here, writes Damian Shiels.

Jono Gibbes spoke yesterday about his ambitions to become a head coach one day — possibly at Leinster — but not before he furthers his education as an assistant to Matt O’Connor, who will replace Joe Schmidt as top dog in the province this summer.

Bernard Laporte watched his Toulon side humiliate Sale Sharks 62-0 — but admitted he was equally blown away by Clermont Auvergne’s showing in Dublin.

Dr. Crokes (Kerry) 3-12 Tir Chonaill Gaels (London) 0-6

Munster boss Rob Penney is expecting an explosive encounter when the two-time European champions face Saracens in Sunday’s crucial Heineken Cup Pool One clash at Vicarage Road.

Ireland were denied a fifth consecutive senior men’s Home International title at Southerndown on the south Wales coast yesterday by a much-improved England outfit.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has been linked with the soon-to-be-vacant head coach’s role at Western Force in Australia, despite the fact that he has already announced his decision to take up a role with the Wallabies next season.

ON Monday, for the first time in 16 years, New Zealanders woke up looking forward to a Rugby World Cup final.

IRELAND scrum coach Greg Feek was set to turn full circle today when the Ireland squad pitches up at New Plymouth Boys’ High School for their final training session before Sunday’s World Cup opener against the USA.

He’s gone from being the most reviled man in New Zealand to the most in-demand and back to the most pressurised. At 65, why does Graham Henry still do it, asks Murray Kidd.

KILDARE juniors set up an All-Ireland final against Cork but needed a workmanlike performance to see off a gritty Lancashire in Newbridge.

NINE people were arrested at yesterday’s Old Firm clash at Ibrox yesterday but none of the crimes were linked to sectarianism, police said.

DETECTIVES have condemned as “despicable and cowardly” whoever sent parcel bombs to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and two prominent fans of the club.

Celtic today vowed to “remain strong in the face of intimidation” after it emerged that two viable parcel bombs had been sent to manager Neil Lennon.

All Blacks winger Joe Rokocoko insists New Zealand’s immaculate record against the Home Unions under coach Graham Henry does not diminish the achievement of completing a successful Grand Slam tour.

IT IS somewhat unfortunate that the ongoing saga about the IRFU ticketing policy has overshadowed the return of international rugby to its traditional home in Lansdowne Road.

James F. Neal, the lawyer who regularly grabbed headlines - whether prosecuting Jimmy Hoffa or key Watergate figures, or defending Elvis Presley's doctor or the Exxon Corp after the Alaska oil spill - has died. He was 81.