Debunking the myth of schools' rugbyWay, way back in time - when John Major was still a trapeze artist, Charlie Haughey a political artist and Ireland were still…Tue Jan 26 1999 - 00:00
Surprises unlikely in Irish squad to faceThe Irish management will gather this afternoon to select both the 22man senior squad for the Five Nations' opener against France…Tue Jan 26 1999 - 00:00
Solid Buccaneers are contendersOn a day which shook up the established order in the AIB League first division, this result could have a very significant bearing…Mon Jan 25 1999 - 00:00
Sell-out final is biggest yetAt precisely 3.52 yesterday afternoon in the busy foyer of 62 Lansdowne Road the European Cup final became a sell-out, thereby…Thu Jan 21 1999 - 00:00
Dungannon tie offFollowing a request from the Ulster Branch, and the prospect of both Ballymena and Dungannon being without their Ulster contingents…Thu Jan 21 1999 - 00:00
Gatland welcomes out-half rivalryThe 26-man Irish squad said goodbye to each other for the last of their occasional non-Championship get togethers in Galway yesterday…Wed Jan 20 1999 - 00:00
Cloud hangs over training session in ConnemaraBy the end of a resourceful day in the rain-sodden west, the cloud which hung over the Irish squad get-together in Galway proved…Tue Jan 19 1999 - 00:00
English game on brink of collapseSince brinkmanship is the customary tactic in modern day rugby, the latest stand-off between the Five Nations and the English…Tue Jan 19 1999 - 00:00
Awesome Shannon destroy LansdowneClanwilliam became a home from home on Saturday, Shannon putting their feet under the table and settling in nicelyMon Jan 18 1999 - 00:00
Shannon join the clanJust what Ulster wanted, if not what the AIB League organisers and Ballymena might have desiredSat Jan 16 1999 - 00:00
Byrne is left out by St Mary'sEmmet Byrne's sudden comedown, from the highs of his time with Leinster in the inter-pros and the European Cup, continue apace…Wed Jan 13 1999 - 00:00
Time for clubs to take a back seatBack in the late 80s Jim Davidson was a prophet in his own landTue Jan 12 1999 - 00:00
Proud Ulster march onIt gets better and better, and it wouldn't be stretching things to say this remarkable Ulster odyssey in the European Cup now…Mon Jan 11 1999 - 00:00
Ulster faithful book their date with destinyThey started the competition, and now they can finish itMon Jan 11 1999 - 00:00
Pressure on Ulster may be too greatToday's events at Raven hill are in essence something football super league moneymen can only dream aboutSat Jan 09 1999 - 00:00
Final in Dublin if Ulster advanceTom Kiernan, chairman of European Rugby Cup Ltd, yesterday confirmed that, if Ulster beat Stade Francais in this Saturday's European…Thu Jan 07 1999 - 00:00
Humphreys back at helmAlthough Harry Williams was not in a position to finalise his starting line-up for Saturday's semi-final against Stade Francais…Thu Jan 07 1999 - 00:00
Thomond Park still in crisisThe war of words between Shannon and the IRFU continued yesterday over the vexed state of Thomond Park in advance of today's …Tue Jan 05 1999 - 00:00
French loom large on Irish horizonWorld Cup year in any sport always adds an extra buzz of anticipation and for all the off-pitch political shenanigans which threaten…Mon Jan 04 1999 - 00:00
Miller backbones resurgent TerenureAnywhere else it might be called unpredictableMon Jan 04 1999 - 00:00
Shannon fury over washouts at ThomondAn element of high farce continues to surround the state of the Thomond Park pitch, leaving the AIB league champions Shannon …Sat Jan 02 1999 - 00:00
Getting better all the timeFor about the last year or so, the word on the Limerick grapevine was that Garryowen had the best thing since, well, crushed …Thu Dec 31 1998 - 00:00
Sour taste remains over the drugs sagaIn a fairly eventful and controversial year, perhaps the biggest hiatus was the drugs saga of last monthTue Dec 22 1998 - 00:00
Stade Francais object to Friday night dateUlster seem set to be granted their preferred option of a Friday night European Cup semi-final at Ravenhill on January 8th, judging…Tue Dec 22 1998 - 00:00
Shannon play it loose and win tight gameOn days like this you could almost believe in the AIB LeagueMon Dec 21 1998 - 00:00
Provinces not helped in quest for EuropeStrange things are starting to happen in the press box at the end of Ulster's matches - the last six of which have been wonTue Dec 15 1998 - 00:00
Munster win battles but lose the warAs pure unadulterated rugby torture goes this was as painful as it getsMon Dec 14 1998 - 00:00
Worst way to end a seasonIn the final analysis, this still goes down as one of Munster's best ever seasons - inter-provincial champions and European Cup…Mon Dec 14 1998 - 00:00
Ulster on the march"We'll have a semi-final with Munster in Lansdowne Road. Tell the others (the rest of Europe?) to get stuffed."Sat Dec 12 1998 - 00:00
Time for Munster to keep it tightIt's still funny to think that had Munster lost their last, academic pool game in Padova they would have been playing Ulster …Sat Dec 12 1998 - 00:00
Prized scalp as Ulster advanceNot since the win over the Wallabies in 1984, uncannily also by 15-13, has there been a Ravenhill day or night which remotely…Sat Dec 12 1998 - 00:00
Ulster entitled to believe in dreamsIt doesn't get much bigger than this, and in Ulster's case it never has; a European Cup quarter-final at home, a capacity Ravenhill…Fri Dec 11 1998 - 00:00
Ulster plan not to let Toulouse off as lightlyWhereas Ulster were yesterday able to name a side showing only two changes from that which won in Edinburgh five weeks ago for…Wed Dec 09 1998 - 00:00
Programme disruptedHaving barely and belatedly swung into action, the AIB All-Ireland League's second series of games has been predictably disrupted…Wed Dec 09 1998 - 00:00
A few signs that the gap is closingWhen Vitas Gerulaitis finally beat Bjorn Borg at the 18th time of asking, he was asked at the start of his post-match press conference…Tue Dec 08 1998 - 00:00
New boys buck the trendFor any neutral who might have wandered in, this was stick-it-up-your-jumper rugby from a bygone ageMon Dec 07 1998 - 00:00
The big kick-offBearing in mind that half the pack which was blitzed by the Springboks' midweek side at Ravenhill on Tuesday came from the undisputed…Sat Dec 05 1998 - 00:00
Dispute over tour detailsAustralian rugby officials rather jumped the gun yesterday by disclosing details of Ireland's tour down under next summer without…Fri Dec 04 1998 - 00:00
A Welsh legend for AILFormer Welsh out-half and Great Britain rugby league star Jonathon Davies has signed for Old BelvedereThu Dec 03 1998 - 00:00
A team out of their depthThey came, they saw, they conquered; not once, not twice, but three times. Simple as that reallyWed Dec 02 1998 - 00:00
Things definitely getting betterVerification of Ireland's praiseworthy effort against the Springboks came by way of a phone call from the England assistant coach…Tue Dec 01 1998 - 00:00
Seconds up and out to impressThe midweek Springboks side are probably good enough to give any senior Five Nations side a run for their money, but at least…Tue Dec 01 1998 - 00:00
Improving Irish approaching the gain lineSoon after the sides' third meeting in six months, South African coach Nick Mallett went into the Irish dressingroom and said…Mon Nov 30 1998 - 00:00
No gain but no shame for IrishThere may have been a nagging suspicion that Ireland could have extended the Springboks further, but there was no shame in defeat…Mon Nov 30 1998 - 00:00
Chemistry right for explosive third encounterThe grudge factor, like it or not; the world champions seeking to equal a world record; a wounded and derided Irish side in classic…Sat Nov 28 1998 - 00:00
