Kinsale teenager John Murphy led a quintet of Irishmen safely through to the matchplay stages of the 123rd Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links.

Mallow’s James Sugrue and Peter O’Keeffe (Douglas) have been nominated by the Golfing Union of Ireland to compete in the 36-hole Dubai Duty Free Irish Open qualifier.

Kilkenny teenager Mark Power is gunning to become the youngest winner of the West of Ireland since Rory McIlroy in 2006 after he completed two impressive wins on the opening day of matchplay combat at Rosses Point.

Iain Henderson knows better than most how bad it can get if Eben Etzebeth and his Springboks start to impose themselves on a game.

After a series of outstanding matches throughout the provinces, the way has now been largely paved for the national finals of the AIG Irish Cups and Shields at the O’Meara Course, Carton House, Kildare next month, (September 20-23).

The great Lahinch links, especially when it is swept by a seriously strong wind from the Atlantic, never fails to provide great matches over the closing stages of the Pierse Motors South of Ireland Championship. 

The latest phase in the 125th-anniversary celebrations at Lahinch Golf Club gets underway this morning with the first qualifying round in the Pierse Motors South of Ireland Championship and continues until Monday when many past champions will be honoured in a special competition followed by a gala dinner.

Conor O’Rourke will spearhead the Irish attack as 16 stars travel to Scotland for the start of St Andrews Links Trophy today.

It should be apparent by now Joe Schmidt takes nothing for granted.

Tramore’s Robin Dawson hopes to wield his putter like a “hoover” rather than a deadly weapon as he seeks some AIG Irish Close Championship revenge in the last 16 today.

Family dynasties claiming the limelight in the South of Ireland Championship at Lahinch are nothing new.

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.

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.

South Africa 32 Ireland 26: Ireland touched down in Port Elizabeth yesterday with a metaphorical bump and more than a few bruises after a torrid second-half backlash from South Africa saw the Springboks come from 19-3 and 26-10 down in Johannesburg to level the series with a deciding Test to come.

Craig Gilroy took a while to win Joe Schmidt over to the view he was a viable wing option for Ireland. Now he has to prove it in today’s second Test against South Africa but is hopeful Ellis Park can provide the perfect conditions to do so.

Tadhg Furlong has plenty to celebrate in his own right after being a first start for Ireland but he is also backing Test debutant Quinn Roux to shine in tomorrow’s second Test against South Africa.

Devin Toner arrived in South Africa under the darkest of clouds following the death of his father, but there was never any question of the lock missing a shot at Irish rugby history.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Jared Payne believes a Springbok backlash at Ellis Park this Saturday is guaranteed and Ireland will need a massive improvement on their first Test performance if they are to withstand it.

After the sobering sight of four World Cup semi-finalists coming from the southern hemisphere, last weekend offered a glimmer of hope for European rugby. The question now is, was it an aberration or a line in the sand?

Despite disappointment at CJ Stander's guilty verdict and one-match suspension, Ireland seem unlikely to appeal the ban that will keep him out of this Saturday's second Test against South Africa.

In the face of criticism from Springboks coach Allister Coetzee that Ireland “weren’t interested in playing rugby”, Andrew Trimble has proclaimed pride in his team’s streetwise victory against the odds.

CJ Stander was last night handed a one-week suspension, leaving him out of this Saturday’s second Test with South Africa.

South Africa offered no excuses for their disappointing defeat against Ireland on Saturday with coach Allister Coetzee ordering his players to go and “fix it”.

South Africa 20 Ireland 26: The air may be thinner up here on the Highveld but it tasted oh so sweet for Ireland as they touched down in Johannesburg yesterday after their Cape Town heroics.

CJ Stander’s fate for the rest of Ireland’s tour of South Africa was due to be decided in Johannesburg this morning after his mandatory judicial hearing was adjourned after sitting for five hours in Cape Town yesterday.

Conor Murray credited Ireland’s belief in the face of adversity for coming out on top in South Africa on a “really, really special day” for the team in Cape Town.