A FIRST ever British victory in the Emirates Melbourne Cup was prevented by the narrowest possible margin once again as Ed Dunlop’s Red Cadeaux succumbed to well-fancied French stayer Dunaden.

PAUL NICHOLLS was delighted to see Kauto Star show plenty of enthusiasm as the veteran chaser enjoyed a spin with stablemates Big Buck’s and Mon Parrain after racing at Exeter yesterday.

WORLD CUP final referee Craig Joubert is among the officials taking charge of Ireland’s matches in the upcoming Six Nations while the IRB have kept faith with controversial Irish whistler Alain Rolland for the tournament.

LONDON IRISH are considering playing a match overseas in the next few years, with Boston mentioned as a potential venue.

DEPARTING All Blacks coach Graham Henry has argued for continuity in New Zealand rugby, nominating his assistant Steve Hansen as the next man for the job.

SEÁN O’BRIEN is expected to be among a number of frontline World Cup players ushered back into the Leinster team to face Munster in the Rabobank PRO12 encounter at the Aviva Stadium on Friday evening.

ULSTER hope to include Ireland’s Rory Best and World Cup winner John Afoa in their starting line-up for Saturday’s RaboDirect Pro12 derby against Connacht at Ravenhill.

THREE of the world’s top cricketers were facing possible jail terms last night after being convicted of match-fixing.

NAIVE, suicidal, kamikaze. Some of the phrases used to describe our football against Arsenal.

THAT was a good week, interesting for lots of reasons.

PAUL O’CONNELL insists Munster’s World Cup contingent are buzzing again after returning to the province and ready to meet the challenge of Leinster this weekend and the Heineken Cup campaign beyond.

THE European Tour and sponsors, the Andalucian Tourist Board, must have been furious the Andalucian Masters was bypassed by many marquee names in favour of the Shanghai Masters.

SHANE HORGAN has challenged his Leinster team-mates to make history by becoming only the second side to retain the Heineken Cup — and believes Ireland’s World Cup heartache could help them do so.

AS the World Cup slowly but surely recedes into the backs of peoples’ minds, they now have the mouth-watering prospect of the renewal of the Leinster-Munster rivalry at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS has admitted Chelsea have endured “a disastrous week” but insists he is still on course to produce a side capable of winning the Barclays Premier League.

BACK when he was still coaching both Kerry and Dr Crokes, Pat O’Shea recommended a book on Michael Jordan to his Kerry players.

THE powers of rugby’s Television Match Official (TMO) will be extended to the entire field in selected northern and southern hemisphere games in 2012 and, if successful, it may become permanent.

THE worst kept secret from the Rugby World Cup has emerged after French number eight Imanol Harinordoquy admitted the players largely overlooked “lost” coach Marc Lievremont to reach the final.

GEORDAN MURPHY admits he is likely to retire from international rugby before next year’s Six Nations.

GOLF’s two million dollar man, Rory McIlroy, believes his new management team will help inspire him to more victories.