AFTER an emphatic 53-3 win over Scotland, the French women’s rugby team come to Ashbourne, Co. Meath tonight (7.30 pm) looking for a second RBS Six Nations scalp.

IRELAND could hardly have asked for a better start to their U20 Six Nations campaign as they brushed Italy aside with ease at Dubarry Park in Athlone last night.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett is looking for the Azzurri to play a perfect game against Ireland as they attempt to forget their opening 6 Nations defeat at England.

FORMER Irish international Johnny O’Connor is ruled out of the Connacht squad for tomorrow’s European Challenge Cup clash against Rugby Rovigo at the Sportsground (6.30pm).

ITALY’S Prime Minister Romano Prodi has never been a great football fan, unlike his opposite number Silvio Berlusconi, who is both president and owner of AC Milan, as well as most of the country’s TV stations.

RENATA TEBALDI, the Italian soprano who was one of the biggest stars at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Italy’s La Scala, died yesterday. She was 82.

Renata Tebaldi, an Italian soprano who was one of the biggest stars at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and Italy’s La Scala, died today, her doctor said. She was 82.

London Irish will be without almost a quarter of their squad for tomorrow night’s tough European Challenge Cup second round tie against Pau in France.

IRELAND has made three changes in its side for the A international against Italy in Rovigo on Friday night.

Ireland squad of 22 for the RBS 6 Nations Championship match against Italy in Rome on Saturday (starting 15 and replacements to be announced on Wednesday).

Police in Italy were today questioning 28 Pakistani terrorist suspects and carrying out further searches on the flat where a ringed photograph of Britain’s Chief of Defence staff, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, was found.

ITALIAN police hunting illegal immigrants in Naples stumbled across what they say is an al-Qaida terror cell.

Italian police hunting illegal immigrants in Naples stumbled across what they say is an al-Qaida terror cell.

Italian police found explosives, detonators and forged documents in a Naples apartment when they arrested 28 Pakistanis suspected of being members of al-Qaida.

THE arrests of 16 al-Qaida suspects yesterday in Spain and the discovery of explosives and maps of the London underground in an Italian raid have heightened fears that Britain is being targeted by Islamic extremist groups.

EXPLOSIVE and chemical attacks planned for continental Europe and London, were foiled by police raids in two countries yesterday.

Brad Johnstone has revamped Italy's squad once again after the Twickenham thrashing last Saturday.