“I think we need to step on the gas and say, ‘Yeah, let’s consider all things’.” The most recent World Cup saw an awful lot of box-kicking, rolling mauls, big moments hinging on scrum calls and the never fun caterpillar rucks. World Rugby is constantly looking at ways to improve the game, though, and there […]

2 years ago

“He waited until the last 10 seconds of the game.” Roy Keane talking folks through the 12 red cards of his professional football career was always going to get some reaction. Jason McAteer has perhaps reacted longest and loudest and has labelled his former Ireland teammate ‘a clown’. Earlier this week, on Stick To Football, […]

2 years ago

“It was like being with my five-year-old daughter!” Keith Earls made his first big media appearance, on Friday, after he hung up his boots and retired as a Munster and Ireland player. The Limerick native, who had his rugby swan song at the World Cup, was one of the main guests on The Late Late […]

2 years ago

Sometimes in rugby, the things that make sense are the things that never happen. On this occasion, it feels positively different. The British & Irish Lions have a new-look logo and are set to go from Warren Gatland to Andy Farrell for their head coach role. Now, they are lining up with two huge leagues […]

2 years ago

“Absolutely gutted for Andrew.” One of the toughest parts about Andrew Conway having to retire from professional rugby at 32 is the fact that he had the sort of game that would have stood to sides for the next three or four years. Conway was be-set with knee issues in his final two seasons as […]

2 years ago

When a World Cup final is won by a single point, every decision will be pored over. Just when Kiwis were starting to move on from the gutting nature of a 12-11 World Cup final defeat, a report on that game suggests a brilliant Aaron Smith try should have been allowed to stand. You may […]

2 years ago

“I don’t know. That’s literally what we were having a bit of a back and forward [about] today.” Conor McGregor will be nearing his 36th birthday by the time he makes his Ultimate Fighting Championship return, if all goes to plan. The former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion is set to fight Michael Chandler, who […]

2 years ago

The Boks re-set the clock in Paris and are world champions until the big show rolls around, again, in Australia. The new Nations Cup will officially get underway in 2026, the year after the Lions travel to Australia and the year before the next World Cup. Before all that, Ireland will get a chance to […]

2 years ago

Just when Connacht fans start thinking it is swinging their way… Connacht posted to Instagram last Monday about ‘the mood when you are sitting top of the table’. One week and one defeat on, they are down to fifth. The United Rugby Championship comes at you fast. Pete Wilkins’ side won their opening three games […]

2 years ago

“As far as the high-ball was concerned, we want our wingers to go 100% and Andrew certainly typified that.” – Andy Farrell, 2022 Andrew Conway had to wait until he was 25 before he made his Ireland debut, and until he was 28 to start getting a decent run of games in the green jersey. […]

2 years ago

The 28-year-old is a five-time Super Rugby champion. Oli Jager is on his way back to Ireland after his Super Rugby side confirmed he was not in their squad for the 2024 season. Jager was born in London but raised in Kildare and played for Blackrock College and in the Leinster underage set-up. He headed […]

2 years ago

Some real class acts in there. The World Cup is back in South Africa and Test rugby is done for another year. While club action is ramping up in the northern hemisphere, it is a fitting time to assess the best players in world rugby, right now. World Rugby handed out their ‘Best’ and ‘Breakthrough’ […]

2 years ago

“He deserves his time in the spotlight.” Ardie Savea was dealt a harsh card in the 2022 World Rugby awards, but the powers (and pundits) that be made up for it, this year. Bundee Aki ended up pushing the All Blacks star closest for the top prize. The night after South Africa beat New Zealand […]

2 years ago

Even before Warren Gatland went to pass the baton, a decision had already been reached. Andy Farrell is lined up to coach the British & Irish Lions on their 2025 tour to Australia. It is just a matter of when the official announcement will be made. The Ireland head coach was earmarked for the job […]

2 years ago

“An incredible young man with oceans of potential.” Young Munster are among the many that have come forward to pay their respects to Darren Ryan after the 30-year-old was killed in a car crash, on Sunday morning. Ryan, who played rugby at St Munchin’s and Young Munster, growing up, then Kilfeacle RFC and Garryowen FC […]

2 years ago

The long-standing No.1 has hung up his boots. Ever since we sat down, back in March 2021, to compile our Top 20 of most the important rugby players in Irish rugby, Johnny Sexton was top dog. The idea was simple – to look at the Irish rugby landscape and determine who the most important players […]

2 years ago

“That’s what records are there for – to be broken.” We have a Premier League quiz for you all that we may need to be updating in the coming weeks. The rapid scoring rate of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has already broken Premier League records, and he has another big one in his sights. […]

2 years ago

“No shouting at my little boys!” Time heals many wounds, but the past 17 years have only seemed to widen the gulf between Roy Keane and Alex Ferguson. Keane was at Manchester United, under Ferguson, for 13 seasons but the end, when it came, was abrupt. As his incredible football powers were waning, by a […]

2 years ago

The beIN boys are on the case… Mike Arteta brandished VAR and the Premier League as “a disgrace” after his Arsenal side lost to a controversial Anthony Gordon goal, against Newcastle, at St James’ Park. Newcastle United became the first team to beat Arsenal in the Premier League, this season, after Gordon bundled the ball […]

2 years ago

“There’s a lot more eyes on you, as a young player, when you come in to a championship-winning team.” Munster were left reeling at the news of Joey Carbery having to go under the surgeon’s knife again, but a dominant win over Dragons lifted spirits somewhat. The reigning United Rugby Championship champs made light work […]

2 years ago

After a week of unwanted noise, the midfielder bagged his first goal of the season. Killian Phillips proved he could shut out the noise by scoring in a man-of-the-match performance to help his side reach the second round of the FA Cup. Nathan Collins was the match-winner for Brentford, against West Ham, while there were […]

2 years ago

The pair played seven seasons together at Manchester United. Andy Cole and Roy Keane were two key figures in a United team that won the Treble together, in 1999, as well as a stack of other trophies before and after. Keane arrived at United in 1993, with Cole signed from Newcastle United in January 1995. […]

2 years ago

Out with the yellow, in with ‘Lions Gold’. The British & Irish Lions have stepped boldly into the post-World Cup vacuum and announced some significant changes to their crest. The current Lions crest has looked similar since the 1997 tour to South Africa, but change is afoot. The design team commissioned for the project have […]

2 years ago

10 years on, here we go again! Warren Gatland says he is passing the British & Irish Lions baton to Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, and named his All-time XV while he is at it. Gatland was Lions head coach for the last three tours – 2013, 2017 and 2021 – and wraps up that […]

2 years ago

A little more balanced, taking some huge World Cup performances into account. The World Rugby Dream Team of the Year was announced on Sunday evening, in Paris, and folks in the rugby sphere have been debating it ever since. The Dream Team concept is a relatively new one for World Rugby, starting off in 2020 […]

2 years ago

“It would have felt perfect.” Lionel Messi stretched his own incredible world football record, on Monday, when he won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in his career. The Inter Miami and Argentina star, who first claimed the individual accolade in 2009, had been level with Cristiano Ronaldo on six until 2021, the year […]

2 years ago

The 21-year-old stood apart from his teammates during a moment of silence. Ireland U21 star Killian Phillips is the latest footballer to experience what James McClean and Nemanja Matic, and others, are sadly well used to. Phillips took the personal decision, on Saturday, to stand aside as his teammates linked arms for a Remembrance Day […]

2 years ago

“I just try and go out there, fulfil the black jersey and give my best.” The 2023 World Rugby Awards may have thrown up a few questionable selections, but there was no more popular winner than Ardie Savea. World Rugby hosted a glitzy award ceremony in Paris, the night after South Africa defeated New Zealand […]

2 years ago

“I just want more from Man United.” Micah Richards can recall going into plenty of Manchester derbies as the underdog, and he believes Manchester United are lacking a basic requirement for the role. Manchester City rolled into Old Trafford on Sunday, took United’s best shots in the opening half hour then proceeded to pick their […]

2 years ago

The teenager just had his first taste of league glory with Shamrock Rovers, but could soon be on the move. Shamrock Rovers and Ireland U17 midfielder Naj Razi is being tracked by LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, according to reports. The teenager, who turned 17 over the weekend, has made five appearances for […]

2 years ago

Just the sole, World Cup-winning Springbok. There are five Irish inclusions in the World Rugby Men’s 15s Dream Team of the Year, with Andy Farrell picking up Coach of the Year. Bundee Aki missed out on the ‘Best Player’ accolade, though. The announcements were made at a glitzy ceremony in Paris, one day on from […]

2 years ago

“They’re so far off, it’s hard to watch.” Roy Keane has torn into Manchester United on plenty of occasions, particularly since Alex Ferguson moved on the club and standards quickly dropped. On the past few times he has covered a United versus Manchester City, the air has been taken out of him. It has been […]

2 years ago

“This time, people were expecting.” Siya Kolisi sprinted onto the Stade de France pitch as the final whistle sounded, confirming the Springboks had retained their World Cup title. Kolisi matched the great Richie McCaw in becoming on the second man to captain his country to successive World Cup triumphs. Ever since they were pipped by […]

2 years ago

SOUTH AFRICA 12-11 NEW ZEALAND New Zealand captain Sam Cane has become the first ever player to be red-carded in a World Cup final, as South Africa went on to make the man advantage count. Not the history he was aiming for. The All Blacks skipper was sin-binned, at first, but his yellow for a […]

2 years ago

Some creativity needed on the wings, and a Bomb Squad ‘finisher’ getting a start. World Rugby has shown some of their hand ahead of this Saturday’s World Cup final, and the awards ceremony that follows, in Paris, on the next evening. As is now tradition, the World Rugby end-of-year awards ceremony will take place in the […]

2 years ago

“Of course it leads to the challenges or the frustrations that we’ve had here.” The head of World Rugby has admitted the organisation did not get it right with the 2023 World Cup seedings and pool stage draw, but he says there was a very clear reason for it. Alan Gilpin, chief executive at World […]

2 years ago

Brought to you be Heineken “As Ardie Savea said, ‘We kept receipts’.” With New Zealand facing South Africa in the final of the World Cup, this weekend, the latest House of Rugby had a distinct Kiwi flavour. Brent Pope has been living permanently in Ireland since the early 1990s and may use the odd ‘we’ […]

2 years ago

It means Ireland could finally win a knock-out game and still not make it past the quarter finals. World Rugby has announced that the 2027 World Cup will be expanded from 20 to 24 teams, with a new addition to the knock-out stages. The new-look World Cup will take place in Australia in 2027 and […]

2 years ago

“I don’t actually want to go into it.” South Africa are preparing for a tilt at what could turn out to be their fourth World Cup title. However, the first block of their week has been taken up with allegations of racism against and English player. Bongi Mbonambi is being investigated by World Rugby but, […]

2 years ago

A whole new world, in union. World Rugby has voted through the creation of a new Nations Cup tournament that will officially launch in 2026, the year after the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. The World Rugby council met on Tuesday morning (October 24) in Paris and voted 41-10 in favour of going […]

2 years ago

“It’s been an honour to play alongside you both.” Peter O’Mahony has released a poignant and highly personal statement on social media, following Ireland’s premature exit from the World Cup and the retirement of two men he played with for over a decade. The Munster captain spoke incredibly well, in the aftermath of Ireland’s quarter […]

2 years ago

Some finish here! Aherlow and Grangemockler served up an astonishing finish to their Intermediate Football Final in Tipperary, on Sunday that we are still coming to terms with. Goalkeepers in GAA used to have three main requirements – be brave, have a hefty boot/puck-out and stop the odd shot. Nowadays, you have to be an […]

2 years ago

It’s not goodbye, it’s Auf Wiedersehen. Ireland have already waved goodbye to veteran players Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls, and team manager Mick Kearney. There could be further departures in the coming days and weeks. While much of the rugby community will be focused on this weekend’s World Cup final, fans in Ireland are getting […]

2 years ago

God bless this mess. Lawrence Dallaglio was viewing that England World Cup semi-final against South Africa through some red rose-tinted glasses. The former England and Lions No.8 was on the punditry beat for ITV as Steve Borthwick’s side attempted to reach yet another World Cup final. They had the edge – physically and tactically – […]

2 years ago

A win for the Meath side but another unfortunate incident involving fans and match officials for the GAA to investigate. Summerhill travelled to O’Connor Park, on Sunday afternoon, for their Leinster Club Senior Football Championship first round clash with Tullamore. It was a hard-fought match, throughout, but it ended with the referee being shoved to […]

2 years ago

ROG was not the only one that felt England had done enough. The Springboks got the job done, but it was much tighter than most of us could have ever imagined. Ronan O’Gara was certainly starting to believe England could get it locked. South Africa remain on course to become only the second nation to […]

2 years ago

“It’s going to be hectic.” Relaxing then going full throttle to the verge of peak, holding that and then pushing even further to properly peak, PEAK. Then relaxing again. For Fintan McCarthy, that has been the life cycle for the past eight years. A few weeks back, an opportunity came up to interview Fintan McCarthy. […]

2 years ago

“He’s going to be a real good player for Munster and hopefully Ireland in the next couple of years.” When Stephen Ferris gets excited about a back-row prospect, you circle the name in red pen. When that prospect is Brian Gleeson, you circle around the circle you already made, a few months back. Ahead of […]

2 years ago

The humble Kiwis are here to show us how it is done. After being a bad rugby team for about 18 months, some of the leading pundits that track the All Blacks have swooped in to give Irish players and fans lessons in humility. Ireland are in the World Cup rearview and they have been […]

2 years ago

“There was quite the expectation that this was going to be a walk-over.” Johnny Sexton and his Ireland teammates believed they were on the brink of something incredibly special at the World Cup. The Ireland captain said as much in his final pre-match press appearance before they faced New Zealand. Following an epic contest in […]

2 years ago