Rugby finally in Páirc Uí Chaoimh; battle of the scrumhalves set to continue

“Thursday night’s game reflects the sporting world we live in now: you can be mad about Cork and passionate about Munster and have a weakness for Liverpool, and maybe once in a while, turn up in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on a winter’s evening to watch rugby.” Denis Walsh looks at the visit of a Springboks XV side to take on Munster in Cork this week, using it to turn the clocks back and analyse the decision to allow rugby and soccer to use Croke Park during the noughties. There are parts of the GAA that contain a competitive ecumenism, a fear of losing talent to apparent competitors. But the reality is that GAA stars are more likely to traverse down under than switch codes to the oval ball at home, and the decision to let rugby into Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a symbol of such archaic thinking’s demise.

In terms of the rugby action against the Springboks’ full side, Johnny Watterson analyses the scrumhalf performances of Conor Murray and Jamison Gibson-Park. Saturday night confirmed how the two players have two distinct styles; the question for Andy Farrell is which one he wants for a given clash. Further out wide - well, not necessarily all the time - Mack Hansen showed the virtue of Ireland’s system that allows is wingers to come infield looking for work. It is a role the Connacht man is relishing: “I think the more that us wings are getting involved and coming off the wing, the more it’s going to help create extra numbers.” What about the red card that wasn’t? John O’Sullivan takes a look at rugby’s law book in arguing that the sport’s governing body needs to clamp down on what was an incredibly dangerous incident.

In soccer, Shelbourne completed the league and cup double after taking victory in the FAI Cup final over Athlone on Sunday afternoon. Jessie Stapleton and Pearl Slattery bagged the crucial goals at Tallaght Stadium in a 2-0 victory. On the men’s side of things, Shamrock Rovers’ victory over UCD in the final round of the season served to further increase their title-winning margin. Over in the Premier League, Arsenal retook top spot in the table after an impressive win over Chelsea, while Liverpool returned to winning ways thanks to Mo Salah’s double over Spurs.

“On the whole we tend to be a modest people, but sometimes, Lord, it’s so hard to be humble when you prove to be perfect in not just one but two areas of life. We’re talking pommel horse and rugby here.” In a bumper weekend for Irish sport, to go alongside the win over South Africa Rhys McClenaghan became the country’s first gymnastics world champion after taking gold on the pommel horse. Mary Hannigan looks back on coverage of the weekend that was.