Ex-England wing Dan Luger has blasted the Rugby Football Union for giving England virtually no chance of defending the World Cup.

Ertijaal produced a blistering performance to give Jim Crowley his biggest winner since joining forces with Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum in the Longines Master Collection Handicap on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan last night.

NIGEL DE JONG sweated his way through the hardest game of his career on Tuesday night – and he was not even playing.

RECORD scorer David Healy insists he is motivated by medals not money, on the eve of Northern Ireland’s most important match in 21 years.

RTÉ yesterday announced details of its mammoth World Cup coverage plans.

After the opening week of Rugby World Cup action, we round up the best fan pictures from Japan.

The Ireland Men’s cricket team has arrived in India for the three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, and captain Andrew Balbirnie sees the series as a critical piece in the squad’s preparation for the T20 World Cup in late 2020.

Dylan Hartley admits New Zealand have landed a telling psychological blow in the build-up to the 2015 World Cup by completing a 3-0 series whitewash over England.

Oasis star Noel Gallagher will be Alessandro Del Piero’s lucky mascot for the World Cup final against France in Berlin.

New Zealand will host the 2011 Rugby World Cup after winning today’s vote by members of the International Rugby Board council.

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has revealed he played through “massive pain” at the World Cup and has still not fully recovered going into the new Premiership season.

Jurgen Klinsmann has been named as the new coach of the German national team.

The eyes of the crowd were fixed on the VIP box before kick-off in this World Cup second-round clash when David Beckham led a group of England players to their seats.

Former Australia and Saracens fly-half Michael Lynagh has been released from hospital, two weeks after suffering a stroke.

France and Arsenal winger Robert Pires may play in the World Cup finals after all.

Ireland will conclude a busy World Cup warm-up schedule next year by tackling England at Twickenham.

Guus Hiddink has promised an up-and-at-them approach to tomorrow’s opener against Poland in Busan.

England will face a two-legged play-off against either Belarus or Ukraine if they need a play-off to reach next year’s World Cup finals in Japan and Korea.