Category Archives: Rugby

O’Connor favourite to succeed Schmidt

Posted on April 28, 2013 by

Leicester Tigers coach Matt O’Connor is now favourite to succeed Joe Schmidt in Leinster. Schmidt’s move to Lansdowne Road will be confirmed by the IRFU tomorrow, and O’Connor is in pole position to take over in time for pre-season training … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Sports Comment | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

O’Driscoll Open to One More Season

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

Brian O’Driscoll may well continue with Leinster and Ireland for another season, despite widespread opinion that the Lions tour to Australia is shaping up as his last act on a rugby field. I understand from sources close to the former … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, British and Irish Lions, Concussion, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Sports Comment | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Shorts

Posted on March 27, 2013 by

NEXT STEP FOR KIDNEY Just as one door is about to close, another one opens. And the good news for Declan Kidney is that his next gig may be a 10 minute spin from his gaff in Ballincollig. UCC, where … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, British and Irish Lions, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Melbourne Rebels, Queensland rugby, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Sports Comment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kidney call puts him in make or break territory

Posted on February 20, 2013 by

  We used to look at the decision in 2008 to run with Denis Hurley and Tomas O’Leary ahead of Shaun Payne and Peter Stringer for Munster as the high water mark for Declan Kidney’s capacity to surprise. And then … Continue reading →

Posted in Brendan Fanning, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Munster, Munster Rugby, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Scottish rugby, Six Nations, Sports Comment, Ulster, Ulster Rugby | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Healy lumbered with extra helpings

Posted on February 13, 2013 by

Question: when is a three week ban not a three week ban? Answer: Eh, when it includes a week where the guilty party is not likely to be active. In which case it becomes, effectively, a four week ban. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Brendan Fanning, British and Irish Lions, IRB, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Refereeing, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Six Nations, Sports Comment | Tagged | 1 Comment

Healy not looking at lengthy sentence

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

One thing we’ve learned from ugly optics on the rugby field is that what you see is not always what you get. So the seemingly awful stamp of Cian Healy on the ankle of Dan Cole was actually not as … Continue reading →

Posted in Brendan Fanning, British and Irish Lions, IRB, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, Munster, Munster Rugby, Refereeing, RFU, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Sports Comment, Ulster, Ulster Rugby | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Good day’s work for IRFU and RTE

Posted on January 31, 2013 by

Choppy waters these days for the IRFU bean counters, but this morning’s shift in the tv landscape will smooth things out for a while. And RTE are breathing a little easier as well. The rights deal that sees Ireland’s November … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn Internationals, Brendan Fanning, IRB, IRFU, Irish Rugby, Italy rugby, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion, Rugby World Cup, Scottish rugby, Sports Comment, Wales | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

IRFU cruising into uncharted waters

Posted on October 18, 2012 by

I understand the queue for the new post of IRFU director of communications extends around the corner from Lansdowne to Northumberland Road. A whopping 70 CVs have landed through the letter box since it was advertised. The question is not … Continue reading →

Posted in IRFU, Irish Rugby, Rugby, Rugby Opinion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Kidney about to lose staunch supporter

Posted on August 2, 2012 by

I don’t remember a national coach being overly concerned about the shuffling of sun loungers on the media deck, but I suspect that’s about to change. Hugh Farrelly, Irish Indo rugby corr, is going overboard. As in disembarking. Going ashore. … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish Rugby, Rugby, Rugby Opinion, Sports Comment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Independent medics to make a safer game

Posted on May 31, 2012 by

There is hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train. At last the IRB are introducing independent medics to improve their concussion protocol, and it will start on a trial basis in next … Continue reading →

Posted in Concussion, IRB, Rugby, Rugby News, Rugby Opinion | Tagged , | Leave a comment