After the first round of matches in the Six Nations rugby tournament, France tops the table (mainly due to a massive win over Italy). At the same time, Ireland's hopes for a Grand Slam or a Triple Crown are already in tatters ... though they might still win the tournament. Here are the results:

• France vs. Italy - 30:12
• Scotland vs. England - 6:13
• Ireland vs. Wales - 21:23

Next Saturday, Ireland will travel to France and play the current Number One in the Stade de France. Will it all end in tears? Or will the fighting Irish make a comeback on foreign fields?

After a commercial downturn heading straight for a crash, Hungarian flag carrier Malev has today decided to ground its fleet and suspend operations. Malev lost nearly ninety million Euros in 2010 alone and was kept flying only by state - an aid that the European Commission deemed illegal and demanded to be repaid. The airline kept running up debts and a further twist in the story came recently, when planes in Ireland and Israel were kept from leaving unless outstanding bills would be paid.

Fastnet Line, a.k.a. "The People's Ferry", has terminated operations. The sole ship "Julia" was already berthed for the winter in Cork, now it looks as if its revenue-earning days with Fastnet Line are over for good. After court wrangles and severe commercial problems the whole operation has ended after less than two years service. While the operators describe this as a major blow for tourism in Cork, Kerry and South Wales, questions about the commercial viability of the service have been raised before.

While ferry travel to Ireland can still be a sensible alternative to low-cost flights, the actual number of crossings seems to go down at a dramatic rate. Before Fastnet Line fastened Julia to Cork's quays, Stena had already mothballed their fast ferry to Dublin for winter. It remains to be seen whether this situation will improve - with all the hassle of air travel these days and rising prices we may yet see a renaissance.

It is that time of the year again ... the Six Nations kick off. Roaring men in shorts battle it out on the field, spurred along by roaring fans in warm clothing. It is rugby at its best. Well, most of the time. Will Ireland win a Grand Slam and a Triple Crown again? Will Italy bag another Wooden Spoon? And what about the Irish anthem?

Confused? Read up on the basics of the Six Nations Tournament and you will be no longer ...

And here are the upcoming games: Read More...