I think a relationship between the player and employer of mutual respect will not only benefit our players but benefit the game. The proof is in the pudding.

It’s as if he’s always been the ideal backup to the stars.

Your career will last seven to ten years. If you’re lucky. There is a fair chance that you will struggle to adapt to the ‘real world’ once the boots are hung up and then there will quite possibly be physical repercussions too.

Old Belvedere have won the Ulster Bank league Div 1 final by three points as they saw off Cork Constitution by three points.

ONCE again, just 80 minutes stand between Cork Constitution and the moniker of the country’s top club side but Brian Walsh’s outfit are preparing for Sunday’s All-Ireland League final against Old Belvedere knowing a period of transition is just around the corner.

Old Belvedere 22 Clontarf 20

Old Belvedere 25 St Mary's 19

THE IRFU will wait another two years before deciding whether or not to send an Irish sevens team to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

THE financial director of one of the country’s most exclusive private schools has been charged with stealing thousands of euro in funds from the elitist facility.

COACH Michael Cheika faces an anxious injury wait as he prepares Leinster for what could be his last game in charge before departing to France next season.

SHANE HORGAN and Alan Gaffney led the tributes yesterday for Girvan Dempsey who is to retire from professional rugby at the end of the month.

LEINSTER’S Heineken Cup hopes received a major boost yesterday with the news that both Brian O’Driscoll and Eoin Reddan will return for the province in tomorrow’s Magners league game away to Connacht.

Coach Michael Cheika has taken the unprecedented step of naming his Leinster sides to play Connacht in The Sportsground on Wednesday and Glasgow at Firhill on Friday in the Magner’s League.

Cian Healy and Mike Ross will start at prop for Leinster against The Ospreys in Friday night's Magners League clash at the RDS (kick off: 7.05pm).

In form Jamie Heaslip has been included in the extended 27-man Leinster squad to play The Ospreys in Friday's Magners League clash at the RDS.

ALAN GAFFNEY might be going ‘home’, but he doesn’t expect to feel at ease in Thomond Park on Friday night.

Ireland’s Gordon D'Arcy, Cian Healy and Jamie Heaslip and Scotland’s Nathan Hines return to the Leinster squad to play Munster in Friday night's Magners League clash at Thomond Park (KO: 8.05pm).

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL is battling to be fit for Leinster’s assault on another Heineken Cup title when they meet Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-final on April 9.

Ireland internationals Leo Cullen, Shane Jennings, Rob Kearney, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton return from Six Nations duty to join the extended Leinster panel for the visit of Connacht to the RDS on Saturday.

THE BIG guns will return to Leinster next week and they’ll be patting their teammates in the extended squad on the back after they completed their third win during the Six Nations.

THE first Scots-Irish clash of the week may be a little out of kilter with the standard Six Nations agenda, but this re-fixed Magners League tie between first and fourth will certainly bring plenty of intrigue.

Malcolm O'Kelly will win his 180th cap for Leinster against the Glasgow Warriors in Thursday night's Magners League clash in the RDS (KO: 7.30pm).

In-form Fergus McFadden has been included in the Leinster squad, to be captained by hooker Bernard Jackman, to play Glasgow Warriors in Thursday night's Magners League clash in the RDS (KO: 7.30pm).

Ireland U20 sensation Andrew Conway will make his full debut for Leinster against Cardiff Blues in the Magner’s League in Wales on Sunday.

Ireland internationals Shane Jennings and Eoin Reddan retun to the Leinster squad to play the Cardiff Blues in Sunday's Magners League at Cardiff City Stadium (KO: 4pm).

Stephen Keogh will captain Leinster against Newport in Friday's British & Irish Cup clash in Donnybrook (kick off: 6pm).

Shane Jennings will captain Leinster against The Scarlets in Saturday's Magners League clash at the RDS (kick off: 6.30pm).

Ireland internationals Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O'Brien, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton return to the Leinster squad to face the Scarlets in Saturday's Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 6.30pm).

Ireland internationals Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly and Mike Ross and Girvan Dempsey will start for Leinster against Exeter Chiefs in Saturday's British & Irish Cup clash in Sandy Park (KO: 3pm).

Ireland internationals Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan, Bernard Jackman, Malcolm O'Kelly and Mike Ross have been named in the Leinster squad to play the Exeter Chiefs in Saturday's British & Irish Cup clash in Sandy Park (KO: 3pm).

MUNSTER bid for their fourth successive victory in the A Interprovincial championship when they face Connacht this evening at Thomond Park (6.30pm).

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has no injury concerns ahead of their Heineken Cup showdown with London Irish on Saturday in Twickenham (kick off: 6pm).

LUKE FITZGERALD is the only front-line player ruled out of Leinster’s big Heineken Cup clash with French side Brive at the RDS on Saturday (6pm).

CJ van der Linde, an injury concern, has been included in the Leinster squad to face Brive in Saturday's Heineken Cup Round 5 clash at the RDS.

Shane Jennings, captain for the evening, and Jonathan Sexton return to the Leinster side to play Glasgow Warriors in Friday night's Magners League clash at the RDS (kick off: 8pm).

JONATHAN SEXTON and Shane Jennings are hoping for a dramatic improvement in weather conditions to allow tomorrow night’s Magners League clash against Glasgow Warriors at the RDS (8pm) to go ahead.

Ireland internationals Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan and Mike Ross will start for Leinster against Connacht in tomorrow's Magners League derby at The Sportsground (KO: 4pm).

LEINSTER’S injured out-half, Jonathan Sexton, may return to full fitness in time for the province’s Magners League trip to Connacht on Saturday week.

CJ van der Linde has been ruled out of the Leinster squad to face Ulster in Saturday's Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 5.30pm).

BARELY a week has passed in the last six months when the unholy alliance between sports and cheating hasn’t raised its ugly head and one of this year’s most controversial incidents was on the menu again yesterday.

Ireland U-20 star Rhys Ruddock has been included in the Leinster squad to play The Scarlets in Saturday afternoon's Heineken Cup round 4 clash in the RDS (kick off: 3.45pm).

MICHAEL CHEIKA has declared his confidence in back-up out-half Shaun Berne despite admitting he had attempted to recruit fellow Australian Matt Giteau on a short-term contract last week.

LEINSTER will return to Wales next Saturday with a different side in a different competition and hoping for a different result.

Newport Gwent Dragons 30 Leinster 14