Jamison Gibson-Park had warned that Leinster’s trip to South Africa would make for a tricky assignment.

Thomond Park will get its first taste of the new South African additions to the Guinness Pro14 when Cheetahs face Munster in Round 2 of the new-look competition.

Eoin Reddan did not get the finale his glittering career deserved but the veteran scrum-half at least bowed out on his own terms, eager to make his new life in business every bit as successful as the one he enjoyed in rugby.

The immediate response on the final whistle at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was one of acute disappointment given Ireland finished this gruelling series camped on the South African line after a 19-phase onslaught in search of what could have been a winning score and a series clincher. It was that tight.

Ireland’s newest cap Matt Healy is hoping that out of the disappointment of a series defeat in South Africa his nascent Test career can flourish.

The Springboks are back with a bang and Andy Farrell believes Ireland had better learn to deal with them if they are to claim history for themselves and secure a series victory at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium today.

South Africa coach Allister Coetzee expects something different when the sides meet in tomorrow’s final Test in Port Elizabeth.

IF sport can be a barometer of national well-being then these are indeed golden, halcyon days. 

Four days out from a series-deciding Test with the Springboks, Devin Toner has admitted the Ireland camp is still not over their painful defeat to South Africa at Ellis Park last Saturday.

Joe Schmidt insists there are numerous options available to him to cover for the loss of injured centre Robbie Henshaw in this Saturday’s series-deciding final Test with South Africa.

South Africa head coach Allister Coetzee has invited Ireland to “have a go” at his team when their series with the Springboks goes down to the wire on Saturday.

At least five of South Africa’s host cities for the 2010 World Cup want hundreds of millions of dollars back from construction companies because they allegedly colluded and inflated prices when building stadiums and other infrastructure.

With a clean sweep on their Southern Hemisphere tour, Scotland have gone a long way towards redemption after their World Cup and Six Nations disasters, but head coach Andy Robinson admits there is still a lot of work to do.

South Africa 14 England 14

Socialite Paris Hilton took some of the spotlight away from the World Cup after she was questioned on suspicion of possession of marijuana, then had the case dropped at a midnight court hearing.

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk was today going back to the drawing board as he prepared his team for their World Cup semi-final clash with Uruguay.

Dunga’s reign as Brazil coach looks to be at an end following their World Cup exit yesterday at the hands of Holland.

THE SMALL margins? As Netherlands manager Bert van Marwijk admitted his side could have been out of yesterday’s World Cup quarter final to Brazil after the first 15 minutes, his opposite number Dunga was out of work wondering where it all went wrong.

Paris Hilton was detained in the South African city of Port Elizabeth today for possession of marijuana, two police officers said.

Holland 2 Brazil 1

BRAZIL coach Dunga has dismissed Dutch legend Johan Cruyff’s damning indictment of his team ahead of their World Cup quarter-final clash with Holland.

Brazil coach Dunga is waiting on the fitness of a trio of players ahead of Friday’s quarter-final clash with Holland.

URUGUAY coach Oscar Tabarez has told his players to hold on to their World Cup dreams after seeing them book their place in the quarter-finals.

Uruguay 2 South Korea 1

SOUTH KOREA skipper Park Ji-sung is challenging his team-mates to write themselves into the history books by reaching the World Cup semi-finals.

IT HAS taken a very English-style one-man mutiny, a heap of criticism and no end of tension but England have made it through to the last 16 of the World Cup, and they did it by having a glass of beer.

Chile 1 Switzerland 0

SWITZERLAND coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is confident his players will not allow themselves to be carried away by their shock victory over European champions Spain.

RADOMIR ANTIC dedicated his side’s stunning World Cup victory over Germany yesterday to the Serbian people as Group D was blown wide open.

Germany 0 Serbia 1

Ivory Coast 0 Portugal 0

Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba was tonight waiting to hear from FIFA whether or not he will be allowed to play against Portugal tomorrow afternoon wearing a protective cast.

South Korea 2 Greece 0

South Korea 1 Greece 0

Ireland tight-head John Hayes has been called up to the British & Irish Lions squad in the aftermatch of Euan Murray's injury.

Ian McGeechan will today get down to business of selecting his British and Irish Lions team for the opening Test match against world champions South Africa.

Southern Kings 8 British and Irish Lions 20

The date for the tour match between the British & Irish Lions and a Coastal XV has been confirmed.

World Cup organisers have admitted that the deadline for completing two of the five stadia being built for the 2010 finals in South Africa is “very, very tight”.