WORLD CUP DIARY: Johnny Sexton was as combative off the field as he is on it on Monday, questioning the media coverage of Ireland's World Cup.

All Blacks boss Steve Hansen lit the fuse on a potentially explosive week on Monday by vowing to lay false traps for Ireland's master tactician and head coach Joe Schmidt.

SCRUM'S THE WORD: South Africa star Cheslin Kolbe has warned that a new wave of pint-sized wingers are ready to explode into life at the World Cup.

'Sean aggravated a pre-existing neck muscle complaint and has been ruled out of the remainder of RWC19,' read an Irish Rugby Football Union statement.

NIK SIMON IN TOKYO: Hansen owns a share of Nature Strip, who will run in the $14million sprint race in Sydney. Coach is focused on the All Blacks' quest for a third straight World Cup title.

The Rugby World Cup kicked off four weeks ago today and now, via 50 pool stage matches, we are down to eight teams. Sportsmail tells you all need to know about the quarter-finals.

Johnny Sexton has predicted that New Zealand will be cleaner in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Ireland following a bruising encounter in Dublin three years ago.

WORLD CUP DIARY BY WILL KELLEHER: England v Wales is not quite the intense rivalry of old off the field any more. Some club-mates have been meeting up for coffees.

RORY KEANE IN TOKYO: Ireland have a shot at history here on Saturday, with the All Blacks standing in the way of a place in the World Cup semi-finals.

All Blacks take on Ireland in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash in Japan as they look to progress to the semi-final to take on either England or Australia. Follow LIVE ACTION RIGHT HERE.

RORY KEANE AT TOKYO STADIUM: Dear, oh dear. Ireland's abysmal record in World Cup quarter finals continued in Tokyo as a rampant All Blacks outfit romped to a seven-try victory.

Sportsmail provide you with everything you need to know for Rugby World Cup 2019 including knockout stage fixtures, channel and results in Japan.

Siya Kolisi succeeds Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton as holder of the Pat Marshall Memorial Award after being recognised at the RUWC's annual dinner in central London.

Caelan Doris has been backed to make a huge impact for Ireland on his Six Nations debut against Scotland on Saturday, with assistant coach Simon Easterby saying the No 8 is 'made for this level'.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend jumped to the defence of skipper Stuart Hogg for the incredible blunder which cost the visitors dear in Dublin.

RORY KEANE AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Johnny Sexton says Ireland are trying to draw a line under the hellish events of last year and Saturday was a good start as Andy Farrell's side won.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Johnny Sexton cannot wait to exact revenge on England after two recent thrashings when unbeaten Ireland travel to Twickenham next.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: All eyes on England's next game against Ireland, and what a prospect that is. But I suspect history will show victory over the Scots to ultimately be more important.

Ireland are desperate to show green shoots of recovery after a harrowing World Cup under Joe Schmidt. Sportsmail analyses their threats, and what has changed under new coach Andy Farrell.

England will bottle the feeling of seeing Ireland win the Six Nations Grand Slam at Twickenham two years ago and use it this week, according to George Ford.

The Irish travel to Twickenham seeking to clinch a second Triple Crown in three years after beginning this year's tournament with successive home wins over Scotland and Wales.

WILL KELLEHER IN DUBLIN: The 59-year-old Bono dropped into the Irish camp to give a rallying speech to Andy Farrell's team ahead of their Six Nations clash with England.

Conor Murray admits the father-son dynamic between the Farrells will be strange when Ireland face England on Sunday, but hopes his coach can provide crucial insights into his son's game.

Conor Murray admitted that the father-and-son dynamic between the Farrells will be strange when Ireland face England in the Six Nations.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The good news is I sensed a sharpening of intensity with England at Murrayfield - but the bad news is some of Eddie Jones' selections are making me very nervous!

NIK SIMON'S FORM GUIDE: England have had an up and down Six Nations campaign so far, with one win and one loss, while Ireland are still undefeated at this stage.

DYLAN HARTLEY: A lot of people have been chucking stones at Eddie Jones but my message for the RFU is clear: give him a new contract. Dave at the pub might disagree.

MIKE BROWN: You always know when it's an Ireland Test week because the coaches put a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Johnny Sexton in the team dining room.

England earned a crucial Six Nations victory over a disappointing Ireland at Twickenham on Sunday.   

Sportsmail runs the rule over every player from the two sides after a brutal Six Nations encounter at Twickenham that gives England a chance of glory thanks to their 24-12 victory.

England dominated from start to finish as they took a 24-12 victory over Ireland. Influential fly-half Johnny Sexton struggled to get into the game as England's defence barely gave him room to breathe.

England wore down Ireland with their physical approach on Sunday but it wasn't just the visitors who left Twickenham with some bruises to show for it.

The deadly epidemic has swept through northern parts of Italy and there have been calls to prevent the disease reaching the shores of Ireland with the game set to take place on March 7.

EXCLUSIVE BY OLIVER HOLT: There is a picture on the walls of the Lord Bagenal Inn that shows a group of men and women standing proudly in the main street beside a horse called Different Pace. 

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Monday's meetings at Wolverhampton and Wetherby.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Exeter, Southwell and Newcastle.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Wednesday's meetings at Catterick, Lingfield and Kempton.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Thursday's meetings at Carlisle, Wincanton, Southwell and Newcastle.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Friday's meetings at Ffos Las, Chelmsford City and Wolverhampton.

The loss of Sandown to waterlogging has denied jumps fans their traditional pre-Cheltenham festival appetiser, but backing Documenting may still provide some useful funds for the week ahead.

HUGH MacDONALD: It is a testament to the power of sport in Ed Chamberlin's life that it both consoled and excited him as he laboured under the shadow of death.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Monday's meetings at Taunton, Stratford, Kempton, Plumpton and Wolverhampton.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Southwell, Sedgefield and Newcastle.

More than two dozen people, including the trainer of champion Maximum Security, have been charged in a widespread international scheme to drug horses to make them race faster.

There is an irony that 20 minutes after Barry Geraghty thought that his Champion Hurdle hopes might have been dashed on the final Saturday in November a bright new chance emerged.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW BY MIKE DICKSON: The BBC's voice of racing is in the final furlong of his career with the corporation, and admits it will hurt when he crosses the finish line.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Wednesday's meetings at Kempton, Huntingdon and Lingfield.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Thursday's meetings at Doncaster, Hexham and Chelmsford City.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT HUGHES: The 77-year-old is very well-connected in racing circles and has good relationships with key figures at ITV, where he was first employed as a pundit in 1971.

Sire Du Berlais led home a Gordon Elliott one-two as he recorded back-to-back victories in the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.