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ENGLAND ARE IN danger of missing out on a chance to hire Warren Gatland after the Rugby Football Union admitted Eddie Jones’ successor would not be hired until after the World Cup. Jones is under contract with England until 2021 but has hinted he may leave after the World Cup in Japan later this year. There is a reported break […]

WHILE CONNACHT’S SUPERB performances under Pat Lam this season have brought hugely-increased media attention and thousands of new supporters to the province, there are many hardy souls who have been following for much longer. Connacht’s route to their first-ever Pro12 semi-final has been arduous and exciting in equal measures, and their current success has come as something of a surprise […]

THERE’S A RIGHT way, a wrong way and then there’s the Lima Sopoaga way. The Highlanders out-half is up against the Hurricanes this morning in a rematch of last year’s Super Rugby final. The ‘Canes got off to a flying start, so Sopoaga was clearly feeling under a little pressure to conjure something out of nothing. But nobody could have […]

RACING 92 COACH Laurent Travers has hit out at prop Martin Castrogiovanni, accusing the Italian of not telling the full truth in an escalating row. Castrogiovanni has been suspended by his club since being photographed partying in Las Vegas in April with Paris Saint-Germain stars including Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The club said the popular Italian, who was born in Argentina, had told […]

THOUGH HE MISSED the Six Nations through injury, Bill Johnston picked out an important trait in the Ireland U20s as he watched on TV. The Munster out-half, who made his debut in yesterday’s remarkable 26-25 comeback win over Wales at the World Rugby U20 Championship, noted the resilience in a team who lost their first two Six Nations games. Ireland […]

Rory Keane reports from Johannesburg IT WAS A tender moment after 80 minutes of brutality in Cape Town. Having played like a man possessed throughout Ireland’s victory over South Africa at Newlands on Saturday, Devin Toner rightfully received the man-of-the-match award before paying tribute to his father, Peter, who passed away in the week leading up to the Guinness Pro12 […]

Updated at 18.30 IT WAS A day to forget for Joe Schmidt’s side but it proved to be a day to remember for our national sevens men’s team. Anthony Eddy’s charges topped Group A with three wins from three — against Zimbabwe, Samoa and Tonga — in the Olympic qualifying event in Monaco today to keep their hopes of going […]

IRELAND’S TOUR OF South Africa ended in disappointment as they lost 19-13 in the final Test to ensure the Boks wrapped up a 2-1 series success. Read our match report from Port Elizabeth here.  Tiernan O’Halloran: not rated His main involvement was to be taken out in the air by Willie le Roux, but briefly looked comfortable in the Test […]

LUKE FITZGERALD HAS this morning announced his retirement from professional rugby with immediate effect. The Leinster and Ireland back has been advised on medical grounds to hang up his boots after an incident during the Pro12 final defeat to Connacht last month. Fitzgerald missed Ireland’s summer tour of South Africa with a knee injury but a recurrence of a neck […]

ALL BLACKS COACH Steve Hansen rubbished claims he met with referee Romain Poite in the lead up to his team’s win over Australia on Saturday. The Wallabies are reportedly set to make an official complaint over the apparent meeting, which Hansen denied a day after his side’s 29-9 victory. Hansen said he had met with assistant referee Jaco Peyper before […]