Close it may be in the Six Nations, but sexy it ain'tOn Rugby: For interest's sake, it's perhaps no harm that this is perhaps the most open Six Nations since it became a sextet …Tue Feb 28 2006 - 00:00
Leading characters will play no partRUGBY/Six Nations Championship, Ireland v Wales: Ireland's pack leader, Paul O'Connell, having been deemed hors de combat, the…Wed Feb 22 2006 - 00:00
Welsh saga has a touch of Saipan about itGerry Thornley On Rugby: Comparisons have been made with Eddie O'Sullivan's accession to the throne which was, eh, vacated by…Tue Feb 21 2006 - 00:00
Leinster duo get call-up to Irish squadNews : Injuries to Anthony Foley and John Kelly have prevented them from rejoining the expanded 31-man Ireland squad, which …Mon Feb 20 2006 - 00:00
Depleted Munster should still have the edgeMunster v Glasgow: Munster don't have too many scores to settle this season, but this is definitely oneSat Feb 18 2006 - 00:00
Connacht hope to bring their A game to bearConnacht v Llanelli: Curiously, this fixture has rarely gone the way of the home team, until finally the Scarlets beat Connacht…Sat Feb 18 2006 - 00:00
O'Sullivan insists the stats back up tacticsRUGBY/Six Nations Championship: Eddie O'Sullivan will give Paul O'Connell every chance to recover from the A/C shoulder joint…Wed Feb 15 2006 - 00:00
Ireland have many lessons to learnOn Rugby: So many conflicting messages have emerged from an absorbing first two rounds of the Six Nations that it's hard to …Tue Feb 14 2006 - 00:00
O'Connell a serious doubtPaul O'Connell remains a serious doubt for Ireland's pivotal Six Nations game at home to Wales on Sunday week after a scan on…Tue Feb 14 2006 - 00:00
Humphreys to end Test careerRUGBY: David Humphreys, Ireland's most capped outhalf, is set to retire from Test rugby at the end of the Six NationsTue Feb 14 2006 - 00:00
It's a long way from Zaire to hereFrance v Ireland Yannick Nyanga You don't have to spend too long in Yannick Nyanga's company to appreciate why he is such an…Fri Feb 10 2006 - 00:00
Ireland selection greener than usualA International France v Ireland There is an exceptionally developmental look to what must be the most inexperienced Irish A…Wed Feb 08 2006 - 00:00
Ireland do not look like happy campersOn Rugby: What's the difference, Jason White was asked after their stunning win over France, between this Scottish team and…Tue Feb 07 2006 - 00:00
Referee in no doubt Irish tries were goodIreland v Italy : The performance of the English referee Dave Pearson prompted understandable anger from the Italians at Lansdowne…Mon Feb 06 2006 - 00:00
Fool's Day feast will feature triple-headerEuropean cup : Munster will kick off their quarter-final against Perpignan at Lansdowne Road shortly after the finish of the…Wed Jan 25 2006 - 00:00
Munster need Leinster favour againRUGBY / European cup : Admittedly a flight of fancy anyway, the notion of Leinster and Munster meeting in an all-Irish final…Wed Jan 25 2006 - 00:00
Defeat not an option for Irish provincesOn Rugby: Even more than the weekend just past, next weekend's final round of Heineken European pool games promises to be a …Tue Jan 17 2006 - 00:00
Traditional means to serve MunsterEuropean Cup/Castres Olympique v Munster: They tend not to do things straightforwardly, but rarely have Munster been in as tight…Fri Jan 13 2006 - 00:00
Easterby's eye injury not as bad as fearedNews : The unfortunate Simon Easterby, Ireland's captain against New Zealand and Australia in November, has tended to look like…Tue Dec 20 2005 - 00:00
Qualifying hopes take poundingHeineken Cup : For seven seasons in a row Irish rugby has had at least one quarter-finalist, sometimes two, in the Heineken …Mon Dec 19 2005 - 00:00
Munster must be patientRUGBY / Heineken Cup / Munster v Dragons : Even when they win, Munster can't winSat Dec 17 2005 - 00:00
Ulster ready to take hardline in another dogfightHeineken Cup / Saracens v Ulster : Ulster's trek to Vicarage Road to face a vengeful Saracens highlights the difficulty in obtaining…Sat Dec 17 2005 - 00:00
O'Driscoll extends contract with IRFURUGBY: The news that Ireland and Leinster captain Brian O'Driscoll has extended his contract with the IRFU until the end of …Wed Dec 14 2005 - 00:00
Payne set to return against DragonsEuropean Cup News: As expected Shaun Payne and Federico Pucciariello both return to an expanded 27-man squad for Munster's return…Wed Dec 14 2005 - 00:00
Leinster may need to earn the points this timeHeineken Cup / Leinster v Bourgoin : So, will the real Bourgoin turn up today? This, undoubtedly, is the major talking point…Sat Dec 10 2005 - 00:00
Kidney looks at the positivesCeltic League: Did Munster's pride get the better of their judgment? Admittedly, declining the chance of an equalising penalty…Mon Dec 05 2005 - 00:00
Even a weakened Munster are formidableMunster v Ulster, Musgrave Park, Today, 7Sat Dec 03 2005 - 00:00
Frustrated Wallabies show Jones the doorRUGBY : The decision to sack Eddie Jones as Australia's head coach, following a run of one win in nine matches after four-and…Sat Dec 03 2005 - 00:00
North end ready for ItalyThe IRFU will this week receive a full engineer's report into the remedial work needed if the terracing at the Havelock Square…Tue Nov 29 2005 - 00:00
There are alternatives to O'SullivanOn Rugby: Some time this week, as is custom after the Six Nations and the November internationals, the IRFU's Appointments Committee…Tue Nov 29 2005 - 00:00
O'Sullivan must share in the blameOn Rugby: The wheels appear to be coming off Team IrelandTue Nov 22 2005 - 00:00
Free spirit still locked on to the breakdownIreland v Australia: Donncha O'Callaghan is keen to add grace notes to his repertoire but wont ever shun the piano shifting, …Sat Nov 19 2005 - 00:00
O'Sullivan foresees brighter times all roundPerhaps it's a portent of better things, or at any rate a better gameSat Nov 19 2005 - 00:00
Henry happy for test of strengthWindswept and rainswept, all was hardly set fair for the captain's day runs at Lansdowne Road yesterday and, while Eddie O'Sullivan…Sat Nov 12 2005 - 00:00
O'Sullivan takes the bold approachIreland Team Selection: Whereas the All Blacks may be construed as being disrespectful to Ireland, Eddie O'Sullivan cannot be…Wed Nov 09 2005 - 00:00
Back in familiar territoryCome kick-off on Saturday the All Blacks may have as few as four of the team that was there for the start of the last meeting…Tue Nov 08 2005 - 00:00
All Blacks tours not what they used to beOn Rugby: Rarely can a tour be as resonant with history as the centenary tour being undertaken by the All BlacksTue Nov 08 2005 - 00:00
Carter may get call againInternational News: Daniel Carter missed yesterday's work-out with the All Blacks but the outhalf of all the talents may yet…Tue Nov 08 2005 - 00:00
All calm as All Blacks hit townRUGBY: There were no demonstrations, no placards, no stone-throwing or rocking of the team busMon Nov 07 2005 - 00:00
Injuries enforce delay in final cutIreland squad v New Zealand: Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has pruned his squad to 24 for the first of the autumn internationals…Thu Nov 03 2005 - 00:00
Flair taking back seat as fear drives coachesOn Rugby: Maybe teams are only getting into their stride, maybe it's the safety-first attitude of coaches and players fearful…Tue Nov 01 2005 - 00:00
Not just a shoulder ripping yarnA man came up to Brian O'Driscoll in the street during the week: "I'm a Gaelic football man myself but jaysus, I love the hard…Sat Oct 29 2005 - 01:00
Leinster left with no room for errorEuropean Cup Pool Five Preview/Glasgow v Leinster: A point of no return for Leinster? The history of the Heineken Cup shows …Sat Oct 29 2005 - 01:00
Double hit makes next weekend a cliffhangerOn Rugby: It's not the first time Leinster and Munster have lost on the same weekendTue Oct 25 2005 - 01:00
Aim is to spread the gospelJapan's bid for 2011 World Cup: It is a measure of the importance which Japan attaches to its bid for the 2011 World Cup and…Tue Oct 25 2005 - 01:00
Leinster pace can create the openingsHeineken Cup / Pool Five Preview / Leinster v Bath: Maybe it was the damp, dreary weather but the pessimists of doom seem to…Sat Oct 22 2005 - 01:00
All Blacks to honour Ramelton legendAlways conscious of their rich rugby heritage, the All Blacks will visit Ramelton, Co Donegal on November 9th, three days before…Fri Oct 21 2005 - 01:00
Munster are still best of the IrishRUGBY/European Cup: It's the essence of European rugby and it's back, and not a moment too soonFri Oct 21 2005 - 01:00
Sharks look to have some real teethHeineken Cup / Pool One Preview / Sale v Munster: A handy one for Munster to start with thenFri Oct 21 2005 - 01:00
