Andy Farrell has a lot of credit in the bank. A LOT. Ireland have named a 42-man training squad for the World Cup and will meet up in June to begin preparations for the big dance. When you step back and take a look at it, there are no ground-quaking shocks. Joey Carbery and Jordan […]

3 years ago

LEINSTER 30-15 ULSTER Ryan Baird continued his superb form out of the back-end of the Six Nations and starred at blindside for a Leinster side that reached the last eight of the Champions Cup. Ross Byrne, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Jimmy O’Brien and the entire starting Leinster front row had fine games, against a dogged […]

3 years ago

There must be a revolving door at Auckland International Airport. As James Hume heads for home, Stuart McCloskey arrives in New Zealand for his seventh or eighth coming with the Ireland squad. The Ireland squad will continue to train at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland until Wednesday, when they travel to the South Island of […]

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

NORTHAMPTON 20-24 ULSTER Andy Farrell will name his Ireland squad for the 2022 Six Nations soon, and James Hume is doing his best for the call-up. So are a few other Ulster lads. Ulster marched on to the knock-out stages of the Champions Cup with a fine win over Northampton Saints, at Franklin’s Gardens. Mike […]

4 years ago

“He had a serious game.” Back in October, when Ulster beat Lions, Louis Ludik and Andrew Trimble tried to decipher what James Hume’s ‘H’ celebration meant. “That’s the first letter of his second name,” Trimble guessed. “Either that or he’s doing rugby posts.” Ludik suggested it could be a double ‘L’ to emphasise his ‘love […]

4 years ago