They go into the tournament with race representation plaguing them, but if South Africa come through the pool phase unscathed and purring, no team would relish taking them on in knockout rugby.

The rumours of Port Wine’s demise have thankfully been exaggerated. While the market is overly seasonal in nature (that is, Christmas), and sales are down, sales of one style are definitely up.

Wales 28 Australia 33

Limerick is hosting Ireland’s first ever rugby World Club 7’s event, with a feast of rugby taking place in Thomond Park over the weekend.

South African police are searching for three men who forced a family from their car and drove off with a four-year-old boy hanging out of the vehicle.

Gary McDermott defied rain squalls and winds gusting up to 30 mph to shoot a sensational 69 for a one shot lead after the opening round of the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin.

Tourism Ireland is hoping to boost Ireland's visitor numbers from South Africa.

"Get inside the shark cage," they said. "Be grand," they said.

Kieren Fallon is looking forward to taking the ride on Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Little Mike as he makes his Dubai debut on the Super Saturday card at Meydan.

Independent News and Media (INM) has sold off its extensive South African newspaper business for €170m as it battles to reduce its €420m debt mountain.

There have been mixed results for Irish athletes so far on the eighth day of the Paralympic games with Boccia hopeful Johnny Cronin unsuccessful in his bid, and cyclist Colin Lynch marked as DNF (Did Not Finish).

Scotland’s George Murray needed only six holes of his third round to wipe out a four-shot deficit at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa today.

DEFENDING champion Alan Dunbar hopes his batteries will be recharged when he tees it up at Royal Dublin this morning and takes on six of his fellow Walker Cup squad members in the Irish Amateur Open.

AN open-air dancing extravaganza featuring Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance is to take place at the Cliffs of Moher in September.

Rescuers have recovered eight bodies after a plane carrying nine people crashed in a nature reserve in South Africa.

TRIPLE major winner Pádraig Harrington ignored reporters and hastily headed to the practice range last night despite taking a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Sun City Challenge.

AFTER their shocker against the Krauts, at least the England team can look forward to spending a bit of quality time with their wives again. Or, perhaps in John Terry’s case, someone else’s partner.

Nelson Mandela will not attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup today following the death of his great granddaughter in a car accident last night, the South African organising committee have confirmed.

Darren Clarke continued his spirited fightback on the third day of the South African open after his disappointing first-round 74, following up his 67 yesterday by moving to three under after 15 holes.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL is relishing the prospect of playing for the Lions in SA in eight months’ time despite his nightmare experience as captain in New Zealand.

A soldier helping police quell violence against foreigners in South Africa shot and killed a man, the defence force said today.

LEINSTER are contemplating sending some of their young prospects to South Africa to gain much-needed match time in the off-season.

Gold mines were forced to stop production in South Africa today hit by nationwide power cuts.

TWO Dublin firms have won deals during Ireland’s trade mission to South Africa.

Muskerry's Niall Turner closed with an eagle three to lead the Irish

At least 14 people, nine of them schoolchildren, were killed in a six-vehicle accident on a major road in South Africa, the South African Press Association reported.

A group of Irish volunteers have succeeded in building 70 homes for homeless people in South Africa in one week.

Cork's Claire Coughlan added a level par 72 to her opening 71 to lie four shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the LET Final Qualifying School at La Cala Resort in Spain.

IRISH software solutions group eXpd8 (pronounced expdate) has secured a major joint venture deal with the South African software group Coleso worth over €1 million to the Dublin-based group.

Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie have all qualified for the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in three weeks’ time.

Sergio Garcia has qualified for the HSBC world match play championship at Wentworth in three weeks – but Luke Donald and Colin Montgomerie need there to be more withdrawals if they are to play.

42 miners have been left trapped underground by an earthquake which struck in South Africa earlier today.

Munster and Ireland outhalf Ronan O’Gara has been named in an international team of the year as selected by French sports newspaper, L’Equipe.

Gordon D'Arcy and Jamie Heaslip have both been short-listed for the IRB World Players of the Year awards at London's Royal Lancaster Hotel on November 28.

Sonia O'Sullivan turned on the style as she eased to victory in her final Irish appearance before next month's Olympic games at the Mardyke.

Ireland centre Gordon D’Arcy has been ruled out of the rest of the tour of South Africa with a groin injury.

Six Irish players have been named on the Barbarians team for the three-match tour of Britain. Two Irish forwards have been selected, and four backs.

Actress Leslie Ash was due to be moved out of intensive care in hospital today after being diagnosed with an infection known as MSSA, which attacks the nervous system.

President Thabo Mbeki’s African National Congress is poised to retain – or even increase – its sweeping majority in tomorrow’s national election in South Africa.

Tourism Ireland, the cross-border body responsible for marketing Ireland, is embarking on a major tourism drive this week in South Africa.

2003/4 Volvo Order of Merit rankings after Hong Kong Open.

World Rankings - November 17