Samoans witness start of Irish rugby revolutionANOTHER SCENE from a different world, another game of rugby from a different worldMon Jun 16 1997 - 01:00
Need for change highlightedIT IS a pity, in a great many ways, that the Irish rugby population didn't experience this development tour first-handSat Jun 14 1997 - 01:00
Daunting end of tour task for IrelandTHIS being the dry season in Western Samoa, where temperatures of late have been regularly around the 30 degrees mark, only one…Sat Jun 14 1997 - 01:00
Munster job for LeslieANDY LESLIE is set to become the new director of rugby for Munster following discussions with Irish coach Brian Ashton and manager…Thu Jun 12 1997 - 01:00
Hope restored as Irish stem black tideANOTHER GAME, another defeat, but these things are relative and so this was a mighty improvementWed Jun 11 1997 - 01:00
Irish developers get Maori approvalMATT TE POU, dark skinned, handsome in a weather-beaten sort of way and slightly gaunt, comes across as a genuine sort of fellow…Wed Jun 11 1997 - 01:00
Maori pride finds playful expressionTHE ELIGIBILITY criteria for the Maori rugby team is about as vague as that which applies to, well, come to think of it, the …Tue Jun 10 1997 - 01:00
Irish tackling to face another major testIN THEIR last outing, the Irish `A' Development team had more ball than they knew what to do withMon Jun 09 1997 - 01:00
Tourists get taste for the half bakedIF THE touring Irish development squad thought yesterday's game against King Country was winnable beforehand, they were even …Sat Jun 07 1997 - 01:00
Too little too late as Irish let one get awayONE STEP forward, another step back againSat Jun 07 1997 - 01:00
All expenses are sparedTHE path to professionalism is laden with gold? Well, not quite, and certainly not for these Irish touristsFri Jun 06 1997 - 01:00
Ashton calls time at last chance saloonTHE OASIS Beach resort in sleepy, off-season Taupo has provided the touring Irish with a fitting mid-tour respite of five days…Thu Jun 05 1997 - 01:00
First-choice `test' side nearly completeTHREE matches down and the Irish management move ever closer to their first-choice XV for the final games of the A/Development…Wed Jun 04 1997 - 01:00
Ireland beginning to show benefits of hard lessonsGOOD NEWS from the front, at lastMon Jun 02 1997 - 01:00
Older and wiser side gains its first winANOTHER small step for Irish rugby, and another huge win for this developing development teamMon Jun 02 1997 - 01:00
Salvage operation starts hereIT WOULD be stretching things to say that the Ireland [Development side's pivotal match of their seven match tour against Thames…Sat May 31 1997 - 01:00
Ireland's late developers need a winANOTHER DAY, another coach journey, another training session it could only be the Ireland Development tour of New Zealand.Sat May 31 1997 - 01:00
Plenty to ponder as Irish lose with styleFOR HALF an hour in the sun-kissed Rotorua National Stadium yesterday there wasn't a hole deep enough for the touring Irish to…Fri May 30 1997 - 01:00
Halpin's new wake up callTHE world over, the Irish are fondly regarded for the rather quaint manner in which they compete hard but are able to laugh off…Thu May 29 1997 - 01:00
Tour has the smell of sulphur about itROTORUA is New Zealand's biggest, year round tourist attraction, with a countless variety of outdoor activitiesThu May 29 1997 - 01:00
Irish intent on gaining victoryHAVING had more than enough salutary lessons in the opening two matches of their tour already, the mood has discernibly shifted…Wed May 28 1997 - 01:00
Tackle, or leave by the exit Ashton tells "passengers"DIFFERENT PLACE, different opponents, but same outcome - and pretty much the same storyTue May 27 1997 - 01:00
No decision on Halvey replacementAMONG THE Irish party at Saturday's Super 12 game was a convalescing Eddie Halvey, who looked none the worse for wear after his…Mon May 26 1997 - 01:00
Irish party watch rugby from another planetAPPROPRIATELY in a sporting land all consumed by rugby, even on a day of respite, for the Irish in New Zealand there was no respite…Mon May 26 1997 - 01:00
Halvey forced homeEDDIE HALVEY is out of the Irish Development tour in New Zealand and will return home on TuesdaySat May 24 1997 - 01:00
Irish set for lesson at the AcademyHAVING EARNED an FA Cup replay at home after procuring a draw against Millwall in the first game at the New Den, the Arsenal …Sat May 24 1997 - 01:00
Brutal defeat reflects rugby's cultural divideROME WASN'T built in a day but this may take a good deal longerFri May 23 1997 - 01:00
Early developers' chance to come of ageIN STYLE as well as content, the Irish Development XV attempt to boldly go where no Irish team has gone before when taking on…Wed May 21 1997 - 01:00
Bishop may answer our prayersHE'S got the strut, he's got the blonde streaks, he's got the accent, he's got that same top of the ground running styleTue May 20 1997 - 01:00
Irish go for youthTHE Irish Development squad take a step into the unknown next Thursday - as much for themselves as against Northland - when a…Mon May 19 1997 - 01:00
Irish creep in under cover of anonymityIT WAS somehow appropriate that the 32-man Irish squad, complete with backroom team of eight and media corps of two, arrived …Mon May 19 1997 - 01:00
Brewer to be replaced by Hook at BlackrockIN A REVERSAL from the recent trend, whereby Ireland's rugby coaches head overseas and overseas coaches head to Ireland, the …Tue May 13 1997 - 01:00
Just reward for those who tried to play good footballSO goodbye to all that then. For the watchers among us, a little sadness, but for the participants, nothing but reliefTue May 06 1997 - 01:00
Shelbourne's tactics prevailCENTRAL TO Shelbourne's latest FAI Cup victory was the tactical switch from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 by Damien RichardsonMon May 05 1997 - 01:00
Shelbourne stylists capture Cup againFOR SHELBOURNE, a game they had to win. For Derry, a game too farMon May 05 1997 - 01:00
Shadow cast over sup finalTHE DEATH of Conor O'Dowd, younger brother of Derry City goalkeeper Tony, serves as an untimely reminder that even the FAI Cup…Sat May 03 1997 - 01:00
Tragedy hits DerryFOOTBALL'S PLACE in life, even a cup final, has been put into perspective by the death of Conor O'Dowd, 18 year old brother of…Sat May 03 1997 - 01:00
Pride the watchword as players look aheadTO PLAY so well and to get so little Mick McCarthy's Irish team may have got what they deserved from Skopje, but last night's…Thu May 01 1997 - 01:00
Ireland lack final flourishANOTHER good performance from Ian Evans's burgeoning team, but no joy at the end of itWed Apr 30 1997 - 01:00
Evans talks up his menTHE IRISH under 21 team face the eye of the storm in Bucharest evening when they meet a Romanian side with a 100 per cent record…Tue Apr 29 1997 - 01:00
Breen faces his biggest testGARY BREEN typifies this Republic of Ireland team in many respectsTue Apr 29 1997 - 01:00
Domestic game in need of sweep by new broomTHE FAI Cup final takes place next Sunday, though thanks to the customary foresight of Merrion Square this will not become generally…Tue Apr 29 1997 - 01:00
Bohemians aim to salvage from seasonNOT quite the anticlimactic finale it seemed it might beSat Apr 26 1997 - 01:00
Urgent need for level playing fieldSO THE title trophy is in Derry's safe keeping, and the relegation issue has long since been resolved, as has Kilkenny's historic…Tue Apr 22 1997 - 01:00
Crowning glory for the new championsONWARD AND forward, Derry City and the city of Derry could nurse their collective hangover this morning, secure in the knowledge…Mon Apr 21 1997 - 01:00
The Spirit of the BrandywellBEFORE a recent Derry City game their manager, Felix Healy, told his players a storySat Apr 19 1997 - 01:00
Derry inch just that bit nearerANOTHER step sideways, another step forwards and for all their frustration, in the cold light of day Derry City will still regard…Wed Apr 16 1997 - 01:00
