Hacking phones was “systematic” at the News of the World, the perjury trial of the newspaper’s former editor has heard.

Simon Zebo and Andrew Conway both crossed twice as Munster dominated their Champions Cup dead rubber against a young Sale outfit at Thomond Park.

Gordon Strachan admits Scotland’s forthcoming joust with traditional rivals England at Celtic Park will play second fiddle to their European Championship qualifying clash with Republic of Ireland four days earlier.

John Mooney hit 96, but the Ireland all-rounder’s brilliant innings was in vain as Scotland won the third and final one-day international at Malahide by eight wickets.

Max Sorensen and Kevin O’Brien each took three wickets as Ireland claimed their second win over Scotland in three days after easing to a seven-wicket victory in Belfast.

A tourist has had a lucky escape after being trapped on a remote Australian island for two weeks by a monster six-metre crocodile.

Rangers 0 Inverness 3

Sale 34 Cardiff 33

Ulster 24 Newcastle Falcons 20

An elderly patient has died in an outbreak of listeria in two hospitals in the North.

WALES wing George North made a try-scoring return from injury as the Scarlets ended a run of six straight defeats in all competitions with a narrow Magners League victory at Parc y Scarlets.

Scotland 6 Wales 24

Scotland forward Nathan Hines is relaxed about the possibility of returning to his more familiar second-row position if Richie Gray fails to recover from illness in time to face Wales in the RBS 6 Nations tomorrow.

Glasgow 30 Edinburgh 18

Ulster’s unbeaten record in the Magners League came to an end at rain-soaked Murrayfield as David Blair’s drop goal put the seal on Edinburgh’s win.

Edinburgh 32 Leinster 24

ULSTER got their first Magners League win of the season over a Scottish side and in the process took five points to make sure that they will stay ahead of Connacht and earn a Heineken Cup place next season.

Edinburgh 24 Scarlets 20

IRELAND’S second string began a new life with an old tag by chalking up a useful victory over a strong Scotland A side at Ravenhill last night.

SALE director of rugby Kingsley Jones felt poor discipline had cost his side victory against Toulouse at Edgeley Park.

ULSTER came out of cold storage to strangle the life out of Edinburgh and take their outside chances of reaching the knockout stages a step further.

Harlequins 19 Sale 29

THREE penalties from James Arlidge were enough to earn the Dragons a valuable Magners League victory in Edinburgh.

BYRON KELLEHER admits Toulouse are still smarting from their 2008 Heineken Cup defeat to Munster as they chase a fourth European title.

Toulouse 36 Sale 17

EDINBURGH produced their highest winning score since the Magners League started with a dominant performance over Connacht at Murrayfield last night.

Edinburgh 27 Leinster 16

Edinburgh have signed Scott MacLeod after the Scotland lock was released by the Scarlets.

PRENUPTIAL agreements are not binding in Britain, a court has ruled, but agreements made by a couple after their wedding can be enforced.

WHAT with emails, texts, mobile phones and Facebook, when the postman arrives it’s almost always to deliver us a bill or yet more junk mail.

This time last year, Scott Gray was turning out for Doncaster in England's National League One.

Suspended forward Scott MacLeod was an expected omission from the Scotland squad announced today for the autumn internationals against New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.

The international career of Scott MacLeod is hanging in the balance for the second time after it was revealed last night the Scotland lock has failed a drugs test.

LLANELLI Scarlets will field a new centre combination when they face Munster in the penultimate Magners League game of the season on Saturday.

LLANELLI Scarlets leapfrogged the Cardiff Blues into second place in the Magners League with a bonus-point victory following a hard-fought derby clash at Stradey Park last night.

Italy 23 Scotland 20

Frank Hadden’s men regained the Calcutta Cup with a 15-9 triumph at Murrayfield by virtue of a terrific defensive display reminiscent of the win against England in 2006.