Pro game a safe place for amateurs? Did the Dubs ever really go away?
The Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with ‘The Irish Times’ sports team
Ireland face crucial Finland clash; Rassie Erasmus’ punishment must fit the crime
The Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with ‘The Irish Times’ sports team
Owen Doyle: Lions pay a high price for key blunders by Williams and Curry
Penalty call against Lawes harsh but butchered try-scoring chances lost it
Owen Doyle: Rassie Erasmus pushing the spirit of the laws to their absolute limits
The first Test was a poor game of rugby and the ill-tempered build-up even worse
Owen Doyle: Referee Luke Pearce far from perfect in fraught final
Referee was never far from the centre of attention, some of his own making, some not
Owen Doyle: IRFU should be encouraging representation for Irish referees
Officials get a very raw deal that no player would accept
Owen Doyle: Scotland will feel aggrieved at Poite’s breakdown penalties
Brace and Neville leave with heads held high after Twickenham thriller
Owen Doyle: New laws on Australian show could turn rugby union into league
Union’s struggle for popularity in Australia has seen new controversial rules adopted
Owen Doyle: Culture of ‘clip memory’ among modern referees not cutting it on the pitch
There’s nothing to beat knowing the laws when you step out on the pitch
Owen Doyle: World Rugby have a duty to make the sport safer for next generation
Caelan Doris will likely not be alone in suffering issues and more must be done
Owen Doyle: Clearout red cards will see the penny finally drop with players and coaches
Scotland’s Zander Fagerson the latest to head for an early shower for a reckless hit
Owen Doyle: Peter O’Mahony’s act of thuggery deserves tough sanction
Cardiff game left such a bad taste after stirring encounters on Saturday
Owen Doyle: Not everyone is on board for red card and dangerous play rules
Players’ duty of care for opponents seems to have completely gone out the window
Owen Doyle: Scrum a major issue World Rugby must address
Authorities also need to double down on their High Tackle Framework strategy
Ireland’s work-ons: Four things Andy Farrell needs to address
Gerry Thornley looks at four key areas in need of improvement ahead of the Six Nations
Owen Doyle: Wales lucky to escape heavier censure for a litany of offences
Ireland will learn more about their worth after daunting trip to Twickenham
Owen Doyle: Ireland should have been awarded penalty try for Bouthier bat
Barnes got most things right in Paris but Keenan would have scored without intervention
Gerry Thornley: Global pause allows rugby to tidy up the breakdown
When the game returns it will look different with World Rugby re-enforcing laws in July
Owen Doyle: It’s time for referees to stop chatting and hand out punishments
Affability doesn’t always work while Eddie Jones’ rants need to be tackled
Owen Doyle: Time to speed up scrum formation and apply quicker sanctions
The scrum needs a serious fix having been hijacked by teams in the professional era
Owen Doyle: Ireland were fortunate to keep full complement on pitch
Dangerous ruck tackles by Toner and Ryan were not picked up or reviewed by officials
Anti-social chants bringing sour note to schools rugby
Has obsession and privilege skewed attitudes of many in private schools?
Owen Doyle: Day of the jackal may be coming to an end
World Rugby looking to put safety brake on the breakdown
Owen Doyle: Concussions bring high tackle trial into focus
World Rugby doing its best to address a persistent and worrying problem
Owen Doyle: Breakdown of law and order in rugby must stop
If referees don’t know or don’t apply the laws of the game correctly then anarchy results
Owen Doyle: Debate required over scrum as a source of penalties kick chances
England can have no complaint with Garces as South African pressure game prevails
Owen Doyle: Referees step up to the plate at Rugby World Cup semi-finals
It’s a straight choice between Nigel Owens and Jérôme Garcès to referee the final
Owen Doyle: Jaco Peyper’s cardinal error puts it up to the referee selectors
Photo fallout highlights the limited viable options for selecting officials in Japan
Owen Doyle: Disciplinary system sending out mixed messages
High tackles have been judged as reckless, not deliberate; all have all had mitigation applied
Owen Doyle: The refs know their duty – but do the coaches and players?
The referees don’t always get it spot-on, but everyone must adjust to new tackle laws
Rugby World Cup: Mixed messages on high tackles doing rugby no favours
Referees are taking the brunt but coaches and players must accept responsibility also
World Rugby issues new guidelines on high tackles and shoulder charges
Framework allows less leeway for referees to make judgment calls
Licence to assault: Rugby players need to be protected so let’s protect them
Former Test referee Owen Doyle writes that not enough is being done for player welfare
Helen O’Reilly first female to join IRFU referee panel
O’Reilly will take charge of Ulster Bank League Divisions 2A and 2B after Women’s World Cup performance
Isolation of travelling referees gives Pro 12 amateurish image
Onus on referees to get it right increases as matches lead to Europe qualification
Penney criticises Rolland and Northern Hemisphere refereeing
Problem with officiating is so deep rooted it’s having impact on players' livelihoods
Why bowing out of refereeing is a mixed blessing for Alain Rolland
It’s all change for top referee Alain Rolland but the former player knows a thing or two about transitions
Leinster get the benefit of the doubt to emerge with hard-fought victory
Slew of contentious refereeing decisions leave Connacht empty-handed
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