Despite controversy regarding the voting process involved in the awarding of the 2022 World up finals to Qatar, FIFA has announced the first ever festive World Cup Final.

Today will be a test of Simon Zebo’s strength of character. As a travelling member of the Irish party heading to Scotland, he must accept the fact his weekend will be spent in a suit, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Jamie Heaslip has always stood as the most useful, and accurate, of barometers on those all-too-frequent occasions in the past when Luke Fitzgerald’s staccato Ireland career has been a topic of interest.

Ireland coach Phil Simmons is poised to become the new boss of the West Indies.

Sepp Blatter has rejected an invitation to take part in a live television debate involving all four candidates for the Fifa presidency.

Manuel Pellegrini may well insist he isn’t under pressure but, as Manchester City’s squad, which cost €1.4bn to assemble, was out-classed in the Nou Camp, you could almost hear the sharpening of knives in Abu Dhabi.

Knowing when to call time on your career is one of the hardest decisions for a professional sportsman or woman to make.

The former World Cup final whistler has been handed a new role as performance director for England’s professional referees.

But eat your hearts out Jackie Tyrrell and Aaron Kernan, versatile ROG has taken up two new sports.

Ireland proved far too strong for Turkey to complete their World League 2 pool games with a huge 13-0 win, with Clare woman Naomi Carroll netting four times at Belfield.

The UN human rights investigator for North Korea said he would probe allegations of an estimated 20,000 North Koreans working in slave-like conditions abroad, mainly in China, Russia, and the Middle East.

With a few days to reflect on events at the Millennium Stadium, I am even stronger in the belief that Ireland’s defeat in Cardiff will serve more purpose in the long run.

Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw admits the Dark Blues will be left red-faced if they do not end this year’s RBS 6 Nations with a victory on Saturday.

World Rugby boss Brett Gosper has claimed his tweet was "over-interpreted" into partisanship when posting that hosts England failing to reach the World Cup quarter-finals would be "not the words we want to hear".

European League of Legends fans will be able to see top level players duke it out in person, as the League of Legends World Championships stops in several countries this autumn.

I have to say that Twitter comes into its own on sad occasions such as the passing of the great Ray Treacy and I’m sure it must come as some considerable consolation to his nearest and dearest to see the outpouring of affection and admiration on the internet which has shown no sign of drying up since the shocking news of his death emerged.

Considering that he had just scuppered a sporting fairytale, it was warming to see just how genuinely chuffed the racing world was for Leighton Aspell, who had scripted his own tale of the wholly unexpected at the Grand National and appeared not quite able to take it all in.

He may be only a kid but from what we have already seen of Jordan Spieth, it is enough to be unsurprised that the Texan will not be taking a Masters victory for granted this weekend.

Satisfaction, relief, tension and disappointment – Ireland’s Masters competitors ran the range of emotions at Augusta National last night as the first major of the year reached the halfway stage.

One minute relaxed and effortlessly mature whilst handling media commitments for England, the next producing outrageous moments of skill on the pitch for Manchester United, there is something significant about the development of Wayne Rooney this season as he prepares to lead his side in the Manchester derby.