Defeat not an option for Irish provincesOn Rugby: Even more than the weekend just past, next weekend's final round of Heineken European pool games promises to be a …Tue Jan 17 2006 - 00:00
Traditional means to serve MunsterEuropean Cup/Castres Olympique v Munster: They tend not to do things straightforwardly, but rarely have Munster been in as tight…Fri Jan 13 2006 - 00:00
Easterby's eye injury not as bad as fearedNews : The unfortunate Simon Easterby, Ireland's captain against New Zealand and Australia in November, has tended to look like…Tue Dec 20 2005 - 00:00
Qualifying hopes take poundingHeineken Cup : For seven seasons in a row Irish rugby has had at least one quarter-finalist, sometimes two, in the Heineken …Mon Dec 19 2005 - 00:00
Ulster ready to take hardline in another dogfightHeineken Cup / Saracens v Ulster : Ulster's trek to Vicarage Road to face a vengeful Saracens highlights the difficulty in obtaining…Sat Dec 17 2005 - 00:00
Munster must be patientRUGBY / Heineken Cup / Munster v Dragons : Even when they win, Munster can't winSat Dec 17 2005 - 00:00
Payne set to return against DragonsEuropean Cup News: As expected Shaun Payne and Federico Pucciariello both return to an expanded 27-man squad for Munster's return…Wed Dec 14 2005 - 00:00
O'Driscoll extends contract with IRFURUGBY: The news that Ireland and Leinster captain Brian O'Driscoll has extended his contract with the IRFU until the end of …Wed Dec 14 2005 - 00:00
Leinster may need to earn the points this timeHeineken Cup / Leinster v Bourgoin : So, will the real Bourgoin turn up today? This, undoubtedly, is the major talking point…Sat Dec 10 2005 - 00:00
Kidney looks at the positivesCeltic League: Did Munster's pride get the better of their judgment? Admittedly, declining the chance of an equalising penalty…Mon Dec 05 2005 - 00:00
Frustrated Wallabies show Jones the doorRUGBY : The decision to sack Eddie Jones as Australia's head coach, following a run of one win in nine matches after four-and…Sat Dec 03 2005 - 00:00
Even a weakened Munster are formidableMunster v Ulster, Musgrave Park, Today, 7Sat Dec 03 2005 - 00:00
There are alternatives to O'SullivanOn Rugby: Some time this week, as is custom after the Six Nations and the November internationals, the IRFU's Appointments Committee…Tue Nov 29 2005 - 00:00
North end ready for ItalyThe IRFU will this week receive a full engineer's report into the remedial work needed if the terracing at the Havelock Square…Tue Nov 29 2005 - 00:00
O'Sullivan must share in the blameOn Rugby: The wheels appear to be coming off Team IrelandTue Nov 22 2005 - 00:00
O'Sullivan foresees brighter times all roundPerhaps it's a portent of better things, or at any rate a better gameSat Nov 19 2005 - 00:00
Free spirit still locked on to the breakdownIreland v Australia: Donncha O'Callaghan is keen to add grace notes to his repertoire but wont ever shun the piano shifting, …Sat Nov 19 2005 - 00:00
Henry happy for test of strengthWindswept and rainswept, all was hardly set fair for the captain's day runs at Lansdowne Road yesterday and, while Eddie O'Sullivan…Sat Nov 12 2005 - 00:00
O'Sullivan takes the bold approachIreland Team Selection: Whereas the All Blacks may be construed as being disrespectful to Ireland, Eddie O'Sullivan cannot be…Wed Nov 09 2005 - 00:00
Back in familiar territoryCome kick-off on Saturday the All Blacks may have as few as four of the team that was there for the start of the last meeting…Tue Nov 08 2005 - 00:00
All Blacks tours not what they used to beOn Rugby: Rarely can a tour be as resonant with history as the centenary tour being undertaken by the All BlacksTue Nov 08 2005 - 00:00
Carter may get call againInternational News: Daniel Carter missed yesterday's work-out with the All Blacks but the outhalf of all the talents may yet…Tue Nov 08 2005 - 00:00
All calm as All Blacks hit townRUGBY: There were no demonstrations, no placards, no stone-throwing or rocking of the team busMon Nov 07 2005 - 00:00
Injuries enforce delay in final cutIreland squad v New Zealand: Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has pruned his squad to 24 for the first of the autumn internationals…Thu Nov 03 2005 - 00:00
Flair taking back seat as fear drives coachesOn Rugby: Maybe teams are only getting into their stride, maybe it's the safety-first attitude of coaches and players fearful…Tue Nov 01 2005 - 00:00
Not just a shoulder ripping yarnA man came up to Brian O'Driscoll in the street during the week: "I'm a Gaelic football man myself but jaysus, I love the hard…Sat Oct 29 2005 - 01:00
Leinster left with no room for errorEuropean Cup Pool Five Preview/Glasgow v Leinster: A point of no return for Leinster? The history of the Heineken Cup shows …Sat Oct 29 2005 - 01:00
Aim is to spread the gospelJapan's bid for 2011 World Cup: It is a measure of the importance which Japan attaches to its bid for the 2011 World Cup and…Tue Oct 25 2005 - 01:00
Double hit makes next weekend a cliffhangerOn Rugby: It's not the first time Leinster and Munster have lost on the same weekendTue Oct 25 2005 - 01:00
Leinster pace can create the openingsHeineken Cup / Pool Five Preview / Leinster v Bath: Maybe it was the damp, dreary weather but the pessimists of doom seem to…Sat Oct 22 2005 - 01:00
Sharks look to have some real teethHeineken Cup / Pool One Preview / Sale v Munster: A handy one for Munster to start with thenFri Oct 21 2005 - 01:00
All Blacks to honour Ramelton legendAlways conscious of their rich rugby heritage, the All Blacks will visit Ramelton, Co Donegal on November 9th, three days before…Fri Oct 21 2005 - 01:00
Munster are still best of the IrishRUGBY/European Cup: It's the essence of European rugby and it's back, and not a moment too soonFri Oct 21 2005 - 01:00
Thomond cause for concern for IRFUWhile the stunning Lansdowne Road design was unveiled yesterday, as pressing a concern for the IRFU remains the development of…Tue Oct 18 2005 - 01:00
Connacht need occasional rub of the greenOn Rugby: It's bad enough that Connacht must, at times, feel that the rest of Ireland is against them, worse still when it appears…Tue Oct 18 2005 - 01:00
Many hurdles still have to be crossedTimetable: The Government has set a timetable of 10 weeks from now for lodging a planning application for the redevelopment …Tue Oct 18 2005 - 01:00
Ulster seek to maintain their momentumUlster seek to maintain their momentum going into Europe with a potentially far trickier trip than would have been the case last…Sat Oct 15 2005 - 01:00
Young man's game on a shifting stageThe landscape of the AIB AIL League and the demographics of the game have changed completely in the competition's 15-year history…Sat Oct 15 2005 - 01:00
'Lack of respect' has Contepomi seethingAlthough it was a small moment in the match, and had no bearing on the outcome, there has been a slightly bitter fall-out to …Tue Oct 11 2005 - 01:00
Support your club, despite the set-up of the leagueRemember the days when the club season consisted of about three or four meaningful matches? They'd play in so-called "leagues…Tue Oct 11 2005 - 01:00
Logo logistics enrage clubsAll-Ireland League clubs are up in arms over a last-minute directive from the IRFU to apply the AIB logo to their jerseys prior…Sat Oct 08 2005 - 01:00
Munster's lineout gives them the edgeMunster v Leinster Tomorrow, Musgrave Pk On TV: Setanta, 3pm: Appetites whetted by their wins over the other provinces last …Sat Oct 08 2005 - 01:00
Injury sidelines StringerAlready resigned to losing inspirational secondrow Paul O'Connell for their opening Heineken European Cup games away to Sale …Thu Oct 06 2005 - 01:00
Cunningham gets the callThe fit-again Bryn Cunningham unsurprisingly makes an automatic return to the Ulster number 15 jersey for Friday's Celtic League…Wed Oct 05 2005 - 01:00
French flair makes skills camp a tour de forceOn Rugby: Skills, skills, skillsTue Oct 04 2005 - 01:00
Munster passed up chance to sign LomuMunster, it has emerged, may have been favourites at one stage of Jonah Lomu's long-running transfer saga to a European club …Tue Oct 04 2005 - 01:00
Season about to warm upRUGBY / Celtic League / Leinster v Ulster : The "interpros" may be no more but the internecine rivalry of provincial head-to…Sat Oct 01 2005 - 01:00
Connolly and Pitout named in Munster squadEuropean Cup : Former Britain rugby league star Gary Connolly and Springboks sevens international Anthon Pitout have been included…Sat Oct 01 2005 - 01:00
History doesn't bode well for ConnachtCeltic League / Connacht v Munster : Gary Connolly, the 34-year-old former Britain rugby league star, is pitched straight into…Sat Oct 01 2005 - 01:00
