The Leinster back-row was strangely passive at Eden Park. He was not the only one. A look back on Ireland’s 42-19 defeat to the All Blacks only confirmed what seemed apparent on the first watch – Caelan Doris just was not on it. Coming into the Champions Cup final, against La Rochelle, Doris had won […]

4 years ago

“It isn’t a dejected changing room.” Andy Farrell was in defiant mood at a post-match press conference that he flew solo at. His Ireland team had just been beaten 42-19 and his captain, Johnny Sexton was not on media duties after failing one Head Injury Assessment but passing a follow-up. Covid, concussions and injuries have […]

4 years ago

“I mean, he’s in the UFC. He doesn’t suck. He’s good.” Ahead of the UFC 276 bout, in Las Vegas, Gabe Green gave Ian Garry some credit, but not too much. The 29-year-old from Florida was previously with Bellator and made the move to the UFC in 2020. After losing his opener with the promotion, […]

4 years ago

“I have a lot of time for the Irish in how they approach life and, certainly, rugby.” Richie McCaw played Ireland 14 times in his long and successful Test rugby career. He finished with a 14-0 record. The former All Blacks captain made his Test debut at Lansdowne Road in November 2001, in team that […]

4 years ago

“Having it easy, is that what we want? I don’t know.” Andy Farrell said, before Ireland’s summer tour, that he wanted to find out if his best, and fringe, players could stand up when it counted. Peter O’Mahony and Josh van der Flier did, and a few others acquitted themselves well. Still, Ireland got a […]

4 years ago

AUSTRALIA 30-28 ENGLAND The Wallabies have defeated England for the first time since the 2015 World Cup after coming from behind, with a man down, to beat Eddie Jones’ men. England were 6-3 ahead when Australian lock Darcy Swain was red-carded for a reckless headbutt on England lock Jonny Hill, after some unsavoury hair-pulling scenes. […]

4 years ago

The former Exeter Chiefs lock was successful in getting into his opponent’s hair, and under his skin. Jonny Hill and Darcy Swain had a first half flashpoint that neither man will look back fondly on. Former England captain Dylan Hartley called it ‘a moment of madness’. The locks got embroiled in a bit of silly […]

4 years ago

Ireland could do with some good news around about now. Johnny Sexton last 30 minutes of the First Test against New Zealand before another blow to the head ended his 106th Test outing. He will now miss the Second Test, too. Such is the early fudge that Ireland find themselves in, we were met with […]

4 years ago

‘Classic Scott Barrett,’ one fan remarked. ‘Has to be a citing.’ English referee Karl Dickson was standing two metres away as New Zealand flanker Scott Barrett jumped the gun and drove his shoulder into the head of Peter O’Mahony. A penalty eventually came Ireland’s way, but Barrett was allowed to play on. O’Mahony, Ireland’s captain […]

4 years ago

NEW ZEALAND 42-19 IRELAND For 20 minutes, we had a contest. Mistakes led to New Zealand tries out of nowhere and it got grim. The full Ireland ratings do not make for pretty reading. Two games into Ireland’s tour of New Zealand and Andy Farrell’s side have lost twice, as well as conceding over 70 […]

4 years ago

The Munster and Ireland legend had first-hand experience of the rampant Kiwis, as a player and a coach. Ronan O’Gara was hardly surprised to see the Maori All Blacks run hard and run it from deep in their 32-17 midweek win over Ireland. The former Ireland outhalf, who had a two-season coaching stint as assistant […]

4 years ago

Keith Earls gets his second start in what will be four days. Andy Farrell has selected the Munster veterans Peter O’Mahony and Keith Earls in his Ireland team for the First Test against New Zealand, on Saturday. With winger Mack Hansen still isolating after his positive Covid test, last weekend, Earls gets the 14 jersey. […]

4 years ago

“It could have been a landslide.” Andy Farrell insisted, after his side’s 32-17 defeat to the Maori All Blacks, that he was proud of his new-look side’s second have showing. The loss could still be a speed-bump, but injuries to Cian Healy, James Hume and others are very worrying. Niall Scannell has already been called […]

4 years ago

It was the uncomfortable silence that stuck with me. Back in 2005, when I was living in Auckland, there was an upcoming game between Ireland and New Zealand at the old Lansdowne Road. Kiwi commentators and pundits spent most of their previews talking about the All Blacks selection dilemmas and building towards the next World […]

4 years ago

On a night when a lot went wrong, there were some positives. Not too many, mind. Gavin Coombes may have to spin his wheels for the next two weeks, until he gets another crack at the Maori All Blacks, but he proved, in Hamilton, that he is Test ready. The Munster No.8 did not have […]

4 years ago

“I’m going to take it with me.” Named captain of Ireland for the first time, Bundee Aki was tasked with leading the poignant Irish tribute to the late Sean Wainui. At Waikato Stadium, before his side took on the Maori All Blacks, the Connacht centre broke from the Irish ranks, walked forward and laid down […]

4 years ago

MAORI ALL BLACKS 32-17 IRELAND After 40 minutes, at Waikato Stadium, the Maori All Blacks will have been eyeing up a 50-point performance. Our Ireland player ratings do not make for a pretty read. Ireland went 3-0 ahead through Ciarán Frawley before falling 8-3 behind after a Cullen Grace try and a Josh Ioane penalty. […]

4 years ago

“Give these guys game-time and see what they’re like.” Greg O’Shea may have been advocating for the next generation of Irish rugby stars to make a name for themselves, but Darren Cave has battle scars. He is a bit more cautious when it comes to Ireland’s five-game tour of New Zealand. Cave played on Ireland’s […]

4 years ago

Some tasty fixture in there. There are some enthralling, and testing fixtures ahead – in both the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup – for the Irish provinces. The addition of South African sides, from the United Rugby Championship, have considerably enlivened matters. When all the team balls and pool balls had been drawn, it was […]

4 years ago

One solution could be switching Hugo Keenan to the right wing and starting another fullback. Not long after his team to face the Maori All Blacks was named, Ireland coach Andy Farrell all but confirmed most of his Test starters for the next game. The arrows are pointing up for a veteran and a relative […]

4 years ago

The Ulster captain will fly out of New Zealand in the coming days. Even before the official news came through, it was looking bad for Iain Henderson. On Monday, the IRFU confirmed that Henderson and Rob Herring had both sustained injuries in training. Niall Scannell was flying out as injury cover in the hooker position. […]

4 years ago

Ireland have never beaten the Maori All Blacks, in their rugby history. Andy Farrell has named all five of his recent uncapped Ireland tour squad selections in the starting XV for their opening game, against the Maori All Blacks. Bundee Aki is named as captain and starts in the centre with Ulster’s James Hume. Ciarán […]

4 years ago

One man is already en-route to New Zealand as injury cover. More may soon follow. For Irish rugby supporters in this neck of the globe, Monday morning arrived with some shaky news from New Zealand. It should mean Andy Farrell will have to make changes from the Ireland team he would have originally selected. New […]

4 years ago

“This is all up for debate, now!” Before we all plunge deep into the Ireland games against Maori All Blacks and the three-Test series against New Zealand, it was only fitting to wrap up the United Rugby Championship season with a ‘Best XV’ of Irish players. The first ever URC season wrapped up, last weekend, […]

4 years ago

“It was definitely a tension-filled day.” When you strap into a Rory McIlroy rollercoaster, particularly at majors, it is often easy to forget Padraig Harrington was one of the O.Gs at bringing you on a white-knuckle ride. So it proved again, at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Harrington went into the final round […]

4 years ago

“We won’t miss a beat.” Brad Mooar was definitely trying to convey a sense of calmness and business as usual, but the All Blacks are down three coaches and two players on the week of their Test opener against Ireland. Incoming selector Joe Schmidt has been drafted in to help. Schmidt was not due to […]

4 years ago

Injuries and Covid disrupting plans for both sides before a ball has been flung. Irish rugby supporters woke up to a raft of news from the national team’s summer tour to New Zealand. Mack Hansen, Rob Herring and Iain Henderson all look to be out of First Test contention. There are Covid positives in the […]

4 years ago

“If you’re not going to answer my questions, why should I answer yours?” Kieran McGeeney may have had the sympathy of Galway manager Pádraic Joyce, after an All-Ireland quarter final thriller at Croke Park, but it was doing nothing to change the result. Galway march on while Armagh’s latest run at Sam Maguire has fallen […]

4 years ago

Respect from one goalkeeper to the other. As pandemonium broke out at Croke Park, and the good kind of pandemonium, Conor Gleeson sought out his opposite number. Galway’s Cillian McDaid said he and teammates had done ‘a small bit’ of penalties practice, ahead of the Armagh game. It certainly looked like it. After the All-Ireland […]

4 years ago

“Absolute chaos.” Armagh staged a stunning comeback from six points down to force extra time, but no-one was talking about the thrilling on-field action. Damien Comer suffered a grim rake to the eyes and his Galway teammates were incensed. As both sides headed for the changing rooms, an almighty brawl broke out on the sidelines. […]

4 years ago

“It’s great to be here.” Craig Casey was in his element at North Harbour Stadium, on Saturday, as he faced New Zealand media for the first time on Ireland’s summer tour. The Munster scrumhalf is in line to feature in Wednesday’s tour opener against the Maori All Blacks. He will hoping to press his claims, […]

4 years ago

“You don’t really know what to say!” The end of the season is drawing near and Diarmuid Kilgallen is already looking forward to 2022/23. We are sitting upstairs at Connacht Rugby ahead of their season-closer against Zebre and Cian Prendergast has just headed out to get on with his day. The flanker, who will soon […]

4 years ago

“Without a doubt, he’ll at least start those games.” We are a week out from the first game of the Irish rugby summer tour, in New Zealand. On Monday, Andy Farrell will name his Ireland team for the first game, against the Maori All Blacks. Given that the tour opener, at the Waikato Stadium in […]

4 years ago

“I wouldn’t change my journey now for anything in the world.” It is just over two years since Cian Prendergast was back home, near Kildare’s Curragh expanse, when he was told by Noel McNamara that he had missed out out on an academy spot with Leinster. In the days and months that followed, the young […]

4 years ago

“People hate confidence. That’s why people aren’t a big fan of me.” So said Brooks Koepka on Friday at the US Open. He then went on to shoot 75 and 77 on his way to a +12 total that was 18 shots worse off than this year’s champion, Matt Fitzpatrick. In what could now be […]

4 years ago

“He is a lot more like that ruthless 10. A bit more like Johnny.” As soon as it was announced that Jack Carty underwent wrist surgery, the final outhalf spot in the Ireland summer squad was down to brothers Ross and Harry Byrne. Despite having 14 Test caps to his name, 24 Leinster appearances this […]

4 years ago

“I don’t understand this meanness.” Romain Ntamack has played a staggering 32 times for club and country, this season. He started 30 of those games, scored 10 tries, logged 2,380 minutes, reached two semis with Toulouse and helped France to a Grand Slam. He would have so dearly loved that 33rd game. On Friday night, […]

4 years ago

“There may not be a better game-face in golf that Leona Maguire!” Standing on the 18th tee, with US Solheim Cup stars Nelly Korda and Jennifer Kupcho looking on, Leona Maguire looked ready to stripe a drive down the first fairway in a sudden death playoff. It had been an incredible charge from the Cavan […]

4 years ago

“I needed to accept being gay myself before I could address it with others.” Leinster star Nick McCarthy has publicly come out, through his club, as being gay. The scrumhalf is hopeful that his coming out will act as a positive for others and he paid tribute to his teammates and all at the club […]

4 years ago

“Six is the number!” Not long after he clinched his first ever major, Matt Fitzpatrick was targeting five more, and trying to keep as straight a face as possible. The Sheffield native carded a superb final round of 68 to beat Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler to the 2022 US Open at The Country Club, […]

4 years ago

“It will take a while probably.” The wait for a fifth major goes on, for Rory McIlroy, but he is pretty bullish about his chances as The Open Championship draws near. Still, he admitted it will take time to truly take any positives out of his top-five finish at the US Open. McIlroy, for the […]

4 years ago

“This squad is a real mix of young, talented players and some very experienced, senior players.” Eddie Jones has named a 36-player squad for England’s summer tour to Australia, and there are Test returns looming for Danny Care and Billy Vunipola. 10 of the squad announced by Jones, today, were part of the last England […]

4 years ago

The last two leaders, heading onto the 18th tee, at the US Masters and US PGA carded double bogeys. Matt Fitzpatrick is your 2022 US Open champion after one hell of a final day at The Country Club, in Brookline, Massachusetts. Leading by one stroke, standing on the 18th tee, the English golfer strayed left […]

4 years ago

‘Watch this space’ Although he said he was ‘not a politician’, Graeme McDowell attempted to speak like a statesman ahead of the first ever LIV Golf event. Safely back on Twitter, he was not afraid to fire some shots. The 2010 US Open champion is not in Brookline, this week, battling it out for a […]

4 years ago

“I still remember the feeling, and I want that feeling again… I’m one great round of golf away from doing it.” Credit to Rory McIlroy, he never shies away from a question about his quest for that [so far] elusive fifth major. The 32-year-old was not long off the 18th green, and the cheers of, […]

4 years ago

“He scored 14 points in Croke Park, just a few weeks ago.” Former Clare captain and manager Anthony Daly spoke very well on the sense of shock around the country after Damian Casey’s passing. Tyrone GAA, and the entire game, is in mourning following the death of the talented hurler, and captain of his county. […]

4 years ago

“I think I’ll get more emotional, the more I speak, so I’m trying to… erm… “ Ellis Genge welled up on a few occasions but, for the most part, held it together as he reflected on a superb Leicester Tigers comeback from also-rans and relegation-haunted to Premiership champions. The Leicester Tigers captain arrived at Welford […]

4 years ago

LEICESTER 15-12 SARACENS Leicester Tigers outhalf Freddie Burns entered the fray earlier than expected, after George Ford limped off. He had a fine game, then won it at the death with a clutch drop goal. Tigers, who only avoided Premiership relegation in 2020 after Saracens’ points deduction for illegal player salaries, fell behind to an […]

4 years ago

“You can disagree with me, but you can’t speak like that.” After a pretty average opening 20 minutes of the 2022 Gallagher Premiership Final, at Twickenham, it all suddenly came to life. Wayne Barnes and his Television Match Official also had a big call to make. Saracens were leading Leicester Tigers 3-0, after an early […]

4 years ago

“I think I play quite an emotive brand of golf, if there is such a thing.” For anyone that has followed Rory McIlroy closely for the past dozen (plus) years, they would surely agree with that statement. The word ‘rollercoaster’ is often linked with the experience of watching McIlroy play, and compete for the big […]

4 years ago