Andy Friend: 'We know if we run straight into them we will probably lose that battle’Connacht coach says self-belief is still high ahead of Montpellier clashSat Nov 16 2019 - 06:00
Sideline cut: Irish society would be lost without its RTÉ mothershipGay Byrne’s passing may show how its relevance has diminished but it remains a national institutionSat Nov 09 2019 - 09:00
Heady days again for Borris-Ileigh and for KellySuccessful coach guides Tipp champions into Munster action against Cork’s Glen RoversSat Nov 09 2019 - 06:00
From Richard Burton to Land of My Fathers, rugby is the voice of WalesThe Hollywood legend would have been proud to see his home country’s successSat Oct 26 2019 - 13:12
Keith Duggan: All Blacks show Ireland exactly how wide the divide really isThe fact that Rieko Ioane wasn’t even in the New Zealand matchday squad was tellingMon Oct 21 2019 - 06:00
Japan’s thrilling odyssey snuffed out by harsh South African realityRugby World Cup: Brave Blossoms have brought game to new levels in host countrySun Oct 20 2019 - 14:07
Steve Hansen: ‘Ireland’s experience was not to win’New Zealand coach pays tribute to Rory Best and Joe Schmidt after World Cup winSat Oct 19 2019 - 15:17
Black magic casts spell over Ireland as book slams shut on the Schmidt yearsIreland unable to find anything like the best of themselves against peerless New ZealandSat Oct 19 2019 - 14:12
Rugby World Cup: Push comes to shove as endgame approachesWill World Rugby ever have a better chance of elevating Japan’s status than right now?Sat Oct 19 2019 - 06:00
Vanilla words of Ireland’s Call an unlikely antidote to bitter divideCompromise anthem could run deeper than symbolism of All Blacks’ celebrated HakaSat Oct 19 2019 - 01:00
South Africa comfortable with favourites tag over JapanRugby World Cup: Rassie Erasmus names same starting lineup that beat ItalyThu Oct 17 2019 - 10:20
With Rugby World Cup success, Japan have become adept at saying nothingAgainst all odds, rugby is now very much in the spotlight thanks to team's exploitsTue Oct 15 2019 - 14:00
Rassie Erasmus: ‘Japan are the enemy for one week’South Africa coach impressed with hosts’ improvement through Rugby World CupTue Oct 15 2019 - 06:00
Exhilarating Japan arrive on the big stage in the land of the rising waterHosts send an intoxicating air through rugby’s old order as they dump out ScotlandMon Oct 14 2019 - 07:09
Tokyo ghostly quiet but typhoon leaves city undamagedJapanese city takes ‘unprecedented scale’ warning seriously but escapes worst elementsSun Oct 13 2019 - 18:30
Rugby and recovery - Kamaishi welcomes the world on a wave of emotionThis rugby mad, remote Japanese outpost was almost entirely destroyed in the 2011 tsunamiSat Oct 12 2019 - 06:00
Keith Duggan: Once the Japanese imagination grasped baseball it never let goThere are baseball batting cages all over Toyko, and they seem to be busy day and nightFri Oct 11 2019 - 18:00
Typhoon Hagibis: Normal service in Tokyo as storm draws closerTyphoon could match rainfall of 1958 storm which caused 1,000 deathsFri Oct 11 2019 - 11:33
Paul Mullen: Aran Islands native in midst of US rugby emergenceHouston local is making his breakthrough in Japan and hopes sport can spread in the StatesWed Oct 09 2019 - 06:00
Redemption road proves a salutary experience for O’ConnorAustralian overcomes personal problems to once again don the gold jersey at World CupTue Oct 08 2019 - 06:00
England in fine fettle as quarter-final clash with France loomsEarly dismissal of Lavanini ensured Argentina challenge was unlikely to materialiseMon Oct 07 2019 - 05:00
Polite pandemonium on Tokyo streets as rugby bug takes a gripEven the notoriously low-key Tokyo police eventually warmed to the good feelingSun Oct 06 2019 - 18:50
All powerful All Black brand captures imagination in JapanWorld champions facing amateur players seems attractive as well as absurdSun Oct 06 2019 - 13:19
Rugby World Cup: England stroll into quarter-finals after Lavanini red cardAnother high tackle on Owen Farrell saw another game turn on its head in the first halfSat Oct 05 2019 - 11:30
Petty vindictiveness following Ireland around like a bad smellCritics gleefully wait to give the team a kicking for daring not to deliver on the promise of 2018Fri Oct 04 2019 - 16:00
Flat Ireland fail to dampen high spirits of travelling fansAnxiety grows that Ireland will not find the all-conquering form of last year before the tournament reaches its knock-out stageFri Oct 04 2019 - 00:47
The battle cry of Irish rugby fans: ‘I should’ve brought a coat’Rain-soaked in costly Kobe, Joe Schmidt’s green army still have no complaintsThu Oct 03 2019 - 15:47
The weeks go on and Ireland remain a mystery in the EastAre they waiting to explode or are Joe Schmidt’s team on the brink of dissolution?Thu Oct 03 2019 - 14:04
Rugby World Cup: Brave Blossoms continue their fruitful pursuit of happinessHaving burnt Ireland, the sun has never shone so brightly on Japanese rugbyWed Oct 02 2019 - 18:00
Japan camp not interested in Irish complaints about referee‘In regards to defence, it was pretty special in how they showed for each other’Wed Oct 02 2019 - 09:12
A perfect rugby storm: The Welsh and Aussies share dreams in songIt was completely impossible to know which side had won and which side had lostTue Oct 01 2019 - 15:30
Billy Vunipola hopes England’s ‘family squabbles’ can fuel performanceNumber eight says coach Eddie Jones has ‘definitely got the baggage out’Mon Sept 30 2019 - 22:00
Rugby World Cup: Japan’s old guard to the fore on glorious night for host nationLuke Thompson. Michael Leitch and Shota Horie all put in huge performances in ShizuokaMon Sept 30 2019 - 06:00
Relief as Wales hold on to deny Wallabies in a Tokyo thrillerGatland’s side wrestle Pool D initiative off Australia after surviving second-half scareSun Sept 29 2019 - 13:06
Rugby World Cup: James Ryan torn between pain and praise after Japan defeat‘To give credit to them, I thought they were class today and they deserved their victory’Sat Sept 28 2019 - 15:25
Beautiful chaos as Japan find their rugby voice against IrelandMisery in the heat for tourists as the Brave Blossoms run the ball and take a famous bowSat Sept 28 2019 - 11:01
World Rugby still struggling to address the dangerous tackling conundrumSpeed and huge physical strength means even legal tackles can end careersSat Sept 28 2019 - 07:00
Banzai Japan! A country wraps the world in its unique embraceTournament sometimes dwarfed by the scale and beautiful strangeness of its host countrySat Sept 28 2019 - 02:00
Rugby World Cup: John Quill red card for savage tackle mars England win over USACork native John Quill saw red for his shoulder-led charge on Owen FarrellThu Sept 26 2019 - 14:35
Experienced Jones ready for the long haul in JapanRelaxed England coach makes 10 changes pool meeting with USA on ThursdayTue Sept 24 2019 - 22:00
Rugby World Cup: Nothing lost in translation as Japan’s players prepare for Ireland clashHost nation well aware of strengths and opportunities ahead of Saturday’s gameMon Sept 23 2019 - 16:33
Tokyo citizens take time out to extend the hand of friendshipThe sheer scale of the city is overwhelming but rugby visitors receive a warm welcomeMon Sept 23 2019 - 04:00
Ireland bid Scotland sayonara with 27-3 win in JapanEven the rain turned up to witness the green monster Schmidt’s defensive set-up has becomeSun Sept 22 2019 - 22:00
Rugby World Cup: Ireland take a bow after near perfect opening nightMemories of Twickenham melt away in Yokohama rain as Joe Schmidt’s side start on front footSun Sept 22 2019 - 11:48
Rassie Erasmus far from discouraged despite another All Blacks defeat‘The two times they scored tries we weren’t organised. That is why they showed their class’Sat Sept 21 2019 - 14:53
Rugby World Cup: Flashes of black magic cast a spell on BoksNew Zealand soak up the punishment and turn on the style in ominous 23-13 winSat Sept 21 2019 - 13:22
Sideline Cut: Opportunity for rugby to sow seeds in Land of the Rising SunJapan as a country is devoted to custom and ritual yet its rugby team play with adventureSat Sept 21 2019 - 09:00
Rugby World Cup: Nervous Japan come through in the end after finding their feetBrave Blossoms thrill Tokyo crowd as they run out 30-10 winners over RussiaFri Sept 20 2019 - 17:00
Rugby World Cup: The stage is set for the Brave Blossoms to deliverThe task of the Russians is to spoil the mood of World Cup opening night in TokyoFri Sept 20 2019 - 07:31
All Blacks keep New Zealand pulsing on the map of the worldHansen’s men are favourites to retain the Webb Ellis trophy for the third successive timeThu Sept 19 2019 - 07:00
