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Givens on rebuilding mission in Athens
SOCCER: In a city where the most precious monuments are the ruins left by foreigners who came bent on destruction, Don Givens hopes this evening to initiate a process of reconstruction within the Republic of Ireland's battered national team set-up, writes Emmet Malone in Athens p
Bishop gambit only strategic surprise
RUGBY: Eight changes from the win over Fiji but more pertinently, just one enforced change from the team which beat Australia for this Saturday's renewal of acquaintance with Argentina, writes Gerry Thornley p
Murphy has card in sights
GOLF: England's Philip Archer is threatening to run away with the number one spot in the European Tour final qualifying school at Emporda, the 30-year-old shooting his fifth consecutive round in the 60s yesterday, a 65 for a 27-under-par 330, to leave him four shots clear of his closest challenger, Sweden's Per Nyman. p
Soccer
McPhail aiming to pass the test
Tom Humphries on Leeds United's Stephen McPhail, whose career at international and club level has reached a crossroads pFringe players the only ones to benefit
The only useful aspect of this visit to Greece is that it serves as the clearest illustration of where Irish football is at right now, according to Mark Lawrenson pCorcoran's comments at odds with Delaney's
FAI president Milo Corcoran has warned that the reforms of the association recommended in the recent Genesis report may take up to five years to implement. pHughes upbeat despite injuries to key players
For a manager already denied his first-choice midfielders, as well as their back-ups and a clutter of attackers, Wales manager Mark Hughes cut a chipper figure as his most promising defender grimaced from the training pitch clutching his lower back. p
Woodward sticks with form men
Bristol wing Phil Christophers is the only change to the England side to play South Africa on Saturday. He replaces James Simpson-Daniel, whose attack of glandular fever has brought a temporary halt to his fledgling Test career. pArgentinians pack punch
Ireland Development XV v Argentina, Donnybrook, 7.0 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe is the only player to be retained from the Argentina team that hammered Italy 36-6 in Stadio Flaminio at the weekend for tonight's encounter with an Ireland Development XV. pThe centre of attention at last
John O'Sullivan talks to a respected team player who is only nowgaining public acclamation, and finds him desperate to win all three'winter' tests pFrance respect quality of Merceron
France's Six Nations hero Gerald Merceron has been recalled to the starting line-up for the one-off Test with Canada at the Stade de France on Saturday. pAll Blacks cap the lot with Wales line-up
New Zealand arrived on their tour of Europe with 12 of a 26-strong squad yet to make their international debuts but all will return home with caps. pSt Mel's have easy passage
St Mel's, Longford qualified for a second-round meeting with Naas CBS after easily disposing of St David's, Greystones 25-3 in the Leinster Schools' Section A Junior Cup at Edenderry yesterday. p
Verdict very much in the balance
GAELIC GAMES: Seán Moran talks to the Birr hurling legend about Offaly's past, present and whether he'll be part of its future pSmyth shares lead in Florida
GOLF: Ireland's Des Smyth and Eamonn Darcy both showed good form on the opening day of the US Champions Tour Qualifying School at Rolling Oaks, Florida, yesterday. pTally joins Harte's team
GAELIC GAMES: New Tyrone manager Mickey Harte yesterday named sports science specialist Paddy Tally as his assistant. But Harte could be forced to cast the net wider to complete his backroom team, following the withdrawal of Tony Donnelly from the set-up because of pressure of work. pReferees go buy the book
GAELIC GAMES: In what has already been a busy few weeks for GAA publications the latest, Men in Black, was launched at Croke Park yesterday. The work of Jim O'Sullivan, GAA correspondent with the Irish Examiner for 30 years, it profiles 18 top referees from the past 50 years and looks at the role of officials in the development of Gaelic games. pWoods sidesteps issue
GOLF: Tiger Woods has refused to be drawn into the debate surrounding the Augusta National Golf Club's policy of not allowing female members. pIrish eye finals place
BASKETBALL: The Irish senior men will approach tonight's European Championship semi-final round match against Germany in the Arena in Tallaght at 7 p.m. as a must-win game to keep their qualification chances alive over the coming weeks. pIreland defeated
HOCKEY: Ireland went down to the first defeat of their World Cup build-up in Australia yesterday when they lost 2-0 to Germany in an unofficial game in Busselton. pEngland need a boost
CRICKET: England's patched-up squad will go into the second Test against Australia tomorrow with captain Nasser Hussain insisting the Adelaide Oval must be the stage for his side to finally show they have the necessary resolve to mount an Ashes fightback. pNative Upmanship set to start season off at Naas
RACING: Last season's Champion Chase runner-up Native Upmanship is on target to make his first start of the new term at Naas on Saturday. p
