JOHN O’SHEA is refusing to let his “incredible” ride with the Republic of Ireland cloud his judgment as acting boss.

O’Shea was a youth star for his country, winning 118 senior caps before his last game in 2018.

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The ex-Manchester United defender, 42, has stepped up his role as assistant to Stephen Kenny, who left in November after failing to qualify for Euro 2024.

O’Shea will officiate today’s friendly against Belgium and Tuesday’s match against Switzerland.

He said: “It is an incredible honor to represent Ireland under 15s and captain your country.

“It’s great to be a manager now and I’m very proud of it.

“When you get the players together to chat for the first time it sets the tone and I’ve kept it very simple in terms of the staff I’ve brought in.

“I will then look at those connections, but also at the lessons from the two games and how we are progressing.

“I just want to concentrate on the staff, myself and the players.”

O’Shea named Southampton defender Ryan Manning in his squad on Friday after recovering from injury.

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However, O’Shea is forced to battle with withdrawals Troy Parrott and Liam Scales.

Sammie Szmodics, the Championship‘s top scorer with 21 goals for Blackburn, is set to make his Republic of Ireland debut.

Lyon defender Jake O’Brien and Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz could also receive their international bows from O’Shea.

RUGBY League Test chiefs insist blocking Scotland and Ireland from the next World Cup is not a sign of southern hemisphere bias.

Instead, they believe it will make the sport stronger in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Lack of participation is why the home nations, plus Italy and Lebanon, have been downgraded from full members to affiliate nations by the International Rugby League.

That rules them out of qualifying for the next tournament in 2026, although the latter will play if they reach the quarter-finals in 2022.

But while it is undoubtedly a blow to Northern Hemisphere countries – many top players will now be unable to represent their heritage on the biggest international stage – IRL is confident it is not writing off half the world.

Secretary General Danny Kazandjian, who also relegated already-suspended Russia, told SunSport: “This is certainly not a sign of weakness in the Northern Hemisphere.

“Rather, it is now up to those countries to develop the sport by growing the number of locally registered players and active clubs playing in increasingly longer and more substantive championships.

“Only by doing that will rugby league gain popularity and strength in a country, and that is the fundamental mission of any national federation.

“In addition, the other European full members all showed growth in the key registered player sections and there are some great organizations in the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, America and Africa all pushing the boundaries of the game in a sustainable way.

“Participating in a World Cup is not a sign that rugby league in a particular country is strong, it is just a sign that the national team that country can field is strong.

“For example, Ireland has competed in every modern men’s World Cup, but there is no link between those appearances and the growing sport in Ireland.

“Rugby League’s global growth depends on IRL’s greatest asset – its National Federation members – developing the sport locally and authentically.”

After the World Cup shrank from sixteen to ten teams, the move is the latest blow to rugby league in the Northern Hemisphere.

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IRL says their failure to meet the terms of its membership policy, which requires countries of their size to have a minimum of 250 locally registered players, four affiliated clubs, states or provinces, a senior league of at least six teams and a tournament with at least four in the under-15 to under-19 age group, are behind the call.

Countries must have a development program for women and girls and a business plan for at least three years.

Kazandjian added: “Although all five countries that have been reclassified as associate members have different records, the common factor is participation.

“All five full members did not meet those minimum standards.”

Rugby League Ireland chairman Jim Reynolds believes his organization has already taken steps to quickly regain full membership.

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“RLI thanks IRL for recognizing the significant transformation we have achieved since Covid-19 in addressing the non-compliance issues raised at RLI over the past decade,” he said.

“We have worked hard to exceed good governance standards and as our youth groups have grown a year older, they are now also eligible to help us regain full IRL membership status this year-end.”

IRL says that the respective governing bodies have not met the terms of the IRL membership policy for five years and that each of them will receive a parachute payment to invest in areas in which they are not compliant.

Kazandjian continued: “We continually work with member federations to improve their operations and governance, and we see standards rising both on and off the field.

“In the long term, ensuring compliance with IRL’s regulatory framework will result in a greater, more sustainable and productive sport.”

It’s St. Patrick’s weekend and Wetherspoons fans are delighted as the pub chain cuts the price of Guinness to celebrate the occasion.

The café chain is launching offers today on the occasion of the cultural holiday on Sunday (March 17).

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Punters can get special offers on a range of Irish tippels from now until Sunday.

Wetherspoons said the offer prices will apply to all of its 814 pubs, excluding those at airports and in the Republic of Ireland.

Pints ​​of Guinness and Budweiser will cost £2.99 nationwide.

A Guinness usually costs around £3.45 in Wetherspoons pubs, meaning you can save up to 46p on the price of a pint.

Punters can also get a shot of baby Guinness, made from coffee liqueur Kahlúa and Baileys, for £2.99 each.

Jameson Irish Whiskey will also cost £2.99 for a scoop and mixer.

Lough Gill Andersons Irish Red Ale will be the cheapest pint over the three days. It comes with a price tag of just €1.99 per pint.

Fans are sharing their excitement about the St. Patrick’s Day deals on social media.

One Facebook user said: “Yes yes yes!!”

Another wrote: “Wetherspoon is doing a great deal for St. Patrick’s weekend.”

A third added: “Great news for St. Patrick’s Day.”

St Patrick’s Day isn’t the only time Wetherspoons fans can get cheaper beer in the pubs.

Branches of Spoons are also currently taking part in a 12-day real beer festival.

It started on Wednesday (March 6) and also ends on Sunday.

Regular customers of Wetherspoons have the opportunity to taste beers from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Taiwan and the US.

The pub chain said its festival beers are available for £1.99 at 50 pubs, but the vast majority of branches have prices from £2.49.

It’s a good idea to double check the price of a pint before ordering so you aren’t surprised if the price is a little more than you expected.

Ways to save at Wetherspoons

Every year Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.

It usually takes place in September and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.

In addition to the spring festival, Wetherspoons also hosts a 12-day Real Ale Festival every autumn.

Wetherspoons is known for its meal deals that are valid all week long.

These include Tuesday’s Steak Club, Thursday’s Curry Club and Fish Friday.

For example, a standard curry club meal with an alcoholic drink costs between €8.55 and €9.19.

Outside of the deal, you would expect to pay around five euros more for the same meal.

You can enjoy bottomless brews in participating Wetherspoons all day long by purchasing one hot drink.

The offering includes Tetley tea and a range of Lavazza coffees including a flat white, latte, cappuccino and Americano.

Prices start from just £99 but may vary depending on your location.

We’ve put together a full list of participating Wetherspoons so you can check if your local partner is offering the deal.

You can see where your nearest Spoons is by using the chain’s pub locator on its website.

Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.

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Want to check a solar eclipse off your bucket list? Well, 2024 could be the year.

Parts of North America will be able to see a rare total solar eclipse on April 8, while parts of Europe may see a partial solar eclipse.

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But remember that the sun isn’t the only oddity you can observe during a solar eclipse; Animals, the wind and radio waves can also behave strangely.

From the USA

The total solar eclipse will begin over the South Pacific and across North America, Mexico, the United States and Canada.

The event will kick off around 11:07 a.m. PDT on Mexico’s Pacific coast before entering the US in Texas.

From there it travels through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse, according to NASA.

The rare exhibit will then enter Canada via Southern Ontario and continue via Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton.

The eclipse is forecast to leave North America at 5:16 PM NDT on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

NASA has more information on the exact times you can see the total solar eclipse in your nearest city here.

From Great Britain and Ireland

Britain and Ireland will unfortunately not experience totality when it comes to this solar eclipse.

And some parts of Britain won’t see anything different at all.

Because the Earth is a sphere, a partial solar eclipse will only be visible from parts of Britain and Ireland when the sun sets.

You can watch the 2022 partial solar eclipse over Scotland in the video above.

The amount of eclipse observed will vary by location, but Wales, Scotland, the north west of England and the deep south west will be the luckiest.

Meanwhile, all of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will see the partial eclipse.

As the sun sets, the partial solar eclipse will appear in these regions at approximately 7:54 PM GMT.

Sky Live has more information on the exact times you can see the partial solar eclipse near you here.

The next total solar eclipse in Europe will occur on August 12, 2026 in Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain.

How to watch a solar eclipse

Spectators should always be careful during a solar eclipse.

You should never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection, including:

• Eclipse glasses
• Sun filters
• Solar telescope

Everyone in North America will need to wear eclipse glasses or use solar filters to safely view this event – ​​even through cameras or binoculars.

Cameras and binoculars may only be used with solar filters during the sharing phases.

If you want to capture the corona on camera, you must remove the solar filters during totality.

But you have to keep an eye on the time so that you know when the sun is about to rise again, otherwise it can damage your camera and your eyes.

CONOR McGREGOR believes he has made some Hollywood enemies after turning down ‘quite a few’ film roles.

The Irish icon makes his big screen debut in a reboot of Patrick Swayze’s classic Road House.

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McGregor stars as the antagonist who clashes with the film’s protagonist, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

The role has been a long time coming for the UFC legend, who has turned down previous acting gigs in the past.

He told Total Film: “I had turned down quite a few roles during my time on the climb.

“Directors showed up at fight camp, really nice directors who made really great films… and over and over again they came to me, and I always turned them down.

“I’d leave people a bit high and dry. I probably have a few enemies that I don’t really know because I said, ‘Maybe I’ll do it.'”

McGregor was cast in the xXx: The Return of Zander Cage in 2016.

But after his shocking defeat to Nate Diaz, he withdrew and instead focused on their rematch fight, which he won.

Director DJ Caruso was “really p****d” with McGregor and later gave the role to Brit Michael Bisping.

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McGregor, 35, has been out of the cage since July 2021 when he broke his leg against 34-year-old Dustin Poirier.

The timeout gave him time to take on the acting role, and filming began in August 2022.

And the film will be released on Amazon Prime on March 8.

McGregor said: “I was just in awe of this whole process, to be honest. I didn’t know how I would handle it.

“I honestly didn’t know if I would like it. I am a fighter. That’s my bread and butter. That’s where I come from.

“I’m not an actor, but I’m a show business guy. That was my feeling. I felt that. I loved every second of it.”

EBANIE BRIDGES partied with Conor McGregor at his pub in Dublin.

The boxer also left behind a pint of Forged Irish Stout, a McGregor beer brewed in the Irish capital.

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Bridges beamed as she posed for a photo alongside the former UFC champion, with the pair also joined by fellow boxer Jasmina Zapotoczna.

The Blonde Bomber appeared to enjoy her stout as she posed for more photos with glass in hand before meeting fans.

Bridges had a great time at McGregor’s Black Forge Inn and told her followers to visit the pub in Dublin.

She shared some photos from her evening on Instagram alongside the caption: “What an incredible evening with @thenotoriousmma and @jasmina.zapotoczna at the @theblackforgeinn

“Incredible food and atmosphere. Thank you for having me and thank you to everyone who came.

“If you haven’t been to The Black Forged Inn yet, YOU MUST GO. And don’t forget a pint of the @forgedirishstout I love Ireland ”

Bridges, 37, is an official partner of Forged Irish Stout after partnering with the brand in October.

McGregor and Bridges met earlier last year during Katie Taylor’s fight with Chantelle Cameron.

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And Bridges is confident she will work with McGregor for the rest of her career as the pair “get on really well”.

She said: “Obviously the collaboration between me and him goes a little deeper.

“I’m now a face for Forged Stout. I can also learn a lot from him when I’m done with boxing – and I find what he’s doing in business really inspiring.

“It was a given and we will work together for the rest of my career. We work very well together.

“I’m great for his brand and he’s great for my brand, and we get along really well.”

SUPERMARKET giant Aldi has launched a strong new product just in time for Easter.

It's an alcoholic chocolate drink inspired by one of the nation's favorite treats: Cadbury Creme Eggs.

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Limited Edition Ballycastle Chocolate Crème is described as “a wonderfully smooth Irish Cream blend with delicate hints of chocolate and sweet vanilla.”

The brilliant drink is available in Aldi stores and costs just €7.69 for the 70cl bottle.

It comes as another Creme Egg-inspired product also recently hit shelves.

In December, Cadbury released a new Creme Egg chocolate bar that has taken the confectionery world by storm.

Chocoholics just can't get enough of the new bar with one reading, “I'm in heaven,” and the other saying, “Omg I love it!! Already had a few bars lol.”

However, despite the positive reactions, some were not so happy with the new product.

One person complained, “The cream bars aren't a patch on the real cream eggs,” and another agreed, “Same! Not a fan! Way too sugary, all I feel is regular sugar in my mouth.”

Aldi also made headlines with their incredible prices on children's Easter eggs, selling for just 99 cents.

The festive treats will be offered at reduced prices within a few days.

The discount store announced its Easter deals this week, including milk chocolate eggs and bunnies for 99 cents.

Aldi is also selling £1.99 mug melts, which come in the shapes of a white chocolate unicorn, a milk chocolate chick and a milk chocolate dinosaur.

An Easter egg hunt pack is also being sold, with a whopping 24 chocolate treats to hide (and a large golden egg to win) for £3.49.

New chocolates are also being released, including a space 'galeggsy' egg and a gummy-filled pinata egg.

ARGOS has closed dozens of stores over the past two years and has plans to close even more stores.

The high street retailer already closed 42 UK stores last June, including all 34 branches in the Republic of Ireland.

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We explain how many Argos stores will close and where. Here's what we know.

How many Argos stores will close and why?

In July last year, Argos announced plans to close 100 UK branches over the following 12 months.

The closures are part of the retailer's plan to move away from the high street and focus on expanding its supermarket presence.

But despite announcing the branches would close, Sainsbury's-owned Argos did not reveal the names of all the locations it would close.

Which Argos stores will close?

The homewares retailer confirmed to The Sun last July that its standalone stores in Grimsby and Scunthorpe would close in August, but could not confirm the exact dates.

Argos had plans to open stores in nearby Sainsbury's stores in both Lincolnshire towns.

An Argos store in the St Stephen's shopping center in Hull closed in September, but it was believed a new concession would open in nearby Sainsbury's.

Anyway, here's the full list of independently owned Argos UK stores included in the list of 100 that have already closed:

• Hull
• Grantham
• Grimsby
• Norwich
• Scunthorpe
• Newport
• Cardiff Bay
• Stevenage

Which other stores have already closed?

Argos closed 45 branches in the 12 months to March last year, while opening 25 branches in Sainsbury's stores.

Included in that list, the retailer has closed stores in the following locations:

• Coventry
• Nottingham
• Lanarkshire
• Birkenhead

It also closed all 34 of its stores in the Republic of Ireland on June 24.

The full list of stores closed in Ireland is:

• Ashbourne Retail Park
• Athlone Argos
• Blanchardstown West End Argos
• Carlow Argos
• Castlebar Argos
• Cavan Argos
• Clonmel Argos
• Cork Mahon Argos
• Cork shopping park Argos
• Drogheda Argos
• Dun Laoghaire Argos
• Dundalk shopping park Argos
• Dundrum Argos
• Galway Argos
• Ilac Center (Dublin) Argos
• Kilkenny Argos
• Killarney Argos
• Letterkenny Argos
• Liffey Valley Argos
• Limerick Childers Road Argos
• Longford Argos
• Monaghan Argos
• Naas Argos
• Navan Argos
• Omnipark (Dublin) Argos
• Portlaoise Argos
• Rathfarnham nut grove Argos
• Sligo Argos 4146
• St Stephens Green (Dublin)
• Tallaght Argos
• Tralee Argos
• Tullamore Argos
• Waterford Argos
• Wexford – Argos

The company blamed the closure of its stores in the Republic of Ireland on the investment needed to develop and modernize the Irish part of its business as “not viable”.

By March 2024, Sainsbury's expects to have 160 standalone stores and between 430 and 460 Argos counters in Sainsbury's supermarkets.

It follows a tumultuous time for the British high street, with several popular chains including M&Co, Paperchase and Wilko all closing stores by 2023.

Retailers have been feeling the pressure since the pandemic, as shoppers cut back on spending due to rising inflation.

High energy costs and a shift to online shopping after the pandemic are also taking their toll and many high street stores are struggling to continue.

Iceland closed another of its supermarkets in June.

In addition, New Look permanently shuttered two of its stores in June and July.

Not only shops are affected The major hamburger chain Byron Burger also fell into administration and immediately closed nine restaurants.

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ENGLAND will play their Nations League match against the Republic of Ireland at 5pm, it has been revealed.

The Three Lions were put on course for a grudge match against the Boys in Green following Thursday's Group B draw in the UEFA Nations League.

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And the date and kick-off time for the clash have now been announced.

Ireland will host England on October 7 at the special kick-off time of 5pm.

The 5 p.m. time slot could cause problems, according to journalist Henry Winter.

Speaking to X, formerly known as Twitter, he said: “England in Dublin [at] Saturday 6pm? Is this wise? TV decision?

“Peaceful in 2015, kick-off Sunday at 1pm (FA wrote to all 3,000 traveling fans calling for good behaviour).

“1995 terrible from many English fans.

“A different mood now, more self-control, but there will be concerns.”

Matches against Finland and Greece follow.

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England were relegated to League B after failing to win a single match in a group with Germany, Italy and Hungary.

Both England and Ireland could have new managers at the helm by the time the match rolls around.

England manager Gareth Southgate would be about his future after last summer's European Championship.

Meanwhile, Ireland are currently without a head coach following the sacking of Stephen Kenny in November.

However, an announcement on Ireland's next boss is expected to come within next week.

According to the Irish mirrorit comes after a final chat with England Under-21 boss Lee Carsley, who is said to have identified his backroom staff before taking on the role.

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Hugh Jackman continued his trip to Dublin on Wednesday as he shared wholesome photos exploring the 'beautiful' Irish countryside.

The Australian actor, 55, took to Instagram as he took in more of the sights during a walk and even came across a picturesque waterfall.

During his day out, he dressed warmly in a black padded jacket, a knitted scarf and a hat.

The Greatest Showman star wrote in the caption: “A few more memories of Dublin!”

He continued, “One of the most beautiful places in the entire country. Thank you for your hospitality.'

It comes after Hugh sipped a pint of Guinness in an Irish pub earlier this week during his tour of Dublin on Monday.

He learned the Irish tricks of the trade while enjoying some well-deserved time off.

Hugh cut a casual figure in a black graphic T-shirt and flexed his muscles in the video.

As he tucked into a pint of beer, Hugh repeatedly said 'so good' to the camera as he told fans he was back in Dublin – but he didn't specify what for.

He captioned his post teasing: 'Back in Dublin. Part 1.'

Last year, Hugh announced he had split from his longtime wife Deborra-Lee Furness in September – after 27 years of marriage.

The former couple revealed to fans that they split “to pursue our individual growth.”

“We are blessed to have had a beautiful, loving marriage together for almost three decades. Our journey is now changing and we have decided to part ways to pursue our individual growth,” the couple said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

'Our family is and will remain our highest priority. We undertake this next chapter with gratitude, love and kindness. We greatly appreciate your understanding in respecting our privacy as our family goes through this transition.”

The former couple signed the statement as “Deb and Hugh Jackman,” adding, “This is the only statement either of us will make.”

The couple tied the knot in 1996 after crossing paths on the set of Correlli in 1995.

Over the course of their marriage, they adopted two children: son Oscar, 23, and daughter Ava, 18.

Last month, rumors swirled that Deborra-Lee would leave her home in New York to return to Australia, where Hugh is from.

According to women's DayDeb's friends have been 'in her ear' about moving Down Under now that her marriage is over.

It's unclear if Furness listens to her friends, but she has spent time in Sydney in recent weeks promoting her new film Force of Nature: The Dry 2 and attending the Australian Open.

Hugh and Deborra-Lee bought a $21 million home in New York City before their shock split last year.

The X-Men actor and actress spent the money on a penthouse in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood in August 2022.

The purchase took place just weeks after the stage couple put their incredible three-story New York City apartment up for sale.

The pair had lived in the chic downtown Manhattan apartment since 2008 and they listed it in June 2022 for the whopping price of $38.9 million.