Laulala gets his big chance as Munster go on another missionThere was something old-fashioned about last week’s tryless first bout in the Thomond Park cauldron and such are the stakes here…Sat Dec 15 2012 - 00:00
Biarritz ring changes for Connacht clashConnacht can expect a Biarritz backlash this evening in the Basque country judging by the fallout from the westerners’ 22-14 …Fri Dec 14 2012 - 00:00
Seasonal re-appearances: Fitzgerald and O'Malley nearing returnLuke Fitzgerald and Eoin O’Malley are both expected to make their seasonal reappearances for Leinster in their Rabo Direct Pro…Thu Dec 13 2012 - 00:00
Trimble meeting Gilroy challenge head onCome the Six Nations and if Craig Gilroy isn’t picked for Ireland’s opener against Wales, Declan Kidney will assuredly receive…Thu Dec 13 2012 - 00:00
McCarthy set to accept Leinster's three-year dealMike McCarthy is set to leave Connacht at the end of the season in order to take up an offer of a three-year contract from back…Wed Dec 12 2012 - 00:00
Wounded beast a big worry for AnscombeHistory has shown us that when heavyweight contenders bump into each other in the pivotal back-to-back rounds in the pool stages…Wed Dec 12 2012 - 00:00
Next week can't come quick enough - BossCue Leinster, and the need for an equally feverish atmosphere in the Aviva next SaturdayTue Dec 11 2012 - 00:00
Only the Irish can prevent an Anglo-French carve-upOn Rugby: All quiet on the ERC front, although as expected the tension amongst the stakeholders as the English clubs especially…Tue Dec 11 2012 - 00:00
One that got away as Leinster fail to reel in ClermontPOOL FIVE Clermont Auvergne 15 Leinster 12: Leinster made the retreat from Clermont last night with an abiding feeling that …Mon Dec 10 2012 - 00:00
Defeat puts Leinster under immense pressureHEINEKEN CUP: Leinster seriously threatened to complete an historic Heineken Cup four-timer for the Irish provinces yesterday…Mon Dec 10 2012 - 00:00
Cullen feels more could have been gained from a cagey encounterAs the unshowered players negotiated the narrow passageways underneath the main stand, sidestepping or stopping amid the camera…Mon Dec 10 2012 - 00:00
Moment of truth for injury-hit MunsterRUGBY: If it’s Saturday tea-time with a high-flying English team strutting into Thomond Park intent on storming the garrison…Sat Dec 08 2012 - 00:00
Best can't wait to get in on the act as high-flying Ulster tackle the SaintsHe’s 30 now, with 131 Ulster caps and 62 Ireland caps, and hence he should know betterFri Dec 07 2012 - 00:00
Scrumhalf taking and making the breaksDue to his exploits with the Connacht and Ireland Under-20s in the last two years, good judges had already begun to earmark Kieran…Fri Dec 07 2012 - 00:00
Back-to-back ties can break spine of a seasonRUGBY : The upcoming back-to-back fixtures in the Heineken Cup always had a make-or-break look to them and if anything the opening…Thu Dec 06 2012 - 00:00
Ferris season in doubt after ankle surgeryIn what must be a devastating blow for the player himself, Stephen Ferris’ season and with it his Lions’ hopes have been placed…Thu Dec 06 2012 - 00:00
Ulster refuse to be weighed down by unbeaten runBoasting European rugby’s only unbeaten record this season, rarely, indeed perhaps never, will Ulster have travelled abroad in…Wed Dec 05 2012 - 00:00
Draw gives Ireland good opportunity to proceed but topping pool looks essentialInsomuch as one can forecast how things might be panning out in almost three years’ time, Ireland were handed a reasonably negotiable…Tue Dec 04 2012 - 00:00
All Blacks looked tired, but England win still makes north less grimON RUGBY: And in an hour and a half or so in a little corner of south west London, the world changed on its axisTue Dec 04 2012 - 00:00
Kidney admits avoiding All Blacks in quarter-finals a huge carrotBy common consent, the 2015 World Cup was too far away to make anything resembling concrete forecasts but, for what it was worth…Tue Dec 04 2012 - 00:00
Gatland accentuates positives in tough drawAs is his wont, Warren Gatland livened up proceedings with his candourTue Dec 04 2012 - 00:00
Wales the demon seeds to avoid in third potRUGBY : The perceived wisdom is Wales will be the team to avoid in today’s draw for the 2015 World Cup after Saturday’s agonising…Mon Dec 03 2012 - 00:00
Unbeaten Ulster ready themselves for a big monthNo less than the rest of the Irish provinces, Ulster face into something of a daunting, make-or-break midway spell in their season…Sat Dec 01 2012 - 00:00
Heaslip and Gilroy in Gatland's sightsLIONS TOUR: As reflects the ever-changing nature of the Lions’ selection landscape, the tourists’ head coach in Australia next…Thu Nov 29 2012 - 00:00
IRB Player of Year McCaw on shortlistIn a year when the All Blacks have remained unbeaten in nine matches to date, unsurprisingly their twin totems, Richie McCaw …Thu Nov 29 2012 - 00:00
Taxing five-day turnaround forces Anscombe to rest notable trioRABODIRECT PRO12: He who pays the piper calls the tune and all thatThu Nov 29 2012 - 00:00
Momentum puts a smile on Irish faces as a new team growsA full hour had passed at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday before the first Mexican Wave was followed by the day’s first rendition…Tue Nov 27 2012 - 00:00
Christmas turkey may never taste better as Ireland's special brew hits right spotRewind to the aftermath of that 60-0 beating in Hamilton, and if you’d countenanced Ireland would be missing their two Lions …Mon Nov 26 2012 - 00:00
Sexton the perfect 10 as Ireland unleash the beast on the PumasIreland 46 Argentina 24 By rights, Craig Gilroy should probably have passed inside to Jonny Sexton, but no-one was complaining…Mon Nov 26 2012 - 00:00
Ireland out to sow the seeds of victoryRUGBY: Ireland-Argentina tend not to do meaningless friendlies and so it is againSat Nov 24 2012 - 00:00
Gilroy brings the feel-good factorRUGBY: The hype is intensifying, as if any meeting between Ireland and Argentina needed itFri Nov 23 2012 - 00:00
Restyled Argentina fired up for final flingOozing confidence, enjoying each other’s company as ever and rallying for one final patriotic push for their 12th and final game…Fri Nov 23 2012 - 00:00
Waiting game pays dividends for HenryRUGBY : Amid all the talk of the young Ulster tyros cutting a swathe through the Irish ranks, there is an equally inspiring …Thu Nov 22 2012 - 00:00
Gilroy the only likely change from team that played SABoth Ireland and Argentina will today confirm largely anticipated line-ups for Saturday’s hugely significant international at…Thu Nov 22 2012 - 00:00
Gilroy deserves his chance against PumasRUGBY: Craig Gilroy, the 21-year-old uncapped Ulster winger, increasingly looks to have forced his way into the Irish starting…Wed Nov 21 2012 - 00:00
It will all end in tiers if Ireland don't beat ArgentinaAs Declan Kidney had forecast, and as was the case four years ago when the sides met at the Aviva, the psychological importance…Tue Nov 20 2012 - 00:00
Argentina's pride now matched by attacking ambitionOn Rugby: Those dastardly Pumas are back and while the nasty edge may have dissipated in recent times, once more there’s plenty…Tue Nov 20 2012 - 00:00
Camacho back in the swing and feeling in the moodJuan Martin Hernandez remains the biggest concern for the Argentinian managementTue Nov 20 2012 - 00:00
Ireland welcome Argentina with spring in stepHaving tapped into the Ulster zeitgeist in Saturday’s 53-0 romp against Fiji, Ireland move on to an altogether sterner and more…Mon Nov 19 2012 - 00:00
Facile victory provides a timely boostIn the greater scheme of things this will barely constitute a footnote in history, and allowing for the Fijians’ increasing rancour…Mon Nov 19 2012 - 00:00
A fine chance for Ireland's young guns to take aim at a starting placeIreland v Fiji: Whatever about not affording this game Test status, a break from the norm to pitch up in Thomond Park for the…Sat Nov 17 2012 - 00:00
No team is an island as Fiji are left at sixes and sevensThey began their tour with a full Test in front of 82,000 against England at Twickenham, moved on to Gloucester for a Tuesday…Sat Nov 17 2012 - 00:00
Fiji rue missing players for Thomond Park clashFiji have made six changes to the side which lost 54-12 at Twickenham last Saturday as well as a couple of positional switches…Fri Nov 16 2012 - 00:00
Kidney rings the changes for FijiBy rights, Ireland’s encounter with the flamboyant Fijians should perhaps have been played in Ravenhill.Fri Nov 16 2012 - 00:00
Ireland to get an infusion of youth for Fijian adventureIf the Springboks like to drag their opponents into structured arm wrestles, then the Fijians are the polar oppositeThu Nov 15 2012 - 00:00
Cave strives for a fresh opening at centreOver five years have passed since he was part of Ireland’s Under-20 Grand Slam and Churchill Cup teams, and it’s been four seasons…Thu Nov 15 2012 - 00:00
Smal sees big things ahead for Ireland's up and coming talentRUGBY: Autumn Internationals Gert Smal admitted yesterday that the two weeks leading into last Saturday’s meeting with South…Wed Nov 14 2012 - 00:00
Strauss happy to sing off the same song sheetOne of the defining images of last Saturday’s Test was assuredly that of Ireland’s adopted South African gamely singing Amhrán…Wed Nov 14 2012 - 00:00
Ireland easy to read if they don't get offloadingON RUGBY: Looking across the rest of the opening round of fixtures in this November window will be a cause of mixed feelings…Tue Nov 13 2012 - 00:00
