HAVING laboured as fourth seeds in the current Euro 2008 campaign, the Republic of Ireland are set to move up a rung in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

There are no changes on either team as the second-half kicks off between Ireland and Iran.

Eminem has topped the Irish singles chart.

Senegal lead France at half-time

Mexico 1 Ecuador 1

Full-time: Cameroon 1 Saudi Arabia 0

Mexico 0 USA 1

JAPAN will bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup and so take the tournament outside the sport’s traditional strongholds for the first time.

Crouch, pause, touch, engage... and, hopefully, do enough hand-shaking, grinning for the cameras, and small-talk to drive us over the line.

IRFU chief Philip Browne believes Ireland’s willingness to host the Women’s Rugby World Cup in two years’ time - confirmation of which emerged yesterday – will boost the island’s chances of being the chosen venue for the equivalent men’s event in 2023.

Nike has seen its fourth-quarter profits rise 53%.

Phil Neville's England have won their Women's World Cup quarter-final against Norway to set up a semi-final against either the hosts France or the current world champions USA.

Australia coach Eddie Jones praised England as the best team in the world - “by a minute” – after Jonny Wilkinson’s drop-goal second from the end of extra-time settled the World Cup final.

World Rugby has announced a reduction in concussion incidents at last year’s World Cup in comparison to the 2018 elite competition average.