It is hard to avoid the sense that Ireland’s rugby provinces now find themselves at a crossroads, suggests Brendan O'Brien. 

It has been a rough couple of weeks with the pollen. It was the hay fever, we now know, that drove John Inverdale to his ‘sexist lapse’ at last year’s Wimbledon.

Blockbuster is to shut down all its remaining stores within days after administrators were unable to find a buyer for the rental and DVD chain.

Struggling DVD rental chain Blockbuster faces being broken up by Christmas after it formally went into administration today – for the second time this year.

Connacht second row Mike McCarthy was cleared of a citing complaint at a disciplinary hearing today in Cardiff.

FORMER Leinster coach Michael Cheika has been fined €20,000, half of it suspended until June 2013, for his conduct on the night of the Amlin Challenge final when his Stade Francais side was defeated by Harlequins.

IT was 6.48pm before Sky Sports News got the shot they wanted. Fernando Torres’ shirt ablaze outside Anfield.

MUNSTER will be hoping an early Christmas present arrives when Paul O’Connell’s appeal against a four-week ban is heard today.

Ireland’s Donnacha Ryan has been suspended for three weeks after an independent Six Nations disciplinary committee upheld a citing for stamping which followed Saturday’s match against Samoa.

DONNCHA RYAN’S hopes of adding to his seven caps this month are in the balance after the second-row was cited yesterday for allegedly stamping an opponent during Ireland’s win over Samoa last Saturday.

MUNSTER have lost another first choice player through suspension for Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with Toulon at Thomond Park.

Munster centre Sam Tuitupou has today been banned for three weeks for ‘a dangerous tackle’ on London Irish scrum-half Paul Hodgson.

MUNSTER flanker Alan Quinlan was found guilty of making contact with the eye area of Leinster skipper Leo Cullen during a Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park on May 1.

ALAN QUINLAN will today discover whether his Lions dream will be ended by suspension.

MUNSTER back-row forward Alan Quinlan will find out next Wednesday whether his Lions Tour dream will be ended by suspension following his citing this week.

Alan Quinlan will find out if he can tour with the Lions next week

SALE SHARKS second row Kris Ormsby will miss the clash with Munster this weekend.

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.

Blue Peter presenter Simon Thomas is quitting the show after six years.

Business leaders in Britain are not taking steps to reduce the impact of their activities on the environment, according to new research.