Month: November 2022

Click:Poly bag making machine JOE SCHMIDT HAS named his Ireland side to face South Africa in Saturday’s first Test in Cape Town [KO 4pm Irish time]. View the team in full here. Payne at 15 The Six Nations saw repeated calls for Schmidt to shift Jared Payne back to the 15 shirt but the IrelandRead moreRead more

ENGLAND CAN CLINCH a sensational series win over the Wallabies on Saturday with a win in the second Test in Melbourne but they’ll have to keep the Australians’ intelligent attack quiet if they are to do so. Folau thrives within the Australian attacking system. Source: James Crombie/INPHO Eddie Jones’ men enjoyed a brilliant 39-28 victoryRead moreRead more

Rory Keane reports from Johannesburg AT HALF-TIME in Ellis Park yesterday, it looked like South Africa were heading for a 2-0 series defeat at the hands of a clinical Ireland side. Trailing 19-3, captain Adriaan Strauss led his side off the pitch as a deafening chorus of boos rang out around the stadium. The JohannesburgRead moreRead more

PAUL O’CONNELL HAS returned to the Munster set-up in a part-time role. The former captain will act in an advisory role to the Munster academy with immediate effect. The role, which he will hold for a year, will see O’Connell act as a mentor to the younger players by providing what Munster say will beRead moreRead more

IRELAND SEVENS RUGBY director Anthony Eddy has included former Munster wing Luke O’Dea in a squad for the second leg of the European Rugby Sevens Trophy. Ireland won the first leg of the tournament in Malmo earlier this month and they can take another big step towards an overall win – and a place inRead moreRead more

HAVING BEEN DISMANTLED by Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground last weekend, Connacht have an opportunity to get their Guinness Pro12 campaign back on track against the Ospreys in Galway this evening [KO 7.35pm, TG4]. The Welsh region enjoyed a 59-5 win over Zebre in their own round one tie, meaning they face Pat Lam’s menRead moreRead more

WAIKATO CHIEFS SECOND row Michael Allardice has apologised for the offence caused by homophobic comments made during an end-of-season team party yesterday. Allardice and his team-mates were at Okoroire hot pools, south-east of Hamilton, when Waikato man Brendan Baraclough heard him him shout ‘here come the gays’ and other comments. “There’s enough problems with youngRead moreRead more

THE GUINNESS PRO12 plans to continue discussions with USA Rugby about potentially including American franchises in the competition in the future. Pro12 managing director Martin Anayi also confirmed that the league may move to a conference system in the coming seasons, as he stressed the need for the top international stars to be involved inRead moreRead more

Home Cork camogie star Ashling Thompson at today’s media day at Croke Park ahead of this weekend’s All-Ireland finals. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO Kerry are expected to offer senior inter-county football manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice a new two-year term at a meeting tonight.OCI president Pat Hickey and Kevin Mallon have been formally charged in Rio for their role in theRead moreRead more

LEINSTER SENIOR COACH Stuart Lancaster is confident out-half Johnny Sexton will hit the ground running when he returns from injury for Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 15.15). Sexton has not played since Ireland’s Six Nations concluded in Cardiff five weeks ago, the same gap between matches which heRead moreRead more