Turning up on our doorstep too oftenJust when it was nicely coming to the boil, they go and turn off the heat, instead putting on something elseTue Oct 31 2000 - 00:00
Murphy and Howe on thresholdThe first Irish 24-man squad selection of the season duly rewards form players, contains a degree of youthful experimentation…Tue Oct 31 2000 - 00:00
Munster still well in controlThe ne'er sayers have been warning of a day like this for Munster, and by the law of averages they had to be right eventually…Mon Oct 30 2000 - 00:00
Galwey out of Japanese matchMick Galwey's strained medial knee ligaments, sustained during Munster's defeat in Bath, will almost certainly rule him out of…Mon Oct 30 2000 - 00:00
Catch-up rugby suits LeinsterOn a calm, crackling night in Donnybrook, Leinster made themselves and a near capacity crowd sweat and palpitate before finally…Sat Oct 28 2000 - 01:00
Leinster v NorthamptonAre the mercurial ones about to deliver? Largely out of sight but not out of mind, they made a huge statement last weekend in…Fri Oct 27 2000 - 01:00
Rugby digestAn IRFU tribunal last night heard a test case in which Terenure College alleged that Clontarf and Old Wesley had breached new…Thu Oct 26 2000 - 01:00
If only it was like this all the timeA month ago at Musgrave Park after Munster had clinched the interprovincial crown by overcoming Ulster in a titanic struggle, …Tue Oct 24 2000 - 01:00
Good times for provincesUlster couldn't quite complete a hat-trick of famous Irish wins over a triumvirate of former Heineken European Cup champions …Mon Oct 23 2000 - 01:00
Bath unable to contain Munster in full flowIt's as if they can turn it on like a tapMon Oct 23 2000 - 01:00
Clean sweep for WelshNo less than in Ireland, they were singing in the valleys over the weekendMon Oct 23 2000 - 01:00
Carlow continue to set the early paceCarlow, a junior club three seasons ago, continued their remarkable ascent up the AIB league ladder by maintaining one of only…Mon Oct 23 2000 - 01:00
Thomond roar must be harnessed once moreIf this doesn't get the ticker going then the batteries need rechargingSat Oct 21 2000 - 01:00
European Cup lifts Irish standardsDeclan Kidney, the Munster manager, likens it all to shifting a boulderTue Oct 17 2000 - 01:00
Never-say-die Munster come back and steal French spoilsWhen you know how to win you don't know how to loseMon Oct 16 2000 - 01:00
Castres v Munster - Toulouse 6.30The few survivors of Munster's one previous journey to Castres, five years ago, all remember it as one of the most intimidating…Sat Oct 14 2000 - 01:00
Hayes only doubt for MunsterThe contrast between Munster's latest European Cup odyssey abroad and their last one, admittedly the final at Twickenham in May…Fri Oct 13 2000 - 01:00
Everything turning to green and goldLast Saturday at Thomond Park it's doubtful whether any Irish rugby player has looked more contented with his lot than Mick Galwey…Wed Oct 11 2000 - 01:00
Registration error bars Horan from pool stagesERC Ltd, the organisers of the European Cup, have confirmed that the former Wallaby centre Tim Horan is ineligible for the pool…Tue Oct 10 2000 - 01:00
Munster stretched to the limitIn a predictable sign of Munster's now successful times, the Thomond Park reaction was as much one of phew as yippeeMon Oct 09 2000 - 01:00
Ulster roar to another famous winRe-invoking the spirit of two seasons ago, Ulster treated Cardiff's galaxy of internationals to a tortuous Friday night live …Sat Oct 07 2000 - 01:00
Munster v NewportMunster find themselves back at square one, and with an altogether tougher task, their memorable odyssey of last season is one…Sat Oct 07 2000 - 01:00
Connacht v BeziersThe European Shield may be the poorer relation of the ERC flagship competition, but for all that it's scarcely any easierSat Oct 07 2000 - 01:00
Ulster V Cardiff - Ravenhill (7.15)On paper, Ulster would seem to have the toughest Heineken Cup opening, given that Cardiff have never failed to reach the quarterfinals…Fri Oct 06 2000 - 01:00
Ripening process almost completeThe leaves have turned brown, there's a decided chill in the air, the Olympics have gone, the GAA championships are almost over…Tue Oct 03 2000 - 01:00
Pack power to give Leinster the edgeWith so much mental baggage against them, deep down you suspect that Connacht do not believe they can beat MunsterSat Sept 30 2000 - 01:00
Galwey leads from the frontWhen the going gets tough and all that, and this was almost as tough as it's ever been for Munster in the past few glorious seasons…Sat Sept 30 2000 - 01:00
Munster can do it for Galwey's 100thAnother Friday night and another chance for Munster to break yet more new groundFri Sept 29 2000 - 01:00
Resources stretched to the limitThe hectic pre-deadline activity having passed - Tuesday having been described variously as "unbelievable" and "horrendous" by…Thu Sept 28 2000 - 01:00
Struggle for clubs will become even greaterNews that the proposed Celtic League will come into operation next season is likely to provoke mixed feelings within Irish rugby…Wed Sept 27 2000 - 01:00
Leinster fill the void with Kiwi half backsAkin to transfer deadline day in football, the onset of yesterday evening's deadline for the registration of each 30-man squad…Wed Sept 27 2000 - 01:00
Irish rugby prepared for Celtic LeagueA 14-team Celtic League in rugby, involving all four Irish provinces, is set to be up and running from next season onwards, with…Wed Sept 27 2000 - 01:00
Rugby missing out on Sydney partyWatching it all unfold on our screens or via our newspapers, the rest of us sports hacks can only pine for the Sydney Olympics…Tue Sept 26 2000 - 01:00
Munster forced to roll up the sleeves against dogged ConnachtA dogfight was what Connacht wanted and a dogfight is what they gave Munster at the Sportsground on SaturdayMon Sept 25 2000 - 01:00
Connacht v Munster PreviewWith defences tougher to crack in this season's Guinness Interprovincial Championship, off-the-cuff individual inspiration has…Sat Sept 23 2000 - 01:00
Humphreys kicks Ulster to striking winA lively, entertaining game in front of an estimated 10,000 crowd, most of whom went home happy after Ulster recorded their most…Sat Sept 23 2000 - 01:00
Staunton in as Munster make five changesBoring, boring Munster? They trundle along, winning week after week, and picking pretty much the same teamThu Sept 21 2000 - 01:00
Injuries prevent Leinster naming a teamOne of the conundrums of sport which has managers-cum-coaches often tearing their hair out is how one squad can be afflicted …Wed Sept 20 2000 - 01:00
Better luck for Connacht as Stephens links upHaving been beaten to the punch by Leinster in their pursuit of the DLSP outhalf Simon Broughton, Connacht have had better joy…Wed Sept 20 2000 - 01:00
Parting of the ways for McIvorIn the fall-out of Stephen McIvor's departure from Connacht there are, as ever in these things, two sides to the storyWed Sept 20 2000 - 01:00
Canny Ulster still not outEmbryonic tables at the outset of any campaign have a certain snakes and ladders look to themTue Sept 19 2000 - 01:00
Leinster huff, puff and blow Ulster downAfter much huffing and puffing Leinster got there in the endSat Sept 16 2000 - 01:00
October 30th date for Irish squadThe deadline for earning a place in the Irish squad for the home internationals against Japan and South Africa draws nearer and…Wed Sept 13 2000 - 01:00
