Ireland's mood a bit more positiveThe preparations wound down, the phoney war continued (proof of which was a minor red herring about banning the Haka which will…Fri Nov 14 1997 - 00:00
Haka lifts friend and foeOutlaw the haka? You could have slapped John Hart in the face with a wet fishFri Nov 14 1997 - 00:00
Living up to the role of the Men in BlackThere's a saying in the Land of the Long White Cloud that being the All Blacks' coach is a more difficult job than being New …Wed Nov 12 1997 - 00:00
Squad set new goals as reality bites hardIn times past, Irish rugby stood indicted for suffering from delusions of grandeur. Not this week. This week, reality dawnsWed Nov 12 1997 - 00:00
Mehrtens v Spencer a game of outhalvesWhat's really frightening about the current All Blacks is the inability of some awesome players to make the Test teamTue Nov 11 1997 - 00:00
Gatland has Connacht brotherhood primedOn Tuesday, September 16th, Connacht had a training session in BordeauxSat Nov 8 1997 - 00:00
Novel idea to reward players in formThere are a few ways of looking at this decidedly new-look Ireland teamTue Nov 4 1997 - 00:00
Weary London Irish fail to maintain heroicsLondon Irish couldn't scale the heights of the previous week and in that this could almost be dismissed as an all too predictable…Mon Nov 3 1997 - 00:00
Nowlan is one of five new facesIt says something about both the new broom and the injury jinx which is sweeping through the Irish rugby team that the selection…Mon Nov 3 1997 - 00:00
More fiery tackling can crack NewcastleEnglish champions one week, unbeaten league leaders the nextSat Nov 1 1997 - 00:00
Side to face All Blacks looks settledAs revelations from the Irish management go, it's about the biggest thus far: they will decide today whether to announce next…Thu Oct 30 1997 - 00:00
Transfers to Sunbury would be good for allThere's a feeling about in Irish rugby that somehow London Irish are the enemy abroadTue Oct 28 1997 - 00:00
Irish swarm all over Wasps in thrilling winIt was a good day to be Irish in London yesterday, especially in that little corner called Sunbury which will be forever Irish…Mon Oct 27 1997 - 00:00
Davidson injury rules him out for seasonAs expected, Jeremy Davidson's worst fears were confirmed yesterday when the keyhole surgery performed on his left knee revealed…Sat Oct 25 1997 - 01:00
Wasps vulnerable at SunburySuch is the nature of the Irish psyche that the anti-climactic London Irish display against Gloucester last week was almost inevitable…Sat Oct 25 1997 - 01:00
Outlook bleak for DavidsonThe Irish management will not divulge any decision to award some additional, full-time contracts for national squad members until…Fri Oct 24 1997 - 01:00
Davidson is ruled out until next yearJeremy Davidson has been sidelined until next yearThu Oct 23 1997 - 01:00
Options aplenty for Irish up frontThat time of year and with it that great guessing game againTue Oct 21 1997 - 01:00
Wood tired but will playNecessity being the mother of invention, Keith Wood is expected to take his customary place in the middle of the Harlequins front…Sat Oct 18 1997 - 01:00
Irish call in two psychologistsSports being as much a battle of minds as bodies, the Irish management have adhered to a growing trend in international sport…Thu Oct 16 1997 - 01:00
Connacht unfazed about facing AgenTo hell or to Agen. It says something about Connacht's current standing that the province's coaches reacted favourably to an …Wed Oct 15 1997 - 01:00
Lansdowne debut for DaviesThe next couple of weekends in the Irish rugby calendar constitute something of a mini-breather and the highlight of a pretty…Wed Oct 15 1997 - 01:00
Lansdowne date for DaviesJonathan Davies will come out of retirement to made a guest appearance for Lansdowne in their 125th anniversary game against …Tue Oct 14 1997 - 01:00
Brive meet PontypriddThe convoluted qualifying procedures for the knock-out stages of the Heineken European Cup were finally resolved yesterday and…Mon Oct 13 1997 - 01:00
Munster rediscover fire and brimstoneThomond Park has seen it all before but it's no less fun because of thatMon Oct 13 1997 - 01:00
Connacht bandwagon to keep rolling onIf it's Saturday then it must be "the biggest game in Connacht's historySat Oct 11 1997 - 01:00
Round-UpEntering the last round of pool matches, only Wasps are guaranteed a quarter-final place while only three teams, Milan, Munster…Sat Oct 11 1997 - 01:00
Thomond awaits hero WoodsHail the return of the conquering hero? Well, maybe not quiteSat Oct 11 1997 - 01:00
Settled Connacht to field same sideIn characteristic fashion for probably the most settled side in either European competition this season, Connacht will field …Fri Oct 10 1997 - 01:00
Intensive care still needed for Irish gameWith the final examination of the Irish in the European Cup due this Saturday, sadly it's not too premature to deliver a final…Tue Oct 7 1997 - 01:00
Key to Connacht success smells like team spiritNews came through of Nice's failure to beat Northampton at about 9.00 in Galwegians Rugby Club on Saturday nightMon Oct 6 1997 - 01:00
Connacht's time for a killThe biggest game in Connacht's history, again, and, pending the result at the Spotsground this afternoon, there might be more…Sat Oct 4 1997 - 01:00
Ulster exit kitchen as Wasps turn up the heatAnother enjoyable night at Ravenhill, English drawing power ensuring a huge crowd and the hint of a vintage night at the venue…Sat Oct 4 1997 - 01:00
Leinster v MilanThere should be no mistaking Leinster's vengeful mood at Donnybrook this afternoon when they seek to eradicate the memory of …Sat Oct 4 1997 - 01:00
Cup Round-UpKeith Wood will confine himself to a place on the bench for the return meeting between Pool D leaders Harlequins and Cardiff …Sat Oct 4 1997 - 01:00
Leinster add strengthLeinster have made two changes for their return meeting at home to Milan tomorrowFri Oct 3 1997 - 01:00
Connacht's Cup runneth over as provinces go dryThere are many ways of measuring Connacht's extraordinary progress this seasonWed Oct 1 1997 - 01:00
Cissies of the world uniteLike the released convict on parole, rugby behaved itself with model deportment last weekendTue Sep 30 1997 - 01:00
Quinlan's efforts are rewardedMan of the moment Alan Quinlan, along with Reggie Corrigan and Brian Cusack are the latest additions to the Irish squad for tomorrow…Tue Sep 30 1997 - 01:00
Munster give everything but get nothingIn the cruel and harsh, yet very real world of the European Cup, Munster have so much to extract from this raw-boned occasion…Mon Sep 29 1997 - 01:00
Munster to revel in a real meaty encounterNow we're getting into the meat of this European CupSat Sep 27 1997 - 01:00
Pontypridd and Brive the focus of attentionThese things being relative, the players and coaches of Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht have it easySat Sep 27 1997 - 01:00
Minimum changes for European tiesMunster, Ulster and Connacht keep changes to a minimum for their European home ties tomorrow against Cardiff, Swansea and Nice…Fri Sep 26 1997 - 01:00