Big news. Distressing news. Bigger than the death of a Pope, more distressing even than Willie O’Dea announcing his retirement from politics and departure for a life of silence in a Trappist monastery. It turns out that the other Greatest Living Limerick Man, Paul O’Connell, has a chest infection and has had to cry off.

Rugby issues are often black or white with the former teacher.

British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has predicted a fierce battle for back-row places in the forthcoming Test series against Australia.

Wales are expected to provide more than a third of this summer's British and Irish Lions tour squad when the 38-man group is unveiled today.

Ireland legend Keith Wood expects Wales to backbone the British and Irish Lions tour party to Australia.

As kids they played together in the same high school soccer and rugby teams in their native Cardiff.

Unless you were asleep over the weekend, you will have already seen Simon Zebo's outstanding piece of skill in Ireland's second try against Wales on Saturday.

Gareth Edwards etched his name into rugby folklore with that try 40 years ago

Tributes have poured in for Wales great Mervyn Davies who has died aged 65 after a battle with cancer.

Wales will tap into the experience of their previous Grand Slam winners this week as they prepare for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations showdown against France.

WE’VE reached the moment that the Romans celebrated with the Festival of Janus, the two-faced god who managed to look both forwards and backwards at once.

James Hook wants to give British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan a selection headache tomorrow.

THE SCARLETS move into their impressive 20,000-seater home, Parc y Scarlets, on the outskirts of eastern Llanelli in mid-November when the Baa-baas come to town.

The Grand Slam champagne tasted all the sweeter to Wales captain Ryan Jones because of the injury hell he has been through over the last three years.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins insists he never considered dropping under-pressure captain Stephen Jones for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with England.

Keith Wood became the sixth Ireland player to be inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame last night in London.

Clive Woodward today labelled the All Blacks as the world rugby’s most professional team.

Martyn Williams is ready to spearhead Wales’ bid for Grand Slam glory tomorrow - but the star flanker admits he can scarcely believe his country’s remarkable rugby renaissance.

WELSH legend Phil Bennett insisted Mike Ruddock’s side can cope with the loss of captain Gareth Thomas as they chase a first Grand Slam in 27 years.

Wales coach Mike Ruddock has been buoyed by one of the nation’s legendary coaches ahead of today’s second Test in Buenos Aires.

IS it just me, or does this hatred of the English thing go a bit too far.

CLIVE WOODWARD has dismissed any prospect of complacency creeping into England’s performance when they tackle potential Twickenham fall-guys Italy on Sunday.

New England captain Jonny Wilkinson is “by far the outstanding fly-half in the world today” according to former Wales great Phil Bennett.

IT IS the try seared into the memory of every rugby fan.

A DISTRAUGHT Neath supporter runs amok at a WRU committee meeting, dousing the committee in petrol before setting them alight.

MOTIVATION is not an issue for Andrew Nesbitt ahead of the Murphy Construction Cork “20” International Rally that is set to yield the Armagh ace his second Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac Championship title.

Iestyn Harris today moved closer to winning his first Wales rugby union cap when he was named in a 31-man squad for November Test matches against Argentina, Tonga and Australia.

Yvan Muller’s relentless title charge continued with a comprehensive victory in the www.theaa.com British Touring Car Championship’s first ever race outside the United Kingdom, at Mondello Park, today.