Sean O’Brien has never played rugby in temperatures of -7C before but has farmed in the depths of a white winter when the mercury plummeted to -15.

Munster have opted for more major surgery on their midfield after signing Cardiff Blues centre Casey Laulala yesterday.

Harry Redknapp is facing a huge dilemma in the coming weeks.

John Jermyn faces into a crucial week in his race to be fit for Ireland’s Olympic qualification tournament in Dublin next month.

UCC president Dr Michael Murphy claimed the facilities at the Mardyke Sports Grounds were among the best in the world.

Anthony Foley back with Ireland, Niall O’Donovanagain part of the Munster set-up.

Rory McIlroy insists he will not become obsessed by his quest to become world number one.

Rory McIlroy’s relentlessmission to become thenumber one golfer in the world continues this week at the Honda Classic at PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Conor Lehane shot the lights out Saturday evening in Páirc Uí Rinn, ending with seven points from play in the home side’s Allianz HL Division 1 win over Waterford.

Limerick captain David Breen didn’t sugarcoat his team’s disappointment after Saturday night’s 14-pointhammering by Clare in the opening round of the Allianz Hurling League.

“I stopped watching the Arsenal game when it was 2-2,” France coach Laurent Blanc confessed on Sunday evening, proving yet again that managers can be worse than fans when it comes to judging how a game is going.

The first thought to flash through Aiden McGeady’s mind when the pain shot through his ankle at Spartak Moscow’s Spanish training camp earlier this month was that his dream of playing in this summer’s European Championships was over.

The Carling Cup may be derided in certain quarters but for Dirk Kuyt, a losing finalist in the World Cup and Champions League, his first winners’ medal with Liverpool is special.

Irish eventing was last night on course to have a team at the Olympics, after riders rose to the challenge in the Goresbridge Go For Gold International Horse Trials at Ballindenisk, Co Cork.

Superstitious Wales skipper Sam Warburton has banned himself from talking about the Grand Slam his World Cup semi-finalists are now favourites to achieve next month.

British and Irish Lions manager Andy Irvine has hailed Wales captain Sam Warburton as “the northern hemisphere’s Richie McCaw”.

Just how expensive will that last gasp penalty against Wales prove to be when this championship is decided in a few weeks time?

Keith Earls is really enjoying filling the void left by Ireland’s most iconic player.

Scotland wing Rory Lamont suffered a suspected broken leg in the 23-17 RBS 6 Nations loss to France at Murrayfield yesterday.

DECLAN Kidney congratulated Ronan O’Gara for writing his name into the record books following Saturday’s victory over Italy and welcomed the arrival of Munster’s Peter O’Mahony on the international scene.