Former Ireland Womens coach Philip Doyle shares a joke with Joe Schmidt at the Philips Sports Manager of the Year awards in Dublin Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Home

• Joe Schmidt has been crowned the Philips Manager of the Year after guiding Ireland to Six Nations glory and a November series clean sweep.
• James Kavanagh has called time on his Galway career after just one season due to work and family demands.
• Anthony Foley insists Munster are keen to keep hold of JJ Hanrahan amid reports suggesting the player is in talks with English side Northampton.
• Jason Sherlock will be part of Jim Gavin’s Dublin backroom staff next year.
• Carl Frampton will defend his world super-bantamweight title in Belfast in early 2015.

The Munster squad were put through their paces in Limerick ahead of the trip to Clermont at the weekend James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Away

• Harlequins will be without both Nick Evans and Chris Robshaw for their trip to Dublin after the pair were ruled out through injury.
• A Peruvian footballer had a lucky escape after being struck by a bolt of lightning during a match in Huancayo. He is in a stable condition in hospital.
• Behrang Safari, the Basel player who got Lazar Markovic sent off last night, has insisted he did not dive and was ‘bleeding from my mouth’.
• Former Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan claims his former club’s injury woes are down to the backroom staff upheaval at Old Trafford.
• Michael Clarke scored an emotional century on the second day of Australia’s Test with India, less than a week after delivering an eulogy at Phillip Hughes’ funeral.

Michael Clarke dedicated his 28th Test century to team-mate and close friend Phillip Hughes AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

On the record

“It was great, really good. We were in SBG, McGregor’s gym, so we went in there and did a bit of wrestling and a bit of grappling. We did some circuits too, just to keep it fresh. A few lads did well, Eoin Brady is particularly good, Shane Carthy is a bit of an animal.

St Vincent’s corner-back Hugh Gill on their training session with Conor McGregor.

Where we were today

Our man Paul Fennessey caught up with snooker legend Jimmy White this afternoon. Keep an eye on TheScore.ie in the coming days for the interview.

jimmywhite147 / Twitter jimmywhite147 / Twitter / Twitter

The best thing we shared

This is how to celebrate in style. Danish football fans marked the 50th birthday of Brøndby by unveiling huge banners and letting of hundreds of flares.

The fixture list

• Attention turns to the final round of Europa League group games with Everton, Tottenham and Celtic all in action.
• Stade Francais face Newcastle in the European Challenge Cup to kick-off another bumper weekend of rugby.

Showbiz, baby!

QPR manager Harry Redknapp, wearing a Santa hat, miming a festive classic.
https://vine.co/v/OrYu935TdVw

I’m not paying for that soup.

Gerard Pique has shown up at the Nou Camp dressed like a knight

Richard Dunne ‘ain’t no slouch’ says Harry Redknapp