Shay Given is Ireland’s all-time longest serving player, having played from 1996 to 2016, as he amassed 134 caps. His last competitive game saw him carried off injured in the famous 1-0 win over Germany. Now 41, he’s a free agent.

If I come away from the studios tonight having enjoyed the game in Copenhagen, I will be surprised if our last match in Cardiff has proved to be the template — although a repeat of the same result would certainly be very welcome.

Is the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off meeting with Denmark a battle of two long-ball sides? And if so, who will want possession?

Former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy has revealed that the memory of guiding the country to the World Cup finals still burns as brightly as the fires that illuminated the night sky in Tehran following their triumph in Iran.

Is there any particular autumn international I’d buy a ticket for?

France have named inexperienced half-back duo Anthony Belleau and Antoine Dupont in the starting XV to face New Zealand tomorrow.

Bundee Aki and Darren Sweetnam stand poised to complete very different but equally demanding journeys into Test rugby when they pull on an Ireland jersey in Dublin tomorrow evening.

Northern Ireland 0 Switzerland 1

The daily newspapers had hardly been bundled onto shelves around the country on Wednesday morning when word arrived that Peter Schmeichel wouldn’t talk about Roy Keane when he arrived in Dublin yesterday.

It’s not often that the great minds of the Irish management team and the Irish media think alike but such was the case this week when we asked Roy Keane for his thoughts on how Shane Duffy has progressed to the point where he is now widely regarded as the rock of the Irish defence and one of the most consistent centre-halves in the Premier League.

Peter Schmeichel all but scoffs when asked how the current Ireland and Denmark squads compare to his day when the teams drew twice in the qualifying rounds for the 1994 World Cup.

New Zealand’s Canterbury Crusaders are targeting Ronan O’Gara for a sensational move to Super Rugby next season.

American director Alex Gibney was stunned by what he found for his documentary on the Loughinisland killings. It will be shown at Cork Film Festival, writes Richard Fitzpatrick.

Catch up on this morning's headlines...

Wales boss Warren Gatland looks set to field three home Test match debutants in the starting line-up for Saturday’s clash against Australia.

World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper has hinted that Ireland’s timing hasn’t been right as the country finds itself ranked behind “two masters of the universe in terms of putting on major world events” in the race to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Cliodhna Sargent is set to return to action for the first time since January following the birth of her first son, Dylan, in August with a World Cup spot very much the long-term aim.