Month: December 2022

EVEN WERE IT not for injuries to several of his competitors, Tommy O’Donnell would have been strongly in contention to wear seven for Ireland in the Six Nations opener against Italy in two weekends’ time. Sean O’Brien and Rhys Ruddock remain on the comeback trail, while Chris Henry is targetting a return before the endRead moreRead more

JOE SCHMIDT IS set to pair Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne together again in Ireland’s midfield for the Six Nations clash with Italy on Saturday. The same centre duo started Ireland’s November Test against South Africa, performing well in victory before a foot injury to Payne meant Schmidt was unable to continue with the project.Read moreRead more

THE TEAMS HAVE been named, the boarding cards have been printed and the pitch on Lansdowne Road will soon be marked. After almost two solid weeks of build-up, we’re less than 48 hours away from Ireland v England. Both Joe Schmidt’s and Stuart Lancaster’s men have recorded two wins from their opening two fixtures, butRead moreRead more

ULSTER CENTRE LUKE Marshall will be unavailable to play until the last weekend in April after incurring a five-week ban today. The Ireland international was cited for a kick to the head of Scarlets wing Michael Tagicakibau during Ulster’s 25 – 20 win last Friday. The disciplinary committee, chaired by Pamela Woodman, deemed the incident worthyRead moreRead more

Jamie Heaslip checks out The42 app at the Ireland press conference today… maybe. Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO CheltenhamAP McCoy finally rode his first winner of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, his last, when the 16/1 shot Uzixandre won the Ryanair Chase.Earlier Vautour got the day off to a great start for Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins while Cole HardenRead moreRead more

The website MilitaryTimes.com is carrying an article explaining how the late President George H.W. Bush was secretly a big wrestling fan. At an event following the funeral services for “41” in Texas, Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie described how Bush’s secretary once called him while he was a young staffer at the Foreign Relations CommitteeRead moreRead more

CONTROVERSIAL RUGBY PUNDIT Neil Francis has defended his recent comments about Welsh coach Warren Gatland following a backlash. The Western Mail was particularly scathing, suggesting the remarks were “an embarrassment,” after Francis wrote, in his Irish Independent column, that Gatland had the “intellectual properties of a tub of flora”. Speaking on The Last Word earlier, FrancisRead moreRead more

IRELAND WOMEN’S RUGBY team could confound accepted sporting logic yet again on Sunday (13.00, RTE), when they aim to close the Six Nations Championship with a win over Scotland – and a trophy. After leaders France emulated Ireland by defeating reigning world champions England in Twickenham 15 – 21, Tom Tierney’s side must defeat ScotlandRead moreRead more

Rory Scannell kicks a late conversion during Munster A’s clash with Connacht Eagles at Thomond Park this afternoon Source: James Crombie/INPHO  HomeBoston bound Colm Galvin hasn’t ruled out the possibility of featuring for Clare in this year’s All-Ireland senior hurling championship.There was bad news for Tipperary as Seamus Callanan lost his appeal against the redRead moreRead more

CONSOLATION SCORES ARE rarely worth celebrating, but sometimes they’re too good to pretend you haven’t impressed yourself a little bit. Fiji’s women were no match for New Zealand in the quarter final of the Canada Sevens series this weekend, but Priscilla Siata’s score in the 26 – 5 loss shows a brilliant array of skills with bothRead moreRead more