These are the hours Joe Schmidt has been dreading.

Police involved in a major operation to tackle an ongoing feud in England which saw two teenagers’ skulls being stolen from a grave have found two sub-machine guns and ammunition.

Sitting in the stand in Semple Stadium as Cork and Tipperary contested a wondrous draw in an electric atmosphere back in 1987, I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if rugby was the number one sport in Ireland, writes Donal Lenihan.

In dramatic surroundings, with the sky darkening and steam rising through the volcanic earth, British and Irish Lions captain Brian O’Driscoll and tour manager Bill Beaumont today accepted the traditional Maori challenge.

EUROPEAN champions Real Madrid have beaten Olimpia of Paraguay 2-0 to win the World Club Cup for the third time, emphatically bringing to an end a poor run of results this season.

Just as South Korea had opened the 17th World Cup finals in colourful style in Seoul, so Japan ended it in equally dramatic fashion in Yokohama.

Just as South Korea had opened the 17th World Cup finals in colourful style in Seoul, so Japan ended it in equally dramatic fashion in Yokohama.

A ground-breaking international against Japan is likely to be one of the many benefits for the FAI from Ireland's World Cup adventure in Asia.

Mick McCarthy has sent his congratulations to England counterpart Sven-Goran Eriksson after his team made it into the last 16 of the World Cup finals.

SAUDI ARABIA coach Nasser Al-Johar has again rounded on his critics for dwelling on the past rather than looking towards the future.

MICK McCARTHY leads the Irish soccer squad into their crunch match against Saudi Arabia today with his suitcases for tomorrow’s stand-by flight to Korea already packed.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger watched Junichi Inamoto spark a World Cup frenzy after Japan’s 1-0 victory over Russia.

Lawrence Dallaglio today put a brave face on his Lions injury agony and admitted: ‘‘The right decision has been made.’’