New Australia coach Ewen McKenzie has no concerns over playmaker Quade Cooper’s ability to perform under pressure ahead of his likely Test return against the All Blacks next month.

Queensland Reds 12 British and Irish Lions 22

Nkosi sikalel’ iAfrika, which we heard in Dublin six days ago, is basically two songs mingled to make up South Africa’s beautiful national anthem and its status as a unifying number for the Rainbow Nation is confirmed by the five languages used in its delivery.

France 33 Australia 6

Australia 18 New Zealand 18

Argentina 19 Australia 25

South Africa 31 Australia 8

Australia coach Robbie Deans has brought in five players to an extended squad for the Wallabies’ next Rugby Championship match against South Africa.

Gethin Jenkins is hoping his Welsh team-mates will have learned the harsh lessons of the second Test against the Wallabies in Melbourne when they try to salvage something in Sydney in Saturday’s third and final game.

Wales captain Sam Warburton admitted he was “absolutely demoralised” as his side conceded a last-gasp penalty to lose 25-23 to Australia in the second Test in Melbourne.

Scotland captain Ross Ford had no hesitation in handing the ball to match-winner Greig Laidlaw before he kicked the last-gasp penalty to secure a memorable 9-6 win over Australia in Newcastle yesterday.

Australia coach Robbie Deans will blood five new caps in the first of four successive Tests against Six Nations opponents in Newcastle on Tuesday night.

MANY of its inmates would have contemplated it over the years, but one man added the swim from Spike Island to Cobh to his list of aquatic achievements.

Carey Mulligan is dating British singer Marcus Mumford.

Every business in the North was challenged today to take a look at what they do and see how they can do it better.

A technology company best known as the powerhouse of Welsh football was taken over by BT today.

RAFAEL BENITEZ has warned his Liverpool heroes to forget about last season’s Champions League triumph and concentrate on not being caught cold by minnows TNS at the first hurdle of the defence of their crown.

Liverpool legend Ian Rush is considering coming out of retirement to play for Welsh minnows TNS against his former club in the Champions League first qualifying round.

Holders Liverpool face a short trip to Wales after being drawn against Total Network Solutions in the first qualifying round of the Champions League.

Liverpool have been offered a bizarre solution to UEFA’s insistence they will not be allowed to defend the European Cup they won in such dramatic circumstances last night.

PATIENTS held under the Mental Health Act are rarely deemed “unfit to plead” in a criminal trial, an expert said yesterday.

There is always a risk that patients taken into a secure hospital under emergency measures might not be genuine, the manager of the institution where Ian Huntley is being held said today.