Time for root and Branch reformIrish rugby should be hopping excitedly this week, though you sense it can barely stifle a collective yawnTue Nov 16 1999 - 00:00
Munster rest key playersThe die has been cast and the demarcation lines have effectively been drawn, rendering this Friday's concluding round of matches…Wed Nov 10 1999 - 00:00
Failed World Cup needs an overhaulThe bottom line with any World Cup in any sport is whether it scaled new heights, left enduringly new and positive impressions…Tue Nov 09 1999 - 00:00
Winners emphasise all of the hard workThe abiding lesson from the World Cup, and the final especially, was that for prospective champions individual ability can take…Mon Nov 08 1999 - 00:00
Lionheart who holds the centre on the reformed bad boy who loves big tackles more than scoring triesWhen you first see Richard Dourthe playing for the opposition, he seems the kind of abrasive player you'd imagine you'd most …Thu Nov 04 1999 - 00:00
French at ease being `intense underdogs'Suddenly the French are de rigueur among their fellow Europeans as they carry the continent's flag into this Saturday's World…Wed Nov 03 1999 - 00:00
O'Sullivan joins Irish set-upEddie O'Sullivan will fill the vacancy created by Philip Danaher's departure as the new assistant coach of the Ireland teamTue Nov 02 1999 - 00:00
Possibly greatest game of all timeThe feel-good factor lasted long into the night, which not even a near two-hour delay on the Heathrow tarmac could diminishTue Nov 02 1999 - 00:00
Wallabies deserve tight winThe Wallabies demonstrated their collective nerves of steel on Saturday to finally win a place in the final of the World CupMon Nov 01 1999 - 00:00
No excuses from dejected All Black managementThe post-match inquest had probably already begun back in New Zealand, where no defeat hurts moreMon Nov 01 1999 - 00:00
France cock of the walkQuite simply one of the most outstanding and astonishing days in the history of rugbyMon Nov 01 1999 - 00:00
French unlikely to cause upsetAmid the private war between the three Southern Hemisphere giants, in normal circumstances France would be welcome party poopers…Sat Oct 30 1999 - 01:00
Tri-Nations duel promises plentyIT hasn't panned out as the home unions would have liked, and effectively this World Cup has become a Tri-Nations' showdown in…Sat Oct 30 1999 - 01:00
Irish ills won't be fixed by sackingsAlthough it briefly seemed as if Warren Gatland and his Irish management team might be caught in the eye of a post-Lens storm…Tue Oct 26 1999 - 01:00
Pumas win hearts if not the matchThe sense of occasion may have suffered because of Ireland's absence, but the game itself most certainly didn'tMon Oct 25 1999 - 01:00
Gatland decision in next fortnightWith the focus of attention now switching to 62 Lansdowne Road, the fate of Warren Gatland and the Irish management team will…Fri Oct 22 1999 - 01:00
Gatland defiant despite defeatThe Irish management will have no darker nights in their careers and it was etched all over their gloomy faces at the post-match…Thu Oct 21 1999 - 01:00
Losing just isn't an optionThe theory at one point might have been that the vagaries of the World Cup format would grant Ireland a play-off in Lens against…Wed Oct 20 1999 - 01:00
Gatland includes all his acesThe gamble against Romania having paid off, the Irish management have reshuffled the deck for tomorrow night's play-off in Lens…Tue Oct 19 1999 - 01:00
Time for tempo to really heat upThe format has been flawed, the marketing has been non-existent, the disciplinary procedures at times risible, the refereeing…Tue Oct 19 1999 - 01:00
A flanker again out in the openKieron Dawson's second incarnation as an Irish openside will, one hopes, last a good deal longer than the first and be a good…Tue Oct 19 1999 - 01:00
Out-half debate continuesAside from now having the credentials to audition for Scarface, Eric Elwood's head-splitting brush with Jonathan Bell's elbow…Mon Oct 18 1999 - 01:00
Ireland in better healthThe thought occurred to many towards the tail end of last week that the Irish World Cup party's Lille-bound plane for their play…Mon Oct 18 1999 - 01:00
Ireland cut loose and break freeAll in all, hats off to a very good, solid night's workSat Oct 16 1999 - 01:00
Ireland ring changes for RomaniaMindful that this could be the first of what is effectively three knock-out games in ten days, the Irish management have sought…Wed Oct 13 1999 - 01:00
Brennan and Kefu banned for two gamesThe Irish management were last night considering whether to appeal the two-game World Cup suspension issued to Trevor Brennan…Wed Oct 13 1999 - 01:00
Brennan and Kefu set for Twickenham showdownIrish and Australian fears that Trevor Brennan and Toutai Kefu would be cited for foul play after their dust-up on Saturday were…Tue Oct 12 1999 - 01:00
Time for changes against RomaniaWhere on earth did that abysmal Irish performance on Sunday come from? Most likely it's a question that the management and players…Tue Oct 12 1999 - 01:00
Proficient Australians in almost total controlDespite all the salivating, the World Cup Pool E match between Ireland and Australia served up an unexceptional dishMon Oct 11 1999 - 01:00
Statistics, experience and form all point to AustraliaAlthough this country seems a little blase about co-hosting the last major global sporting event of the millennium, Ireland entertaining…Sat Oct 09 1999 - 01:00
Black and white collision to make or breakBefore a ball was kicked in this World Cup, today's almighty white-and-black collision between England and New Zealand stood …Sat Oct 09 1999 - 01:00
Davidson set for showdownJeremy Davidson took a full part in Ireland's session in Clonakilty yesterday and, depending on how his back strain reacts overnight…Thu Oct 07 1999 - 01:00
Direct route is best option for IrelandAmid all the lopsided contests in the World Cup's first weekend, it's worth noting that there have been few real slaughtersTue Oct 05 1999 - 01:00
Davidson injury worry for LenihanJeremy Davidson and Peter Clohessy were unable to take part in Ireland's training session in their Clonakilty base yesterday.Tue Oct 05 1999 - 01:00
Ring-rusty Wallabies do enoughLike pretty much all the other heavy hitters, the Wallabies were somewhat ring-rusty after a month's enforced lay-off for their…Mon Oct 04 1999 - 01:00
Irish support touches WoodAustralia completed the first round of World Cup games in fitting style for a weekend largely made notable for its surfeit of…Mon Oct 04 1999 - 01:00
Welsh opening off keyNice stadium, when it's finished. Nice opening ceremony, too. Shame about the matchSat Oct 02 1999 - 01:00
Ireland to dig in early and win wellIreland seek to boldly go where no Irish squad has gone before (beyond the quarter-finals) in this World Cup and the trek starts…Sat Oct 02 1999 - 01:00
Good start likely for Henry's heroesShirley bassey has cleared her throat, as have Catatonia, and the Prince of Wales is on hand to officially begin the ceremonies…Fri Oct 01 1999 - 01:00
US field strongest available teamUS coach Jack Clark has opted to field his best available line-up for tomorrow evening's Pool E game against Ireland at Lansdowne…Fri Oct 01 1999 - 01:00
No surprises as Ireland name an unchanged sideAs Irish team selections go, yesterday's announcement of the side to begin the World Cup against the USA this Saturday wasn't…Thu Sept 30 1999 - 01:00
Irish shed pounds in Cup pursuitThat this is the fittest and best prepared Irish squad for a World Cup is beyond disputeTue Sept 28 1999 - 01:00
The game the USA don't play for moneyThe Ryder Cup showed us the Americans at their best and their worstTue Sept 28 1999 - 01:00
Injury forces Scally to retireCiaran Scally, the 21-year-old Irish international scrum-half, has been forced to retire from the gameThu Sept 23 1999 - 01:00
Ireland enigma remains frustratingWhile Ireland were making hard work of beating Ulster in heavy weather during the weekend, England were running up 90-odd against…Tue Sept 21 1999 - 01:00
Ireland labour for desired resultIt wasn't a vintage Irish performance by any meansMon Sept 20 1999 - 01:00
