Ireland v Italy: Andy Farrell’s team tick the boxes in Rugby World Cup warm-up winCaelan Doris stars with two tries while three players earn their first caps at the Aviva StadiumSat Aug 05 2023 - 22:36
Ireland v Italy: Victory over Azzurri will require concentration and commitment from Farrell’s menHistory of slow starts to World Cup warm-ups suggests caution needed against inventive and dangerous ItaliansSat Aug 05 2023 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: Why All Blacks and South Africa are more fancied for Rugby World Cup than IrelandRevived All Blacks arrive as joint-favourites while Ireland are rated third in the betting after South Africa at 5-1Sat Aug 05 2023 - 05:00
Iain Henderson: There’s been sessions in this preseason that’ve been the toughest in my careerIreland’s captain against Italy forecasts huge Irish career for fellow secondrow Joe McCarthySat Aug 05 2023 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: Calm before the storm as Ireland’s Rugby World Cup preparation buildsIreland have earned mantle of world's top side and deserve all the good will coming to themFri Aug 04 2023 - 18:01
Ireland vs Italy: Intriguing selection by Andy Farrell before Rugby World CupNovember encounter with Fiji a salutary warning ahead of winnable tournament, according to Ireland head coachFri Aug 04 2023 - 05:00
Ireland vs Italy: Jack Crowley named at outhalf for World Cup warm-up gameCraig Casey gets a start at scrumhalf, as opportunity knocks for Jacob StockdaleThu Aug 03 2023 - 14:04
Jack Conan: ‘I feel like I haven’t had the opportunity to perform on the world stage’The 31-year-old is ready for this autumn’s World Cup after a pre-season that he describes as the best he’s ever experiencedThu Aug 03 2023 - 10:11
Ireland vs Italy: Jack Crowley set to be given chance to state Rugby World Cup caseRugby World Cup: Cork outhalf likely to be partnered with Craig Casey for warm-up game against ItalyWed Aug 02 2023 - 20:58
Paul O’Connell: ‘I really like the way we’ve managed this preseason’ Forwards coach’s experience with national side has underlined how things have changed since his playing days in the green shirtWed Aug 02 2023 - 05:00
Paul O’Connell looking to the positives from Johnny Sexton’s suspensionThe Irish forwards coach intimated that Ross Byrne, Jack Crowley and Ciarán Frawley will all see some game timeTue Aug 01 2023 - 16:44
Ireland report clean bill of health for opening World Cup warm-up against ItalyJohnny Sexton is the only player missing out due to his suspensionMon Jul 31 2023 - 17:34
Lansdowne intend to keep YMCA ground as multi-sports facility after completing €6m purchase High-net worth individual assisted rugby club’s acquisition of prime 6.6 acre site beside Sandymount villageSat Jul 29 2023 - 01:00
IRFU aim to reach 40% gender balance target on union’s committee by the end of 2023 Former Munster player Greg Barrett named as new IRFU presidentFri Jul 28 2023 - 18:49
Relaxed Hugo Keenan building towards Rugby World Cup in France Constant challenge for Ireland is ‘to improve ourselves and try to improve more than the others’Fri Jul 28 2023 - 06:00
IRFU announce Scott Bemand as new Ireland Women’s head coach on three-year contractThe Englishman previously worked at lead coach with England women’s XVs teamThu Jul 27 2023 - 12:24
Simon Zebo backs Joey Carbery to ‘have a big season’ after missing out on World Cup ‘He got a bit of a rocket last year and his mindset is changed’ says his Munster colleagueThu Jul 27 2023 - 06:00
Tadhg Furlong on the impact of Paul O’Connell and the culture created by Andy Farrell Ireland and Lions tighthead says gutting Leinster loss can be used as motivationTue Jul 25 2023 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: A damned good season for Irish rugby was just one score short of perfectionMunster ended their 12-year trophy drought in impressive style, but Leinster’s brilliant rugby shouldn’t be forgotten eitherTue May 30 2023 - 05:00
It’s doubtful any Irish squad of around 43 players has ever been harder to muscle in onAndy Farrell’s training squad to be announced on Tuesday and to begin World Cup preparations in three weeksMon May 29 2023 - 20:30
Munster savour long-awaited triumph, to which so many contributed ‘It’s a special, special day,’ says Tadgh Beirne as players and staff hail fans, families and lost friendsMon May 29 2023 - 05:00
URC final: Graham Rowntree praises battle-hardened Munster for sticking to their gunsDeparting duo Ben Healy and Malakai Fekitoa picked out for particular praise for performances in Cape TownSun May 28 2023 - 17:18
Five things we learned from the URC final: Munster are back as the competition comes of ageMunster’s 100km long haul pays off - Rising tide lifts all boats - Final success a reward for bravery on and off pitchSun May 28 2023 - 14:30
‘This won’t sink in for a long time’: Jubilation in Cape Town as Munster end the 12-year droughtGraham Rowntree admitted that Saturday’s URC victory was the best day of his coaching careerSun May 28 2023 - 11:41
Munster showing no fear as they aim to end era of near missesThis fearless team are suddenly within one game of ending the droughtSat May 27 2023 - 05:00
Red Army backing Munster to carry the day against Stormers in URC Cape Town finalProvince has rediscovered best defensive qualities and combined these with old-fashioned grit in successful runSat May 27 2023 - 05:00
None of Leinster’s outside backs made a pass in the final - a remarkable and telling statIt’s harder to argue that Leinster should have won, La Rochelle dominated possession and didn’t allow them toFri May 26 2023 - 17:31
Stormers head coach plays down video of his players celebrating Munster’s win over LeinsterA video of Joseph Dweba leading the Stormers celebrations was leaked on social mediaFri May 26 2023 - 15:58
Conor Murray, Malakai Fekitoa and Calvin Nash return to Munster line-up for URC finalThe trio have completed their return to play protocols following the head injuries they received in the quarter-final against GlasgowFri May 26 2023 - 12:59
Caolan Dooley crowns memorable season with fitting personal awardMunster native played a crucial role in Terenure College’s historic first All-Ireland League triumph, scoring 30 points in the final win over ClontarfFri May 26 2023 - 05:00
Gerry Thornley: Nienaber bringing a new voice to Leinster may now prove perfectly timedOnly the finest of margins denied Leinster the Champions Cup on Saturday, yet they do still need to take a good look at themselvesTue May 23 2023 - 06:00
There’ll be no mixed emotions for CJ Stander when Munster face the Stormers The number eight joined Munster a season after winning their last trophy in 2011Tue May 23 2023 - 05:00
Munster welcome back key quartet for URC decider as they prepare to fly to Cape TownMalakai Fekitoa, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and RG Snyman available for final against StormersMon May 22 2023 - 13:01
Five things we learned from the Champions Cup final: Leinster fans need to up their gameO’Gara points to the psychological damage inflicted on Cullen’s men by another excruciating defeatSun May 21 2023 - 20:17
EPCR likely to investigate allegations of tunnel row involving Ronan O’Gara and Johnny SextonThe direction it then takes will most likely hinge on Jaco Peyper’s version of eventsSun May 21 2023 - 13:58
‘Some day, we will get over the line’: Leo Cullen not losing faith after Champions Cup final lossGrégory Alldritt complains of disrespect from Leinster captain James Ryan before the gameSat May 20 2023 - 22:19
Leinster left to rue one that got away as La Rochelle break their hearts againChampions Cup final: Heartbreak for the Irish province as they lose despite 17-point leadSat May 20 2023 - 19:42
Leinster can bury bitter memory and collect fifth title but there’s no easy way past La Rochelle Ronan O’Gara’s defending champions look like the team best equipped to hurt LeinsterSat May 20 2023 - 06:00
‘He’s learnt a huge amount from Johnny’: Leinster’s Ross Byrne primed to star on the biggest stageNo one can question the durability and consistency of Leinster’s outhalfSat May 20 2023 - 05:00
Leinster gear up ahead of Champions Cup final, “everyone is nervous because they want to do their best”O’Gara welcomes thought of his team entering the lion’s den: ‘I’m extremely excited about it’Fri May 19 2023 - 19:00
Gerry Thornley: Irish coaching talent is now more prized than ever before – well, abroad anywayMore opportunities need to be found for Irish coaches to bring the skills sharpened overseas to benefit the game hereFri May 19 2023 - 18:21
Robbie Henshaw and James Lowe come into Leinster team for Champions Cup finalLeo Cullen says no issue with Tadhg Furlong despite tighthead sitting out captain’s runFri May 19 2023 - 14:59
James Coughlan on La Rochelle: ‘I think they’re actually even better than last year to be honest with you’Former Munster backrower makes Ronan O’Gara’s side slight favourites for the Champions CupFri May 19 2023 - 06:00
Leinster’s Josh van der Flier looking to secure some Champions Cup final memories of his own World player of the year is still waiting to win a Champions Cup decider on the pitchFri May 19 2023 - 06:00
Terenure’s kicking king Caolan Dooley wins AIL Division 1A player of the seasonMichelle Claffey of Blackrock College wins women’s AIL player of the season as awards are handed outFri May 19 2023 - 00:01
Andrew Porter: ‘To be able to do this is once-in-a-lifetime stuff’The Leinster forward says there ‘couldn’t be a more fitting end to the season’ than playing the Champions Cup final in Dublin against La RochelleThu May 18 2023 - 06:00
Caelan Doris named Irish Players’ Player of the Year for 2023 The women’s XVs Players’ Player of the Year award has gone to Neve JonesWed May 17 2023 - 21:00
Stuart Lancaster sees Leinster in his future plans as he prepares to bow out for nowDeparting senior coach maintains Champions Cup final will not define his time at LeinsterTue May 16 2023 - 06:00
Gerry Thornley: Maybe it’s good that defeat by Munster puts pressure on Leinster to beat La RochelleThere’s no escaping the fact that ending the season empty-handed would feel like an underachievement for Leo Cullen’s menTue May 16 2023 - 05:00
Leinster boosted by return of James Lowe for Champions Cup finalCian Healy, Rónan Kelleher and Robbie Henshaw all came through URC semi-final but Will Connors ruled outMon May 15 2023 - 15:51