Leinster plugging leaks and tightening up for tussle with Toulouse
Click:C78012-14 IT’S ALL ON the line at the semi-final stage and on top of shoring up a defence which has sprung its fair share of leaks in recent weeks, Leinster are intent on showing their best Cup Rugby this Sunday. Familiarity through the pool stage meetings hasn’t bred so much contempt as mutual admiration between…
Lansdowne bid for dramatic turnaround, exams hamper Trinity as AIL enters semi-final stage
ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE: DIVISION 1A SEMI-FINALS: Saturday, April 27, Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated CLONTARF (2nd) v LANSDOWNE (3rd), Castle Avenue The 2016 and 2018 champions go head-to-head in the Bull Ring, with home advantage for this semi-final decided by Clontarf’s surprisingly comprehensive 36-8 win at Lansdowne in the final round. Will two weeks have been enough time for…
Match-winner Hanrahan happy to give JVG ‘as many headaches as possible’
Ryan Bailey reports from Thomond Park ONCE NIGEL OWENS had marched the penalty forward for Dewaldt Duvenage’s costly show of petulance, JJ Hanrahan was firm in his mind. This was his moment, the match-winning moment. There was some discourse over the legitimacy of CJ Stander’s turnover as replays clearly showed Munster’s number eight goes off…
McNamara hails club gems as he backs Ireland U20 to adapt in Argentina
THE ABSENCE OF a few big names, just means a chance for others to make themselves known. U20 Grand Slam-winning coach Noel McNamara will have think his way through a teak tough pool at next month’s junior ‘World Cup’ (its given name, the World Rugby U20 Championship is something of a mouthful) without the influence…
Munster duo Hart and O’Callaghan sign with French side Biarritz
FRENCH CLUB BIARRITZ have confirmed the signing of Irish duo James Hart and Dave O’Callaghan ahead of the 2019/20 season following their release from Munster. Scrum-half Hart has signed a three-year deal with the ProD2 outfit, while back row O’Callaghan is under contract in the south of France until 2021. Hart is heading back to…
‘John Muldoon was injured all week and didn’t train’
CONNACHT HEAD COACH Pat Lam revealed some of the desperate measures being taken by his squad to help the province cope through their current injury crisis. The defending champions, who work off a lighter base of resources than their three neighbours, were without 22 players going in to the New Year’s Eve loss to Munster.…
Toner returning to full fitness for career’s final big stretch
LIVING IN THE here and now is no great challenge for Devin Toner. A 6′ 11″ heavy-hitting lock, but one of the softest-spoken forwards around. He is second on Leinster’s all-time appearances list, but he might blush if you called him a legend of the province. He is the primary line-out caller for club and…
Change in format as Irish province’s fixtures for Celtic Cup announced
LEINSTER WILL BEGIN the defence of their Celtic Cup title when they travel to face Cardiff Blues next month as the joint IRFU/WRU development competition featuring Irish provinces and Welsh regions returns for a second season. The eastern province’s ‘A’ side won the inaugural Celtic Cup with victory over Scarlets last October, and the fixtures…
‘If versatility gets you a ticket to go over, then I’m happy to offer that’
THREE INTO ONE doesn’t quite go, as Jordi Murphy well knows. It’s all a numbers game at this stage, no more so than in the back row where the battle for places is as intense as any other position in the squad. Although nailing down the openside berth at Ulster during his first season up…
‘For us to be together for those four or five days was the best time of my life’
LEAVING FAMILY TO go back into camp is always tough for rugby players but CJ Stander found it more difficult than most to pack his bags and join Ireland on their trip to Portugal last Wednesday. For the first time, the powerful number eight had to leave his daughter to go abroad. Born on 2…