IRELAND added the final piece to Declan Kidney’s new backroom team yesterday with the appointment of Michael Kearney as team manager.

MIKE MILLER is stepping down as International Rugby Board chief executive.

THE Libyan squad had a few decisions to make.

NEXT MONTH’S Ballindenisk Horse Trials has attracted a stellar line-up, according to the organisers.

BELGIUM’S Nicolas Colsaerts leads the Volvo Golf Champions by four strokes after surging clear of the field with a course-record 64 at Fancourt in South Africa today.

GREEK club Larissa have announced their intention to take legal action against the Football Association of Wales over the appointment of Chris Coleman as Wales manager.

NORTHAMPTON have dropped winger Chris Ashton amid rumours of a training ground row with director of rugby Jim Mallinder.

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt adopted the role of chief cheerleader for Luke Fitzgerald yesterday but refused to be drawn on the wing’s latest international setback.

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt is hoping Rhys Ruddock will decide to stay in Dublin as reports persist the young and versatile back-row plans a switch south to Munster.

Ireland is a progressive society, but deficient in gender equality when it comes to electing our politicians, writes Kathleen Lynch

A leading Irish coach has accused the IRFU of neglecting the club game and warned of the consequences down the line for provincial and representative teams.

The Cork-born jockey who broke his leg in last Saturday’s action-packed Grand National has described as ‘rubbish’ the suggestion the race is too dangerous.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins is planning another strong assault on next week’s Punchestown Festival, with Hurricane Fly and Quevega leading his team.

Barcelona may be the greatest team the world has ever seen but Roberto Di Matteo has taunted the European champions ahead of tonight’s Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge by insisting they simply don’t like playing against Chelsea.

Spain have given their manager a ringing endorsement ahead of meeting Ireland at this summer’s Euro 2012.

Even indigenous fans of American football are able to laugh at the irony.

Lorcan McLoughlin says Cork are “realistic” about their place in the hurling world, warning that they still have “a lot of work to do” ahead of this year’s championship.

Injured duo Ronan O’Gara and David Wallace will again be absentees when Munster take on the Llanelli Scarlets in a crucial RaboDirect Pro12 game at Parc Y Scarlets on Saturday.

With Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien both on call for various media duties this week, it is only natural that the focus has centred on their prospective meeting with Ireland back-row colleague Stephen Ferris in Ravenhill this Friday.

When the Heineken Cup celebrated its 15th birthday two years ago, fans were asked to select their most memorable games from the tournament’s history.