Six England fans have been stopped by the Japanese authorities at Kansai International Airport serving Osaka.

New Zealand rugby is reeling following the resignations of its chief executive David Rutherford and board chairman Murray McCaw.

England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson last night repeated his call for less football at the top level in England.

Roque Santa Cruz is revelling in his status as a World Cup goalscorer and has no fear of Spain.

Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren is backing David Beckham to battle his way back to fitness before the World Cup finals.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes David Beckham will be fit to lead England at this summer’s World Cup finals.

Roy Keane left the Pacific island of Saipan alone a day after being kicked out of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup team by Mick McCarthy.

Sven-Goran Eriksson is backing Andy Cole to finally end his England goal drought in the World Cup qualifier with Finland.

Sammy McIlroy hopes his future as Northern Ireland manager will be resolved before the start of the final 2002 World Cup qualifiers next month.

Captain William Porterfield believes Ireland’s quest to become more than just World Cup giant-killers is being hamstrung by a chronic lack of matches against full-member nations.

Australia’s maverick fly-half Quade Cooper did little to quash his status as New Zealand’s “public enemy number one” as he cranked up the pressure on the All Blacks ahead of Sunday’s World Cup semi-final.

Brian O’Driscoll believes New Zealand have faltered since last year, offering encouragement ahead of a possible quarter-final showdown at the World Cup.

SOUTH KOREA have saved the World Cup from anonymity in this part of the world by their success.

THEY say hard men don’t cry. Don’t believe a bit of it.

Blue Bulls centre Wynand Olivier has been ruled out of South Africa’s year-end grand slam tour due to a groin injury.

IAN McGEECHAN believes Leinster are the team to beat in this season’s Heineken Cup and says Jonny Sexton now has the ideal mix of talent and experience to take Europe by storm once again.

WORLD CUP surprise package Uruguay are coming to Dublin.

Heineken Cup semi-finalists Edinburgh have secured the services of Georgia number eight Dimitri Basilaia for next season.

Tom Lewis is not the only surprise name currently in position to qualify for Europe’s Ryder Cup team – fellow Englishman Sam Little is there too.