It quickly became apparent something was stirring on the Lions front on Monday afternoon when RTÉ and the BBC contacted me to discuss speculation that Warren Gatland had been offered the job of coaching the touring party on their return to Australia in 2013.

In a land of fresh starts, who better to shed some light on the transformation of the England rugby team than new father, Ben Foden?

ANOTHER Irish clean sweep sees all four provinces still alive across the two European competitions.

SHAUN EDWARDS has warned Wales cannot run the risk of entering “self-destruct” mode against RBS 6 Nations strugglers Italy on Saturday.

IN THE end, even the French supporters stood and applauded. It was that kind of match, honour in defeat, glorious satisfaction in victory. The Irish performance and result against France on Saturday offers sufficient evidence to indicate Declan Kidney and his management team have addressed many of the issues that contributed to those disappointing displays back to and including the 2007 World Cup.

DENIS LEAMY will steer the Ireland pack from his regular No 8 slot against Italy at Croke Park tomorrow, even though his mid-season revival in the wake of a forgettable Rugby World Cup campaign came courtesy of a switch to blindside flanker with Munster in early December.

Three home wins is the least beleaguered Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan requires from the Six Nations.

Despite protestations from former French coaches Pierre Berbizier and Pierre Villpreux, Bernard Lapasset, the President of the French Rugby Federation, has given his full support to Bernard Laporte.

WITH Irish rugby’s finest already safely ensconced in base camp in picturesque Cape Town, thoughts of an historic first test victory on South African soil are closer to reality than ever before.

Leicester director of rugby Dean Richards has made three changes, one positional, to his side as they prepare for Friday’s Heineken Cup showdown with Stade Francais.