McLaughlin in line for returnRUGBY: KEVIN McLAUGHLIN could be in line to play his first match in seven months following knee and shoulder surgery when Leinster…Thu Dec 30 2010 - 00:00
Boost for Ulster as Best back on trackRUGBY: ULSTER CAPTAIN Rory Best could make his comeback against Magners League leaders Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday night…Thu Dec 30 2010 - 00:00
Quinlan a doubt for Toulon tieRUGBY NEWS: ALAN QUINLAN faces a race to be fit for Munster’s Heineken Cup pool match against Toulon at Stade Felix Mayol on…Wed Dec 29 2010 - 00:00
Ulster can restore Ravenhill to unappealing cauldronRUGBY: THE MANNER of defeats to Munster and Biarritz Olympique, spanning two different tournaments, should act as a galvanising…Sat Dec 11 2010 - 00:00
O'Connell champing at the bitPAUL O’CONNELL has never shied away from a challenge so there was only ever going to be one answer to a query about whether he…Thu Dec 9 2010 - 00:00
Duffy makes journey down memory laneRUGBY CHALLENGE CUP: CONNACHT AND Harlequins have been occasional bedfellows in the Amlin Challenge Cup and its previous incarnations…Wed Dec 8 2010 - 00:00
Howlett's career highlightRUGBY: DOUG HOWLETT yesterday offered a remarkable tribute to his time with MunsterTue Dec 7 2010 - 00:00
Munster better placed to generate momentum with display of qualityRUGBY: THIS MAGNERS League match got the go-ahead at lunch-time yesterday after a pitch inspection by IRFU referee Peter Fitzgibbon…Sat Dec 4 2010 - 00:00
IRFU and provinces give commitmentRUGBY: THE IRFU and the Connacht Branch have agreed a new structure for the professional game in the province that will see …Sat Dec 4 2010 - 00:00
Schmidt can survey backline optionsRUGBY NEWS ROUND-UP: Scarlets v Leinster: DESPITE THE slightly fraught nature in travelling to Wales against a backdrop of snow…Fri Dec 3 2010 - 00:00
O'Driscoll to miss next two Leinster fixturesIRELAND CAPTAIN Brian O’Driscoll will miss Leinster’s next two matches, tonight’s Magners League game against the Scarlets and…Fri Dec 3 2010 - 00:00
Young braced for tough Thomond taskCARDIFF BLUES coach Dai Young has pointed out that his team need to be sharper in taking opportunities if they are to back up…Thu Dec 2 2010 - 00:00
Connacht facing uphill battle to stage Aironi tieRUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE: THE CONNACHT Branch will make a final decision on whether tomorrow night’s Magners League clash against…Thu Dec 2 2010 - 00:00
Ireland ratings11 ANDREW TRIMBLE Took a superb line for a definitive line break in the first half and also brilliantly flicked a restart back…Mon Nov 29 2010 - 00:00
Primed for physical affairRUGBY: THE COLOURFUL brushstrokes of Ireland’s back play captivated Andrew Trimble as he watched the New Zealand game from the…Wed Nov 24 2010 - 00:00
Leinster branch selling tickets at half priceIRELAND v ARGENTINA NEWS: THE LEINSTER Branch is selling tickets for Ireland’s Test match against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium…Tue Nov 23 2010 - 00:00
D'Arcy takes heart from signs things beginning to clickRUGBY: A DEFEAT REGARDED through the rear-view mirror occasionally smarts a little bit more because hindsight provides the answers…Tue Nov 23 2010 - 00:00
Ireland ratings15 ROB KEARNEY Lost the ball in contact a couple of times but he was much more physical in defence, including one fine scrambling…Mon Nov 22 2010 - 00:00
New Zealand player-by-player15 Mils Muliaina Age : 30. Height : 6ft. Weight : 92kg (14st 9lb)Sat Nov 20 2010 - 00:00
Scarlets to push hardMunster v Scarlets: MUNSTER COACH Tony McGahan's priority will have been to supplant the euphoria of last Tuesday's superb victory…Sat Nov 20 2010 - 00:00
Young wary of UlsterCardiff Blues v Ulster: ULSTER'S GOOD start to the Magners League has dissipated somewhat in recent times, with their most recent…Sat Nov 20 2010 - 00:00
Ireland player-by-player15 Rob Kearney Age : 24. Height : 6ft 1in. Weight : 95kg (15st)Sat Nov 20 2010 - 00:00
Opportunity for fringe players to stake claimMAGNERS LEAGUE Leinster v N-G Dragons: THE RE-EMERGENCE of the Magners League in the November Test window means Leinster coach…Fri Nov 19 2010 - 00:00
McInerney gets his chance at OspreysMAGNERS LEAGUE Connacht v Ospreys: THE ABSENCE of 16 players on international duty has provided one young Irishman, Conor McInerney…Fri Nov 19 2010 - 00:00
Ireland ratings1 TOM COURT He was penalised twice at the first couple of scrums, but that might be partially attributable a really poor officiating…Mon Nov 15 2010 - 00:00
Henry looks to build on latest high standardIRELAND v NEW ZEALAND NEWS: NEW ZEALAND arrived in their Dublin base from Edinburgh yesterday evening in rude health as they…Mon Nov 15 2010 - 00:00
Samoa ratings1 ZAC TAULAFO He caused Ireland considerable problems at scrum time although facilitated by some poor refereeingMon Nov 15 2010 - 00:00
Samoa player-by-player15 Paul Williams Age: 27. Height: 6ft 2ins. Weight: 96kg (15st 6lbs)Sat Nov 13 2010 - 00:00
Ireland player-by-player15 Luke Fitzgerald Age: 23. Height: 6ft 1ins. Weight: 92kg (14st 6lbs)Sat Nov 13 2010 - 00:00
All-Ireland League previewsDIVISION ONE A ( 2.30, unless stated ) Cork Constitution v Dolphin Temple Hill It may be a local derby but anything other than…Sat Nov 13 2010 - 00:00
150 years of Irish rugby history on TG4TG4 HAVE launched a four-part television documentary series Gualainn le Gualainn chronicling the history of Irish rugby, dating…Wed Nov 3 2010 - 00:00
De Villiers needs to deliverPETER DE Villiers still shows no visible signsof powder burns, a remarkable achievement when considering the incendiary soundbites…Wed Nov 3 2010 - 00:00
Venter faces disciplinary hearingRUGBY: SARACENS’ DIRECTOR of rugby Brendan Venter faces a misconduct complaint arising from comments made in the wake of his…Fri Oct 29 2010 - 01:00
Ulster to sneak fascinating encounterRUGBY: PETER STRINGER’S landmark achievement in winning his 200th Munster cap won’t distract him or his team-mates in trying…Fri Oct 29 2010 - 01:00
Aiming to grasp every opportunityINTERVIEW PAUL O’DONOHUE: PAUL O’DONOHUE appreciated the pilgrimage Leinster coach Joe Schmidt and his assistant Jono Gibbes…Tue Oct 26 2010 - 01:00
Schmidt left playing a waiting gameMAGNERS LEAGUE NEWS: IN POKER parlance, it resembles trying to bet without knowing the cards at handTue Oct 26 2010 - 01:00
Deasy gets a start at fullbackRUGBY: COACH TONY McGahan has made four changes to the side that thumped Toulon in the Heineken Cup as Magners League leaders…Fri Oct 22 2010 - 01:00
Wallace to line out at outhalfRUGBY: AN INTERESTING footnote to tonight’s Magners League clash is Paddy Wallace’s presence at outhalf for Ulster, believed…Fri Oct 22 2010 - 01:00
Leinster unlikely to risk FitzgeraldRUGBY: LUKE FITZGERALD is expected to resume training tomorrow after a scan confirmed he had suffered bruising to his hip in…Wed Oct 20 2010 - 01:00
Versatile Murphy making his presence feltDESCRIBING JOHNE Murphy as versatile seems trite and underwhelming, suggesting “a jack of all trades, master of none”, analogy…Mon Oct 18 2010 - 01:00
Danaher injury forces Booth to reshuffleRUGBY HEINEKEN CUP PREVIEW Ospreys v London Irish: LONDON IRISH coach Toby Booth has made three changes and two positional switches…Fri Oct 15 2010 - 01:00
Saracens pay penalty for early missesHEINEKEN CUP ROUND-UP: SARACENS DIRECTOR of rugby Brendan Venter missed his club’s trip to Marcel Michelin because of a family…Mon Oct 11 2010 - 01:00
Blue line derails Racing MetroPOOL TWO LEINSTER v RACING METRO: Leinster 38, Racing Metro 22 : JOE SCHMIDT’S post-match observation that “it’s the perfect…Mon Oct 11 2010 - 01:00
Leinster must aspire to reach higher groundRUGBY: PRE-MATCH conjecture had been enlivened by the uncertainty as to who would wear the respective number 10 jerseys in today…Sat Oct 9 2010 - 01:00
Ulster must state their intentRUGBY: THIS MATCH should be regarded as a statement of intent from Ulster in the context of their Heineken Cup campaignFri Oct 8 2010 - 01:00
Gibbes confident Sexton will make starting line-upRUGBY: LEINSTER WILL wait until lunch-time today before confirming their side for tomorrow’s opening Heineken Cup match against…Fri Oct 8 2010 - 01:00
Day one timelineGOLF/7.30am: There are very few seats left in the grandstand around the first tee; lots of umbrellas, raingear and excitement…Sat Oct 2 2010 - 01:00
Eyes on the prizeMontgomerie’s Ryder Cup record is exemplary, but as captain he’s wise enough to draw on the strengths of others to achieve victory…Wed Sep 29 2010 - 01:00