IF you are still feeling sick after Ireland’s massively disappointing exit from the World Cup, put yourself in the shoes of the long-suffering Scottish players and supporters for a brief second.

Despite many claiming that the World Rugby statement about Craig Joubert’s decision at the weekend is unprecedented, it is not the case.

Scotland are reeling from the injustice of being denied a place in the World Cup semi-finals by Craig Joubert after the South African referee awarded Australia an incorrect last-gasp penalty.

F91 Dudelange 2 UCD 1 (Agg: 2-2 - UCD win on away goals)

UCD 1 F91 Dudelange 1: Teenager Ryan Swan delighted his watching father Derek by emulating him by also scoring in Europe to earn UCD a remarkable Europa League victory.

Ulster 15 Saracens 17

Rod Nawn rates the Ulster men in a Payne-less game.

Disappointing yes, but not the end of the world.

Croke Park, February 28, 2009: A headless English half-back charges an Irish prop between the shoulder blades.

Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 15

Australia 16 British and Irish Lions 15

Lock Paul O’Connell has been ruled out of the remainder of the British and Irish Lions’ Test series against Australia with a fractured arm.

Australia 21 British & Irish Lions 23

Saracens 12 Toulon 24

The English contingent on this summer’s British & Irish Lions tour of Australia will be reacquainted with referee Steve Walsh when he takes charge of the opening game of the trip against the Barbarians.

A young woman has been praised by a judge for her bravery in fighting off a sex attacker who had dragged her to the ground on the green of a south Dublin housing estate.

Scotland 18 Wales 28

Saracens flanker Andy Saull says the Thomond Park crowd was the loudest he has ever played in front of and has admitted the noise from the stands disrupted the visitors’ game plan.

Northern Ireland 1 Luxembourg 1

Television Match Officials (TMOs) might be granted additional powers on a trial basis in this year’s Currie Cup if South African referees' boss Andre Watson is successful in pushing through his current proposal.

WORLD CUP final referee Craig Joubert is among the officials taking charge of Ireland’s matches in the upcoming Six Nations while the IRB have kept faith with controversial Irish whistler Alain Rolland for the tournament.

Controversial World Cup referee Alain Rolland has been spared any involvement in Wales’ RBS 6 Nations campaign.

THE All Blacks never forgave Stephen Donald for the missed touch kick which ultimately condemned them to defeat by Australia in Hong Kong this time last year.

WAS Alain Rolland passed over for his second successive World Cup final because he sent off Welsh captain Sam Warburton in Saturday’s semi-final?

SOUTH AFRICA’S Craig Joubert will take charge of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final between Ireland and Wales in Wellington.

RORY BEST’S participation in the remainder of Ireland’s World Cup campaign remains in the balance after he was deemed a “serious doubt” by team manager Paul McNaughton for Saturday’s quarter-final against Wales.

AN emotional and historic day at Donnybrook as Old Belvedere toppled champions Cork Constitution to claim the top prize in Irish club for the first time yesterday.

Luxembourg 0 France 2

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt is confident Sean O’Brien can fill the boots of iconic number eight Jamie Heaslip in Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with Saracens at the RDS.

SARACENS kept the pressure on the Aviva Premiership leaders yesterday, inflicting another defeat on struggling London Irish.

QUICK feet, great pace out wide, good kicking. And that’s just the hooker.

ERNST JOUBERT shouldn’t be a rugby player. He should be an accountant, or a full-time traveller. And it is as much to his surprise as anyone else’s that he will be lining up for Saracens against Leinster at Wembley this afternoon.

London Irish 33 Saracens 16

CONNACHT’S new coaching director Eric Elwood is sweating on the availability of players before a ball has been kicked in this season’s Magners League.

Connacht 5 Saracens 22, the Sportsground

Wales 5 Luxembourg 1

A NEWLY identified birth defect gene may help scientists tackle spina bifida, it was claimed yesterday.

Leicester 33 Saracens 27

Leinster 29 Clermont Auvergne 28

IRELAND manager Paul McNaughton last night described the decision of the IRB to apply the new interpretation of the breakdown laws to the Six Nations midway through the tournament as “very disappointing”.

Saracens 24 South Africa 23