New revelation fuels drug claimsThe disclosure that an Irish international rugby player tested positive for a banned substance last season is certain to fuel…Wed Oct 07 1998 - 01:00
Home help aids ConnachtIt may not be the most salubrious of surroundings, it may not even be the most atmospheric and it certainly isn't state of the…Wed Oct 07 1998 - 01:00
Francis short on facts, game short on testingThe OLD joke goes that when Bob Hope sliced his first tee-shot way off the fairway, Lee Trevino turned to him and said: "are …Tue Oct 06 1998 - 01:00
Rugby rejects drug accusationsA mixture of indignation, surprise and anger within Irish rugby cricles has greeted the claim by former Irish international Neil…Mon Oct 05 1998 - 01:00
Connacht fully rewarded this timeThere's a pattern here and it's becoming remarkably repetitiveMon Oct 05 1998 - 01:00
Leinster pack can shunt Connacht aside againThis being the meat of the season, then the next week will go some way toward deciding which provinces will still have more to…Sat Oct 03 1998 - 01:00
Munster primed to show their worthCrunch time in Cork? What ever way you look at today's Munster-Ulster clash, it's certain to leave one in the top half and the…Sat Oct 03 1998 - 01:00
Miller's crossing loomsThe likelihood of Eric Miller returning to play his provincial and club rugby in Ireland has increased significantlySat Oct 03 1998 - 01:00
Clontarf to kick-off cupThe holders Clontarf will begin their defence of the Smithwick's Old Belvedere rugby Floodlit Cup at Anglesea Road next Tuesday…Wed Sept 30 1998 - 01:00
Simon hearing put backThe European Rugby Cup's (ERC) disciplinary hearing on allegations of foul play against the Stade Francais captain and loose-…Wed Sept 30 1998 - 01:00
Provinces showing signs of progressHow about this for some optimistic crystal ball-gazing? Leinster and Munster to reach the knockout stages of the European Cup…Tue Sept 29 1998 - 01:00
Miller on the open marketThe flag will finally be raised on the Eric Miller steeplechase at some time tomorrow when the player's agent emerges from a …Tue Sept 29 1998 - 01:00
Munster finally take the gloves off for braceThis was still far from a heavyweight Munster performance but, in the event, a middleweight effort was still good enoughMon Sept 28 1998 - 01:00
Sufficient firepower even without ElwoodConnacht return to the competition which made their name last season in Newport today and, realistically, if they are to emulate…Sat Sept 26 1998 - 01:00
McCall and Ward will be missedThe bookies are making this afternoon's Toulouse-Ulster tie a 40-point match, which, given the home side's record 108-13 win …Sat Sept 26 1998 - 01:00
Leinster tire as French call the tune in staccato affairIn the end it followed a dog-eared scriptSat Sept 26 1998 - 01:00
Munster to prevail with home advantageIf it's Musgrave Park at 2.30 on a Saturday, it must be pressure time for Munster againSat Sept 26 1998 - 01:00
Ward out of Toulouse tripUlster will be without their most influential player, Andy Ward, for their daunting away European Cup assignment against inaugural…Wed Sept 23 1998 - 01:00
Gatland pleased with reunionThey came in droves to the Irish squad session in Greystones yesterday - the players that isWed Sept 23 1998 - 01:00
RTE deals please armchair fansRTE have confirmed that they have secured rights for this season's European Cup and next year's World Cup finalsTue Sept 22 1998 - 01:00
Leinster facing busy scheduleThe Irish trio began their European Cup campaigns in unbeaten mode, which is at least more than the poor Welsh, Scots or Italians…Tue Sept 22 1998 - 01:00
Munster win match but no admirersAnother Munster win but another one which belonged in the watching-paint-dry categoryMon Sept 21 1998 - 01:00
This is a winnable match for MunsterPlaced in the group of death two years ago, and what Mick Galwey called "a group worse than death" last season when initial away…Sat Sept 19 1998 - 01:00
All square after roller-coaster rideWho needs the English when you can have this? Ravenhill's European Cup opener was a right roller-coaster of a ride, often loose…Sat Sept 19 1998 - 01:00
Reivers aim for sneak Ulster raidUnloved and unwanted by the English clubs and the top two Welsh clubs, sponsorless and with negligible television coverage, the…Fri Sept 18 1998 - 01:00
McCall out of three internationalsMark McCall, the Ulster captain and incumbent Irish centre, will definitely miss the remainder of his province's European and…Wed Sept 16 1998 - 01:00
English clubs ruining the gameLast week was to have been a turning point in the salvation of European rugby. Some chanceTue Sept 15 1998 - 01:00
Nowlan and Halvey fail to make squadThe Irish management yesterday rounded up many of the usual suspects and quite a few new ones when they named a squad of 47 for…Tue Sept 15 1998 - 01:00
Connacht ready for Munster backlashBoth before and immediately after Munster duly beat Connacht on the opening weekend in the Interprovincial Championship, the …Sat Sept 12 1998 - 01:00
Walsh may take actionYet another New Zealand-born, Irish passport holder has become disaffected with the provincial contracts system although unlike…Sat Sept 12 1998 - 01:00
Powerful Leinster cast Ulster asideA scoreline that takes some reading but is far from misleadingSat Sept 12 1998 - 01:00
Leinster set to give Ulster tougher timeRight from the full-time whistle at the same venue a week ago, tonight's meeting between Ulster and Leinster at Ravenhill has…Fri Sept 11 1998 - 01:00
Miller's position at Leicester unchangedThough speculation concerning Eric Miller's future has mounted, the Irish and Lions number eight's position remains surprisingly…Wed Sept 09 1998 - 01:00
Munster - what's gone wrong?Halfway there and the interim report might read something like this: Ulster - haven't quite fulfilled the promise of a bright…Tue Sept 08 1998 - 01:00
Hogan's future in doubtNiall Hogan, the Irish captain less than two years ago but currently unattached after being summarily let go by London Irish …Sat Sept 05 1998 - 01:00
Ulster keep their heads to add to Munster painWhatever about Ravenhill bringing out the best in Ulster - their best was hardly required for this grim affair - it certainly…Sat Sept 05 1998 - 01:00
Scots ring the changesIn an approach which perhaps both reflects their experimental attitude to their fixtures with the Irish provinces and their inability…Fri Sept 04 1998 - 01:00
Cullen to leave over contract confusionIn what is something of an embarrassment for the IRFU, Justin Cullen, the 28-year-old former Otago lock and holder of an Irish…Thu Sept 03 1998 - 01:00
Ulster recall Bell to face MunsterJonathan Bell returns to the Ulster side after an absence of over two years for tomorrow evening's crunch Interprovincial match…Thu Sept 03 1998 - 01:00
Elwood likely to be back by OctoberIreland out-half Eric Elwood yesterday learnt that he will not require an operation on his injured knee and should be back in…Wed Sept 02 1998 - 01:00
Pyramid structure key to successJust when you think everything in the Irish rugby garden is rosy, or at least getting that way, something happens to remind you…Tue Sept 01 1998 - 01:00
Leinster given a frightFor Leinster the spoils, for Connacht the glory? Whatever about that, certainly it took a stirring last quarter comeback from…Sat Aug 29 1998 - 01:00
Clubs queue up for MillerLeicester formally circularised all the Premiership clubs in England yesterday to notify them that their Lions and Irish number…Sat Aug 29 1998 - 01:00
Levelling of playing field heralds new orderThere's an edge to this evening's Guinness inteprovincial between Leinster and Connacht which has rarely been there in times …Fri Aug 28 1998 - 01:00
Miller in home moveEric Miller is set to become the most notable Irish international to return home in the professional era, which, if it comes …Fri Aug 28 1998 - 01:00
Hickie returns to action after injuryDenis Hickie, Ireland's leading international try scorer last season, makes his seasonal return for the Leinster `A' side against…Thu Aug 27 1998 - 01:00
Connacht make one changeConnacht coach Glenn Ross has made only one change from the side which completed last Saturday's 21-18 win over Ulster for this…Wed Aug 26 1998 - 01:00
Mixed draw for Irish sides belies their supposed seedingAmid a distinct absence of trumpeting and fanfare, European Cup organisers yesterday made public the draw and fixture list for…Wed Aug 26 1998 - 01:00
