Player welfare is a clarion call of long standing for rugby’s constituents – the governing body World Rugby, unions, federations, clubs and tournament organisers. The IRFU’s model had long been the envy of its global peers, and sport’s hierarchy in several countries have followed suit to varying degrees in adopting a version of a central … Read more
There’s a lack of consistency across the board but head coach will be comfortable with what he has as he hones in on Australia Ireland head coach Andy Farrell (centre) with, clockwise from top left, Tom O’Toole, Robert Baloucoune, Caelan Doris, Edwin Edogbo, Bryn Ward, Craig Casey. Squad depth is an obsession in rugby and … Read more
Ireland captain Caelan Doris lifts the Triple Crown trophy after his side’s victory over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Andy Farrell would have loved to have gone back to the Aviva Stadium with his team to watch Caelan Doris lift the Six Nations. A veteran of professional sport, he won’t define the … Read more
Ireland’s improving scrum has its day against Scotland Ireland’s scrum has been under pressure throughout the Six Nations Championship, conceding 15 penalties and plenty of free kicks. The absence of three frontline loosehead props through injury was a factor. It would have been an area that Scotland targeted ahead of the Triple Crown game. So, … Read more
Ireland underline that wing is king as Andy Farrell’s men emerge from Six Nations campaign in rude health Ireland captain Caelan Doris lifts the Triple Crown trophy after his side’s victory over Scotland. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile In the end we came up just short, but if there has been a more engrossing or more entertaining … Read more
Well then, what the heck to make of that? We seem to live in a very black-or-white era, with less grey area or middle ground. Almost everything has to be “the best” or “the worst”, be it coaches, players, teams or tournaments. But truly, that was the best Championship ever, wasn’t it? If only Fin … Read more
Tadhg Furlong on the charge against Wales players Dafydd Jenkins (left) and James Botham during Friday’s victory at the Aviva Stadium. Photo: Sportsfile While they let us down badly against Les Bleus in this tournament’s opener before spoiling us rotten against the English at Twickenham, it’s fair to say that both home games on either … Read more
Strictly speaking, there’s no real midway point in the Six Nations, but this being the only fallow week it’s thus the only time to pause for breath and have a midterm report. Ireland Apocalypse not after all. Ireland are even back to third in the world rankings. As in 2021, we really should have listened … Read more
“If the greatest writer of the written word had written that story, nobody would have believed it.” Magical words conjured up by commentator Cliff Morgan to describe, perhaps, the try of the century when Gareth Edwards’ dived over the line for that famous Barbarians score against the All Blacks in 1973. That turn of phrase … Read more
Ireland players celebrate victory over England at the final whistle in Twickenham on Saturday. Photo. Adam Davy/PA Rassie Erasmus has described Ireland’s rugby system as “precision farming” and the last year has shown how delicate the ecosystem is. All the analysis that followed the alarming defeats to France, New Zealand and South Africa remains valid … Read more