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• Dublin’s All-Ireland winning captain from 2011, Bryan Cullen, announced his retirement from inter-county footballer.
• Three-time Allstar winning Galway hurler, Damien Hayes, also retired.
• Jared Payne will return from injury for Ulster this weekend.
• Likewise, Marty Moore and Ben Te’o come back for Leinster.
• And Keith Earls is back on the bench for Munster.

Away

Mike Egerton Mike Egerton

• Daniel Sturridge is close to returning to the Liverpool starting team.
• Cesc Fabregas has denied trying to lure Lionel Messi to Chelsea.
• PFA chief Gordon Taylor has apologised for comparing the Ched Evans case to the Hillsborough victims.

On the record

“You need two eyes to play out-half but I seem to be doing okay with just one.”

We spoke to former Leinster out-half Ian McKinley, who retired from rugby back in 2011 after losing sight in his left eye. With the help of protective goggles, McKinley has returned to professional rugby in Italy.

The best thing we shared

Surely this is Equatorial Guinea’s last chance at success with such an old group of players!

Where we we today

Our rugby reporter Murray Kinsella is at the Sportsgrounds for Connacht vs Edinburgh tonight.

The fixture list

• There’s another Premier League feast this weekend, with Everton vs Man City and Man United vs Southampton the highlights.
• Munster travel to Italy to play Zebre and Leinster go to Cardiff in the Pro12.
• There are two NFL divisional games tomorrow, as the New England Patriots host the Baltimore Ravens and the Seattle Seahawks host Carolina Panthers.

Showbiz, baby!

We cannot wait for 18 January!

Alan Quinlan on JJ Hanrahan’s move and the times he was offered chances to leave

‘You need 2 eyes to play but I seem to be doing okay with just one’ – Ian McKinley’s rugby return