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Ben Foden of Northampton is tackled by Schalk Brits (left) and Charlie Hodgson during the Aviva Premiership semi final match between Saracens and Northampton Saints at Allianz Park. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images Former Ulster flyer Nagusa added to squad

Barbarians complete their squad for games against England and Lions

The official British & Irish Lions squad photograph released today. O’Driscoll and Jenkins get body double?

Leinster and Ireland centre didn’t hook up with Lions in Wales on Monday because of back injury

Scotland and London Irish centre Joe Ansbro has retired due to the neck injury he sustained in August. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire Neck injury forces Ansbro to retire

The Scottish international was injured in a pre-season friendly

Kurtley Beale will likely miss the Lions tour for discipline reasons. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images Despite Kurtley Beale’s likely absence, Wallabies will pack quite a punch

In comparison to the Lions, Australia look to have more invention and game-breakers

Paul O’Connell, Jamie Heaslip and Tom Croft share a joke in London on Monday. Gatland confident O’Driscoll will recover from back complaint to tour with Lions

Veteran hopes 48 hours rest will do the trick

Jamie Heaslip, Jonathan Sexton and Cian Healy at the British & Irish Lions media day in London. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho Rested Sexton ready to go out on a high with Leinster

Outhalf prepared for back-to-back finals before heading away

Ireland interim head coach Les Kiss. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Ireland squad for North America to be announced Sunday

Kiss to consult Schmidt in process

Leinster’s Brian O’Driscoll receives treatment during the RaboDirect Pro12 play- Off against Glasgow at the RDS. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Gatland plays down injury concerns over O’Driscoll

Leinster centre misses Lions gathering in London to receive treatment on back injury

Kurtley Beale (left) has entered a private health clinic to deal with “personal issues”. Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images Kurtley Beale may miss Lions Test series

Wallaby back checks in to private health clinic to deal with ‘personal issues’

Australia’s Kurtley Beale has been suspened again by the Queensland Reds for a breach of team discipline. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire. Kurtley Beale stood down from Super Rugby again

Troubled back commits second breach of team discipline this season and looks unlikey to make Lions series

England’s Tom Wood will captain Stuart Lancaster’s side against the Barbarians and on their tour of Uruguay and Argentina. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire Tom Wood named as England captain for summer tour

Northampton flanker will take over from the rested Chris Robshaw against Barbarians and Argentina

Lions tour manager Andy Irvine at the squad announcement in London. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho Lions apologise over ‘inappropriate’ tweets

Two tweets removed from official account

London’s Olympic Stadium where Ireland will play Italy on October 4th, 2015 in their third World Cup Group D match. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Ireland to play World Cup games in Cardiff, Wembley and Olympic Stadium

Schedule builds to a climactic game against France

Ireland will play their World Cup Pool D game against Italy at the Olympic Stadium in London on Sunday October 4th, 2015. Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/PA Ireland to play World Cup game against Italy at Olympic Stadium

Millennium Stadium and Wembley to host other Pool D games

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. Wallabies coach Deans dismisses Lions media headline as nonsense

Deans confirms he will name a 25-man squad on May 19th

Lions captain Sam Warburton enters the room during the squad announcement at London Syon Park Hotel. Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images ‘I’m Lions captain - c u later bye’

Warburton couldn’t keep ‘secret’ from his family

Ulster’s Tommy Bowe in Belfast Zoo after he was named in yesterday’s 37 man 2013 British & Irish Lions squad tour to Australia. Photograph: William Cherry/Presseye/Inpho Bowe’s prayers answered as he goes out on a wing for the second time

Delighted for call up for Australia after after lengthy lay-off with injury

The inclusion of Jonathan Sexton (left) and England’s Owen Farrell (right) leaves the touring party light on options at 10. Photograph: Inpho Only two number 10s looks unnecessarily risky

Wilkinson cries off as Gatland opts for no safety net beneath Sexton and Farrell

Paul O’Connell, just one of the ‘large slabs of meat’ Warren Gatland opted to call on. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Australia reacts to ‘big slabs of meat’ in Lions squad

Gatland waited for O’Connell and Lydiate, the ‘hardest men on the northern scene’

New Ireland coach Joe Schmidt. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho There’s a feel-good factor about Schmidt as he takes Ireland job

Popular appointment signs three year contract and begins with ‘blank sheet of paper’ over backroom team

Vern Cotter (right) introduced Joe Schmidt to European rugby at Clermont. Photograph: Getty Images. Mullingar days and Aviva nights lead genial Schmidt to take Ireland’s call

Follows well-worn path of New Zealand coaches proving themselves overseas

Latest Rugby

Toulon’s Delon Armitage dives in for the decisive try after outrunning Brock James of Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images Toulon fightback denies Clermont in Heineken Cup final
Ronan O’Gara (right) and Jonny Sexton (left), former provincial rivals grappling for the international number 10 jersey, will join up as coach and player at Racing Metro 92. Photograph: Inpho O’Gara’s Racing Metro move a surprise to Sexton
Former All Black outhalf Andrew Mehrtens, right, with Ireland and Leinster out-half during the Irupa Rugby Player Awards 2013. Photograph: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile ‘I think so much talent is wasted in France’ – Mehrtens
Ronan O’Gara and Jonathan Sexton: set to meet up again at Racing Metro. O’Gara signs a two-year deal with Racing Metro as kicking coach
Rob Kearney leaps in to score the third of Leinster four tries against Stade Francais. Photograph: Inpho Clinical Leinster show smothers Stade’s Amlin challenge
Leinster’s Ian Madigan celebrates his try with outgoing outhalf Jonny Sexton. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho Strong signs of life before Leinster legends leave
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