“There are scientists who will tell you that spirit, because it can’t be measured, doesn’t exist. Bollocks. It does exist.” In the spirit of ‘Big Sam’ Allardyce, The SportsJOE 12 o’clock quiz is not messing around with that tippy-tappy nonsense and getting stuck in, straight from the first question. Sleeves up, let’s go!

5 years ago

“I’m sticking to my guns.” We are four weeks out from learning who the British & Irish Lions’ Class of 2021 will be. Still plenty of time for debate, causes being pushed, hot takes and stone-cold takes. The Six Nations has separated the wheat from the chaff, but has also left Lions head coach with […]

5 years ago

Should the squeeze be imposed, a handful of top talents will miss out. The British & Irish Lions are heading to South Africa this summer and looking to invoke the spirit of 1974 and 1997 to defeat a strong Springboks side. Warren Gatland is reportedly looking at training facilities in Guernsey so his Lions squad […]

5 years ago

Give the people what they want. After an excellent Six Nations campaign, off the back of good form for province and country in 2020, the Ulster masses were expecting to see Iain Henderson in a lot of Lions XVs. Instead, there has been a general mix of Maro Itoje, Alun Wyn Jones, James Ryan and […]

5 years ago

“The Munster back row really stood up.” Toulouse knew what was coming. Gavin Coombes was going to tap-and-go from five metres out. The French side lined their biggest men up. They knew what was coming. Kaino. Marchand. Aldegheri. Castets. All of them primed for a charge from the young Munster back-row from West Cork. Coombes’ […]

5 years ago

“Step into my office.” “Why?” “Because you’re f***in’ fired!!” The SportsJOE 12 o’clock quiz is coming at you like a whirlwind today. We don’t think you’re ready for this hot, hot heat! Good luck, friends!

5 years ago

MUNSTER 33-40 TOULOUSE Two late daggers from scrumhalf Antoine Dupont saw Toulouse put a determined Munster side to bed at Thomond Park. Munster led 26-23 with 15 minutes to go but the French side scored 17 straight points in the closing stages and march on to an away Champions Cup quarter final with Clermont. Toulouse […]

5 years ago

“It’s a bad injury.” So said referee Wayne Barnes as Munster lock Tadhg Beirne shipped a bad blow to his rib’s in his side’s Champions Cup clash with Toulouse. Beirne, who was nominated for Six Nations Player of the Tournament after a superb return of form, was causing Toulouse trouble at Thomond Park when he […]

5 years ago

“I have been called many things in my career. Never have I been called the voice of reason!” That was Stuart Barnes, back in 2015, when he was announced as one of the panellists for TV3’s World Cup coverage. The former Bath, England and Lions outhalf has been one of the leading voices in northern […]

5 years ago

“You’re gonna see what the Mac is about.” The smack-talk is only beginning as Conor McGregor has confirmed his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier will be at UFC 264, in Las Vegas, on July 10. ‘The Notorious’ has made no secret of his desire to face-off against Poirier again, and was even angling for it […]

5 years ago

“Stone the flamin’ crows!” The SportsJOE 12 o’clock quiz is coming out hot and heavy from the opening bell. Let’s see if you can go the distance with us today. Ding, DING!

5 years ago

Many Munster supporters will be pining for O’Gara even more after this interview. They are not the only ones. Ronan O’Gara delivering the goods in the post-match interview, fresh off the back of his team delivering the goods on the pitch. Friday night saw La Rochelle and Gloucester pick up spirits after the disappointment of […]

5 years ago

The former Lions captain is a huge fan of the Irish forward, but has rowed back on a bold call. When it came to selecting the stand-out players of the Six Nations championship, Tadhg Beirne was high up Sam Warburton’s list. Vodafone British & Irish Lions ambassador Sam Warburton joined Sean O’Brien and host Lee […]

5 years ago

What might have been. Pieter Steph du Toit is currently gearing up for this summer’s visit of the British & Irish Lions to South Africa. Having spent most of 2020 recovering from a life-threatening injury, the prospect of testing himself against the best again is a massive bonus. It was reported by The42, earlier this week, […]

5 years ago

Fan favourites and some true club legends. Liverpool Supporters’ Player of the Year award has been in place since the 2001/02 season. Over the past 19 seasons, the award has been shared by 14 players and nine nationalities. Shockingly enough, Xabi Alonso is not to answer to any of the years. You have 6 minutes to get […]

5 years ago

The three-time European champions have fired back. Less than five hours before Leinster were set to face off against Toulon in a Champions Cup last 16 clash, word came through that the match was cancelled. Tournament organisers EPCR confirmed the cancellation and left rugby supporters with a ‘more to follow’. Into that information vacuum strode […]

5 years ago

“We all say that, Sam. I’m still trucking. 16/1 to be on the Lions!” On Monday, Sean O’Brien got a text with the latest odds for players to make the British & Irish Lions Tour. He may have toured in 2013 and 2017, but the Irish flanker quickly messaged back: ‘DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY! KEEP […]

5 years ago

“He’s got to be in the driving seat to start there.” As one leading journalist remarked, this week, putting out your Lions Test XVs on social media was the online equivalent of sticking ‘Kick Me’ on your back. There were always be disagreements and folks appalled that their favourite player has been snubbed. And so […]

5 years ago

“He could be a bit of a wildcard to start.” The latest chat around the British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa, this summer, is that there could be a reduced schedule of games and travelling party of players. It is expected that the touring Lions will have to base themselves in one part […]

5 years ago

Ringrose edges out Henshaw. Former England and Lions star Lawrence Dallaglio has been following the Six Nations closely, and his Lions XV is a reward for those that shone in the championship. While the Champions Cup and, to a lesser extent, Challenge Cup offer up extra windows to impress British & Irish Lions head coach […]

5 years ago

They went through the entire 1991/92 Serie A season unbeaten. For our latest football quiz, we are going back through the last few decades and asking you to guess as many of the Starting XI from a classic team. We are starting with an AC Milan team that romped to a Serie A title in […]

5 years ago

“Tap, Tommy. It’s okay. It’s okay. I love you. I love you, Tommy!” The SportsJOE 12 o’clock quiz is throwing heaters today and we fancy our chances at keeping your score below 15. Let’s see what you’re made of.

5 years ago

Some gems in here, and a couple of almost forgotten faces. Following the success of our 1990s footballers quiz, we have devised a 2000s football quiz that should provide a decent test. 20 footballers to get and anything over 16 is great going. Best of luck.

5 years ago

“Oh, I would hope so.” Before Ireland finished up their Six Nations campaign with a morale-boosting win over England, Andy Farrell was asked about possible summer Test matches for his side. The Ireland head coach had been hoping for a couple of summer Test matches to further work with his squad. The original plan – […]

5 years ago

Time to nail our colours to the mast. For the past two months, much of the Six Nations action has been viewed through a British & Irish Lions prism, and even more so after it was confirmed the tour would go ahead in South Africa. Lions head coach Warren Gatland is on the record with […]

5 years ago

“You’re that fickle that he’s gone after one bad performance?!” With the Six Nations now all neatly wrapped up and Wales celebrating one of the most unlikely title wins in years, much focus is going on the British & Lions selections Warren Gatland will be mulling over the coming weeks. As champions, Wales will be […]

5 years ago

Harry Kane needs to leave Tottenham and Ireland have hit rock bottom. It was England vs. Albania on ITV, on Sunday, but Roy Keane is usually happy to give his thoughts on any aspect of football you throw his way. Even when Keane was managing in the Championship, with Sunderland and Ipswich Town, Sky Sports […]

5 years ago

“The reality is, they could have easily been 15, 20 points clear at half-time.” For Leinster, more photo-shoots with a trophy they have owned since May 2018. For Munster, another golden chance to win some silverware gone in 80 minutes. On Saturday at The RDS, Leinster put on a dominant display in the PRO14 Final […]

5 years ago

A club legend doesn’t make the list

5 years ago

Conor Murray topping and tailing the Six Nations but still doing enough to impress. From a British & Irish Lions perspective, Ian McGeechan has seen it all. The Scot played on two Lions tours in the 1970s and then was head coach for tour more tours, between the years of 1989 and 2009, as well […]

5 years ago

A shocking indictment of a team that are supposed to be trying to be brave on the ball. Seamus Coleman did not have his finest game in a green jersey, this evening, but he was a hell of a lot better than most. Handing out Man of the Match awards is becoming increasingly tough for […]

5 years ago

IRELAND 0-1 LUXEMBOURG 10 games into the Stephen Kenny era and Ireland are still without a win. Their World Cup 2022 dreams are dead in the water. The full Ireland ratings do not make for pretty reading. A Gerson Rodriguez pile-driver settled a poor game if football at the Aviva Stadium as Luxembourg shocked a […]

5 years ago

LEINSTER 16-6 MUNSTER Leinster having too much for a game Munster side in a must-win encounter. Stop us if you have heard this one before… Leinster are the Guinness PRO14 champions for the fourth successive season after beating Munster in a one-sided final at The RDS. The first half saw Leinster boss possession and dominate […]

5 years ago

A senior debut in goal for the former Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper. Stephen Kenny has made three changes to his Ireland team to face Luxembourg, including starting Gavin Bazunu in goal. Bazunu comes in for Mark Travers while Jason Knight is named in midfield and James Collins takes the place of the injured Aaron Connolly up […]

5 years ago

“The reason I know I was definitely under 18, is that I got drug-tested afterwards.” Claire Molloy was 17 years old when she lined out for Galway in the Ladies All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final at Croke Park. Part of a Galway team that included future Liverpool and Ireland footballer Niamh Fahey, Molloy was up […]

5 years ago

Three more Scots enter the fray, with another stepping up to the Starting XV. With the 2021 Six Nations now in the history books, the Lions pecking order is looking a whole lot different from last December. Warren Gatland will be under pressure to select a pretty even spread after Wales won their second championship […]

5 years ago

3, 2, 1…. BLAST OFF!! The SportsJOE 12 o’clock quiz is going all around the world for today’s questions, so strap in and enjoy the ride. It’s a toughie today, so if you do score over 15 that is good going.

5 years ago

One change in the match-day squad, but there could be other tweaks. Ireland had long spells of good football against a Serbian side packed with attacking talent, on Wednesday, but fell away in the second half. Stephen Kenny is still awaiting his first win as boss of Ireland’s senior team, and he must have felt […]

5 years ago

SERBIA 3-2 IRELAND Ireland took the lead against a slick Serbia side but fell away in the second half. Our full Ireland ratings reward three players that did their country proud. Ireland started brightly in Belgrade and won a couple of corners before the hosts started to boss possession. Serbia had plenty of crosses and […]

5 years ago

“From that angle there, it looks a lot worse.” Ireland’s Aaron Connolly was denied a clear penalty after 51 minutes of his side’s World Cup qualifier against Serbia at Red Star Stadium. The Brighton & Hove Albion forward beat Serbia’s Stefan Mitrovic to the ball and was trying to work an angle to shoot on […]

5 years ago

“Boys, just to cheer you up a bit, Ireland beat England!” Sean O’Brien was just about the only one in tip-top form as Welsh stars Dan Biggar and Jonathan Davies joined House of Rugby host Lee McKenzie on the latest show. O’Brien was still buzzing from watching Ireland’s emphatic 32-18 victory over England as both sides […]

5 years ago

“I think he’s that material.” A couple of weeks before the 2021 Six Nations and both James Ryan and Caelan Doris would have been in many conversations for the Lions’ summer tour to South Africa. Back then, we did not know if those games would be played in South Africa, the UK or even Australia. […]

5 years ago

“My word, he has catapulted himself right into the conversation.” For fans of the British & Irish Lions, and all the squad selection debate that comes with it, these past few days are manna from heaven. Although Scotland and France still have to wrap their Six Nations campaigns, at Murrayfield on Friday night, Wales, Ireland […]

5 years ago

‘Big wheels keep on turning!’ The SportsJOE 12 o’clock quiz is tipping off with the latest season of Last Chance U before touching on some Soccer Aid and Celebrity Bainisteoir. We then take in the much loved Geography, Records and General Knowledge rounds. Dig deep, let’s go!

5 years ago

“He had the game on a string against England.” What have Conor Murray and Diogo Jota got in common? Both of their stocks went up after going through an injury-enforced spells on the sideline. Jamison Gibson-Park was given the Ireland playbook for three of their Six Nations games but dropped to the bench for the England […]

5 years ago

“It means a huge amount to us to have test rugby on the horizon.” Ireland’s Six Nations squad has been bolstered by the addition of five Sevens bolters, including one of the world’s very best. The IRFU has confirmed that the five Sevens stars, all of whom are uncapped at 15s senior level, have been […]

5 years ago

“They will have our full support to help implement this plan.” The British & Irish Lions have announced that they intend to honour their commitment to travel to South Africa for the 2021 tour, which will see them face the world champion Springboks in a Three-Test Series. The Lions Board, it has been confirmed, confirmed […]

5 years ago

In the end, it was a very, very close call. Very close. Coming into the 2021 Six Nations, Tadhg Beirne sent out a calling card, at Thomond Park, when he caused chaos for Leinster at the breakdown and delivered his customary bevvy of turnovers. That was enough to edge him ahead of Iain Henderson in […]

5 years ago

“He should be fearing for his place in the England team let alone thinking about Lions inclusion.” Watch out Billy Vunipola, CJ Stander and Jack Conan are about. There was never going to be a placid reaction from the English press after Eddie Jones’ side lost to Wales, Scotland and England to meekly give up […]

5 years ago

“He was running like he was 21. Who’s to say he might not travel with the Lions after that?” Keith Earls’ belief that he would make a second Lions Tour – and his first since 2009 – may have never wavered, but even his staunchest supporters must have feared his chances were slipping after the opening […]

5 years ago