French hardman Jean-Jacques Crenca promised referee Jonathan Kaplan he will be a paragon of virtue during Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final showdown with Ireland.

GERMAN coach Rudi Voeller praised goalscorer Michael Ballack for sacrificing himself with a booking in yesterday’s 1-0 semi-final victory over South Korea and said the team will try to win the World Cup for their suspended playmaker.

SPANISH coach Jose Antonio Camacho has warned his side there is no room for error tomorrow in the World Cup round of 16.

Germany coach Rudi Voller has called up uncapped Hertha Berlin defender Arne Friedrich for next week's friendly against Bulgaria in Sofia.

THE FAI is to set up an independent investigation into its handling of Roy Keane’s expulsion from the World Cup.

Mexico 1 Croatia 0

Not everyone is convinced by the arguments for hosting an event like the 2023 Rugby World Cup but the prospect of the tournament taking place in Ireland would certainly have all manner of unforeseen or under-appreciated consequences.

Clive Woodward has issued a confident and upbeat message to English fans ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup semi-final showdown with France at Telstra Stadium.

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has claimed that the process for choosing where the 2026 World Cup will be played is the fairest, most objective and most transparent in world sport.

The IRB’s vow to invest money on world rugby’s middle tier will have been met with hearty applause in an Italian camp acutely aware just how wide the gap is between themselves and the world’s heavyweights.

Money will be no object when it comes to keeping Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon according to the club’s owner Mourad Boudjellal.

Inter Milan have completed the signing of Uruguay international Diego Forlan from Atletico Madrid on a two-year contract, the Serie A club have announced.

Ireland’s women have been dealt a reasonably favourable pool in the women’s World Cup next July with their date with India looking to be the crucial one if they are to make the knock-out phases.

The Irish Rugby Football Union has announced that Declan Kidney has been confirmed as the new head coach of the Ireland rugby team.

The world rankings will be used for the first time when qualifying for Europe’s next Ryder Cup team starts in September.

Mike Ruddock is to step down from his role as Ireland Under 20 head coach, the IRFU has said in a statement.

Uneven rest periods have once again become a World Cup bugbear, with Japan suffering 45-10 defeat to Scotland just four days after stunning South Africa and the world with a 34-32 victory in Brighton.

World Cup organisers are expected to say today that England will be one of the eight top seeds for next summer’s finals in Germany.

England veteran Jason Leonard says no-one within the camp will be talking of a possible grand slam this year given recent history.