Existing format of AIL to be scrappedNews : The IRFU Committee last night made the momentous decision to scrap the AIB All-Ireland League as it currently exists …Sat Feb 21 2004 - 00:00
Ireland pack more powerRUGBY: As with the World Cup, the RBS Six Nations is awash with foregone conclusionsSat Feb 21 2004 - 00:00
Questions abound after lost weekendRUGBY: The mood among the Irish supporters on the trek home from Charles de Gaulle airport yesterday confirmed the abiding impression…Mon Feb 16 2004 - 00:00
Developments Clock to make a striking changeThe most striking innovation in this year's Six Nations Championship will be the advent of the countdown clock for all matches…Sat Feb 14 2004 - 00:00
Noves rich in true values of OccitanieFocus on France: When the French coach Bernard Laporte recently criticised French club rugby while extolling the virtues of …Sat Feb 14 2004 - 00:00
Laporte's France have familiar lookBernard Laporte will blood a couple of hungry debutants in an otherwise familiar French line-up for Saturday's St Valentine's…Wed Feb 11 2004 - 00:00
Kidney plays down rumoursDeclan Kidney's future within the Irish management structure became a subject of conjecture again yesterday when he was obliged…Wed Feb 11 2004 - 00:00
O'Connell to play leading roleRugby Six Nations Championship: Paul O'Connell's elevation to Martin Johnson-like status within the context of Irish rugby took…Wed Feb 11 2004 - 00:00
Horan joins Ireland's injured listSix Nations Championship: Props have become something of an endangered species in the modern game, nowhere more so than in Irish…Tue Feb 10 2004 - 00:00
Targeting clubs may also be a big mistakeOn Rugby: Last Saturday, Clontarf hosted Shannon at Castle AvenueTue Feb 10 2004 - 00:00
Contepomi sought by provincesRugby News: Connacht and Munster have formally asked Leinster about the availability of the province's Argentinian outhalf Felipe…Tue Feb 10 2004 - 00:00
Wasps put sting in Munster taleEuropean Cup Quarter-final draw: Full of twists and turns right up to the end, in injury time of the last day of pool ties in…Mon Feb 02 2004 - 00:00
Injured Easterby will playIreland's World Cup flanker Simon Easterby will play with a broken hand for Llanelli tomorrow in their decisive Pool Four decider…Sat Jan 31 2004 - 00:00
O'Driscoll gets five lieutenantsSix Nations Championship : As expected Brian O'Driscoll has been named Ireland's captain for the forthcoming Six Nations Championship…Thu Jan 29 2004 - 00:00
Disbandment of domestic league on agenda at IRFU meetingRUGBY/All-Ireland League: A full, day-long meeting of the IRFU committee will take place tomorrow to discuss proposals for a…Wed Jan 28 2004 - 00:00
Rugby union welcomes decision but admits potential difficulties lie aheadIRFU REACTION: In warmly welcoming yesterday's announcement on the long-cherished redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, the Irish…Wed Jan 28 2004 - 00:00
Leinster have the drive and incentiveRUGBY: A record attendance for a Heineken European Cup pool game in Ireland, or potentially anywhere for that matter, is anticipated…Fri Jan 23 2004 - 00:00
Rejuvenated Lions aiming to break recordsEuropean Cup News round-up: Buoyed by the huge volume of support they received in Stockport last Friday when beating Sale, Leinster…Thu Jan 22 2004 - 00:00
A weekend straight out of the top drawerOn Rugby: Of all the key moments in Leinster's season, none may prove more significant than the left-footed Biarritz scrumhalf…Tue Jan 20 2004 - 00:00
O'Driscoll reluctant to forecast returnNews round-up: Although Brian O'Driscoll will resume light training later this week, the player himself has confirmed that any…Tue Jan 20 2004 - 00:00
Munster gain from sharp PayneEuropean Cup: After his high-profile arrival, it was to have been Christian Cullen, the All Blacks' record try-scorer, with …Sat Jan 17 2004 - 00:00
All change on Rocky road to ThomondThey've been in worse pickles, it's true, and we seem to have been here before more times than we can remember, but Munster playing…Sat Jan 17 2004 - 00:00
Disrupted preparation a factor in defeatsOn Rugby: When the dust had settled on an extraordinary, unpredictable third round of matches in the Heineken European Cup, …Tue Jan 13 2004 - 00:00
Win would shed light on Munster's seasonGloucester v Munster: A heavyweight Anglo-Irish affair and match of the weekend, today's first of pivotal back-to-back meetings…Sat Jan 10 2004 - 00:00
Facing into a year full of critical decisionsOn Rugby: Perhaps it was inevitable that, after a four-year World Cup cycle, Irish rugby would enter a period of relative flux…Tue Dec 30 2003 - 00:00
A good year, yes, but bar set a bit lowRugby: Speaking at the recent Philips Manager of the Year lunch, the February winner Eddie O'Sullivan repeated his assertion…Mon Dec 29 2003 - 00:00
Wake-up call as Irish pair miss two-day campRUGBY: Malcolm O'Kelly and Anthony Horgan have been omitted from an Ireland two-day training camp at Citywest on December 29th…Tue Dec 23 2003 - 00:00
Another tough nut to crackRugby Challenge Cup: Gerry Thornley talks to Connacht coach Michael Bradley ahead of the next leg of their European odyssey …Tue Dec 16 2003 - 00:00
Munster to go against normEuropean Cup Preview: It may be another Saturday afternoon in the run-up to Christmas, it may even be relatively unheralded …Sat Dec 13 2003 - 00:00
Wisdom of Solomons in huge demand against French elitesUlster v Stade Francais Ravenhill European Cup: Ulster coach Alan Solomons will hook up with his long-time friend, sometime …Fri Dec 12 2003 - 00:00
Standing tall Down UnderRUGBY/World Cup Team of the tournament: Gerry Thornley takes a look at the best players from the World Cup and selects his World…Tue Nov 25 2003 - 00:00
2003 World Cup Highs and LowsThe lowlights 1 Australia 142, Namibia 0 Now, dear Aussies, that really was the ultimate in boring.Mon Nov 24 2003 - 00:00
South African dates setThe South African Rugby Football Union have confirmed the dates for Ireland's two-test series next summer.Sat Nov 22 2003 - 00:00
Cool operator back in from the coldIt's hard to credit the flak which has been heaped upon George Gregan up until last week's redemptive semi-final victory for …Fri Nov 21 2003 - 00:00
All Blacks under familiar cloud at homeReaction: Passing an expressionless John Mitchell moments after the first half had ended on Saturday, the thought occurred that…Mon Nov 17 2003 - 00:00
French temperament may decide in knock-outIn a European context, this meeting of the superpowers simply doesn't come any biggerSat Nov 15 2003 - 00:00
Once more with feelingThere's something wrong with England. Nobody can quite put their finger on itSat Nov 15 2003 - 00:00
Men in Black should sort this one outRugby World Cup Semi-final preview Australia v New Zealand There's only one game bigger than thisFri Nov 14 2003 - 00:00
Small wonder ready for biggest testPool A Interview with Peter Stringer : Gerry Thornley talks to Ireland's smallest player aboutthe size of Sunday's clashFri Oct 24 2003 - 01:00
O'Driscoll needs his spaceDespite scoring 15 tries in the opening two games, with Geordan Murphy, Rob Henderson and David Wallace all back at home, this…Thu Oct 23 2003 - 01:00
O'Connell and Ireland breathe a sigh of reliefPool A News round-up: The Irish squad - and birthday boy Paul O'Connell in particular - breathed a collective sigh of relief…Tue Oct 21 2003 - 01:00
Dad's Army under constant fire on all frontsGerry Thornley On Rugby: The phoney war, for the most part continues apace. There've been embarrassments along the wayTue Oct 21 2003 - 01:00
Ireland training goes smoothlyIreland trained behind closed doors in waterlogged conditions at their base in the Central Coast Grammar School yesterday and…Tue Oct 14 2003 - 01:00
Coach warns of Wallaby backlashRugby World Cup countdown: Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan fears his team could face a backlash over a seemingly innocuous computer…Thu Oct 02 2003 - 01:00
Injury worries recedeFinal open training session: A rash of injuries having circulated from various corners of the global game this past while, many…Fri Sept 26 2003 - 01:00
Stellar figures have squad ready to go extra mileSteeling the resolve: Teams, much like Olympic athletes, are primed to peak every four years and accordingly inspiration is …Fri Sept 26 2003 - 01:00
Wallace is called into squadPaddy Wallace has been called into the Ireland World Cup squad as a replacement for his injured Ulster team-mate Jonathon Bell…Tue Sept 23 2003 - 01:00
Lions must sharpen their clawsRUGBY: After back-to-back defeats to start their Celtic League campaign, Leinster will be hopeful they can show more of a cutting…Fri Sept 19 2003 - 01:00
Hayes 'very hopeful' of making it toDespite a frustratingly slow recovery period from the torn calf he sustained in the build-up to the warm-up game against Italy…Fri Sept 19 2003 - 01:00
Borders hopes marginalChances of winning actual silverware seldom come along for Connacht and their coach Michael Bradley makes little secret of the…Fri Sept 19 2003 - 01:00
