After much deliberation . . . this is the year aheadOn account of a pact with an evil-looking gentleman with cloven feet, a large fork, a sheepskin overcoat and a hip flask, this…Tue Dec 28 2004 - 00:00
Very few teams can afford to relaxAnd then there were 18? Two-thirds of the way through the Heineken European Cup pool stages, 48 matches having been played, and…Tue Dec 14 2004 - 00:00
Bourgoin not the first team to roll overThe Heineken European Cup doesn't really do dull, does it? The first round of the so-called Battle of Britain between Wasps and…Tue Dec 07 2004 - 00:00
Chips with everything: Triple Crown revisitedSports Books 2004/Rugby: Of all the sports literature out there in our book shops, rugby is one of the mostly poorly served - …Sat Dec 04 2004 - 00:00
Leinster will look to push for bonus pointEuropean Cup/Leinster v Bourgoin Lansdowne Road, 5Sat Dec 04 2004 - 00:00
Gouging not on, but IRB give Pumas cause for ireOn Rugby: No doubt there'll be hard-nosed aficionados of a bygone era who will have scoffed at the Irish management going public…Tue Nov 30 2004 - 00:00
No citings to follow claims of gougingIRELAND V ARGENTINA: Inconclusive video evidence means no action will be taken against any Argentinian players following accusations…Mon Nov 29 2004 - 00:00
Cut out to be a middle man after allShane Horgan interview: Funny, isn't it? For four years he'd been a top-class Leinster centre who supposedly couldn't cut it…Sat Nov 27 2004 - 00:00
Argentina take the hardlineNews round-up: Argentina have restated their demands that their leading players be released for the Pumas' Test match against…Thu Nov 25 2004 - 00:00
Pumas' mix of familiar and newArgentina name team: Like their hosts, Argentina renew old acquaintances with Ireland this Saturday at Lansdowne Road on the…Thu Nov 25 2004 - 00:00
O'Connor is the main doubtIreland team to play Argentina: Given the chance Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is no different from any other coach in that…Wed Nov 24 2004 - 00:00
Pumas will arrive hungry for revengeRecent history has taught Ireland when the Pumas come into view, any notions of grandeur can be dispelled.Tue Nov 23 2004 - 00:00
A witty and colourful writerDeath of Karl Johnston: The death of Karl Johnston (70), the former rugby correspondent of the Irish Press and latterly the …Mon Nov 22 2004 - 00:00
Eagles' wings to be clipped with easeIt is a curious billing: the giants of Ireland against the minnows of AmericaSat Nov 20 2004 - 00:00
Brennan in injury scareTrevor Brennan was detained overnight in hospital after being stretchered off following a heavy collision while playing for Toulouse…Sat Nov 20 2004 - 00:00
O'Connor key to open game planAutumn Internationals: First and foremost, bumping into the Springboks in the coalface of Test match rugby is a test of one'…Wed Nov 10 2004 - 00:00
Ireland to bear brunt of the backlashOn Rugby: There will have been more than enough meat in the recipe served up by the Springboks last Saturday at the Millennium…Tue Nov 09 2004 - 00:00
Pattern still unpredictable but logic says LeinsterCeltic League Round Eight Strange, isn't it, the way sport throws up some odd, almost illogical patternsFri Nov 05 2004 - 00:00
D'Arcy may be out until New YearThe extent of Gordon D'Arcy's injury and forthcoming lay-off remained unclear last night after a scan on the groin muscle injury…Tue Nov 02 2004 - 00:00
Holwell makes Kidney's pointOn Rugby: Whenever Declan Kidney has been asked about David Holwell, either on his arrival or before or after any of his four…Tue Nov 02 2004 - 00:00
Munster well equipped to ground OspreysN-S Ospreys v Munster: There's a palpable fear in the air about the prospects for the Irish provinces as they head into a fairly…Sat Oct 30 2004 - 01:00
Provinces facing early must-win gamesThere's always a danger in reading too much into just one round of the Heineken European Cup, especially the opening weekendTue Oct 26 2004 - 01:00
Munster must start well to win wellPREVIEW/Pool Five: So begins Munster's latest European Cup odysseySat Oct 23 2004 - 01:00
Ulster's chance to revive seasonEuropean Cup Preview: Andy Ward having been declared fit, no doubt the Ulster captain and his side will be striving to make …Fri Oct 22 2004 - 01:00
Driven to lead from the frontAndy Ward interview: It would kill Andy Ward not to be leading Ulster out in their Heineken European Cup opener tomorrow night…Thu Oct 21 2004 - 01:00
Faraway fields aren't always greenerOn Rugby: We're into the beef of the season now, albeit swilled with amber nectarTue Oct 19 2004 - 01:00
Kelly comes to Ulster's defenceEvery one else is doing it, so why can't we? Recognising the need to strengthen their defence, Ulster have co-opted the former…Tue Oct 19 2004 - 01:00
Europe looms large in provinces' preparationsOn Rugby: Allowing for Ulster's third successive Ravenhill defeat, overall it was a pretty encouraging weekend for the Irish…Tue Oct 12 2004 - 01:00
Stradley Park holds no fearsLlanelli v Connacht: It's been the story of Connacht's season that they meet sides on the rebound from a defeat, and Llanelli…Sat Oct 09 2004 - 01:00
Leinster try to lay old bogeyLeinster v Edinburgh: As Australian commentators like to exclaim: Try TimeSat Oct 09 2004 - 01:00
Positive thinker leading the wayCeltic League: It's an unlikely story, in many ways, how a 24-year-old Aussie ended up captaining Connacht in only his second…Sat Oct 09 2004 - 01:00
Munster need to show patienceGlasgow v Munster: Munster will hope that they turned a corner of sorts last week, but if their first win of the season at the…Sat Oct 09 2004 - 01:00
Connacht reshuffledIt appears Michael Bradley has reverted to the rotational system of last season for Connacht's penultimate outing before their…Fri Oct 08 2004 - 01:00
McMillan loss dents Friday feelingCeltic League/Ulster v Newport Gwent Dragons: The build-up to Ulster's eagerly awaited return to Friday night rugby at Ravenhill…Fri Oct 08 2004 - 01:00
Woodward paints a winning self-portraitOn Rugby: The funny thing about Clive Woodward's recently published autobiographical account of England's journey to become …Tue Oct 05 2004 - 01:00
Quiet man is proving a handful on pitchCeltic League: He's a big bear of a boy, who was seemingly born to play this gameSat Oct 02 2004 - 01:00
Elwood backConnacht have made four changes and one positional switch ahead of Saturday's round-five clash with the Borders at the Sportsground…Fri Oct 01 2004 - 01:00
Kidney planning for a happy returnThe circumstances of Declan Kidney's arrival in Leinster via, fleetingly, the Dragons, allied to the return of Brian O'Driscoll…Fri Oct 01 2004 - 01:00
Provinces expect to meet ERC deadlineRugby News: Leinster and Munster expect to complete the signings of David Holwell and Paul Devlin, respectively, in time for…Wed Sept 29 2004 - 01:00
Clubs and Union still not talking over cutsRUGBY: All would seem to be quiet and harmonious on the All-Ireland League front, but underneath, discontent is clearly still…Tue Sept 28 2004 - 01:00
Leinster rediscover that Friday night feverLeinster 50 Borders 13: The Friday night Donnybrook experience returned in style last nightSat Sept 25 2004 - 01:00
Ulster prepared for tough test from OspreysUlster v N/S Ospreys: After a fortnight of pure domesticity, at last we have a meaty Irish-Welsh contest to get tucked into…Sat Sept 25 2004 - 01:00
Fine-tuned and still with the full repertoireCeltic League/Interview with Denis Hickie: As is the way in this country, the prophets of doom were whispering away on the sidelines…Fri Sept 24 2004 - 01:00
Ulster are primed not to fall prey to form sideCeltic League: The Celtic League palpably cranks up a notch or two this weekend, thanks in the main to the meeting of last year…Wed Sept 22 2004 - 01:00
Kidney decides to make eight changesFrom a position where they had been the most settled of the Irish provinces, all has changed for Leinster's Celtic League match…Wed Sept 22 2004 - 01:00
Munster to sharpen set-piece game planRUGBY/Celtic League previews: No O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Horgan, Dempsey, O'Gara, Stringer, Corrigan, Byrne, Horan, O'Connell, O…Sat Sept 18 2004 - 01:00
