Murray Kinsella reports from Kingspan Stadium RORY BEST’S KIDS had a few words of advice and reassurance for him during the week, as the Ulster captain prepared to play his final game at Kingspan Stadium before retiring. His eldest, Ben, asked him when he had first pulled on an Ulster jersey. Best told him it […]
BACK IN 2015, Ulster arrived at Scotstoun Stadium in expectation, knowing that one win would have them back in Belfast playing in the final of what was then the Guinness Pro12 Grand Final at their recently renamed home of Kingspan Stadium. Ulster head coach Dan McFarland. Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO As it transpired, had they won […]
A JORDAN CONROY hat-trick ensured Ireland powered to a 43-12 win over Scotland and into the quarter-final stage of the London 7s at Twickenham. After beating England and losing to New Zealand earlier today, second place for Anthony Eddy’s men sends them into the last eight. A repeat of last year’s bronze would be an […]
Italy 14Ireland 38 A BONUS-POINT WIN under these circumstances is not to be sniffed at, and certainly this was another mighty effort from Noel McNamara’s charges in the heat of Santa Fe, but it’s unlikely to be enough to secure a U20 World Championship semi-final berth. Ireland collected the required five match points courtesy of […]
RASSIE ERASMUS SAYS Munster will make an announcement about the immediate future of Jaco Taute today, a likely boost at the start of another testing week. While the other three provinces have Pro12 fixtures to ease them back up to European standards after the seasonal inter-pros, Munster have a pivotal Champions Cup match against Racing […]
JOEY CARBERY KNOWS there’s a lot of water to pass under the bridge before he can start talking about playing in a first World Cup with definitive authority, but as summer progresses, the Ireland out-half is working hard to tick off every necessary box. The momentum of his debut season at Munster — a hugely […]
A LITTLE LIKE alcohol and mobile phones, Ireland and World Cup quarter-finals have tended not to go very well together. Australia knocked Ireland out at the quarter-final stage in the first World Cup in 1987, then did so again at Lansdowne Road in 1991 before going on to win that tournament. In 1995, it was […]
AND SO IT begins. The serious business is still a number of weeks away, but Ireland’s World Cup preparations move up a gear at the Aviva Stadium this afternoon, when a host of players enter last chance saloon in their bid to earn a seat on the plane to Japan. It may be the first […]
DAN LEAVY KNEW he was in trouble when he picked up his phone for one of those habitual, reflexive scrolls through Instagram during his trip to London for surgery. A score update popped up in his feed. It was a Leinster game. He hadn’t even known they were playing. Following the rhythm of a rugby […]
EDDIE JONES WILL have to plot the defence of England’s Six Nations crown without Chris Robshaw as the experienced flanker is to undergo shoulder surgery today. The Harlequins star aggravated an existing injury during a 24-17 Aviva Premiership defeat to Worcester Warriors on New Year’s Day and has to go under the knife to correct […]