Twitter erupted yesterday after Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien appeared to strike France’s Pascal Pape during Ireland’s victory over les Bleus. 

Pascal Pape, the French rugby player, kneed James Heaslip in the back, causing damage to three vertebrae, during the Ireland/France match. Heaslip had to miss subsequent matches.

Pascal Pape’s RBS 6 Nations career has ended in acrimony after the France lock lost his appeal against a 10-week ban for kneeing Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip in the back. 

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has relegated powerful centre Mathieu Bastareaud to the bench for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales in Paris.

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has relegated powerful centre Mathieu Bastareaud to the bench for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales in Paris.

France forward Pascal Pape has been suspended for 10 weeks and will miss the rest of the RBS 6 Nations after he kneed Jamie Heaslip in the back during last Saturday’s game against Ireland.

Paschal Pape has apologised to Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip for kneeing him in the back during last weekend’s RBS Six Nations game in the Aviva Stadium.

The full extent of the damage caused to Jamie Heaslip’s back by Pascal Papé’s knee on Saturday was revealed last night when the Ireland camp revealed the No.8 has been ruled out for a month.

Jamie Heaslip is unlikely to feature again in Ireland’s quest to retain the RBS 6 Nations title after being ruled out of action for the next month.

Pascal Pape will be formally charged today over an incident which threatens to bring his Six Nations’ campaign to an abrupt end.

Ireland’s Championship and Grand Slam ambitions remain alive, but only just after Joe Schmidt’s side clung on to claim victory against France in their Six Nations meeting at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening.

France 15 Scotland 8: They put a brave face on it but it was evident from the shrugs and pouts that a hard-fought tryless 15-8 victory over a feisty Scotland in Paris was not quite enough for the French. 

Paul O’Connell believes his Ireland side have plenty more to offer head coach Joe Schmidt as they turn into a World Cup year.

AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL:

Big statement alert: I don’t think in the history of rugby in this country have we had a better captain-coach combination guiding our fortunes into the next World Cup.

Captain Pascal Pape insists France care more about finishing their Six Nations campaign in style than silencing the critics.

France 30 Italy 10

France 26 England 24

For a team that has lost all three matches in this year’s Six Nations, the French have been remarkably positive as they prepare for what is undoubtedly going to be another bruising encounter against Ireland in Dublin this afternoon.

Triple Grand Slam winner Gethin Jenkins has set his sights on extending Wales’ upward curve Down Under this summer.

Scotland wing Rory Lamont suffered a suspected broken leg in the 23-17 RBS 6 Nations loss to France at Murrayfield yesterday.

Full-back Stuart Hogg will make his first Test start today as Scotland look to revive their RBS 6 Nations campaign against Rugby World Cup finalists France.

Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France was tonight given the go-ahead after the Stade de France passed a pitch inspection by referee Dave Pearson.

Pascal Pape accepts France could be excused for feeling like World Cup outcasts as they prepare to tackle New Zealand in Sunday’s final.

WALES’ World Cup squad have rallied behind their suspended skipper Sam Warburton after he was sent off during an agonising semi-final defeat against France on Saturday.

FRANCE coach Marc Lievremont was “satisfied” after seeing his side claim a second straight bonus-point win in Pool A with a 46-19 success over Canada in Napier.

France 47 Japan 21

HARLEQUINS qualified for the Heineken Cup next season in dramatic fashion as they won the Amlin Challenge Cup, Europe’s second-tier knockout tournament, for a record third time.

Online retail giant Amazon has launched a new internet service for people to store and have mobile access to music, videos and photos.

Mathieu Bastareaud has been left out of France’s squad for their upcoming internationals against Fiji, Argentina and Australia.

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont was reluctant to talk up comeback king Mathieu Bastareaud ahead of Ireland’s forthcoming trip to Paris, despite the Stade Francais man announcing his return to the international stage with a brace of tries yesterday.

Edinburgh 9 Stade Francais 7

Bath 27 Stade Francais 29

Stade Francais 31 Edinburgh 7

Marseille fans have launched an appeal to raise the £22m they believe is needed to buy Chelsea star Didier Drogba.

England arrive in Paris seeking a first Six Nations victory at Stade de France for eight years today.

France have brought three new faces into their RBS 6 Nations Championship squad for the clash with England on Saturday week.

CARDIFF head coach Dai Young rued his side’s lack of cutting edge at the death after seeing them come within inches from causing a huge Heineken Cup upset against Stade Francais.

DAVID HILL kicked Bristol to the most notable win in their Heineken Cup history as tournament favourites Stade Francais suffered a surprise Pool Three defeat.

Stade Francais 37 Harlequins 17

Six Italian men were shot dead in a western German city today in an execution-style killing that Italy's interior minister said appeared to be part of a feud between two Italian organised crime clans.

Six Italian men were found fatally shot in the western German city of Duisburg early today, police said.

Six young men were found fatally shot in the western German city of Duisburg early today, police said.