Shortened pre-season vexes provincesRelease of international players: In seemingly extending an olive branch to the provinces by permitting the piece-meal return…Wed Sept 15 2004 - 01:00
Provincial attitude does Irish set-up no favoursA joke doing the rounds in the provinces is that not alone does Eddie O'Sullivan pick the Irish team, but he picks the provincial…Tue Sept 14 2004 - 01:00
Ulster ready for tough gameUlster v Leinster: Setanta's needs have also obliged Ulster to reluctantly sacrifice their tried and trusted Friday night slot…Sat Sept 11 2004 - 01:00
Munster making do as alwaysCeltic League: For Munster and Leinster especially, so begins another make-do-and-mend Celtic League campaignFri Sept 03 2004 - 01:00
Cullen keen to shoulder the loadCeltic League: Leo Cullen is by no means the first example of his kind, nor will he be the lastThu Sept 02 2004 - 01:00
Union rethink a mixed bonus for ConnachtCeltic League: The Celtic League is set to receive a timely boost on the eve of its resumption this weekend with news that the…Wed Sept 01 2004 - 01:00
Saturday schedule for Irish sidesEuropean Cup news: Leinster have joined Munster in being allotted Saturday afternoon slots for their home games in Sky TV's …Tue Aug 24 2004 - 01:00
No way Jose is going to listen to advice from GilesyTV View: There's something endearing about that paragon of modesty, the self-effacing Jose Mourinho. There is actuallyMon Aug 23 2004 - 01:00
First taste of Leinster according to KidneyRUGBY: Leinster v Worcester in an August friendly mightn't normally set pulses racing but as the starting point for the Declan…Fri Aug 20 2004 - 01:00
Wilkinson's presence adds edge to an already sharp Connacht encounterPreviews: Pre-season friendlies of recent years haven't been inclined to whet the appetite for a new campaign - what with altered…Tue Aug 17 2004 - 01:00
Few chinks of light in another misspent SaturdayTV View: Nothing confirms the end of summer like the onset of winter sportsMon Aug 16 2004 - 01:00
Gleeson suffers broken leg in trainingRUGBY/News round-up: The injury jinx which afflicted Leinster throughout last season has hit the province again without a ball…Fri Aug 13 2004 - 01:00
Ethics and chemistry high on syllabusRUGBY/Interview with Declan Kidney: Ah, Leinster. The city slickersSat Aug 07 2004 - 01:00
Springboks retain edgeSecond Test/South Africa - 26 Ireland - 17: The bottom line is that Ireland lost a benchmark series 2-0 and with it a chance…Mon Jun 21 2004 - 01:00
Irish meet a different level of intensityThese Springboks may still be in their teething stages as a team and, in the exceptional case of man-of-the-series Schalk Burger…Mon Jun 21 2004 - 01:00
Taking it all in his strideSecond Test v South Africa: He knew immediately. The minute Geordan Murphy hit the deck, he knew he'd broken his legSat Jun 19 2004 - 01:00
O'Cuinneagain is still a believerRUGBY Ireland's tour to South Africa: The last time Ireland were here, a newcomer in the touring squad was Dion O'Cuinneagain…Fri Jun 18 2004 - 01:00
Boks wait on MontgomeryA change apiece from both the winning and losing teams seems the likeliest outcome when South Africa and Ireland unveil their…Tue Jun 15 2004 - 01:00
SA lose another key playerThe Springboks have suffered another damaging blow to their hopes of a badly needed, restorative Test win over Ireland tomorrow…Fri Jun 11 2004 - 01:00
Accord on fees allows training to beginRUGBY :As expected, the Irish squad for the forthcoming tour to South Africa went into camp last night and will begin training…Mon May 31 2004 - 01:00
Resolution of fees row looks closerThe ongoing dispute between the IRFU and the Irish players over tour fees still hadn't reached a conclusion last night but all…Sat May 29 2004 - 01:00
Diplomacy to rule in payments rowThe dispute between the IRFU and the IRUPA over a tour fee for the forthcoming tour of South Africa and the ongoing dispute over…Thu May 27 2004 - 01:00
Enthusiasm all round as Kidney takes on Leinster challengeAlthough he will not officially start his new three-year contract as Leinster's Director of Rugby until August 1st, Declan Kidney…Thu May 27 2004 - 01:00
IRFU and players dig their heels inThe IRFU chief executive Philip Browne and his counterpart from the Irish Rugby Union Players' Association Niall Woods will probably…Mon May 24 2004 - 01:00
Anderson to take up Scottish offerAn agreement is expected to be reached today between the Leinster Branch and the Scottish RFU which will allow the province's…Fri May 21 2004 - 01:00
Anderson offered Scottish roleNews: Leinster are set to lose Willie Anderson as their assistant/forwards' coach in light of the former Irish captain being…Wed May 19 2004 - 01:00
Final date for RollandAlain Rolland's burgeoning reputation as one of the top referees in the country was enhanced yesterday when he was chosen to …Tue May 11 2004 - 01:00
Players pledge support for EllaRugby: Player power having threatened Gary Ella's standing as head coach of Leinster in the preceding few days, player power…Tue May 11 2004 - 01:00
Ella's Leinster position shaky as unrest growsGary Ella's position as head coach of Leinster would appear to have become untenable, with confirmation of his departure expected…Mon May 10 2004 - 01:00
Leinster play safeTeam news: Leinster have moved their final home game of the season against Gwent Dragons on Friday week, May 14th, to Lansdowne…Thu May 06 2004 - 01:00
Ireland face hectic openersSix Nations Championship Just as happened in 2003, Ireland will begin their 2005 RBS Six Nations Championship itinerary with…Wed May 05 2004 - 01:00
Injuries hamper Ulster's plansNews round-up This season's expanded Celtic League may not have caught fire farther south, but in Ulster the pursuit of a Celtic…Wed May 05 2004 - 01:00
O'Driscoll to extend contract with IRFURUGBY: As expected, Brian O'Driscoll has confirmed his intention to remain in Ireland after agreeing in principle to sign a …Thu Apr 29 2004 - 01:00
Wasps' fitness a big factor in victoryOn Rugby: Hit the pause button. Take a breath, and rewindTue Apr 27 2004 - 01:00
Celtic League retains 22-game formatRugby News round-up: The Celtic League will retain its 22-game, home and away format for at least the next two seasons, but …Tue Apr 27 2004 - 01:00
Old score not the big storyWarren Gatland wouldn't be human if there wasn't some residual bitterness over the manner of his leaving IrelandSat Apr 24 2004 - 01:00
Clash of titans can be taken as redOnce in a while, the rugby calendar throws up something unique, and once again we are indebted to the Heineken European Cup for…Sat Apr 24 2004 - 01:00
Mullins has the mark of a true warriorOn the face of it, Mike Mullins's career story seems almost to have been pre-ordainedSat Apr 24 2004 - 01:00
Battening down the hatchesAs is their custom, Team Munster are battening down the hatches in the build-up to another of those massive Heineken European…Wed Apr 21 2004 - 01:00
Munster sign BurkeMunster have pulled off a significant coup with the signing of Irish outhalf Paul Burke from Harlequins on a two-year contract…Tue Apr 20 2004 - 01:00
Munster sign Harlequins out-half BurkeMunster have pulled off a significant coup with the signing of Irish outhalf Paul Burke from Harlequins on a two-year contract…Tue Apr 20 2004 - 01:00
Gwent want KidneyDeclan Kidney is believed to be considering an offer from Welsh side Gwent Dragons to take over from Mike Ruddock, though unsurprisingly…Tue Apr 20 2004 - 01:00
St Mary's consigned to dropGalwegians - 19 St Mary's - 13 Houdiniesque scarcely tells the half of itMon Apr 19 2004 - 01:00
Trinity graduation the big storyRugby All-Ireland League: So much for the perceived power bases of AIB All-Ireland League rugbyMon Apr 19 2004 - 01:00
Fears of a fractured jaw may rule Staunton outJeremy Staunton's hopes of regaining his place in the Munster squad for the remainder of the season, especially with the knock…Tue Apr 13 2004 - 01:00
Visitors have few regretsAmong other things, Saturday's quarter-final victory marked a tactical coup for Alan Gaffney over his celebrated counterpart …Mon Apr 12 2004 - 01:00
Bradley happy to take home nine-point deficitThe debate raged as to whether losing by nine points was, to invoke modern-day sporting parlance, "a result"Mon Apr 12 2004 - 01:00
Browne moves to EnglandAlthough the IRFU have fought manfully to hold on to their frontline Test players, the steady trickle abroad from the tier of…Tue Apr 06 2004 - 01:00
ERC's April Euro quarter-finals spot onOn Rugby: The 2003-04 season, it just keeps rumbling along, scarcely pausing for a backwards glanceTue Apr 06 2004 - 01:00
Clubs resist IRFU league planNEWS: The Irish First Division Clubs Association have unanimously reasserted their opposition to the Irish Rugby Football Union…Sat Apr 03 2004 - 01:00
