Ireland’s eight votes most disappointing part, says O’Driscoll‘You are never going to see a tournament hosted outside the big four or five teams’Thu Nov 16 2017 - 06:00
Wales and Scotland blamed for failure of Irish RWC bidLack of support from Celtic neighbours was ‘critical’ in Ireland losing out to FranceThu Nov 16 2017 - 01:00
IRFU will not bid for future World Cups under present parametersPhilip Browne disappointed by lack of support from Wales and ScotlandWed Nov 15 2017 - 15:55
France to host Rugby World Cup as Ireland lose outIrish bid only received eight votes and was eliminated after first roundWed Nov 15 2017 - 13:20
Rugby World Cup 2023: Final vote set for dramatic finaleSouth Africa remain favourites but outsiders Ireland could benefit from intense lobbyingWed Nov 15 2017 - 06:00
Joey Carbery needs to focus only on ‘playing at 10’Kicking and skills coach Richie Murphy says Carbery not considered at inside centreWed Nov 15 2017 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: IRFU right to ask questions but tone was wrongSouth Africa Rugby Union’s move could be interpreted as applying pressure on RWCLTue Nov 14 2017 - 07:00
Gerry Thornley: Springboks suffer from northern exposureIreland kick-off autumn series with clinical display against woeful South AfricaMon Nov 13 2017 - 05:00
Boks botch it as Ireland make it look almost too easyHigh-calibre performances from Irish team leave South Africa a shell of their former selvesMon Nov 13 2017 - 05:00
Ireland expose gulf in class with South Africa with record winWinning scoreline of 38-3 no more than Joe Schmidt’s side deserve at the Aviva StadiumSat Nov 11 2017 - 19:59
Jacob Stockdale living the dream playing alongside his boyhood heroesIn-form 21-year-old makes his home debut for Ireland against the SpringboksSat Nov 11 2017 - 09:00
Conor Murray and Sexton need to steer rejigged Ireland homeDiscipline is key as Joe Schmidt’s side face match-hardened Springboks at AvivaSat Nov 11 2017 - 06:00
Bundee Aki scorcher will silence the doubters, says SchmidtDebutant could add intriguing dimension to attacking game against South AfricaFri Nov 10 2017 - 06:00
Iain Henderson holds reminders from series that got away‘We could have made history to be the first team to turn over South Africa in an away series’Thu Nov 09 2017 - 06:00
Bundee Aki in line for Ireland debut with Cian Healy to startDave Kilcoyne and Rob Herring may earn places on the bench for South Africa clashWed Nov 08 2017 - 22:00
Joey Carbery has fifth cap in sight after impressive Leinster formYoungster says Sexton is the ‘best person I can learn from in the world at this stage’Wed Nov 08 2017 - 06:30
IRFU question South Africa RWC bid in letter to World RugbyLetter, which has been seen by The Irish Times, shows misgivings on evaluation reportWed Nov 08 2017 - 02:00
Gerry Thornley: When will World Rugby ditch old reliables?If same criteria were applied to bids six years ago, New Zealand would never have wonTue Nov 07 2017 - 07:00
Allister Coetzee hails Ireland as the ‘New Zealand of Europe’Springboks coach highlights pairing of Murray and Sexton in build up to first TestTue Nov 07 2017 - 06:00
Johann van Graan set for two-week build up to first Munster gameCoetzee says Van Graan is seen as a technically astute and very hard working coachTue Nov 07 2017 - 05:00
Johann van Graan to join Munster after France TestCoach will be “a big loss to the Springboks but a massive gain for Munster,” says CoetzeeMon Nov 06 2017 - 12:27
Schmidt has window of opportunity to increase Ireland’s depthCoach intends to use contests in run-up to Six Nations to continue to blood young playersSat Nov 04 2017 - 06:00
Les Kiss prepared for the unexpected despite Kings weak defencePro 14 preview: Southern Kings v Ulster, Wolfson Stadium, Port Elizabeth, 3pm, local time/1pm Irish. On TV: Live on BBC NIFri Nov 03 2017 - 15:59
Battle-hardened Ruddock primed for international frontline dutyLeinster player captained Ireland in all three test wins last June in the US and JapanFri Nov 03 2017 - 06:00
Pitfalls aplenty in Ireland’s World Cup 2019 scheduleJoe Schmidt’s side faces Scotland in their opener and then Japan just six days laterFri Nov 03 2017 - 06:00
Rugby World Cup: Ireland still in the race or dead in the water?How the votes are shared and what way countries and organisations are likely to voteWed Nov 01 2017 - 01:00
Conor Murray wins Rugby Writers of Ireland player of the year awardMunster were also voted team of the year last night following a traumatic seasonTue Oct 31 2017 - 18:46
Size matters as Ireland bid falls short in stadia and citiesComparative scoring under ‘Venue and Cities’ plays big part in Ireland’s low scoreTue Oct 31 2017 - 17:29
Gerry Thornley: Don’t blame Bundee Aki for Simon Zebo’s exclusionGuinness Series squad: Aki is not the Big Bad Wolf to Zebo’s Little Red Riding HoodTue Oct 31 2017 - 07:00
A defining day in Ireland’s bid to host 2023 World CupRWC board to release a report evaluating the three potential tournament host nationsTue Oct 31 2017 - 06:00
Sean O’Brien’s ‘business as usual’ is quite a statementThe Tullow Tank displays his footballing and decision-making skills in stellar displayMon Oct 30 2017 - 06:00
Leinster take significant step on long road to play-offsBest disappointed as Ulster suffer their first home defeat in the Pro14 for a yearMon Oct 30 2017 - 06:00
Provinces must juggle resources as November Test window loomsLeinster will be without most of of their 18-strong Ireland contingent for Glasgow tieMon Oct 30 2017 - 06:00
Leinster dish out a dose of the blues to UlsterHome side well beaten at the Kingspan Stadium by Leo Cullen’s impressive sideSat Oct 28 2017 - 21:12
Stuart McCloskey eager to add to his sole Ireland capLeinster’s visit to the Kingspan provides plenty of motivation for Ulster centreSat Oct 28 2017 - 07:00
Landmark 200th game for Rory Best as Ulster eye overdue winLeinster without Sexton and Henshaw at a sold-out Kingspan Stadium in BelfastSat Oct 28 2017 - 06:30
World Cup countdown reflected in Schmidt’s Ireland squadSimon Zebo omitted after his decision to leave Munster at the end of the seasonFri Oct 27 2017 - 06:00
Charles Piutau revels in licence to thrill at UlsterFor the last two seasons he has beaten more defenders in the pool stages than any other playerFri Oct 27 2017 - 06:00
Irish rugby squad announcement: from Aki to Zebo?Joe Schmidt will have one eye on World Cup when he unveils his Guinness Series choicesThu Oct 26 2017 - 06:00
Rory Best declares his fitness and desire to lead IrelandUlster captain hoping to be back in the frame for the clash against the SpringboksWed Oct 25 2017 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Zebo loss lessens Ireland's X factorNews that Simon Zebo is leaving Munster is disappointing but not entirely unexpectedTue Oct 24 2017 - 07:00
Racing 92 make Simon Zebo an offer he couldn’t refuseMunster star’s World Cup prospects in doubt as Paris club offers salary of up to €700,000Tue Oct 24 2017 - 07:00
Foreign legion: How overseas moves affected Ireland careersSome Ireland players’ careers stalled, for others their international careers survivedMon Oct 23 2017 - 22:09
Simon Zebo will join Racing 92 from Munster next seasonZebo will leave Munster to team up with Ronan O’Gara and Donnacha RyanMon Oct 23 2017 - 17:58
Munster’s Ian Keatley rises to occasion graced by Dan CarterRacing 92 well -primed by O’Gara but fail to collect prized scalp at Thomond ParkMon Oct 23 2017 - 06:30
Gerry Thornley: Ulster feel full force of La Rochelle in first Irish defeatGlasgow Warriors pointless and marooned after Leinster’s 34-18 win at ScotstounMon Oct 23 2017 - 06:00
‘We broke. We cracked first’: O’Gara salutes Munster’s incessant pressureRacing 92 coach says Munster’s gameplan can be cracked if a side ‘stands up to them’Mon Oct 23 2017 - 01:28
Munster chisel out victory over Racing in an old-school bruiserConor Murray’s opportunism breaks deadlock at Thomond ParkSat Oct 21 2017 - 21:30
Even by Munster standards, this should be specialDan Carter a surprise selection as Thomond Park gets ready to remember Anthony FoleySat Oct 21 2017 - 06:30
Coaching role feels like a natural fit for passionate Felix JonesFormer stalwart relishing new role with Munster after injury ended his playing careerSat Oct 21 2017 - 06:00
