New Zealand letter: Covid numbers are rising, there’s snow forecast - and an earthquake hit earlier this weekNext Test is a 28,500 sell-out and all hotels, motels, guest houses and Airbnbs booked outThu Jul 07 2022 - 05:48
James Ryan relishing unique experience of New Zealand tour Lock recognises this could be the last time Ireland travel for a five-match tour in this wayThu Jul 07 2022 - 05:00
Ireland’s training standards don’t drop without Sexton, insists Mike CattKeith Earls set to be rested with Mack Hansen likely to return after bout with CovidWed Jul 06 2022 - 05:00
‘We want to be brave and fire a shot’ - Robbie Henshaw one of few experienced tourists looking to rally IrelandLeinster centre involved in 2018 when Ireland recovered from first Test defeat in AustraliaWed Jul 06 2022 - 05:00
Johnny Sexton returns to training before Ireland move onto DunedinAttack coach Mike Catt refuses to get drawn in on the confusion confused by new recommendations on head injuriesTue Jul 05 2022 - 07:14
All Black lock Sam Whitelock likely out of remainder of Ireland seriesCrusaders forward diagnosed with delayed onset concussion and faces 12-day stand down periodTue Jul 05 2022 - 06:55
Paul O’Connell insists Ireland can improve performance without drastic measuresForwards coach highlights decent work at breakdown but wants to see inaccuracies eliminatedTue Jul 05 2022 - 05:00
Irish scrum not an Achilles heel maintains Andrew PorterIreland’s loosehead says frontrow needs to be better in the face of referee interpretationTue Jul 05 2022 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: Better to find out about Ireland now in New Zealand than in France 2023Golden tour of valuable learning opportunities could be the last of its kindTue Jul 05 2022 - 05:00
Ruthless New Zealand capitalise fully on Ireland’s frailties Ireland stretched and up against the ropes as they regroup for second TestMon Jul 04 2022 - 06:00
Andy Farrell expecting Ireland to improve in second Test Ireland coach Farrell remaining positive despite daunting second Test assignment in DunedinMon Jul 04 2022 - 05:45
Tadhg Beirne: Second Test ‘a massive opportunity to put a few things right’Secondrow was playing his first game in 15 weeks after frustrating return from injuryMon Jul 04 2022 - 01:00
Paul O’Connell expresses frustration at Ireland’s misfiring set pieces against All BlacksIreland authors of their own downfall as the scrum and lineout were put under severe pressureSun Jul 03 2022 - 10:07
Ireland coach Andy Farrell confirms Johnny Sexton could make second Test Farrell reveals after opening Test defeat that Sexton passed his HIA 2 after going off in first halfSat Jul 02 2022 - 14:10
Ruthless All Blacks punish Ireland errors to rack up hefty winning marginFirst Test of the tour goes the way of the hosts despite positive signs from Ireland in attackSat Jul 02 2022 - 10:47
Finlay Bealham ruled out with Covid as Ireland’s prop depth suffers another blowEd Byrne’s flight to Auckland delayed meaning Michael Bent drafted in as warm-up playerSat Jul 02 2022 - 07:19
Emotionally charged homecoming tour for Jamison Gibson-ParkFirst Test in Eden Park will be the first time Gibson-Park’s family will have seen him play for Ireland in the fleshSat Jul 02 2022 - 05:00
Rua Tipoki: ‘Maori All Blacks are like Munster, their game is based on strong friendships’Centre made indelible mark on province as they won the Heineken Cup in 2008Sat Jul 02 2022 - 05:00
New Zealand v Ireland: Biggest one-off win of them all the prize on offer at Eden Park fortressIt’s been 48 matches and 28 years since New Zealand last lost at Eden ParkFri Jul 01 2022 - 01:00
Johnny Sexton: ‘Schmidt is the one who made us believe that we could beat the All Blacks’Irish captain has three wins and a draw in his career against New Zealand so farFri Jul 01 2022 - 01:00
‘I’d sacrifice holidays for that any day’ - Niall Scannell on travelling to New Zealand as a late replacement‘Things change and my wife was very accepting of that. She helped me get packed and get on the road to Faro airport’Thu Jun 30 2022 - 01:00
Injury headaches mount for Andy Farrell as Ireland see frontrow stocks depletedIreland head coach says ill-discipline cost Ireland dear in defeat to Maori All BlacksWed Jun 29 2022 - 13:11
Sloppy Ireland open tour with heavy defeat to Maori All Blacks Improved second-half showing but worries abound after rampant ill-discipline and handling-errorsWed Jun 29 2022 - 11:00
‘He’s not playing! He’s not taking the field is he?’ - Andy Farrell on Joe Schmidt’s involvement with All Blacks‘I’ve been an assistant coach myself, you assist and you follow the head coach’s rules so that’s the way of the world’Wed Jun 29 2022 - 05:00
‘It’s an honour’: Auckland-born Bundee Aki to captain Ireland in old Chiefs stomping ground Connacht centre returns home to play at the home of his old Super Rugby franchiseWed Jun 29 2022 - 05:00
Maori All Blacks vs Ireland: Bundee Aki named captain as knee injury ends Iain Henderson’s tour All of Ireland’s uncapped players start on Wednesday morning; Will Jordan added to list of All Blacks’ Covid absenteesTue Jun 28 2022 - 06:35
Maori All Blacks vs Ireland: Uncapped Irish players to be put to the test Full international in all but name to give the likes of Jimmy O’Brien and Ciarán Frawley valuable run-outTue Jun 28 2022 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: Joe Schmidt steps up to plan Ireland’s downfall Schmidt presence in All Blacks camp is unnerving given his insider knowledge on Farrell’s Ireland which is encyclopedicTue Jun 28 2022 - 05:00
Coombes aiming to finish a frustrating season on a high Versatile Munster forward looking forward to the challenge of competing for Ireland in rugby-obsessed New ZealandTue Jun 28 2022 - 05:00
Joe Schmidt drafted in to help Covid-ravaged All BlacksBoth coaches and players test positive ahead of first test as Maori All Blacks name squad for WednesdayMon Jun 27 2022 - 06:45
Mack Hansen tests positive for Covid-19 as Rob Herring and Iain Henderson pick up knocksNiall Scannell called up to provide cover at hookerMon Jun 27 2022 - 06:31
‘They’re playing for their people, so are our lads’ - Tipoki shows Farrell similarities between Ireland and MaoriFormer Munster centre visited the Irish camp ahead of Wednesday’s clash with New Zealand MaoriMon Jun 27 2022 - 05:00
Versatile Jimmy O’Brien rides crest of the wave to potential Ireland debutFormer GAA and Newbridge stalwart could well pull on green jersey against Maori All BlacksMon Jun 27 2022 - 05:00
Craig Casey fulfilling childhood dream in ‘rugby-mad’ New Zealand‘It’s been 10 years since we have been down here, I was actually in about sixth class watching those Tests’Sat Jun 25 2022 - 17:00
Ireland will be up against it when they launch their assault on All Blacks’ Eden Park fortressTickets for the first of the three-Test series in New Zealand have almost sold out, a measure of the compelling rivalry between Ireland and NZSat Jun 25 2022 - 04:00
Gerry Thornley: The strength of Irish rugby is a minor miracle given how few play itExpectations need to be reset, because Ireland is not a big nation in any team sportTue Jun 21 2022 - 05:00
Few surprises as Andy Farrell names squad for most daunting tour of pro era Inexperienced side set to face Maori All Blacks in tour openerWed Jun 15 2022 - 05:00
Ireland name their 40-man squad for tour of New ZealandAndy Farrell has included Joe McCarthy and Ciaran Frawley in squadTue Jun 14 2022 - 12:01
Gerry Thornley: McCarthy and Frawley could be in line for All Blacks tourMcCarthy and Frawley could be in line for squad inclusionTue Jun 14 2022 - 06:00
Nine players in New Zealand squad that lost to Ireland last year omitted for upcoming testsHighlanders scrumhalf Folau Fakatava included along with Aaron Smith and Finlay ChristieMon Jun 13 2022 - 15:44
‘It’s not a wrong analysis’ - Cullen acknowledges Leinster’s struggles against powerful sidesLeinster head coach believes his players will rebound despite defeats in two biggest games of the yearMon Jun 13 2022 - 05:00
South African franchises leave their stamp on URC at first available opportunityUlster and Leinster miss out as northern province’s trophy draught continuesMon Jun 13 2022 - 05:00
Crusaders assistant Andrew Goodman favourite to succeed Felip Contepomi at Leinster39-year-old played 17 times for Leinster during the 2012-13 seasonSat Jun 11 2022 - 06:00
Leo Cullen: ‘They came with a good plan and it is painful for our guys in there at the moment’Leinster coach reflects on semi-final defeat to the Bulls as five-year reign in competition endsSat Jun 11 2022 - 00:01
Leinster’s season comes to shuddering halt with home defeat to BullsPatchy performance by Irish province in URC sees side end campaign trophylessFri Jun 10 2022 - 22:04
URC semi-final preview: Leinster to grab the Bulls by the horns The South Africans arrive on the back of nine wins in their last 10 gamesFri Jun 10 2022 - 06:00
Prolific Leinster confident they have the power to deal with Bulls’ threat Respective veterans Sexton and Steyn in line to see out the crucial endgame at the RDSFri Jun 10 2022 - 05:00
Jordan Larmour focusing on doing the simple things well . . . really wellWinger credits Leinster coach Felipe Contepomi with new approach to gameThu Jun 09 2022 - 06:00
Caelan Doris calls for full house at RDS for URC semi-final against BullsLeinster will have their hands full with South African side’s physical backrowWed Jun 08 2022 - 01:00
Felipe Contepomi confident Leinster have ‘nothing to prove’ ahead of clash with Bulls ‘I watch Top 14, and URC is much more attractive rugby’, says departing assistant coachTue Jun 07 2022 - 06:10
