Three key issues Ireland must address.

New Zealand have dominated the International Rugby Board awards with Kieran Read being crowned player of the year.

HEINEKEN CUP winner Raphael Ibanez believes that three Irish provinces will create history by making it to the last eight of the tournament this year.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan sounded almost like Finance Minister Brian Lenihan when describing the selection of his squad for Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash with Ospreys as his toughest task of the year.

MUNSTER have been handed a major boost after Ospreys flanker Marty Holah was banned for Sunday's crunch Heineken Cup clash.

Raphael Ibanez runs the rule over the tournament newcomers –- Aironi Rugby, Racing Metro 92 and Toulon.

DAMIEN Varley had two goals in mind when he headed to London on trial with Wasps two years ago.

Ireland’s Tommy Bowe has been voted the Player of the Championship for the 2010 RBS 6 Nations, winning more than half of the votes.

TOMMY BOWE is the only Irishman on the shortlist for the RBS Player of the Six Nations Championship.

I AM astounded that Brian O’Driscoll has been sensationally passed over for the International Rugby Board player of the year award for 2009 in favour of New Zealand’s Richie McCaw.

STUART MANGAN, the 26-year-old Corkman left paralysed by a freak rugby accident who died at the weekend, has requested that his organs be donated to save the lives of others.

Raphael Ibanez believes it is his “duty” to eventually become part of France’s coaching set-up.

DANNY CIPRIANI, controversially omitted from England’s RBS Six Nations side by Martin Johnson, kicked the three penalties which enabled Wasps to pull off a 9-5 Guinness Premiership victory against Northampton yesterday.

DANNY CIPRIANI, controversially omitted from England’s RBS Six Nations side by Martin Johnson, kicked the three penalties which enabled Wasps to pull off a 9-5 Guinness Premiership victory against Northampton yesterday.

WASPS have confirmed that England internationals Riki Flutey, James Haskell and Tom Palmer will all move to French clubs next season.

It should have been the perfect day. Croke Park, brimful with expectation, had opened its doors to rugby for the first time but, on a historic day of outward celebration for Irish sport, all was silenced by a piece of late Gallic magic.

SHANE JENNINGS hopes to find out tonight if he will be eligible for Leinster’s crunch Heineken Cup tie against Wasps at Twickenham on Saturday after the province decided to appeal the three-week ban handed to the flanker last Tuesday.

MARIO LEDESMA is 35, Raphael Ibanez has also celebrated that landmark.

Director of rugby Ian McGeechan has named an unchanged starting line up for London Wasps clash with Leinster at the RDS on Saturday.

SARACENS’ director of rugby Alan Gaffney admitted his players’ faces were as pink as their shirts after the 40-29 defeat to Wasps that kept Ian McGeechan’s men on track for the Premiership play-offs.

Former France captain Raphael Ibanez has extended his contract with Wasps for another year.

AT long last, and after they hadput themselves in a situation where another Paris humiliation looked likely, this Irish team finally rediscovered its heart and soul at the Stade de France on Saturday.

He may not have been everybody’s choice to lead the France national team into a new era, particularly given the calibre of candidates running against him, but none could provide the continuity offered in the appointment of Lievremont.

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

Wasps hooker Raphael Ibanez has been banned for four weeks for a stamp on Ireland's Llanelli Scarlet Simon Easterby that was described as mid range in the level of seriousness.

MUNSTER assistant coach Jim Williams was last night linked with a bid to return to Australia as assistant coach to new Wallaby coach Robbie Deans.

MARC LIEVREMONT didn’t take long to usher in a new dawn in French rugby yesterday by naming six uncapped players in a much-changed squad for the Six Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

It looks as though Ireland scrum-half Eoin Reddan could be on his way to Leinster.

New France coach Marc Lievremont has made sweeping changes in his first squad selection ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 3.

THE sign inside their clubhouse in Ealing, west London reads, ‘Welcome to Twyford Avenue, Home of Wasps’.

France flanker Serge Betsen has confirmed he will retire from rugby at the end of the season.

London Wasps' Raphael Ibanez is in danger of missing out on the Heineken Cup winner-takes-all match against Munster on Saturday after being cited.

Lionel Nallet admitted it came as a “massive surprise” to be appointed the new captain of France.

WARREN GATLAND delivered a blunt warning yesterday that any player who pursues a club career outside Wales will be putting his international future at grave risk.

France’s 2007 World Cup captain Raphael Ibanez has announced his retirement from international rugby with immediate effect.

Wasps 24 Munster 23

DECLAN Kidney yesterday demonstrated his conservatism by recalling a couple of thirty-somethings to his back division for this evening’s Heineken Cup clash with London Wasps at the splendid Ricoh Stadium in Coventry (5.30pm, Sky Sports 2).

France captain Raphael Ibanez has been cited following an alleged stamping incident during last night’s World Cup bronze medal match defeat against Argentina at Parc des Princes.

France 10 Argentina 34

Outgoing France head coach Bernard Laporte insists there is plenty to play for in tonight’s World Cup bronze-medal match against Argentina.

FRANCE captain Raphael Ibanez insists the stakes remain high going into his side’s World Cup bronze-medal match against Argentina today.

France coach Bernard Laporte has rung the changes for Friday night’s World Cup bronze medal match against Argentina in Paris.

England 14 France 9