The Irish media company, Independent News & Media PLC, has sold off its newspaper group in South Africa for $227 million.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has admitted his side can’t afford to lose to Argentina on Saturday, November 24 after last weekend’s second half collapse and 16-12 defeat against South Africa.

The daughter of the Dublin man, murdered this week in South Africa, has written on Facebook about how “completely numb” she feels. Kevin McGuirk, and his South African wife, were shot by her father, Erwin Franz Poppinger, at their Johannesburg home.

A Dublin-born man and his wife were found dead in their Johannesburg, South Africa home after the wife's father shot them both. He admitted to the crime after explaining that his daughter and son-in-law had mistreated him and wouldn't let him go out, according to the Herald.

An Irish woman has been murdered in an attack at her home in Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa.

The credit rating agency Fitch has downgraded Ireland's debt rating, ensuring it will now occupy the same category as Libya and South Africa.

Declan Kidney, Ireland’s coach, insists that South Africa’s Springboks are still a threat despite the fact that they finished at the bottom of Tri-Nations table and 13 players have pulled out due to injury.

Last Friday police at a World Cup match in South Africa found marijuana in the designer handbag of Paris Hilton who was with her friend, Playboy playmate, Jennifer Rovero. Hilton was arrested

Victoria Smurfit, star of the BBC drama set in Ireland, "Ballykissangel," was driving with he husband Doug and other family members to a party to ring in the New Year in Cape Town when a bullet whizzed through the car.

Ireland's new outhalf Jonny Sexton kicked all Ireland's points in a 15-10 famous win over world champions South Africa in Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday.The win means Ireland,who are grand slam champions, were unbeaten in 2009.

The Irish team beat the Tri-Nations champions on a dismal day in Croke Park. Jonny Sexton, a newcomer to the team as out-half, gave a brilliant performance, kicking 15 points in all. The score was 15-10.

Irish wing forward David Wallace believes this weekend's clash between European Grand Slam champions Ireland and world champions South Africa will be a classic despite bad blood between the sides.

Irish rugby coach Declan Kidney has announced his team to play South Africa in a test match in Dublin this Saturday. There are a few changes but none are as surprising as the decision to start Leinster star Jonathan Sexton as outhalf instead of Munsters Ronan O'Gara.
 
Sexton made his debut for Ireland last Saturday against Fiji. Sexton scored all of his seven kicks and three were slotted over the bar from the touchline. His highly impressive performance earned him the man of the match.
 
Not only was Sexton able to guide his kicks with precision but he had an outstanding running game against a hard hitting Fiji.
 
The rivalry between O'Gara and Sexton has been evident in recent games between Munster and Leinster. It was only last May when Leinster trampled Munster in the European Heineken Cup and Sexton was photographed intimidating a bruised and battered O'Gara.
 
Sextons harder and more diverse style of play has won him many admirers within the rugby community. O'Gara will be 32 at the next rugby world cup in 2011 and Kidney is racing to find a reliable replacement.
 
Commenting on his decision to start Sexton instead of O'Gara, Kidney said,
 
“I know we have a world-class outside half in Ronan but we have to find out things about ourselves, Jonathan had a good game last week but with respect, Fiji were short of a few so it was difficult to read. I need to find out more."
 
South Africa is currently the worlds finest rugby team. They are abrasive, fast and ruthless. Sexton has shown in his game against Fiji that he has the depth and strength to play against the Springboks.
 
It may be a relief to O'Gara that he does not line out against the Springboks on Saturday. The last time he played South Africa was earlier this year with the British and Irish Lions. His inability to make and take big hits effectively lost the series for the Lions.
 
Kidney acknowledged that O'Gara was disappointed in his decision but,
"He’s taken it on the chin, has continued training and has contributed to the team exactly as he would normally. It was a difficult call but that doesn’t really matter. My job is to pick Ireland team and that’s what I’ve done.” said Kidney.
 
 
Brian O'Driscoll has played alongside O'Gara for most of his 95 Irish caps. A close friend of O'Gara's, O'Driscoll said that, "Ronan will be disappointed to be sitting on the bench but he’s a strong character and has shown time and time again that he turns up for the big moments. We know he’s capable of that and this is just a chance for Jonny to prove his worth.”