New Zealand will hit Ireland for six unless Joe Schmidt’s men sharpen up from last weekend’s Australia loss, according to Brian O’Driscoll.

It took New Zealand 24 agonising years to claim the Webb Ellis Trophy back, so Richie McCaw was quick to admit that it felt slightly surreal to be handing it over to the IRB again last night, just over two years later.

Brian O’Driscoll says he is “fresh” and ready to play in whatever game Joe Schmidt deems fit, but admits that he would love one last crack at the All Blacks.

A broad smile colonises Jonathan Sexton’s chiselled features as his mind rewinds three years to the first time he faced the Springboks.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney insisted yesterday he doesn’t feel under increased pressure given the national side’s recent failures.

As Ireland bid a hasty retreat from New Zealand for the second time in eight months, they do so with a heavy heart and a feeling of what might have been.

New Zealand 60 Ireland 0

Aaron Cruden feels the new-found confidence he has in his game means the team will not miss the presence of the injured Dan Carter as keenly as anticipated.

Paddy Wallace has been selected in Declan Kidney’s starting line-up for Saturday’s third and final Test with the All Blacks at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton (kick-off 8.35am Irish time).

Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara is confident his side’s improved showing in the second Test against New Zealand proves that “normal service has resumed”.

IT’S “last chance saloon” time for Ireland against the All Blacks in Hamilton this weekend, according to Ronan O’Gara.

Lee Byrne believes Wales are capable of winning the Rugby World Cup.

Wales 66 Fiji 0

ONLY one thing mattered to Warren Gatland after Wales survived a trademark scare against Samoa to keep alive their World Cup quarter-final hopes – the result.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry praised an impressive showing by Sonny Bill Williams after the All Blacks romped to an 83-7 victory over Japan at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium yesterday.

WARREN GATLAND accepts there will be “no second chances” for Wales if they fail in their World Cup victory mission against Samoa early tomorrow morning.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry praised an impressive showing by Sonny Bill Williams after the All Blacks romped to an 83-7 victory over Japan at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium.

New Zealand 83 Japan 7

New Zealand 38 Japan 0

John Afoa, Corey Flynn, Liam Messam and Ma'a Nonu have been recalled to the New Zealand squad for the Tri-Nations series with Australia and South Africa.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw is confident the wholesale changes to the team this week will not lead to a drop in standards in the second Test against Wales on Saturday.

Dan Carter is one of several New Zealand players in doubt for Saturday’s series finale against Wales in Hamilton.

New Zealand have lost another midfield prospect for their upcoming Test matches against Ireland and Wales with Richard Kahui ruled out for three weeks with a rib cartilage injury.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry has made five changes and two positional switches to his starting line-up for the dead rubber Tri-Nations match against Australia in Wellington.

New Zealand 29 South Africa 32

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers says the decision to base his players on Australia’s Gold Coast prior to their crucial Tri-Nations clash with New Zealand in Hamilton is because “there is nothing in Hamilton” and he wants to keep his players fresh ahead of such an important match.

New Zealand midfielders Luke McAlister and Conrad Smith have been ruled out of the remainder of the Tri-Nations series due to injuries they sustained in the nail-biting 19-18 victory over Australia last weekend.

WYNAND OLIVIER has been named in the Bulls starting line-up for the Super 14 final against the Chiefs on Saturday, despite having yet to recover from a hip injury that kept him out of the semi-final last week.

New Zealand 64 Canada 13

The New Zealand Rugby Union have confirmed Tests against France and Canada as part of their preparations for next year’s Tri-Nations and World Cup.

TROY FLAVELL, New Zealand’s try-scoring hero last week, was nearly lost to All Black rugby when he went to play in Japan two years ago.

New Zealand 34 Ireland 23

Richie McCaw does not expect to be overawed after being promoted to become New Zealand captain.

South African-born Greg Rawlinson will make his debut for the All Blacks along with Clarke Dermody against Ireland at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on Saturday.

Ireland have made two changes to the starting XV which helped clinch the Triple Crown by beating England in March for Saturday’s first Test against New Zealand at Waikato Stadium.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan will not employ a rotation policy on his team’s tour of New Zealand and Australia.

The All Blacks will play Ireland twice at home and a single test in Argentina, as well as defending their Tri-Nations title in an expanded competition in 2006.

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) have confirmed the dates and venues for Ireland's two summer tour Test matches against the All Blacks next June.

IF Paul O’Connell and his fellow Lions emerge victorious from the first Test against the All Blacks at Jade Stadium tomorrow, the Ireland lock will be grateful to the wake-up call received a fortnight earlier from the New Zealand Maori.

FOUR days on and the sour taste of defeat at the hands of the New Zealand Maori still lingers in the mouths of the British & Irish Lions.

LIONS captain Brian O’Driscoll is relishing the chance to quickly atone for his side’s defeat to the New Zealand Maori against Wellington on Wednesday.

NOW we’re getting serious. British and Irish Lions head coach Clive Woodward underlined the view that tomorrow’s meeting in Hamilton with New Zealand Maori is the unofficial fourth test of this 2005 series by naming his strongest side to date yesterday.

The British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in the summer of 2005 will consist of 10 matches, including a three-Test series against the All Blacks.