JAPAN ROSE ABOVE Fiji and into ninth in rugby’s world rankings today, equalling their best ever standing six weeks out from a World Cup on home soil. The Brave Blossoms’ ascent comes after a 34-20 Pacific Nations Cup win over the USA in Suva and leaves Rugby World Cup Pool A as one of the two pools containing three top 10-ranked nations. Joe Schmidt’s Ireland will open their campaign against seventh-ranked Scotland before taking on the hosts six days later in Shizuoka. Source: USA Rugby/YouTube   Jamie Joseph’s men set the platform for victory through their set-piece before latterly showing their ability to score from deep with a second try…

ULSTER HAVE BEEN dealt a blow with the news that Andrew Trimble is ruled out of tomorrow’s Pro12 derby against Connacht [Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm, BBC NI & Sky Sports]. Trimble has been sidelined with injury since Ireland’s win against Australia, and missed the Champions Cup double-header against Clermont, but was expected to be fit for the first of the festive interpros. But the winger was unable to train fully this week and has been left out of the matchday 23. Facing just a five-day turnaround since Sunday’s defeat in Clermont, Les Kiss shuffles his hand to make six changes. Jacob Stockdale starts the sold-out clash on the left wing with five…

Cody Rhodes underwent successful surgery this morning in Atlanta, Georgia to repair a knee injury he suffered last year. The injury took place at a Ring of Honor show in November and an MRI showed that he was suffering from two tears in his meniscus. Despite the injury, Cody did wrestle a few times after that including at Wrestle Kingdom 13. The surgery method was arthroscopic, which is minimally invasive and done through a very small incision on the knee. Typical recovery time for such surgery is around six to eight weeks which is good enough for Cody to have his first match back at AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.…

Source: The42.ie/YouTube Updated 31 January, 10.00am FOR THE FIRST time in their history, St Fintan’s High School will compete in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup today. The Sutton-based school take on eight-time champions Clongowes this afternoon, with the first-round tie screened live on eir Sport 1 at 3pm. This huge occasion at Donnybrook is just reward for the hard work that has been done in a school that began playing rugby as recently as 2001. A non-fee-paying school, St Fintan’s have had a remarkable rise under coach Robert Forbes in recent years. From humble beginnings, the north Dublin institution now finds itself in among the big boys of this top-tier…

THE MUNSTER SCHOOLS Junior Cup quarter-final between PBC and St Munchin’s will be replayed next week after ‘unprecedented injury circumstances’ brought the fixture to an early finish yesterday. Just nine match minutes had elapsed when St Munchin’s declined to resume play after three of their players were forced off with injuries – two of whom were taken to Cork University Hospital by ambulance. This evening Munster Rugby have announced the game will be played on Wednesday next, 15 February, at Musgrave Park with a 2.30pm kick-off. Players recovering at home after freak injuries in abandoned Munster schools rugby game “As a priority, player welfare and the health and safety off…

ENGLAND HEAD COACH Eddie Jones has left centre Jonathan Joseph out of his match-day squad for Sunday’s Six Nations game against Italy at Twickenham [3pm, live RTÉ2]. The Bath centre has featured in all 15 Tests of the Australian’s tenure to date but has been released to play for his club this weekend. Elliot Daly, who has impressed on the wing in victories against France and Wales, is expected to line out at outside centre while Jones will have to cut one more name from his 24-man squad when he names his final 23 on Friday. Former Leinster back Ben Te’o is also believed to be pushing for a starting…

SPORT PROVIDES REFUGE for so many of us, a foundation to fall back on in the toughest times, a support network when our lives provide great challenges. The degree of comfort offered by sport has been pushed to an extreme level in Libya in recent years, however, with fighting having raged since protests against the rule of Colonel Gaddafi during the 2011 Arab Spring led to an uprising and civil war. More than 30,000 have died in the fighting that has swept Libya ever since. A civilian fighter, holding the Libyan flag, stands in front of damaged buildings in Benghazi last month. Source: AP/Press Association Images Benghazi, the second most populous city in…

TOP 14 MATCHES involving Racing 92 and Stade Francais this weekend have been postponed, following the news of the proposed merger between the clubs earlier this week. A statement published on the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) website today, explains that the decision was taken in the wake of a meeting about the situation. Click Here: rose toy sucking It also states that the rescheduled dates for the fixtures between Castres Olympique v Stade Francais, and Montpellier Hérault Rugby v Racing 92, will be announced on Monday. Players at Stade Francais voted to take unlimited strike action in response to the unexpected news of a merger, fearing that the new partnership will favour Racing. The…

Click:martial arts uniform kungfu wushu Chris Ashton during England’s Six Nations game against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in 2011. Source: PA Archive/PA Images SARACENS WINGER CHRIS Ashton claims a move to Toulon will go some way to extinguish his desire to feature in the England squad again. The rugby league convert is to leave European and Premiership champions Sarries for a spell in the Top 14 at the end of the season. Ashton’s decision to move to France will prevent him from forcing his way back into the England squad due to the Rugby Football Union’s policy of making overseas-based players ineligible for selection. The 30-year-old flyer revealed he still craves a return…

Click:forged concave wheelsBatista recently appeared on Lilian Garcia’s podcast: On being out of the ring for so long and how it affected him: “I was on my way as I had landed in New York and just thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing? I was excited because I had wanted to do this for years, but this is not the way things are done. I’m 50 years old and have been out of wrestling for five years and then just get back into wrestling at a WrestleMania. I’m super excited, but I wish I was a little better prepared. I wish I was a little younger. I…