The Morning Sports Briefing

As the Irish rugby team rise to third in the world following yesterday's 42-point victory over Georgia, Roy Keane has still managed to steal the limelight following the Republic of Ireland team press conference in Portmarnock yesterday.

The team’s assistant manager certainly didn’t hold back when questioned over an incident which occurred in the same hotel the Wednesday previously, prompting Gardai to be called following an altercation between Keane and a fan.

Having initially refused to answer questions on the issue, the 43-year-old eventually erupted following a tense stand-off with two journalists in particular.

Before all the drama ensued Keane had talked at length on a wide range of topics including of course the disappointing defeat to Scotland last Friday night, tomorrow's friendly fixture with the USA, and the possible clash which may arise between the Irish and Everton camps over the availability of their players.

Keane stressed that manager Martin O’Neill has been leniant enough in his dealings with the club thus far and if the problem continues a “sit-down” conversation is on the cards. Both Everton's Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy have already missed a number of important qualifier fixtures for Ireland this year.

Top three

While the Irish soccer camp may be in minor disarray this morning, Joe Schmidt's Irish rugby squad are up to third in the IRB world rankings, and now in preperation of a clean sweap of Autumn international wins when Australia visit the Aviva next weekend.

Gerry Thornley has been analysing yesterday's victory over Georgia as well as the impending return of former Leinster and now Australia coach Michael Cheika.

For the conspiracy theorists

Ireland's world number one boxer Katie Taylor is also in action this week as the Women's World Boxing Championship begins in Jeju.

For some unknown reason this year's competiton organisers have scrapped the seeding system leaving Katie to face her arch rival Sofya Ochigav in a possible quarter final. The first of the Irish action begins today though with both Joanna Lambe and Clare Grace in the ring this morning.

I’d love to play

Joe Brolly's never been one to bite his tongue and the Sunday Game's GAA pundit certainly didn't hold back in his description of the Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane during a radio interview yesterday. The former Derry footballer boldy compared Keane to a member of the reality TV family the Kardashians, as well as calling his psychological disposition into question.

The Irish International Rules side crushed a VFL selection in the weekend's opening tour match but manager Paul Early will have to plan without former Cork footballer, now of AFL club Carlton, Ciaran Sheehan for the upcoming test match with Australia. Due to pre-season commitments Sheehan has not been allowed to take any part in the tour and he's expressed his disappointment at being unable to represent his nation.

One man who certainly will be featuring, prominently, for the Irish team is Sean Cavanagh. As Ireland look to capitalise on his experience, he's calling for new leaders within his own county Tyrone in the aftermath of Stephen O'Neill and Martin Penrose's retirements last week.

Don’t underestimate the USA

With Ireland sitting 38 places behind the USA in the FIFA world rankings you’d be foolish to underestimate the challenge presented in tomorrow night's soccer friendly international.

With all the recent furor surrounding the match with Scotland last Friday night, John Giles's Irish Independent column is warning the Irish team and supporters to expect another stern challenge as Jurgen Klinsman's USA come to the Aviva in hope of adding more salt to our wounds.

Andy Murray made a surprise appearance at the ATP World Tour tennis Finals last night. With world number two Roger Federer pulling out with an injury ahead of the match the Scot filled in for a short exhibition match before Novak Djokovic was awarded his third consecutive title in a disappointing finale for all concerned.

As if that ending wasn't bad enough, the outcome of golf's "Race to Dubai" European Tour has already been decided in advance of the penultimate event in the desert. Rory McIlroy, who hasn't lifted a club in competition for a month, was confirmed as the winner of the Tour following the victory of Brooks Koepka in yesterday's Turkish Airlines Open. All in all ensuring McIlroy's appearance in the desert this week will be little more than a formal coronation.

Hockey brothers

There was a mixture of both dismay and excitement in Irish boxing circles this weekend following the continued return of John Joe Nevin who took no more than 85 seconds to knockout his opponent Jack Heath in what was his first ever proffesional bout in Ireland. Unfortunately Matthew Macklin couldn't follow up on the Irish success and his post-fight comments have now put the 32-year-old's future into doubt.

Ireland's most famous hockey duo continue to impress on the world stage with Ireland goalkeeper David Harte being bought at auction by Dabang Mumbai for €41,000 for the third edition of the Hockey India League yesterday. Meanwhile Conor who, following in David's footsteps, became just the second Irish player to be signed up to the league for €8,000.

In this morning's Telegraph, Caterham's Formula 1 team have been accused by administrators of cynically burying bad news by flaunting the success of their fans donations scheme on the day they laid off all 200 staff.

The team will nonetheless make it to the final race next weekend albeit with a disbanded workforce, with sources claiming that those who make the trip to Abu Dhabi will be paid a consultancy fee after seven weeks without pay.

Trap is back or so he says

Meanwhile former Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni, never short of self- confidence, has firmly put his name on the top of the list in the search for the next Greek national manager. The Italian has praised the country's climate, their wonderful sea and their football of course. He's insisting that he's already been lined up for the position.

Tributes have been paid to Irish horse racing great Dessie Hughes, who has died aged 71. The jockey-turned-trainer, who enjoyed success on both fronts with the Cheltenham Festival Champion Hurdle in 1979 and again in 2004 and 2005, had been battling illness.

BBC Northern Ireland witnessed the unifying power of sport illuminate Kingspan Stadium on Saturday night - as thousands of spectators turned up for the "game for Anto" between Dublin and an Ulster selection. The northern province held out for a narrow victory, with proceeds going to former Antrim captain Anto Finnegan in his fight against Motor Neurone Disease.