Manchester City face severe sanctions after being found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules over a nine-season period.

Rugby's biggest World Cup kicks off in 12 months with a record 24 teams clashing over six weeks in Australia, and ominous back-to-back champions South Africa are already staking their claim to another title.

Manchester City are believed to have been found guilty of breaching the vast majority of the 115 charges brought against them.

Man City are reported to have been found guilty of the vast majority of 115 financial misconduct charges brought against them by the Premier League.

The remarks emerged two days after Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in Hungary following a turbulent build-up in which the squad voted to fulfil the fixture despite unease amongst players over the war in Gaza.