Italy will be at home to the Republic on April Fool's Day in 2009 with the return game taking place at Croke Park six months later on 10 October.

BBC: Trapattoni named Republic manager

Some early reports had suggested that news of the technology was in fact an April Fool's joke - but while some reports on 1 April were embellished, there was truth behind the rumours.

BBC: 'China's Google' Baidu is making smart glasses