Can Bundee Aki can be the difference-maker should Ireland negotiate their way to the latter stages of rugby’s greatest show? That remains to be seen, but on current form, why not?

The scene is set for some tremendous action but to enjoy all of it will take planning and a detailed schedule.

All Blacks score 14 tries to send out warning to contenders

This meeting with Tonga will be his 50th time wearing his country’s armband and it comes five years after he became the 61st person, but the first black man, to be awarded the honour

Henshaw is expecting Scotland to come gunning for Ireland in Paris

Manchester United have announced Lisandro Martinez will be sidelined for an 'extended period' after aggravating the foot injury he suffered towards the end of last season

Five things to put to rights about the Rugby World Cup

Springbok out-half Handre Pollard won’t be expecting miracles of himself when he returns to the national side for the first time in over a year this Sunday

The hosts took all the points on offer in the morning session

The Ireland captain has committed her future to the Gunners.

The action is underway in Rome.

Police in Cameroon have opened an investigation into claims that Samuel Eto’o was part of a match-fixing scandal.

Jack Conan, 31, sustained a foot injury against Italy in Ireland’s first pre-tournament Test in August 5 and has been unavailable since.

The IRFU’s head of women’s development and pathways, Gillian McDarby, has spoken about the lengths the union is going to attract more players from a GAA background but they have been circling around all Irish sporting waters for some time now.

Rugby World Cup Japan 28 Samoa 22 Japan remain firmly in the hunt for a place in the quarter-finals after taking advantage of Ben Lam’s red card and eventually seeing off a defiant Samoa side – sealing ...

Ireland, England, Wales and France are all on their ‘down’ weeks right now and, while work will continue away from the bright lights, players, coaches and backroom staff have taken the opportunity to spirit themselves away and close the door for a bit on the World Cup.

The morning lineup is completed by a European heavyweight pairing in Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood

"I had flashbacks to sitting in some random Japanese hospital in the middle of nowhere with Ciaran (Cosgrave, Ireland team doctor) four years ago, with Ciaran again, and I was saying 'surely not? Doing it all again in the exact same spot?'

Simon Easterby said the break, with players allowed to spend time away from camp with their families following last Saturday’s titanic scrap with the Springboks, had come at a perfect time.

Ireland’s injury profile and fixture schedule could hardly have worked better.