JOE SCHMIDT HAS named his matchday 23 to face South Africa in the third Test in Port Elizabeth on Saturday [KO 4pm Irish time, Sky Sports]. Check out the 23 here. Payne blow Whatever about the excitement Ireland fans might feel about seeing Tiernan O’Halloran and Stuart Olding start this Test, losing Jared Payne to […]
LAST WEEK, WE all gathered round over a protein shake or two and watched some of Munster’s pre-season exploits (they’ve added another installment to catch up on too). Today, it’s time to turn the focus north, where Ulster have taken a wider lense to their preparations for the campaign ahead. While Munster concentrate on the strength […]
Ireland’s Michael Conlan with boxing journalist Steve Bunce following his defeat to Vladimir Nikitin of Russia. OlympicsThere was disappointment for Irish athletes Greg Broderick and Tori Pena in Rio today.Annalise Murphy has claimed a historic silver in the women’s laser radial sailing today, while in more good news for Irish sailing, Ryan Seaton and Matt […]
YOU CAN VIVIDLY sense the excitement from Rassie Erasmus ahead of his first season as Munster’s director of rugby. The South African is only 43-years-old and looks like he could probably still manage himself on the pitch, with a 6’3″ frame, square jaw and big hands lending him a physical authority that has surely been […]
LEINSTER WILL BE boosted by the availability of Ireland internationals Jamie Heaslip, Devin Toner, Jack McGrath and Sean Cronin for this weekend’s Pro12 clash with Edinburgh. Heaslip is back in the mix for Leinster. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO All four have missed the opening rounds of the league campaign due to the IRFU player management programme, and […]
Source: Munster Rugby/YouTube MUNSTER OPENED THEIR new High Performance Centre earlier this month, which is located adjacent to the existing UL Arena on the University of Limerick campus. The facility, part of an overall €15million construction, was opened up to the media this afternoon and the province has released a video [above] which provides a […]
LINDSAY PEAT, THE former Dublin ladies footballer and Ireland international rugby player, has revealed how she was the victim of a homophobic sledge during an All-Ireland ladies football final. Peat was yesterday unveiled as an ambassador for the 2019 Union Cup, an LGBT inclusive rugby tournament which will be staged in Dublin this June, and […]
JACOB STOCKDALE’S CAMEO at fullback during Ulster’s impressive Guinness Pro14 victory at Edinburgh last weekend provided a snapshot of what the 23-year-old could offer in the backfield going forward. Stockdale has made his meteoric rise in club and international rugby on the wing, but his performance with the number 15 jersey on his back at […]
Ulster 14 Leinster 13 Sean Farrell reports from Kingspan Stadium THERE WAS A distinct last-day-of-school feel to this inter-pro clash, as both the Heineken Champions Cup finalists and Pro14 quarter-finalists felt they had far bigger fish to fry in the near future. Still, Ulster and their commendable home crowd, didn’t need encouraging to celebrate a […]
Murray Kinsella reports from the Sportsground ALL IN ALL, this was another highly satisfying evening’s work for Rassie Erasmus and his increasingly impressive Munster group. The rain dictated that this was unlikely to be their most rampant attacking performance, but the southern province showed defensive prowess and a clinical edge to account for Connacht on […]