Gerry Thornley: Munster and Ulster have faced each other in bigger games, but this one is a must-win for bothThe two sides could be missing from the Champions Cup next season for the first time in 31 yearsWed May 07 2025 - 06:00
RG Snyman and Linda Djougang named Leinster Players of the YearSam Prendergast and Robyn O’Connor receive Young Player of the Year awardsWed May 07 2025 - 06:00
‘We should have been better defensively’: Jacques Nienaber on Leinster’s shock defeat to Northampton Head coach admits questions will be asked about selection, not to mention missed tackles and concession of five tries and 37 pointsTue May 06 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Leinster’s latest heartbreak in Europe shows they are human after allCullen’s men face a painful postmortem to rival that of the 2023 final when Leinster let slip a 23-7 lead against La RochelleTue May 06 2025 - 06:00
Caelan Doris doubtful for Lions tour after suffering shoulder injuryLeinster backrower had been candidate for Lions captaincy on his first tourMon May 05 2025 - 17:36
Leo Cullen under scrutiny after Leinster loss to NorthamptonSingle Champions Cup in 13 years could be deemed poor return for considerble investment in playing squadMon May 05 2025 - 06:00
Leinster battle sense of dismay in wake of defeat to Northampton Belief persists in province’s dressingroom that penalty try should have been awarded in penultimate play of Champions Cup semi-finalMon May 05 2025 - 06:00
Leinster’s Champions Cup quest flounders in face of Northampton’s attacking brillianceDecision to leave Jordie Barrett on the bench for so long and poor defence cost Leinster dearly in semi-final loss Mon May 05 2025 - 06:00
Leinster v Northampton: Mystery surrounds decision not to award late match-winning tryRoss Byrne’s effort was ruled out in last minute of Champions Cup semi-final, but Rabah Slimani felt there should have been a penalty trySat May 03 2025 - 22:15
Gerry Thornley: Leinster may be semi-final specialists, but getting any further is often a coin tossNorthampton will be clutching all the positives they can find ahead of Champions Cup showdownSat May 03 2025 - 06:00
Forewarned is forearmed as Leinster look to take down Northampton in search for fifth starLeo Cullen suggests IRFU policy was not involved in naming Jordie Barrett among the replacements for matchSat May 03 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Josh van der Flier’s contest with Henry Pollock an intriguing Lions sub-plot At 32 this is set to be Van der Flier’s last chance to make tour but 20-year-old Pollock could have a say in that Fri May 02 2025 - 17:26
AIL awards: Dan Goggin named Division 1A player of seasonMen’s and Women’s Coach of the Year Awards went to Quenton O’Neale of Old Belvedere and Jason Moreton of WicklowThu May 01 2025 - 20:58
Jordie Barrett expected to start on bench for Leinster’s game against NorthamptonFrontliners to return after break for Champions Cup semi-finalThu May 01 2025 - 18:19
Gritty Clontarf savour ‘pretty sweet’ AIL triumphYoungster Hugh Cooney showed qualities that could make him a future Ireland player Tue Apr 29 2025 - 06:00
Ireland is facing likelihood of only having two sides in next season’s Champions Cup for first time everLack of depth in Ireland women’s team further exposed when losing Edel McMahon and Dorothy Wall in Saturday’s loss to Scotland Tue Apr 29 2025 - 06:00
Clontarf edge past Cork Con to earn fourth Energia All-Ireland titleExciting, taut, tense game ebbs and flows but Clontarf prevail by single pointSun Apr 27 2025 - 18:53
Nenagh Ormond make history as they earn promotion to Division 1A of All-Ireland League Nenagh become first Tipperary club to play in the top division; heartache for Cashel as they lose out on promotion to Division 1BSun Apr 27 2025 - 16:52
Women’s AIL final: UL Bohemians stun Railway Union with last play of gameEilis Cahill burrowed over to earn a dramatic victorySun Apr 27 2025 - 16:28
AIL final preview: History is against both Cork Con and Clontarf but either side could seize the moment Reigning champions Con seeking to become first side in 20 years to retain title while ‘Tarf have lost eight out of 11 finals Sat Apr 26 2025 - 06:00
Improved Ireland side can get a much-needed shot of self-belief in Edinburgh Third win out of three away games would rubber-stamp huge strides made by Irish women’s team in the last yearSat Apr 26 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Remembering my uncle Johnny Hughes - the man I have most admired in my life The former Clontarf outhalf retired from playing early but never lost his love of the gameFri Apr 25 2025 - 20:24
Cork Con’s Jack Kelleher: ‘Back-to-back win wouldn’t even be a thought in our heads’Reaching the AIL final for the fifth time in seven editions is one thing, but winning two in a row, as Con will attempt on Sunday, is another Fri Apr 25 2025 - 06:00
Clontarf’s Conor Kelly out to banish the ghosts of 2023 in Sunday’s league finalOuthalf has seen the highs and lows of AIL finals, and knows which he prefers, as ‘Tarf face Cork Con at the AvivaThu Apr 24 2025 - 06:00
Leinster’s Diarmuid Mangan making rapid strides towards the topFormer Ireland under-20 star now emulating pal Sam Prendergast and impressing with LeinsterTue Apr 22 2025 - 06:00
Leinster’s success masking alarming fault lines which have emerged in Irish rugby This season, as things stand, Munster, Ulster and Connacht have all lost more matches than they have wonTue Apr 22 2025 - 06:00
Ryan Baird likely to return for Leinster-Northampton Champions Cup duelCalf injury puts James Ryan’s availability in doubtMon Apr 21 2025 - 06:00
Leinster look on course to avoid end of season scramble this time around Bonus-point win over Ulster means that Leo Cullen’s side could have wrapped up home semi-final ahead of final round of URC matchesMon Apr 21 2025 - 06:00
Ulster’s Richie Murphy questions legality of Leinster’s breakdown and scrum after defeatNorthern province facing battle to finish in the top eight after losing at the Aviva StadiumMon Apr 21 2025 - 06:00
All-Ireland League: Clontarf and Cork Constitution to meet in heavyweight deciderThe final will see defending champions Con face the 2022 winners Clontarf at the Aviva Stadium next SundaySun Apr 20 2025 - 18:08
St Mary’s seek to continue storming season by toppling Cork Con Lansdowne recall top players for semi-final showdown in Clontarf Sat Apr 19 2025 - 06:00
Leinster ring changes as they welcome Ulster to DublinOnly three players retained from the starting team which beat Glasgow in Champions CupSat Apr 19 2025 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: The biggest benefit of Jordie Barrett’s signing for Leinster may be yet to comeLeinster’s move for Reiko Ioane was no doubt influenced by the experience of his fellow All BlackFri Apr 18 2025 - 17:13
Leinster switch it up for Ulster clashOnly Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose and Joe McCarthy retain their starting places Fri Apr 18 2025 - 15:18
Ireland’s Aoife Wafer: ‘Ultimately, I want to be the best in the world’Wales next up for Irish women after promising first 50 minutes display against formidable EnglandTue Apr 15 2025 - 06:00
Structural flaws and English clubs’ apathy doing Champions Cup no favoursRushing the quarter-finals again made no sense whatsoever while botched TV deals a sign of chickens coming home to roostTue Apr 15 2025 - 06:00
Connacht count the cost of Racing 92 ahead of URC South African tripInterim head coach Cullie Tucker digs deep into squad for the two-game tour Mon Apr 14 2025 - 12:57
‘Incredibly frustrated’ Munster turn attention to crunch URC clash Tadhg Beirne admits lineout problems cost side dearly in BordeauxMon Apr 14 2025 - 06:00
Munster say goodbye to the Champions Cup after defeat to Bordeaux Bègles Munster interim head coach Ian Costello disappointed but says strides have been made in the last three weeksMon Apr 14 2025 - 06:00
Munster’s grand Champions Cup ambitions put into perspective by explosive BordeauxBordeaux now have a home semi-final and so must have a real chance of claiming the club’s first silverwareMon Apr 14 2025 - 06:00
Munster’s Ian Costello laments misfiring lineout against Bordeaux BèglesIrish province lost nine of their own 21 throws under intense pressure from the Bordeaux defensive lineout.Sat Apr 12 2025 - 18:43
Brave Munster go down fighting in Bordeaux Bègles defeatIrish province exit Champions Cup with heads held high after memorable contestSat Apr 12 2025 - 17:57
Home thoughts from abroad as Bordeaux coach Noel McNamara awaits Munster The Bordeaux Bègles attack coach has come up against his native side before when he coached at SharksSat Apr 12 2025 - 06:00
Tom Farrell making the most of his opportunity and loving life at Munster Released by Connacht, the 31-year-old centre has started every game for Munster this seasonSat Apr 12 2025 - 06:00
No breather for Munster as treacherous route to final brings them to BordeauxBordeaux make four changes from the side that beat Ulster last weekendFri Apr 11 2025 - 23:51
Thaakir Abrahams happy his Munster career has taken flight at lastTalented back has put injuries behind him and his enjoying Munster’s Champions Cup runFri Apr 11 2025 - 06:00
Munster confirm team manager Niall O’Donovan will step down at end of this seasonNiall O’Donovan joined Munster as assistant coach in 1997, and helped the province grow into one of Europe’s leading sidesThu Apr 10 2025 - 15:28
Ireland to host Scotland and Canada before Women’s Rugby World CupScott Bemand says Tests will help put squad ‘in the best possible shape for the tournament’Thu Apr 10 2025 - 14:01
Munster win appeal against Alex Nankivell suspensionAlex Nankivell will now be available to play in Champions Cup quarter-final away to Bordeaux on SaturdayThu Apr 10 2025 - 12:52
Munster dust themselves down for another daunting assignment Defence coach Denis Leamy knows another heroic display will be required against Bordeaux if the visitors are to progress Wed Apr 09 2025 - 06:00
