“Did you hear Richie Whelan has signed for La Rochelle?” You never know when a sliver of transfer gossip will fall into your lap. This one came from overhearing punters taking in the annual fixture between Ireland U20s and a Leinster Development XV. The name of the club was familiar. That of the player less … Read more
The Six Nations has decided to schedule its opening game, France against Ireland, on a Thursday next year, the first time there will be a midweek fixture in the tournament’s history. What does that, and other fixture decisions to accommodate television over the last few years, mean for the average match-going Irish fan? Irish Times … Read more
If anyone was under any illusions about the decreasing importance of paying rugby fans in general, and Ireland supporters especially, then a cursory glance at the 2026 Six Nations fixtures will confirm as much. The schedule was released on Monday and heaven knows how much bartering went into the negotiations between the various broadcasters (France … Read more
Rugby Fans’ Top Stadiums: A Global Bucket List CITY – May 10, 2024 – Where should rugby enthusiasts go next? This global stadium bucket list highlights 20 must-visit venues across multiple continents. From the iconic Ellis Park in Johannesburg to the scenic Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, the featured locations offer unique experiences. Explore the rich … Read more
Last Saturday against France at the Kingspan Stadium, Niamh O’Dowd put in her biggest shift yet in an Irish jersey. Not only did the 24-year-old prop from Wexford play for more than 76 minutes, but she led the Irish tackle count with 14 and had the same number of carries, with only Aoife Wafer and … Read more
Simon Easterby has a point. When you start off a campaign strongly and finish it anti-climactic, winning four games out of five is viewed differently than if the results had been the other way around. It’s akin to a 2-2 or 3-3 draw in football when one team comes from two or three down. The … Read more
15 Blair Kinghorn (Scotland) Scotland fullback Blair Kinghorn. Photograph: Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images As is often the case, his game has gone to a different level since joining Toulouse. The stats don’t lie: the most carries (86, and 23 more than any other player), most metres gained (575, over 200m more than any … Read more
Six Nations: France 35 Scotland 16 Scotland briefly threatened to spoil the party but France ultimately came to the boil and delivered their first Six Nations title since 2022 for an expectant home crowd at Stade de France on Saturday night. France eventually ran out 35-16 winners to shut the door on England, who would … Read more
In sport the location of the thin line between genius and madness is often governed by the result. Win and you get to write the narrative, lose and the whole world gets to critique the defeat, armed with the certainty of hindsight. In the build-up to last Saturday’s game at the Aviva Stadium, the talk … Read more
Andrew Porter has dismissed suggestions of foul play and explained that Antoine Dupont’s knee injury in last Saturday’s game against Ireland was simply an accident. The Irish prop also sent a well-wishing message on Instagram to the French captain who limped off the pitch in Aviva Stadium. Porter was reacting to French coach Fabien Galthié, … Read more