Spark back as leading players find their nicheIreland 34 Scotland 13: IRELAND DID unto Scotland what France had done to them, and indeed the Scots, beforehandMon Feb 25 2008 - 00:00
Careering coaches' collision course setRARELY HAVE three rounds felt like such glorified warm-up actsMon Feb 25 2008 - 00:00
Hadden opts for four wingersFacing the prospect of a third defeat in three games after last season's latest wooden spoon, Frank Hadden is a coach under pressure…Wed Feb 20 2008 - 00:00
Rotation system victim of negative spinOn Rugby: Perceived wisdom has it that "experimenting" or "rotating" squads is not as conducive to winning as having a settled…Tue Feb 19 2008 - 00:00
Les Bleus keep faith and change hymn sheetRUGBY: The first year of a "World Cup cycle" is the time to implement change, introducing new players and approaches, as well…Thu Feb 07 2008 - 00:00
Ashton out to produce a different EnglandSIX NATIONS COUNTDOWN: One of the curiosities of this tournament is that it features two former Ireland coaches, and they go…Tue Jan 29 2008 - 00:00
O'Connell to miss early Six Nations matchesAs expected, the Munster and Ireland secondrow Paul O'Connell has been ruled out of the initial stages of the Six Nations Championship…Mon Jan 14 2008 - 00:00
Munster to do it the hard wayClermont Auvergne v Munster: Munster are not quite in the same fettle as when they completed back-to-back wins over Llanelli…Sat Jan 12 2008 - 00:00
French leave nothing to chanceEuropean Cup news: Leinster and Munster renew acquaintances with their French foes in the Heineken European Cup this weekend…Tue Jan 08 2008 - 00:00
Fate is not always Connacht's best friendOn Rugby: It often takes an outsider of more independent thinking to make the most telling observations, and so it was that …Tue Jan 08 2008 - 00:00
Leinster to pack a stronger punchLeinster v Ospreys: The Irish provinces have copped a fair amount of flak over the years for denuding the Magners League, but…Sat Jan 05 2008 - 00:00
Debney is thrown in at the deep endEuropean Cup Referee appointments: English referee Rob Debney has been appointed to referee Munster's crunch Heineken Cup game…Sat Jan 05 2008 - 00:00
Fresh faces bring added intrigueUlster v Munster: A fixture that might not have carried its recent lustre is given added intrigue by the presence of Matt Williams…Fri Jan 04 2008 - 00:00
What's not in there is far more revealingAt first glance, the IRFU's statement on foot of the review by management consultants Genesis into Ireland's World Cup sheds …Wed Dec 19 2007 - 00:00
Review sheds little light on failureRUGBY: The IRFU last night issued a statement at around 9Tue Dec 18 2007 - 00:00
Williams closer to getting Ulster jobMatt Williams' status as favourite to fill the vacancy as Ulster coach caused by the resignation of Mark McCall last month has…Tue Dec 18 2007 - 00:00
Expect a backlash rather than a back-to-backOn Rugby Watching the outdoor sporting events of the last week or so in Europe, the thought occurred that if Jose Mourinho was…Tue Dec 11 2007 - 00:00
Munster in need can be Munster in deedPool Five/Llanelli Scarlets v Munster: Ever the drama kings and never ones to do things in a routine manner, Munster face up…Sat Dec 08 2007 - 00:00
Hayman starts for focused FalconsChallenge Cup/Connacht v Newcastle: This evening's arrival of the Falcons will ultimately not amount to Connacht's most important…Fri Dec 07 2007 - 00:00
Hurley's class gives Cork Constitution the edgeAll-Ireland League First Division The AIB All-Ireland League First Division table is starting to take a familiar shapeMon Dec 03 2007 - 00:00
Banter with Contepomi to add to the excitementFor much of the time, the subject of 'sledging' is ignored in the context of rugby, but the ongoing rivalry between certain Munster…Fri Nov 30 2007 - 00:00
Safeguard the clubs to net more talentOn Rugby The problem with Ireland's pyramid structure, from schools, academies, clubs through to provinces and the international…Tue Nov 27 2007 - 00:00
Great entertainers promise night of funPool Six: Toulouse v Leinster Stade Ernest Wallon Tomorrow, 8pm On TV: Sky Sports 2: The feeling persisted in the build-up to…Sat Nov 17 2007 - 00:00
Clermont change it around for ThomondIn what looks like an enviable statement of their strength in depth, and perhaps their aspirations in Thomond Park on Sunday …Fri Nov 16 2007 - 00:00
O'Gara reflects on a game that was left behindPool Five: By rights, no visiting side should be too downcast about coming within a point of the reigning European champions…Mon Nov 12 2007 - 00:00
Munster have knack of thriving on fear factorWasps v Munster: Unlike in the World Cup, half the 24 teams in the Heineken European Cup teams can realistically consider themselves…Sat Nov 10 2007 - 00:00
Running show in an unflustered mannerChris Whitaker Interview: It may not be entirely coincidental the four games in which Chris Whitaker has played for Leinster…Fri Nov 09 2007 - 00:00
Provinces need to hit ground runningEuropean Cup The Heineken European Cup is back to revive the flagging parts of Irish rugby that the World Cup couldn't reach…Tue Nov 06 2007 - 00:00
Statistics can expose some truthsOn Rugby The IRB have just completed their statistical analysis on the World Cup and the welter of stats reaffirm, for the most…Tue Nov 06 2007 - 00:00
'It's a dream come true' for SmitMatch reaction : The English players having received their runners-up medals from the outgoing IRB president, Syd Millar, like…Mon Oct 22 2007 - 01:00
War of words between campsThird place play-off/ France v Argentina : Were it a heavyweight boxing fight for some obscure title, with the distinctive coiffure…Fri Oct 19 2007 - 01:00
England's World Cup final sideEngland's bunch of merry men, misfits, crocks, has beens and, oh yes, World Cup finalists.Thu Oct 18 2007 - 01:00
Laporte missed opportunity of lifetimeOn Rugby It's a fickle game and no doubt about itTue Oct 16 2007 - 01:00
Laporte sticks with the right formulaIn advance of their hour and 20 minutes of greatest need, Bernard Laporte and the French think tank devised a selection containing…Thu Oct 11 2007 - 01:00
No longer afraid of heightsThere have been many unlikely heroes in England's even more unlikely march to the World Cup semi-finals from the origins of their…Wed Oct 10 2007 - 01:00
Cardiff bliss the day rugby world turnedOn Rugby: The IRB and their grandees are lucky boyosTue Oct 09 2007 - 01:00
France less than happy in cloudy, chilly WalesL'Horizon est noir ran a headline in L'Equipe after the weekend confirmed their quarter-final fate, and the French countenance…Wed Oct 03 2007 - 01:00
Let the spinning stop and O'Sullivan goOn Rugby: The final table tells no liesTue Oct 02 2007 - 01:00
Dogfight is all about the bonusIn the event of two sides finishing level, the first criterion for deciding the final rankings will be the result of the head…Sat Sept 29 2007 - 01:00
This Wasp has earned his stripesPool D/Ireland v Argentina: Gerry Thornley on the scrumhalf's long and grinding road to starting for Ireland in crunch World…Sat Sept 29 2007 - 01:00
How the miracle might be realisedOn Rugby: Okay, amid all the doom and gloom let's be positive for one dayTue Sept 25 2007 - 01:00
Three wise men in need of a miracleIreland in crisis: Eddie O'Sullivan clings to the mantra that Ireland were drawn in the "pool of death" and that, well, it …Mon Sept 24 2007 - 01:00
Everyone needs to ping from same hymn sheetLetter From Bordeaux: It's true that the Southern Hemisphere big three scored 219 points between them in their opening matches…Fri Sept 14 2007 - 01:00
French reeling but Irish in worse spinLetter from Bordeaux: All went to form, of a sort, save for the opening game, and it is Argentina's win over France on opening…Tue Sept 11 2007 - 01:00
Ireland need emphatic victoryBy warming up so unimpressively and by selecting their strongest available side, Ireland have raised the stakes for themselves…Sat Sept 08 2007 - 01:00
Gorgeous city calm before the invasionLetter from Bordeaux: Save for the six national flags fluttering gently in the breeze below a huge flag bearing the Coupe du…Wed Sept 05 2007 - 01:00
All Black Howlett joins MunsterRUGBY: Munster last night confirmed they have signed the prolific All Blacks and Auckland Blues winger Doug HowlettSat Sept 01 2007 - 01:00
