Munster's big three already in troubleIf the clubs thought they were getting the shorter end of the stick when the provinces were in full swing, the onset of the Six…Wed Jan 26 2000 - 00:00
O'Gara injury remains cause for concernRonan O'Gara remained the Irish management's biggest concern after the first day of the 25-man squad's two-day get-together in…Tue Jan 25 2000 - 00:00
New rules and new ideas do workAbout a year ago, this column incurred the wrath of defendants and devotees of the schools' cups with a critical analysis of …Tue Jan 25 2000 - 00:00
Dooradoyle bogey laid to restSt Mary's have played with far more elan on previous sorties to Dooradoyle, but after seven defeats at the venue this was one…Mon Jan 24 2000 - 00:00
St Mary's aim to banish memories of Dooradoyle defeatsAs Gerry Murphy once memorably put it, the clubs are generally left sucking the hind tit of the seasonSat Jan 22 2000 - 00:00
Fresh faces in 25-man squadIt's fresh, it's young, it's exciting, it's pretty much a form selection and, after the downer of the World Cup, Irish rugby …Fri Jan 21 2000 - 00:00
Better to meet England first, says GatlandOn the face of it playing England, themselves on a mission of self-redemption, at fortress Twickenham in the Six Nations Championship…Wed Jan 19 2000 - 00:00
Leinster lodge appealThe Leinster Branch yesterday formally appealed to the European Cup organisers ERC against Stade Francais' right to be declared…Wed Jan 19 2000 - 00:00
Topping is ruled out by injuryJames Topping broke his thumb during the Irish squad's first pre-Six Nations get-together at the ALSAA complex yesterday, as …Tue Jan 18 2000 - 00:00
Brewing new life into Irish rugbyAs they embarked on their homeward journey from Leicester last Saturday night, some Leinster players reflected on their 22-point…Tue Jan 18 2000 - 00:00
Leinster start appeal processThe Leinster Branch yesterday started the process whereby they might ultimately launch a formal complaint regarding the probability…Tue Jan 18 2000 - 00:00
Munster have no fear of French MunsterThat the width of an upright again decided Munster's fate on Saturday and decreed which of two French opponents they would meet…Mon Jan 17 2000 - 00:00
Leinster still one step awayMike Ruddock's Leinster side have come a long way, but not quite far enough to reach the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup…Mon Jan 17 2000 - 00:00
Leinster must win and get a favourBy recording the first away win in Pool A against Glasgow Caledonians last night, Stade Francais not only assured themselves …Sat Jan 15 2000 - 00:00
Ifs, buts and maybes of qualificationSo complex is the qualifying picture prior to this weekend's final round of pool matches in the Heineken Cup, that tournament…Fri Jan 14 2000 - 00:00
Munster claim lion's sharePresumably not even the most malcontented of Munstermen can quibble with the Irish selectors' 45man training panel for the forthcoming…Tue Jan 11 2000 - 00:00
Connacht deserves better treatmentIn the European Cup fall-out from the World Cup, regular attenders at the Irish provinces' home games (save for Ulster) would…Tue Jan 11 2000 - 00:00
Leinster tries could prove vitalWith Munster already having secured a home quarter-final, Leinster just about remain in the hunt to join the Irish provincial…Mon Jan 10 2000 - 00:00
Munster stand and fightThe day demanded it, indeed the crowd demanded it, because those final, pulsating 20 minutes had been as good as rugby - nay …Mon Jan 10 2000 - 00:00
Munster to take cautious routeThey could fill Thomond Park two or three times over; the cameras will be there; Munster will be defending their unbeaten record…Sat Jan 08 2000 - 00:00
Brennan storms on and puts Leinster on the right roadLeinster got there in the end against Glasgow Caledonians, even finishing with an outrageous flourish to take their pool try …Sat Jan 08 2000 - 00:00
Stakes are high for both sidesThe stakes could hardly be higher when Leinster entertain Glasgow Caledonians in their final home game of the Heineken European…Fri Jan 07 2000 - 00:00
Munster keep options openMunster have announced a team of sorts for their eagerly anticipated, sold-out, live televised Pool C Heineken Cup showdown with…Thu Jan 06 2000 - 00:00
Players vie to make Irish squadThe festive period scarcely over, rugby promptly embarks on the meat and drink stage of its seasonWed Jan 05 2000 - 00:00
Magical year in store for Irish boyzJanuary: Munster progress through to why there's only another 10 in the A squad.Tue Jan 04 2000 - 00:00
It was the best and the worst of timesMagnanimous quote of 1999: Serge Simon (Stade Francais prop after defeat to Ulster in the European Cup semi-final): "For the …Tue Dec 28 1999 - 00:00
Elevation for coachesIn due recognition of their accomplishments with Munster and Ulster over the last two seasons, Declan Kidney and Harry Williams…Thu Dec 23 1999 - 00:00
DLSP set to celebrateDLSP are liable to have their biggest crowd ever next Tuesday for the visit of Lansdowne, the Kilternan club's first home game…Thu Dec 23 1999 - 00:00
League gives a boost to festive fareOne of the curiosities about the AIB League, all the more so given its diminishing crowd base, was the traditional Christmas …Wed Dec 22 1999 - 00:00
Clubs to form rugby academyA new rugby academy will be set up in Limerick next year arising out of an alliance between Bohemians and the University of Limerick…Wed Dec 22 1999 - 00:00
Santa O'Reilly brings ideal giftThis being the week that's in it, comparisons between Santa Claus and Dr Tony O'Reilly are hard to resistTue Dec 21 1999 - 00:00
London Irish guilty of breach of contractThe High Court in London yesterday ruled in favour of four former London Irish players, among them the former Ireland captain…Tue Dec 21 1999 - 00:00
Munster go back to basicsThe Cork skies rained in buckets, the ball squirmed and ricocheted at times like something out of an old black and white television…Mon Dec 20 1999 - 00:00
IRFU show interest in possible bond issueThe IRFU last night reacted positively to the proposal for a bond issue which could net Irish and British rugby anything in the…Mon Dec 20 1999 - 00:00
Backs play their part as Leinster come goodIt may have lacked the sheer drama and capacity atmosphere of previous Donnybrook experiences - the risible 5Sat Dec 18 1999 - 00:00
Connacht in Lion's denConnacht enter what they fear may be the nearest equivalent to the Lion's den at the Stade Mayol in Toulon this evening, bearing…Sat Dec 18 1999 - 00:00
Munster momentum unlikely to be haltedAs back-drops go to a rugby match on Irish soil, today's Munster-Colomiers Heineken Cup match (Musgrave Park, 2Sat Dec 18 1999 - 00:00
Last chance for LeinsterHope springs eternal and all that: partly based on the premise that Leinster are seemingly at their most dangerous when supposed…Fri Dec 17 1999 - 00:00
Injury to Clohessy weakens MunsterMunster's front-row resources have been left looking a little threadbare in advance of Saturday's Heineken European Cup return…Thu Dec 16 1999 - 00:00
Two Irish named in panel of 34The International Rugby Board have named 34 referees from 12 countries who will join their first panel for the new millennium…Wed Dec 15 1999 - 00:00
Broken finger may rule Keane out for a monthKillian Keane could be sidelined for up to a month after sustaining a suspected fracture in his left index finger during training…Wed Dec 15 1999 - 00:00
A snub to Williams' European conquestLast Friday, eight of the finest sporting judges in the land, sports editors one and all, chose Sean Boylan ahead of Harry Williams…Tue Dec 14 1999 - 00:00
Munster well on course for a home quarter-finalAs one of only three clubs with unbeaten records at the halfway point of the pool stages in the European Cup, Munster remain …Tue Dec 14 1999 - 00:00
Dummy runs on opening dayOpening days can be notoriously misleading in any leagueTue Dec 07 1999 - 00:00
Lansdowne expose Shannon's frailtiesEarly days yet, as they say, and one win doesn't guarantee a good winterMon Dec 06 1999 - 00:00
