Five games, three wins, two defeats. Thousands of Irish fans, when World Rugby released its’ first blocks of tickets, set their sights on Sunday, October 20 in Tokyo. The thinking, late last year then early this year [when the tickets went on sale] was that Ireland would be facing South Africa for a place in […]

6 years ago

Two of the four did not even make the starting XV against New Zealand. Ireland’s players will return home over the coming days and the World Cup as the four form teams set their sights on the Webb Ellis trophy. The coming days, weeks and even months will be tough for a squad of players […]

6 years ago

Absolutely no need for this. A France red card. A French farce in Japan. In their pomp, France always found a way of winning. In the past decade, Les Bleus are finding new and pointless ways of blowing winning positions. 19-10 up against Wales at half-time, and with a rolling maul ticking away just five […]

6 years ago

This one will hurt for quite a while. It was supposed to end for Joe Schmidt, but not this way. The Kiwi admitted, after Ireland’s 46-14 caning at the hands of New Zealand, that the World Cup campaign had consumed him over the past year and that failure has left him “heartbroken”. Despite a 75% […]

6 years ago

“At the end of the World Cup you guys will probably turn on us, and start calling for our heads, saying we’re too old and that the next batch have to come through. I can see it already.” So said Johnny Sexton at the Captain’s Run in Chofu, 24 hours before his Ireland side got […]

6 years ago

IRELAND 14-46 NEW ZEALAND The first 40 minutes was as bad as every Irish fan could have expected. The All Blacks took a 3-0 lead through Richie Mo’unga after some early pressure. Worse was to follow. In the space of six minutes, Aaron Smith had sniped over for two tries and Ireland were in a […]

6 years ago

Desperate news for the Leinster hooker who, at 33, is most likely competing at his last World Cup. News has emerged from Japan that Sean Cronin’s World Cup is over. The BBC is reporting that Cronin picked up an injury in training and that he is due to return home in the coming days. Cronin’s […]

6 years ago

It’s three points or bust. One of our famous draws are unlikely to do the job, this time. Ireland’s 2-0 defeat to Switzerland sees them top of their Euro 2020 Qualifiers group but they miss out on the next game-day and, when the Swiss and Danes are finished we should be down in third with […]

6 years ago

Bring on the 2020 Majors. Bring on The Ryder Cup. Bring it ALL on! 2020 in golf looks set to be all about Koepka vs. McIlroy and we’re looking forward to it already. Brooks Koepka may have just awoken the competitive beast within Rory McIlroy. The four-time Major winner has developed a new cutting streak […]

6 years ago

There had been a slew of bookings, a penalty, a sending off and a penalty save. Surely we had missed an Irish substitute coming on… ? In the closing 30 minutes of Ireland’s Euro 2020 Qualifier defeat to Switzerland, Mick McCarthy’s men were given lifelines and the best they could muster up was winning a […]

6 years ago

‘The tackle was an attempted dominant tackle, rather than a reactionary tackle’. There were seven bullet-points accompanying the decision – announced by World Rugby today – to hand down a three week ban [reduced from six] to Ireland centre Bundee Aki. The decision could have a knock-on effect for Robbie Henshaw. Aki will miss however […]

6 years ago

One split-second lapse in judgement and that is it. Bundee Aki is as committed as they come. He never backs down from a challenge and so often puts his body through the ringer for Connacht and Ireland. He is full-on and that is why so many Irish rugby supporters love him, but that foot-to-the-floor attitude […]

6 years ago

“Joe Schmidt pulled me aside before the game and he said, ‘You need a big one today!’ … It wasn’t ideal, but it was good.” Back in November 2016, Rob Kearney was feeling the heat and there were doubts over his suitability to wear the No.15 jersey. From 2008 to 2013, Kearney was up there as one […]

6 years ago

15 men will get the honour of starting next weekend’s World Cup quarter final, but all 23 of the match-day squad will be required to get this job done. After the disappointment of Yokohama, this Ireland team secured a World Cup quarter final off their own steam by getting bonus point wins over Russia and […]

6 years ago

So now we know. The Ireland quarter final question has been resolved and Joe Schmidt’s men will face a side, in the last eight, that they have beaten twice in their last three encounters. News came through around 2am on Sunday that Scotland’s game against Japan would be going ahead. That gave Ireland one last […]

6 years ago

Right, we know what he have to do. We love a draw here in Ireland, especially the 1-1 variety, but Mick McCarthy’s side are now just a win away from automatic qualification to Euro 2020. After six games in their group, Ireland have collected 12 points. They are level on points with Denmark while the […]

6 years ago

One split-second decision to rush into a tackle and Bundee Aki’s World Cup could well be over. It was all going so well for Bundee Aki and Ireland. 28 minutes of their World Cup pool game with Samoa had elapsed and Ireland were 21-5 ahead. Then, for Aki and Samoan outhalf Ulupano Seuteni, disaster struck. A […]

6 years ago

IRELAND 47-5 SAMOA Ireland took 38 minutes to secure the try-scoring bonus point that effectively sealed their place in the World Cup quarter final. Even with just 14 men on the pitch, they kept the pedal floored. Ireland have made a happy habit of starting fast in this World Cup and they were 14-0 after […]

6 years ago

Playing against the home of his mother and father, Bundee Aki lasted only 28 minutes. Bundee Aki knew he had made a mistake, but he did not know it would prove so costly. The New Zealander, of Samoa descent, was having a decent first half in Ireland’s final game of Pool A, in the World […]

6 years ago

The Kildare native has been solid for Ireland since making his Test debut, last summer, but we are still waiting for his break-through performance. Italy, USA, Wales, Wales, Russia. Only five of Tadhg Beirne’s 11 Test appearances have been starts and only one – that Six Nations decider against Wales in March – has been […]

6 years ago

Preach, Sergio, preach! All Blacks head coach called the decision to cancel his side’s game against Italy, due to the impending arrival of a typhoon, as a ‘no-brainer’. The same could be said as the folks responsible for coming up with a contingency plan for the Rugby World Cup. Japan, wild weather systems and natural […]

6 years ago

“The Ireland team to, hopefully, play Samoa is… “ And so began a Joe Schmidt team announcement that featured as much typhoon talk as his big calls at blindside, outside centre and fullback. Earlier in the week, Ireland were preparing for the possibility of their game against Samoa being cancelled by the on-coming Typhoon Hagibis. […]

6 years ago

Two games have been scratched and a decision regarding Japan versus Scotland will be made on the morning of the match. Typhoon Hagibis is whirling its way to the Japanese mainland and World Rugby has heeded the advice of weather experts and government officials. The pool matches – New Zealand vs. Italy and England vs. […]

6 years ago

No place for Rob Kearney in the matchday 23. Joe Schmidt has named Jordan Larmour at fullback and Tadhg Beirne at blindside in his starting XV to face Samoa on Saturday. Peter O’Mahony, who has started all other pool matches, drops to the bench and he is joined there by Joey Carbery and Andrew Conway. […]

6 years ago

Rose Lavelle and Amandine Henry were two of the stars of the Women’s World Cup, this summer. Denise O’Sullivan has a touch of both. Wednesday in Tallaght was my daughter’s first ever Ireland game. My son’s too. They both went to bed with an Ireland poster – one of those great freebies you often get […]

6 years ago

“He’s an exciting player and the fact that he has put his hand up that early in the season is really good.” The Guinness PRO14 is two weeks into the 2019/20 season and usual suspects Leinster and Munster are flying wins with two wins from two. Leading lights – due to points difference – are […]

6 years ago

Ireland have almost a full deck to choose from. Almost. Robbie Henshaw will be itching for Saturday and Typhoon Hagibis better not get in his way. Heading into this Saturday’s game against Samoa, in Fukuoka, the only player set to miss out on the fun is Jordi Murphy. The injury replacement picked up a rib […]

6 years ago

Rule No.1: ALWAYS make room for Cheslin Kolbe. This weekend sees the pool stages of the 2019 Rugby World Cup wrap up and there are still six spots in the quarter finals up for grabs. Only England and France are automatically qualified for the knock-out stages but New Zealand and South Africa have one foot […]

6 years ago

Whatever could possibly go wrong for Manchester United is going wrong. Who could have predicted this? Who could have predicted… That getting rid of your main striker for the last two seasons and not replacing him and going instead with two injury prone forwards and a 17-year-old would result in goalscoring problems That signing three […]

6 years ago

Static carries are killing Ireland’s momentum and Joe Schmidt needs to address it before Samoa and, hopefully, the knock-out stages. A sign of a team battling to find its groove can be found by looking at the speed at which their ball carriers hit the defensive line. If a team is humming – assured at […]

6 years ago

No Shane Duffy, Richard Keogh, Enda Stevens, Greg Cunningham, Darragh Linehan, Ronan Curtis and David McGoldrick an outside bet. Mick McCarthy and his Ireland squad fly out to Tbilisi on Thursday ahead of two away games that will either break or break our Euro 2020 chances. Heading round the turn, before the final straight, Ireland […]

6 years ago

In the end, it took an injury to Portsmouth’s Ronan Curtis for Mick McCarthy to see the light. McCarthy called Aaron Connolly and Derrick Williams into the Ireland senior squad on Saturday evening. The call arrived for Connolly just hours after his two goals had inspired Brighton to a 3-0 victory over Tottenham. The Ireland […]

6 years ago

Talking the talk and walking the walk. Reaping ‘The Reaper’. Conor McGregor would surely approve of Israel Adesanya and his incredible rise in the UFC. The Nigerian, who moved to New Zealand at the age of 13, took everything middleweight champion Robert Whittaker could throw and coolly picked him off at range before brutally finishing the […]

6 years ago

After tormenting Tottenham for the opening half hour, the 19-year-old opened his Premie League goalscoring account. Aaron Connolly had already arrived in the Premier League, but everyone knows about the youngster now. Heading into this weekend, the Ireland senior squad and Under 21 squad boasted the same goalscoring statistic. Among their selected forwards, the seniors […]

6 years ago

Keith Earls and Chris Farrell, please accept our apologies. One hopes the Irish World Cup squad are, this weekend, far away from a training pitch and clearing their head of rugby thoughts. Come Monday morning, Ireland Samoa comes into view. A win over the Pacific Islanders should confirm a last eight slot but a bonus […]

6 years ago

There have been five red cards in the World Cup so far, surpassing all other previous records. Nigel Owens flashed his first red card of the tournament in England’s comprehensive victory over Argentina, and it effectively killed what was shaping up into a real battle. In fairness to Owens, he had no other option but […]

6 years ago

England and Argentina are kicking ass. World Rugby is furiously taking down the names. Owen Farrell has now been on the receiving end of two awful, head-high tackles in the Rugby World Cup. Tokyo was the setting for an all-out war between England and Argentina in their Pool C encounter. Having lost to France in […]

6 years ago

“He’ll be pretty well perfect for whatever is after.” Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray. We all knew it would come down to this. The fear is becoming a reality in front of our eyes. Irish rugby fans always hoped, through Murray’s concerning neck injury lay-off and an underwhelming Six Nations, that the country’s top half […]

6 years ago

Ireland 35-0 Russia Ireland are back on winning track but their Pool A victory over a game Russian side was far from pretty. For the third time in three World Cup games, the men in green came out all guns blazing and flagged in the second half. The Ireland ratings, as a consequence, make for […]

6 years ago

James Lowe is blowing at this stage but he steels himself, finds his focus and powers on. He just needs a strong finish. It has been a long day of interviews, photos, glad-handing and giving his thoughts on a tournament he would dearly love to be taking part in. For James Lowe, that may well […]

6 years ago

“It’s a learning curve.” Scott McTominay and Daniel James were the best Manchester United midfielders on show at Old Trafford on a rain-whipped Monday night. Their performances were in keeping with United’s season so far, all nine games of it, and fans of the club will be hoping their senior colleagues step up soon. Learning […]

6 years ago

“It could have been another path for me, but I’m pretty glad with the one that I’ve taken.” Many Irish supporters were eagerly awaiting the announcement, this morning, of the Ireland team to face Russia. With Joe Schmidt set to ring the changes and Ireland chasing try-scoring bonus points, this was surely a chance for […]

6 years ago

Just four players that started against Japan have retained jerseys for Thursday’s game. Joe Schmidt has named his Ireland team to face Russia in their World Cup Pool A encounter and change is most definitely afoot. Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn and newly arrived injury replacement Jordi Murphy will all make their tournament debuts. […]

6 years ago

The in-depth statistics from Ireland’s shock World Cup loss to Japan make for grim reading. The first-choice Irish pack will, for the most part, be rested for Thursday’s game against Russia. Players in jersey numbers one to eight started both the Scotland and Japan and most were out on their feet long before the final […]

6 years ago

The Munster winger turns 32 next week but he out-paced two subs have a lot of years on him. Keith Earls had some fits and starts in attack but he will have been livid with himself for his rash offload, around the 50-minute mark, that put his side under the cosh for the next five […]

6 years ago

It is a strange place to be, this weekend. Normally, in sporting terms, it is the Irish victory that is proclaimed as something for the underdogs to cling to. Ireland upsetting the odds to topple a world power by playing with bravery and belief. On Saturday in Shizuoka, Ireland were the Tier One bullies arriving […]

6 years ago

“We had a good innings… “ Late on Saturday night, long after the dust had settled in Shizuoka and Ireland had dragged their defeated bodies from the field, Barry Murphy and Andrew Trimble convened to pick through the carnage. Ireland’s momentum. Ireland’s three-game winning streak. Ireland’s positive start. Ireland’s confidence. All blown apart by a […]

6 years ago

There were always going to be changes for the Russia game but at least two will be injury enforced. Ireland will have to plan without Chris Farrell and, by all safe accounts, Rob Kearney for their next game. New of Jack Conan’s World Cup being ended by a fractured foot was confirmed by Joe Schmidt […]

6 years ago

This was inevitable, but we did not expect it so soon. When Joe Schmidt named his 31-man Ireland squad to travel to the World Cup, there were three contentious decisions and three lads extremely unlucky to be left at home: Devin Toner Jordi Murphy Will Addison Rhys Ruddock had been chosen ahead of Murphy in […]

6 years ago

Would New Zealand have done likewise were they in a similar situation? Joey Carbery will not remember his first World Cup game with too much fondness. The Munster outhalf famously made his Test debut, off the bench, in the 40-29 victory over New Zealand in 2016. Back then, it felt like the beginning of something […]

6 years ago