The Ireland squad yesterday enjoyed their first training session ahead of the World Cup warm-up game against Scotland in Murrayfield on Saturday week. The 15 senior internationals who were excused duty on the summer tour to Argentina, the 31 players who made the trip and two players, Johnny O'Connor and Ryan Caldwell who played in the Churchill Cup, were put through their paces by Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan in Limerick.

Munster and Ireland outhalf Ronan O'Gara has fully recovered from a knee injury sustained in Spala while his provincial and international team-mate Jerry Flannery was expected to take a full part in training after having minor clear-out surgery to a knee problem. The squad will train in Limerick this week before moving to Dublin on Sunday night as they prepare for the Scottish match.

Llanelli and Ireland flanker Simon Easterby has signed a new three-year deal that will keep the Scarlets captain at the club until 2010.

Australia forward David Lyons has undergone surgery (for deep vein thrombosis) in an attempt to be fit for the Rugby World Cup.

Springbok coach Jake White has asked the SA Rugby board to name former Aussie coach Eddie Jones as technical director.