Bradley's men need bonus of victoryRugby Under-21 World Cup: Such is the narrow margin for error in the Under-21 World Cup that in their second match of the competition…Tue Jun 17 2003 - 01:00
All change at ConnachtNews round-up: The extent of the turnover in personnel at Connacht in the close-season was made apparent yesterday with the …Wed Jun 11 2003 - 01:00
Munster and Gloucester renew rivalryEuropean Cup Draw: The draw for next season's Heineken European Cup provided a strong whiff of déjà vu yesterday which, for…Wed Jun 04 2003 - 01:00
Gatland and Wasps close to summitWarren Gatland stands within one game of perhaps the biggest achievement of his coaching career when Wasps take on Gloucester…Sat May 31 2003 - 01:00
Smyth has hooked up with RotherhamRugby: Peter Smyth, the 25-year-old Leinster hooker, has become the latest to join the exodus of provincial players after agreeing…Sat May 31 2003 - 01:00
Murphy centre stageIn what would be a radical move, Geordan Murphy is apparently being considered as an alternative for Brian O'Driscoll at outside…Sat May 31 2003 - 01:00
Mix-up regrettable - ERC chiefThe ERC chief executive, Derek McGrath, has voiced his regret over the ticketing policy at the gates of Lansdowne Road for last…Fri May 30 2003 - 01:00
Collins survives coupDorothy Collins was re-elected as honorary secretary of the Leinster Branch at their a.g.mFri May 30 2003 - 01:00
Leinster face another riftIn an already discordant month for Leinster rugby, the branch a.g.mWed May 28 2003 - 01:00
Bruiser uses diplomacy on day of vindicationIt was a triumphant day for the ERC, for Toulouse, for Guy Noves and, of course, for Trevor BrennanMon May 26 2003 - 01:00
Toulouse have cutting edgeOkay, so it has a more Gallic than Gaelic flavour but, heaven's above, a European Cup final is about to take place on our doorstep…Sat May 24 2003 - 01:00
ERC welcome renewal of sponsorship dealOn the eve of its eighth final, the European Cup received a major boost yesterday when tournament organisers announced Heineken…Sat May 24 2003 - 01:00
Toulouse have cutting edgeEuropean Cup final: Okay, so it has a more Gallic than Gaelic flavour but, heaven's above, a European Cup final is about to …Sat May 24 2003 - 01:00
Spooner is left with few optionsRUGBY: Proof, if it were needed, that in the professional rugby game the players are ultimately pieces of meat has been vividly…Fri May 23 2003 - 01:00
Latham turns down Munster moveRugby News: A slightly embittered war of words has broken out between Munster coach Alan Gaffney and Chris Latham after the …Wed May 21 2003 - 01:00
O'Driscoll's absence leaves void at the backInternational news: As expected Brian O'Driscoll has been excused duty from the forthcoming tour of Australia, Tonga and Samoa…Wed May 21 2003 - 01:00
Playing waiting game European CupPolitics and sport made happy bedfellows in the Mansion House yesterday as ERC officials, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, representatives…Wed May 21 2003 - 01:00
Clontarf can be an inspiration to othersOn Rugby: Much like junk food and junk movies, play-offs are seemingly a necessary evil in modern-day sport, writes Gerry Thornley…Tue May 13 2003 - 01:00
Player cleared over drug useAn unnamed All-Ireland League Division One player has been cleared by the IRFU of any wrongdoing despite taking a substance which…Fri May 09 2003 - 01:00
Players must survive new trialsA rebirth of the once obligatory but gradually derided Final Trial was hardly what the players of Munster and Leinster especially…Fri May 09 2003 - 01:00
IRFU line up trial matchReinvoking memories of the defunct Final Trial, a Whites selection will meet a Colours selection in what has been termed a "pre…Tue May 06 2003 - 01:00
Ballymena have the real edgeLansdowne v Ballymena Lansdowne are the form team of the four semi-finalists, having won nine on the spin and helped themselves…Sat May 03 2003 - 01:00
Clontarf can take controlClontarf v Buccaneers Being at home, whereas their debut in last season's semi-finals was away to eventual winners Shannon, …Sat May 03 2003 - 01:00
ERC insist final is at LansdowneDespite a growing French campaign to have the Heineken European Cup final between Toulouse and Perpignan re-routed from Dublin…Wed Apr 30 2003 - 01:00
Perpignan's bite is deepLeinster 14 Perpignan - 21: European Cup Semi-Finals: Rugby, said Matt Williams wryly yesterday, has a funny habit of rearing…Mon Apr 28 2003 - 01:00
Spirit of adventure provides the spark to take on ToulouseInterview with Anthony Foley: No opponents mark out Munster's territorial advances in Europe quite like the games against Toulouse…Thu Apr 24 2003 - 01:00
Try feast as fates are sealedWith the sun on their backs, hard grounds underfoot, and the customary end-of-season pursuit of bonus points, 156 tries decorated…Mon Apr 21 2003 - 01:00
It's all in the bounce of the ballAs Marc Stcherbina led the chase to the last-play kick downfield by Ovidiu Tonita, lives seemed to flash before our eyesMon Apr 14 2003 - 01:00
Motivation will certainly not be a problemAnother England-Ireland showdown, another Leicester-Munster showdown. Not that you'd grow weary of them.Sat Apr 12 2003 - 01:00
All hail England, but Ireland are comingOn Rugby : So England rule the Six Nations roost and good luck to themTue Apr 01 2003 - 01:00
Stage set for Ireland to make final impactON RUGBY: "How can you have a championship decided by the first match rather than at the end?" bemoaned English Rugby Football…Tue Mar 25 2003 - 00:00
Timely run-out for MunsterRugby News: In the absence of an A international between Ireland and Wales this week Munster have managed to cobble together…Wed Mar 19 2003 - 00:00
Fringe trio get chance to impressRugby Six Nations Championship: Wales v Ireland There are, according to some Kiwi rugby folk, three golden rules of New Zealand…Wed Mar 19 2003 - 00:00
Costello in fitness raceRUGBY: Victor Costello's fitness for Ireland's penultimate game in the RBS Six Nations Championship against Wales in Cardiff…Tue Mar 18 2003 - 00:00
Six Nations enhanced by Ireland's effortsON RUGBY: If the truth be told, it hasn't been a vintage Six Nations so far. Too many foregone conclusionsTue Mar 18 2003 - 00:00
Equipped to defeat French foreign legionThere's rain in the air and there's optimism in the air, and one's as disconcerting as the other.Sat Mar 08 2003 - 00:00
French alterations kept to a minimumFor all Bernard Laporte's pre-championship talk of experimentation with the World Cup in mind, when it came to the crunch only…Wed Mar 05 2003 - 00:00
Latham may be Munster boundMunster coach Alan Gaffney has confirmed the province's interest in the Australian World Cup winning full back Chris Latham, …Wed Mar 05 2003 - 00:00
Leinster tickets go on saleLansdowne Road is set, potentially, for the most remarkable sequence of fixtures in one seasonal run-in which the old ground …Tue Feb 25 2003 - 00:00
Ireland wait on injured DempseyRUGBY/Six Nations Championship News: Looking a little frayed around the edges and still recovering from their considerable exertions…Thu Feb 20 2003 - 00:00
Horgan loss is Henderson's gainWith little time for rest or respite in the brave new world of an abbreviated Six Nations, the Irish management just about had…Tue Feb 18 2003 - 00:00
Lineout reaps a rich rewardON RUGBY: Last season England went to Murrayfield, soaked up lengthy bouts of frenzied if somewhat blunt Scottish pressure, …Tue Feb 18 2003 - 00:00
O'Gara's injury fails to respondRUGBY: Ronan O'Gara's availability for Ireland's opening match in the RBS Six Nations against Scotland next Sunday remains in…Tue Feb 11 2003 - 00:00
Up for France in Le CrunchOn Rugby It will be nice to sit back and feast on Le Crunch courtesy of the goggle box next Saturday - it's like watching embittered…Tue Feb 11 2003 - 00:00
Future unsure for Celtic LeagueSo where does the Celtic League stand now? Two 30,000 or so attendances for televised finals have made it a success almost despite…Tue Feb 04 2003 - 00:00
Reprieve for Connacht rugby in IRFU rethink on provincesConnacht have had some notable victories in their time, but probably none compared to the one last night when the IRFU completed…Fri Jan 31 2003 - 00:00
Relief for Connacht as IRFU backs downIn the most significant climb-downs in the 129 year history of the IRFU, the union last night relented under an increasing wave…Fri Jan 31 2003 - 00:00
