Connacht lose Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki to injuryWilkins delighted with impact Hanrahan is having on the teamMon Nov 13 2023 - 18:03
Possibilities of post-Sexton era on show as World Cup hangover liftsAs is customary at the end of a four-year World Cup cycle, the level of change is more acute than at any point over the previous three seasonsTue Nov 07 2023 - 06:00
How many Irish players made Gerry Thornley’s team of the Rugby World Cup? Best try, highs and lows and the most memorable quotes from France 2023Tue Oct 31 2023 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: South Africa were worthy World Cup winners, but it’s a shame about aspects of their gameSpringboks’ conservative game plan prevailed again and whatever about enjoying watching them, no one can enjoy playing against themTue Oct 31 2023 - 06:00
South Africa’s Jean Kleyn: ‘I’m just glad I’m one of the guys they thought was a warrior’Handré Pollard replaced the injured Malcolm Marx and steered them home with unerring kicking displaysMon Oct 30 2023 - 06:00
Rugby World Cup: Five things we learned from the finalSpringboks’ remarkable self-belief; Foster won’t forget; defences win World Cups; Pollard’s pivotal call-up; pride in the fall for All BlacksSun Oct 29 2023 - 16:28
South Africa show winning nous to win record fourth Rugby World CupNew Zealand run the Springboks close despite losing captain Sam Cane to a first half red cardSat Oct 28 2023 - 23:00
Joe Schmidt and Rassie Erasmus add some Irish rugby flavour to the World Cup finalRugby World Cup final sees matchup of two coaches with deep links to Irish rugbySat Oct 28 2023 - 06:00
Rugby World Cup: New Zealand could have last laugh in final of contrasts New Zealand v South Africa preview: Demolished by Springboks just before the tournament started, the All Blacks have the ability to complete a memorable turn-aroundSat Oct 28 2023 - 06:00
David Humphreys set to succeed Nucifora as IRFU’s high performance directorFormer Ulster and Ireland outhalf currently in a high profile role in English cricketSat Oct 28 2023 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Extending Bundee Aki’s contract is good business from IRFUIreland centre is playing some of the best rugby of his life and was nominated for World Player of the YearFri Oct 27 2023 - 17:58
Rugby World Cup final: New Zealand play it safe as South Africa roll dice with 7-1 bench splitManie Libbok misses out completely for Springboks, while All Blacks recall Brodie RetallickThu Oct 26 2023 - 20:02
Rugby World Cup final week failing to build expectation with France and Ireland missing Lack of French involvement leaves this weekend’s final relegated to page 22 of the local pressThu Oct 26 2023 - 06:00
Felix Jones ready to face off against former mentor Joe SchmidtFormer Ireland and Munster fullback aims to have perfect send-off with South Africa before taking up coaching role with England after World CupWed Oct 25 2023 - 17:38
‘We’ve got a pretty good plan’ - New Zealand prepared to defuse South Africa’s bomb squadAll Blacks coach Ryan full of admiration for Nche and the Springboks’ scrumWed Oct 25 2023 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Nations League and expanded World Cup should be viewed in a positive lightNew biennial international competition should also bring greater unity in the global gameTue Oct 24 2023 - 20:26
Gerry Thornley: With so much on the line, did England’s punishment fit the crime?Do we really want Rugby World Cup semi-finals to be decided by slightly subjective interpretations of complicated scrums?Tue Oct 24 2023 - 06:00
Jean Kleyn’s strange yet fulfilling rugby journey takes him to a World Cup final‘I’ll probably wake up when it’s all said and done and think: ‘was that a dream or did that actually happen’?’Mon Oct 23 2023 - 21:00
World Rugby investigating alleged racist abuse by South Africa’s Bongi Mbonambihe alleged incident occurred during the World Cup semi-final against England and was raised at the time by Tom CurryMon Oct 23 2023 - 12:06
Rugby World Cup: Five things we learned from the semi-final weekendEngland v South Africa and New Zealand v Argentina showed Handre Pollard enjoys pressure; and Will Jordan is on course to make historyMon Oct 23 2023 - 06:00
Heavyweights South Africa and New Zealand to decide Rugby World Cup top dog South Africa captain Siya Kolisi pays glowing tribute to Leinster-bound Jacques NienaberMon Oct 23 2023 - 06:00
South Africa draw on deepest reserves to snatch victory from EnglandRugby World Cup: The second semi-final assumed a kind of ugly beauty and reached an almighty crescendoSun Oct 22 2023 - 14:33
Gerry Thornley: We will never again see the like of Johnny SextonNo Ireland rugby player gave more or achieved more than the recently retired outhalfSat Oct 21 2023 - 06:00
New Zealand pummel Pumas as Rugby World Cup semi-final turns into a no-contestAll Blacks into decider in most one-sided semi-final since they beat Wales in Brisbane in 1987Fri Oct 20 2023 - 22:31
Gerry Thornley: Unpopular Borthwick has free shot to upset favourites South AfricaRugby World Cup semi-final build-up felt anticlimactic with hosts and best supported visiting side out of the tournamentFri Oct 20 2023 - 13:44
Powerful New Zealand strong favourites to reach a fifth Rugby World Cup finalAll Blacks may not have to reach the stellar heights they achieved against Ireland to overcome Argentina in the Rugby World Cup semi-finalFri Oct 20 2023 - 05:15
England’s Maro Itoje focused on his own game ahead of battle with Eben EtzebethLock’s form has been improving of late and he will be key to result in Rugby World Cup semi-finalThu Oct 19 2023 - 22:00
Cheika acknowledges Contepomi’s role in getting Argentina to World Cup semi-finalArgentina head coach says the match is a ‘great opportunity’ for his team, and ‘we’re doing everything we can to try and take it’Wed Oct 18 2023 - 22:04
Gerry Thornley: Why can’t Ireland get past the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals?More than any other Rugby World Cup exit, this one feels like a golden chance missed on so many levelsTue Oct 17 2023 - 06:00
Peter O’Mahony crestfallen as tough defeat signals end of an eraPeter O'Mahony says he retains huge pride in what this Ireland team have achieved in recent yearsMon Oct 16 2023 - 06:00
‘I’m unbelievably proud’: Farrell praises Ireland squad after heartbreaking Rugby World Cup exitSense of a missed opportunity will linger for a long, long time as All Blacks deny the prize of a semi-final against ArgentinaMon Oct 16 2023 - 06:00
All Black magic derails Ireland’s Rugby World Cup dreamIreland v New Zealand: Courage comes in many forms and has rarely been personified better than by astonishing 37-phase attack in overtimeMon Oct 16 2023 - 06:00
France knocked out of home Rugby World Cup after South Africa’s second-half comebackSpringboks overturn halftime deficit as their famous bomb squad takes them homeSun Oct 15 2023 - 22:23
‘These guys will go on and achieve great things’ - Emotional Johnny Sexton bows outAndy Farrell: ‘It was a fantastic game to be part of, it was probably fitting of a final’Sat Oct 14 2023 - 23:49
Ireland’s dream dies in Paris as All Blacks secure World Cup semi-final spot Three-times champions move on to semi-final meeting with Argentina after Stade de France thrillerSat Oct 14 2023 - 23:07
Impressive Irish system has drawn the very best from talented Kiwi-born trioBundee Aki, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park have proved huge assets in the evolution of Andy Farrell’s formidable Ireland sideSat Oct 14 2023 - 06:00
Ireland vs New Zealand: Andy Farrell’s men are perfectly primed for definitive All Blacks test Rugby World Cup quarter-final showdown looks completely different from four years ago, with Ireland now boasting All Blacks-type formSat Oct 14 2023 - 06:00
‘He is all good’ - Mike Catt insists Mack Hansen running freely despite heavy strappingIreland prepared for possible golden point or goalkicking competition if All Blacks clash ends in drawFri Oct 13 2023 - 17:33
Gerry Thornley: Gone are the days that the All Blacks could name only one Ireland playerIreland v New Zealand countdown: There was a time when it was Brian O’Driscoll and 14 others in green jerseys . . . now all has changed, changed utterlyFri Oct 13 2023 - 15:41
Rugby World Cup: Ireland’s Mack Hansen trains ahead of clash with New ZealandWinger and James Ryan both took part in the Captain’s Run, while Antoine Dupont will start for France against South AfricaFri Oct 13 2023 - 10:35
Ian Foster: ‘Do you think we can keep an Irish crowd quiet?’Rugby World Cup: Sam Cane leads New Zealand out from the backrow against Ireland in place of Dalton Papali’i as Mark Telea is dropped for disciplinary reasonsThu Oct 12 2023 - 17:24
Ireland’s continuity and momentum give them favourites tag against New ZealandIreland v New Zealand: James Ryan misses out due to injury but team to play Rugby World Cup clash against All Blacks is almost the same as during the summerThu Oct 12 2023 - 06:00
Joe Schmidt helped Ireland topple the All Blacks, and now he’s helping to build them back upIreland's former head coach and now New Zealand’s assistant/attack coach is tasked with undoing the damage to the All Blacks’ psycheThu Oct 12 2023 - 06:00
Ireland team named: Mack Hansen starts against All Blacks but no James RyanRugby World Cup: Andy Farrell’s side take on New Zealand in quarter final at the Stade de France on Saturday nightWed Oct 11 2023 - 13:46
Rugby World Cup: Gerry Thornley predicts Ireland’s team to play New ZealandIreland vs New Zealand: James Ryan likely to be ruled out with Joe McCarthy or Ryan Baird set to replace him on the benchTue Oct 10 2023 - 19:15
New Zealand embrace Ian Foster’s message that Saturday’s meeting with Ireland is their ‘final’ Rugby World Cup quarter-finals: No doubt about the All Blacks’ intent as they look forward to testing Ireland’s mettle in the quarter-finalTue Oct 10 2023 - 19:07
Gerry Thornley: Paradigm shift shows Ireland are in All Blacks’ heads like never beforeWill there be four European semi-finalists left in the World Cup for the first time ever?Tue Oct 10 2023 - 06:00
Caelan Doris says Ireland’s belief based on more than a series win in New ZealandJack Conan delighted to have finished his ‘holidays’ after his return to competitive action against ScotlandTue Oct 10 2023 - 06:00
Rugby World Cup: Antoine Dupont gets the all clear to resume full trainingFrance captain has been recovering from facial injury suffered against Namibia earlier in the tournamentMon Oct 09 2023 - 10:34
Ireland team-mates hail Peter O’Mahony on occasion of 100th cap against Scotland ‘You look at what Peter O’Mahony has done … plays with his heart on his sleeve and probably doesn’t get enough credit’Mon Oct 09 2023 - 06:00
