I AM now officially parking RWC 2011.

ESTONIA coach Tarmo Ruutli has been rewarded with a new contract for taking his side to the Euro 2012 play-offs against the Republic of Ireland.

SUNDAY’S World Cup final was a pleasure to behold for many reasons, not least the honesty of endeavour and the sportsmanship on display from both sides.

DEFLATED French hooker Dimitri Szarzewski claimed his side were “playing 15 against 16” in their Rugby World Cup final defeat against New Zealand due to the passionate home support in Auckland.

SOME of Leinster’s big names will return for Friday’s RaboDirect Pro12 meeting with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (kick-off 7.30pm).

THE mother of surprise All Blacks hero Stephen Donald clamed her son had proven his critics wrong with a Rugby World Cup-winning performance.

GLENN WHELAN has challenged his Irish team-mates to lift the mood of a nation beset by financial woe by beating Estonia and qualifying for the European Championship.

THE country’s golfing Oscars were handed out last night, with an outstanding contribution award for the man credited with packaging the south-west of the country into one of the most formidable golfing brands on the globe.

THIS time last year, Graeme McDowell was the toast of the golfing world.

A PARTIAL recovery in the retail market last year resulted in operating profits at the Irish arm of sportswear giant Adidas increasing by 20% to €1.2 million.

THEY say the table never lies.

NORTHERN Ireland’s Mark Allen added his voice to the growing number of frustrated players in snooker echoing Ronnie O’Sullivan’s sentiments last week that most of the PTC events are “pointless” at the moment.

CORK’S Billy Twomey rode Romanov II to seventh place in the second leg of the Rolex World Cup Series in Helsinki, Finland yesterday.

WITH a perfect sense of timing, today is a bank holiday in New Zealand.

LEWIS Moody has announced his retirement from international rugby in the wake of England’s disappointing World Cup showing.

MARC LIEVREMONT admitted he could not have asked for any more from his players after they went agonisingly close to destroying New Zealand’s World Cup dream.

UNLIKELY hero Stephen Donald has started taking stock of his World Cup final-winning exploits, and admitted: “It is an unreal experience.”

QUADE COOPER has been ruled out for at least six months after the Australian Rugby Union confirmed he requires a knee reconstruction.

NEW ZEALAND captain Richie McCaw hailed his team’s courage and desire after they ended 24 years of hurt by winning the closest final in World Cup history.

THE All Blacks never forgave Stephen Donald for the missed touch kick which ultimately condemned them to defeat by Australia in Hong Kong this time last year.