Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/585489
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2015 Sport 23 Answers to the MaltaToday crossword will be published next Wednesday WEATHER: Fine, locally partly to rather cloudy VISIBILITY: Good WIND: Southerly force 4 locally force 4 to 5 SEA: Moderate SWELL: Negligible Sea Temp.: 25 °C A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 White to play and mate in four moves A B C D E F G H 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Last week's solution Sudoku rules are extremely easy: Fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear once in each row, column and 9x9 box. SUNNY 27 º C / 22 º C UV INDEX: 6 Today's Weather Chess Sudoku Pursuits Across 1. Of the highest calibre 8. Nimble 9. Living 10. Sicilian volcano 12. Contraction of were not 14. Method 17. Venture 21. Yorkshire town 22. Tooth 23. Expert in strategy Down 2. Pungent bulb 3. Told an untruth 4. Slatted wooden box 5. Similar 6. Perfume 7. Urn 11. Illustrative craft 13. Colour 14. Halts 15. Pertaining to the sun 16. Country in NE Africa 18. Collection of maps 19. Acquire through merit 20. Smoke combined with fog Qe5 d6 Nf5+ Kd8 Qf6+(or Qxd6+) Kd7 Qe7# Qxd6+ Bd7 Qe7# RUGBY Injured Ireland captain O'Connell out of World Cup IRELAND captain Paul O'Connell's international career came to a pre- mature end on Tuesday when he was ruled out of the rest of the Rugby World Cup in another major injury blow for the Pool D winners. Lock forward O'Connell, 35, had said before the World Cup that he would retire from international rugby at the end of the tournament, but his departure has been en- forced earlier than planned by the hamstring injury sustained during Sunday's 24-9 pool victory over France. "Paul O'Connell suffered a sig- nificant hamstring injury and will undergo surgery this week," the IRFU said in a statement. "Paul will not play again at Rugby World Cup 2015 and his time out of the game will depend on the outcome of the surgery." Mike McCarthy has been called into the squad as a replacement ahead of Ireland's quarter-final against Argentina in Cardiff on Sunday. Young Ireland centre Rob- bie Henshaw also paid tribute to O'Connell's influence. "He was always there to give me advice when I came into the squad," Henshaw said. "I loved and admired the fact he wasn't too intense. He was a truly inspirational leader. Every time he spoke he would say the right thing. It can drive us on but it is an emo- tional day for everyone." Ireland, who had avoided any seri- ous injuries until centre Jared Payne was sent home with a fractured foot on Saturday, also lost flanker Peter O'Mahony on Monday with a dam- aged knee ligament sustained in the France game. Flyhalf Johnny Sexton is nursing a groin injury that could yet end his tournament. While Ireland's strength in depth came to the fore in the second half on Sunday and Iain Henderson rep- resents a tailor-made replacement for O'Connell, the departure of Ireland's inspirational captain was described as a "monumental loss" by fullback Rob Kearney. "It is difficult and I felt awful for him. But it was great to see the sheer delight after the game in terms of what we had achieved, as op- posed to feeling sorry for himself," Kearney said of the 108-capped O'Connell, who will continue to play club rugby with French side Toulon. "He was just delighted and beam- ing from ear to ear. When you consider that he was so happy and ecstatic after the game and the pain he had been in at halftime, it's those little moments that make changing rooms after games so very special." "That was brilliant to see and a great sign of the man that he was able to put his own woes behind him and was able to think of the team first." Ireland's Paul O'Connell receives treatment after sustaining an injury