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We have a date for the 2022 World Cup Final in Qatar - and no, it's not on Christmas Eve

Santa will have time to fit the football in before he sets off around the world.

THE 2022 FIFA World Cup Final will take place on 18 December.

FIFA’s executive committee confirmed today that the controversial winter tournament will take place in November and December — but that the final will not be played on Christmas Eve as had previously been suggested.

Instead it will take place six days earlier, coinciding with Qatar’s National Day.

The move is likely to minimise disruption to the Premier League’s festive schedule which traditionally sees teams play a round of matches on St Stephen’s Day.

The 2022 tournament is also set to be shorter than usual after the executive committee backed a proposal for a reduced timeframe, possibly 28 days instead of 31 or 32 as in previous years.

When is the Champions League quarter-final draw?

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 8:47 AM

    Really going to miss Isa, always gave 110% and was such a lovely guy, going to be big shoes to fill.

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    May 14th 2018, 10:47 AM

    @Sam Harms: Always enjoyed watching him during those Magners League/Pro 12 games during the international break. Nacewa would regularly find himseld at 15 with 2 young wingers either side of him. He’d guide them though the game, defensively. Where to stand, how far from the centre, when to push in, when to push up etc That’s why I was really hoping he’d stay around and do some coaching. He looks like a coach already.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 8:57 AM

    Leo didn’t exactly give a vote of confidence to Carbery on Saturday, Sexton was goosed, couldn’t kick and could barely run, Nacewa had taken over kicking duties and yet he still kept him on the bench. A move away is badly needed for him. I wouldn’t expect Sexton to be fit for this weekend so it’ll be telling to see who Cullen goes for.
    On another note I really enjoyed the game on Saturday. Real tough game and Leinster ground out the result. I was delighted for them.

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 8:59 AM

    @Jim Demps: there was no way anyone was coming on to replace Sexton, unless he literally couldnt walk, when it was that close

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    Mute Fred McHugh
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    May 14th 2018, 9:23 AM

    @Sam Harms: yeh good point Sam,I’m sure he kept him on for a potential drop goal! he was limping and still made the one against France.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 9:44 AM

    @Sam Harms: yeah you’re prob right but he should have come off. He was obviously struggling. It worked out though thankfully.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 10:09 AM

    @Sam Harms: without getting too tribal and with my Irish hat on, Carbery can’t afford to have another season like he has just had if he has any aspirations on playing in the ten jersey for Ireland. I take your point on learning from Sexton but he also needs game time at club level, be it with Ulster or munster.

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 10:14 AM

    @Jim Demps: look at it this way, would Munster take Murray off in that situation unless they 100% had to?

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 10:25 AM

    @Jim Demps: Or Leinster.

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    May 14th 2018, 10:43 AM

    @Sam Harms: Ireland wouldn’t take off Murray either. He’s absolutely vital, like Sexton.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 11:03 AM

    @Sam Harms: I’m not criticizing the decision. I’m saying that Carbery needs to get game time in meaningful games, at ten , before the World Cup.

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    Mute Sam Harms
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    May 14th 2018, 12:14 PM

    @Jim Demps: which he can, at Leinster. Munster have 3 flyhalfs already so if he does have to go anywhere it should be Ulster.

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    Mute baw baw
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    May 14th 2018, 12:30 PM

    @Sam Harms: I get your point of view but neither Duncan Williams or James hart aren’t the back up 9 in the Irish squad so it’s not like for like –
    If carbery is back up ten for his country he needs minutes or to be trusted as deputy for the club when the first choice is struggling , although I take no part in the debate as it’s a tricky situation , the Murrays value to Munster comparison just doesnt work

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    May 14th 2018, 12:56 PM

    @Sam Harms: I think it’s all been decided anyway Sam. Once the season is over we will find out what the story with Carbery is. If I had to bet I’d say a season long loan to Ulster. If I had to decide myself I’d say a permanent switch to munster with Keatley going to Ulster.

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    EK
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    Mute EK
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    May 14th 2018, 11:09 AM

    While the game wasn’t the prettiest, it was an important win for Leinster in the grand scheme of things.

    Something that popped into my head after the game was the 2011 World Cup final that New Zealand won 8-7 against France. New Zealand were obviously a quality team but hadn’t won in so long, much like Leinster. Much like Leinster, there was an argument for the French team outperforming their counterparts despite the odds.

    For sure, this game was not a classic for the purists but in the grand scheme of things with an eye to future finals, I think Leinster will be happy to get the pressure of winning it again off their backs and play better as a result in the future.

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    Mute Conor Paddington
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    May 14th 2018, 12:17 PM

    @EK: totally agree. It should also be boted that while the highlights reel of their campaign won’t feature much more from Saturday’s match than the relief of a missed drop goal, it will still be a pretty glorious highlights reel featuring great attacking play against exclusively top class teams. The final itself was ground out, but it was raining and there were two teams with incredible defensive systems and a pernickety ref. We don’t have to worry about the quality of rugby Leinster are able to play.

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    Mute Limón Madrugada
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    May 14th 2018, 2:24 PM

    @Conor Paddington: that’s very true Conor the official highlights vid is a joke , just the place kicks , not even how they happened . Nothing about possible yellows etc . I was at the game and Barnes was very frustrating , slow at blowing the whistle , lenient for card situations .. but he at least didn’t have any game changing errors . I’ll have to watch the game in full a couple of times on YouTube now . Overall Leinster looked quite comfortable and I was always confident they’d get the chances near the end . Let not forget Tales was dropping for a draw, I think Leinster would have had too much for Racing if it had gone into extra time

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