Captain's comments leave bad aftertasteAlthough the Springboks have since relocated to Wales for the second leg of their European tour, a simmering row has continued…Wed Nov 22 2000 - 00:00
Touch of finesse indicates progressIf there was one moment in Sunday's Test which perhaps confirmed Ireland's sea-change since Twickenham last February, it came…Tue Nov 21 2000 - 00:00
IRFU row in with BertieBowlThe IRFU have given their strongest and most unequivocal commitment yet to the Government's proposed national stadiumTue Nov 21 2000 - 00:00
Ireland still hunting the true killer instinctIt was once said that a Lansdowne Road crowd was satisfied if they saw an Irish team play with heart and style and gave it a …Mon Nov 20 2000 - 00:00
Creatively on the right trackAnother one that got away undoubtedly, which will add to Ireland's frustrationMon Nov 20 2000 - 00:00
Big performance the major priorityLogically, analytically, statistically, historically and most other ways you look at it, South Africa still have to be favourites…Sat Nov 18 2000 - 00:00
Viljoen's vision put to the TestHe's made millions selling insurance and assets in turn, and now the Springbok coach, Harry Viljoen, is attempting to sell something…Fri Nov 17 2000 - 00:00
Miller and Longwell win in pack reshuffleTime was when a victory of any manner would have been a good enough reason for leaving well enough alone, never mind one by 69…Wed Nov 15 2000 - 00:00
Test of Irish A levelsTwo years ago Ireland showed they could compete with South Africa for the guts of 80 minutes and at least make life difficult…Wed Nov 15 2000 - 00:00
South Africa recall Mulder for A gameOllie Le Roux will lead the Springbok midweek team against Ireland A in Thomond Park tomorrow while Gavin Passens, Craig Davidson…Tue Nov 14 2000 - 00:00
Optimism needs to be kept in checkConfirmation that the Springboks were pushed to the wire by Argentina in winning 37-33 at the River Plate Stadium on Sunday might…Tue Nov 14 2000 - 00:00
Just a good quality training runBetter than being slapped in the face with a wet fish, as Monty Python might put it, and better, too, than another run-out at…Mon Nov 13 2000 - 00:00
Murphy pays for unsure displayThe Irish management have reacted to the 78-9 victory over Japan on Saturday by demoting Geordan Murphy to the A team for next…Mon Nov 13 2000 - 00:00
Irish plan solid start and stylish finishingPacey, inventive and utterly game, Japan have been the entertainers, even drawing the admiration of opposing fans as well as …Sat Nov 11 2000 - 00:00
Costello, Mostyn called in from coldThough notionally a development team, such are the blasts from the past that the Irish A squad to play the Springboks next Wednesday…Thu Nov 09 2000 - 00:00
Leinster pair move centre stage for IrelandRare indeed is the opening selectorial offering of the season so changed - nine positional and two in personnel from the draw…Wed Nov 08 2000 - 00:00
Leinster scale the learning curveThe auld interpros have come a long way baby, and it hardly needed another Donnybrook Experience to underline thatTue Nov 07 2000 - 00:00
Irish squad train indoorsNot surprisingly, on a day you wouldn't put the cat out, the Irish management took a similarly benign approach to Ireland's finest…Tue Nov 07 2000 - 00:00
Easterby sidelined for six weeksThe Llanelli and Irish scrum-half Guy Easterby sustained a broken leg when briefly appearing as a replacement for his club on…Mon Nov 06 2000 - 00:00
England plan picks at old soresA leaked internal English Rugby Union (RFU) document, which questions the validity and credibility of the Six Nations Accord, …Mon Nov 06 2000 - 00:00
Burke suffers broken armPaul Burke, the one-time Irish international out-half who was in line for a recall to the Irish A squad to play the South Africans…Fri Nov 03 2000 - 00:00
Pride enough to fuel fierce rivals' battleSo much for the match that meant nothingFri Nov 03 2000 - 00:00
Ulster v Connacht (Ravenhill 7.30)Ravenhill marks the first of the Harry Williams farewells tonight when the White Knights will no doubt endeavour to give him …Fri Nov 03 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
