. . . believes there's no quick fix for Irish scrumTHE SCRUM. More to the point, the Ireland scrum, and the litany of overseas signings which have, goes the theory, stunted the…Sat Mar 31 2012 - 01:00
More important days ahead, but that won't matter come kick-off between these twoTHEY’D BOTH swap a defeat today for a win next weekSat Mar 31 2012 - 01:00
Horgan forced to retire after stellar careerTHE NEWS of Shane Horgan’s retirement through injury, a week after Jerry Flannery made the same announcement, hardly comes as…Thu Mar 29 2012 - 01:00
McGahan can't wait for Thomond match-upRUGBY: ALTHOUGH A full-on Munster-Leinster match-up inevitably carries the risk of further injuries, as a means of fast-tracking…Wed Mar 28 2012 - 01:00
Jones is raring to have crack at LeinsterMUNSTER ARE resigned to being without both first-choice locks Paul O’Connell and Donnacha Ryan, as well as scrumhalf Conor Murray…Tue Mar 27 2012 - 01:00
Munster weather Connacht stormRUGBY: Connacht 16 Munster 20 : MUNSTER WARMED up for their little tête-à-tête with Leinster next Saturday by reclaiming second…Mon Mar 26 2012 - 01:00
Legends fail to inspire LeinsterRUGBY: Leinster 22 Ospreys 23: THE THREE living legends came through unscathed but this was a mixed night for the European champions…Sat Mar 24 2012 - 00:00
Ireland have what it takes for TwickersRUGBY: Declan Kidney has likened Ireland’s arduous campaign to a sequence of Cup finals and, this being the finale, it truly…Sat Mar 17 2012 - 00:00
Time to start building a fortressWhen Ireland first returned to Lansdowne Road in the autumn of 2010, Brian O’Driscoll spoke for all when declaring Ireland’s …Sat Feb 25 2012 - 00:00
Smith the outstanding big name candidateRUGBY/MUNSTER HEAD COACH VACANCY: TONY McGAHAN’S departure to take up an attractive offer as assistant coach to Robbie Deans…Thu Feb 23 2012 - 00:00
McGahan to leave Munster at season's endRUGBY: TONY McGAHAN is set to leave Munster at the end of the season after reputedly informing his players yesterday that he…Wed Feb 22 2012 - 00:00
Ireland have to be a bit more clever, says SextonSIX NATIONS NEWS: DECLAN KIDNEY is expected to stick with the same selection which he had decided upon for the trek to Paris…Tue Feb 21 2012 - 00:00
IRFU need to provide leadership for club gameON RUGBY: FOR THE previous two seasons in the Ulster Bank League, Divisions One A and One B were streamlined to eight clubs …Tue Feb 21 2012 - 00:00
IRFU not happy with Sunday kick-offFrance v Ireland: REGRETS, THE Six Nations have a few, but when it comes to apologising to the 80,000 fans who attended last…Wed Feb 15 2012 - 00:00
All dressed up but no place to goDESPITE THE pre-match protocols being put back five minutes for another pitch inspection and his ensuing on-field deliberations…Mon Feb 13 2012 - 00:00
March 3rd likely for Paris rematchRUGBY : SATURDAY, MARCH 3rd at 6pm French time (5pm Irish) appears the likeliest solution for the re-arranged France-Ireland…Mon Feb 13 2012 - 00:00
Accident was bound to happenAND THE band didn’t play on. While the announcement confirming the game’s postponement at 8Mon Feb 13 2012 - 00:00
Ireland to feel the Paris chillRUGBY: STYLISH COATS and scarves are compulsory as the locals strut their stuff, but not even Parisians are much inclined to…Sat Feb 11 2012 - 00:00
O'Connell keen on a stout defenceRUGBY: THOSE CLAMOURING for change will be disappointed and will assuredly grumble, but the predictable decision to make just…Fri Feb 10 2012 - 00:00
Return of Earls likely to be only changeON FOOT of Stephen Ferris being cleared to play against France at Stade de France this Saturday, all the indications emanating…Thu Feb 09 2012 - 00:00
Ferris's record is key to his defenceTHE IRISH team management will lodge a robust defence of Stephen Ferris before an independent Six Nations Disciplinary Committee…Wed Feb 08 2012 - 00:00
Review identifies need for stronger defensive structuresTHE IRELAND squad yesterday completed their review of the defeat to Wales on Sunday and, not surprisingly, have resolved to improve…Wed Feb 08 2012 - 00:00
Blanket ban ends captain's run in ParisALREADY sweating on the availability of Stephen Ferris and faced with a six-day turnaround after the defeat to Wales, further…Wed Feb 08 2012 - 00:00
Kidney facing one of his biggest challengesON RUGBY: It might not have had the sense of disappointment of Wellington but the latest defeat to Wales asks a lot of questions…Tue Feb 07 2012 - 00:00
Ulster the likely destination as Bowe considers end-of-season moveTOMMY BOWE looks set to rejoin Ulster at the end of the season after choosing his native province ahead of Munster.Tue Feb 07 2012 - 00:00
Heaven's bread for Wales as Irish feast on crumbsIreland 21 Wales 23: AS ANTI-CLIMACTIC starts go, this was Ireland’s worst for some timeMon Feb 06 2012 - 00:00
Paris trek just became more dauntingRUGBY: THE GAME ended in controversy, and there’s little doubt the officials wrongly adjudged two so-called tip tackles – the…Mon Feb 06 2012 - 00:00
Earls gets nod for number 13 and all the pressure that goes with itRUGBY: KEITH EARLS has been anointed to fill Brian O’Driscoll’s semi-mystical number 13 jersey for Ireland’s campaign-defining…Thu Feb 02 2012 - 00:00
Emotional attachment to Ireland sealed with KissAT LAST, next Sunday offers a chance to scratch an itch, if not quite vengeance for that quarter-final defeat, and in the immediate…Wed Feb 01 2012 - 00:00
Due south: Ulster look to southern hemisphereULSTER are likely to bring in a successor to Brian McLaughlin from the southern hemisphere, thereby ruling out several Irish …Wed Feb 01 2012 - 00:00
The one that got away during troubled timesHISTORY HAS shown us that “even” years don’t afford Ireland much of a shot at a Grand Slam.Wed Feb 01 2012 - 00:00
Tainton drops broadest hint it could be EarlsRUGBY: THE RIDDLE will be resolved at lunchtime when Declan Kidney confirms his line-up to confront Wales in the RBS Six Nations…Wed Feb 01 2012 - 00:00
Touch, couch, pause, engage . . .HERE WE go again. The oldest and most successful rugby tournament in the world returns this Saturday, retaining its status as…Wed Feb 01 2012 - 00:00
Kidney adds a bit of flavour to the mixRUGBY: PUNDITS AND punters alike are inclined to call for change, all the more so at the start of a new four-year World Cup …Tue Jan 31 2012 - 00:00
Kidney has one foot in Lions denRUGBY: AFTER ONE of the worst kept secrets doing the rugby rounds – even the dogs in O’Connell Street, and that’s any O’Connell…Wed Jan 25 2012 - 00:00
We should enjoy these moments while they lastON RUGBY: Three quarter-finalists, a semi-finalist, plus two rentals of the Aviva StadiumTue Jan 24 2012 - 00:00
Satisfying day at the office for SchmidtLeinster 25 Montpellier 3 IN CONTRAST to the end-game drama that unfolded in the three matches involving the other Irish provinces…Mon Jan 23 2012 - 00:00
Twickenham road map set to be enthrallingRUGBY: THE SEASON is set to run and runMon Jan 23 2012 - 00:00
Ulster get by with friends out westRUGBY: THE LAST weekend’s only shoot-out between the top two, Ulster could not have been pitted with a more daunting task than…Sat Jan 21 2012 - 00:00
Kearney confirmed as new manager of Irish teamTHE IRFU yesterday confirmed that Michael Kearney will succeed Paul McNaughton as the new manager of the Irish team.Sat Jan 21 2012 - 00:00
Ulster victory would make it clear-cutHERE WE go again, abacus and calculators at the readyFri Jan 20 2012 - 00:00
Munster bidding to bring Downey back into the foldJAMES DOWNEY, the Northampton and Irish A inside centre, is set to return to Irish rugby next season by rejoining Munster, who…Thu Jan 19 2012 - 00:00
Kidney stands by tried and trustedRUGBY: ON BBC Radio Five Live’s lunchtime sports bulletin yesterday, it was announced that Declan Kidney had included six new…Thu Jan 19 2012 - 00:00
Smal to stay on as forwards coachAFTER MONTHS of speculation linking him with the vacant position of Springboks’ head coach, which is to be filled in the next…Wed Jan 18 2012 - 00:00
Leinster prove they can also tough it outGlasgow 16 Leinster 23 : UNLIKE THEIR performance last time out against Bath, this performance from the European champions wouldn…Mon Jan 16 2012 - 00:00
Down and dirty gets job done for LeinsterA STICKY one alright. As well as the confines of Partick Thistle’s narrow, short pitch, the Firhill surface was gluey and cloying…Mon Jan 16 2012 - 00:00
Leinster have what it takes to avoid slip-upAS PROVERBIAL banana skins go, especially for Leinster, this has a particularly slippery look to it given an array of Scottish…Sat Jan 14 2012 - 00:00
Much at stake for Ulster in war of attritionHEINEKEN CUP: IF IT’S a capacity crowd under the Friday night lights in Ravenhill, with an English team in town, it must be …Fri Jan 13 2012 - 00:00
