IRISH and New Zealand rugby chiefs have rubbished claims that they fixed New Zealand's selection as the venue for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in return for an appearance by the All Blacks at the opening of the redeveloped Lansdowne Road.

Stuart Lancaster will outline his blueprint for how England can win the 2015 Rugby World Cup when he has his interview for the job of head coach this afternoon.

South Africa - Ireland’s chief rivals in the battle to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup - will not be permitted to bid for the event, according to their Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula.

Gavin Henson has been ruled out of the World Cup after failing to make the Wales squad for Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham.

ROY KEANE says England needs to get over not winning the right to stage the 2018 World Cup.

GOLF and soccer lovers are queuing up to dig deep in aid of a very worthy appeal.

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was last night named the African Player of the Year for 2017.

Kieron Dyer insists he must build up his fitness with Newcastle before the World Cup can enter his thoughts.

Fifa is conducting racism risk assessments for all 2022 World Cup qualifiers and sending observers to matches where there is a high prospect of discriminatory incidents.

GAA president Liam O’Neill said the organisation would more than likely be unable to make their stadiums available to the FAI for any future bid to host or co-host the European Championships.

DERVAL O’ROURKE put the finishing touches to another successful season with an impressive if not spectacular performance at the IAAF/VTB Bank Continental Cup in Split yesterday when she finished fifth in the 100m hurdles in 12.99 secs.

COACHES Bernard Laporte and Eddie O’Sullivan tried to distance September’s World Cup clash between the teams in Paris from yesterday’s game at Croke Park.

PORTUGAL coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said yesterday that only victory in the final on July 4 in Lisbon at the Estadio da Luz will be a satisfactory result for the host nation.

RAVENHILL is to host a full Irish senior international for the first time in over half a century.

Uruguay and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez is confident he will play at the World Cup as he makes a cautious return to fitness after knee surgery.

"If you get a re-injury on the same site then you are in a situation where his World Cup could be in doubt."

Shane Jennings has been called into the Ireland Rugby World Cup squad to replace David Wallace who was injured in this afternoon's defeat to England.

Rio Ferdinand was today officially ruled out of the World Cup.

Argentina coach Diego Maradona is keen to sign a new contract – so long as he is allowed to retain his entire backroom staff.