NOTHING falls down more easily than an Italian soccer player — with the possible exception of an Italian soccer player’s pants.

CORK HARLEQUINS begin their fourth European adventure in Prague today when they represent Ireland in this year’s European Club Championships.

THE IRB U-19 World Championships were launched yesterday in Belfast and Ireland coach Charlie McAleese expects a tough campaign in the Division A Championship.

NOW, I appreciate that, despite a couple of wins in five days at Croke Park, many of you retain reservations about the ability of Steve Staunton to lead the Republic.

RAIN in the mountains of Andalucia while it was glorious weather in Ireland.

IT WAS as if we were transported back in time.

FINALLY he’s a marquee name, Ronan O’Gara, respected now wherever rugby is played as one of the world’s best out-halves.

READING striker Kevin Doyle was the hero as the Republic of Ireland kept their European Championship qualifying campaign on track with a 12th-minute winner that keeps Ireland in the hunt for a top-two finish in Group D, and with it a place in next year’s finals.

HEADY days for Irish rugby. Two teams in the weekend’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals, the World Cup can’t come soon enough, and Dublin’s Aoife McCarthy has given IRFU chiefs another reason to smile.

JOSE MOURINHO has promised Manchester United a guard of honour at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday – but pledged the new Premiership champions can expect a major battle to retain their crown next season.

AH, the great wheel of life.

A HAT-TRICK of goals by Ryan Clifford powered Cork to an emphatic victory over Waterford in a disappointing ESB Munster MHC first round tie at sun-drenched Pairc Ui Chaoimh last night.

A NUMBER of front line Munster, Ulster and Leinster players would dearly love a short break from competitive rugby right now.

WITH the thunder of cannon and the whistle of a bosun pipe, Washington has honoured former President Gerald Ford’s memory.

RAFAEL BENITEZ’S already strained relationship with Sam Allardyce fractured entirely after the Liverpool manager effectively accused his Bolton Wanderers counterpart of building his success on dirty tricks.

SEVERAL death threats were made against President John F Kennedy ahead of his official visit to Ireland in 1963, Government papers have revealed.

MICHAEL CHEIKA has experienced almost everything that Irish rugby has to offer in his 18 months on these shores and his local education will be complete when he takes his Leinster team to Thomond Park for the first time today.

Crystal Palace 1 Sunderland 0

YOU’RE AWAKE. Barely. You now have hours left to snag a last-second winner with a sports gift for the special person in your life. Let Michael Moynihan take you by the hand.

Kilkenny 3-18 UCD 0-14