RUGBY: Jason Robinson received the English Premiership Players' Player of the Year trophy last night to complete a double of major individual honours after winning the Premiership player of the year award last week.
Denis Hickie of St Mary's, Leinster and Ireland has been named Player of the Year by the Rugby Writers of Ireland. The award, sponsored by Guinness, was presented last night at Dublin's Berkeley Court Hotel.
Two further awards went to Shannon RFC, winners of the AIB League, who were voted Club of the Year, and to Niall O'Donovan, forwards coach with Munster and Ireland, who won the Tom Rooney Memorial Award.
Two new members were named in the Guinness Hall of Fame - former internationals Ray McLoughlin and Syd Millar. Presenting the awards were Fred Cogley, chairman of the Rugby Writers of Ireland, and Clive Brownlee, assistant managing director, Guinness Ireland.
Hickie, who is out of the forthcoming tour of New Zealand because of injury, has enjoyed a memorable season. After making his international debut in 1997, he has been capped 29 times and scored 13 tries for Ireland.
Shannon took the award after winning a record fifth All Ireland League title, while O'Donovan's award is for his exceptional contribution to Irish rugby.
RUGBY: Munster's John O'Neill has been called up as a replacement for injured centre Rob Henderson for Ireland's tour to New Zealand which gets under way on Saturday.
London Irish duo Barry Everitt and Ryan Strudwick also took individual awards for their efforts in the Exiles' great campaign.
ATHLETICS: James Nolan will tackle one of the longest-standing records in Irish athletics this weekend, reports Ian O'Riordan.
This Saturday in Tullamore, Nolan runs the 1,500 metres as part of a new feature at the Irish Schools Track and Field Championships. The recently formed Irish Milers Club is promoting the race (and an 800 metres for women) as part of their efforts to improve the current state of middle distance running.
CRICKET: The new national coach, Adi Birrell, faces his first major test today when Ireland take on Nottinghamshire in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy third round match at Castle Avenue, where play begins at 10.45, reports Karl Johnston.
Today's Ireland team - again captained by Jason Molins - shows only two changes compared to the side that beat Hampshire Board last September. Andy White and Gary Neely replace Dom Joyce, who is involved in exams, and Andre Botha, still recovering from a badly damaged ankle.
Botha, who top scored with 75 and took three for 30, was named man-of-the-match against Hampshire Board, while Joyce had the top score with 67 in the earlier win over Wiltshire. So local punters will be hoping that the pair won't be too badly missed in today's encounter.
IRELAND: J Molins (Railway Union) capt, P Davy (Pembroke), P Gillespie (Strabane), D Heasley (Glendermott), K McCallan (Cliftonville), A McCoubrey (Ballymena), J McGonagle (Donemana), P Mooney (North County), G Neely (Glendermott), A Patterson (Cliftonville), A White (North Down); 12th man: W Porterfield (Donemana).
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE (from): J Gallian (capt), U Afzall, D Bicknell, N Boje, P Franks, A Harris, P Johnson, R Logan, N Malik, K Pietersen, C Read, G Smith, G Welton.
CYCLING: Italian Francesco Casagrande was yesterday thrown out of the Giro d'Italia following an incident with Colombian John Freddy Garcia.
Casagrande, who was fourth overall, was found guilty of deliberately pushing Garcia into barriers during an early sprint on stage 15 of the event. Garcia suffered head and facial injuries.
Meanwhile, Mario Cipollini claimed his fourth stage win of this year's Giro by winning yesterday's 156 km 15th stage of the race in wet conditions in Conegliano in Northern Italy.
FORMULA ONE: Jarno Trulli will keep his fourth place in last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix after a further examination of the electronic unit on his Renault yesterday. Trulli remains 11th in the drivers' championship.
