Andy Farrell is seemingly set to make five or six changes to his starting XV and some more on the bench for Ireland’s 2026 Six Nations round two game against Italy at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.10pm). Mindful that this is the first of three successive games, with next week’s trek to Twickenham … Read more
I probably stood out like a sore thumb,” says Hollie Davidson as she reflects on the long, hard road she has travelled to reach the point where, on Saturday, in Dublin, she will become the first woman to referee a men’s Six Nations game. Davidson leans forward in her chair and ticks off some of … Read more
Unruly spectators at Twickenham felt the force of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour at the Six Nations match between England and Wales last Saturday, with Richmond council issuing 24 fixed-penalty notices [FPNs] for public urination. The English Rugby Football Union (RFU) is trying to persuade local residents to ditch their opposition to proposals to increase … Read more
So then, that was the week that was. The week when Irish rugby, depending on your viewpoint, either suffered further evidence of a temporary blip or hit a wall. But it’s hard to think of a worse one for the Celtic nations, who all lost in the first round for the first time since the … Read more
What’s happening? Ireland welcome Italy in the second round of the 2026 Six Nations. When and where? Andy Farrell’s side return from last week’s thumping from France in Paris to host Gonzalo Quesada’s men at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.10pm). How did the sides fare in round one? Ireland and Italy had quite … Read more
Beaten, battered, blown away. Having been completely overwhelmed by a sublime French team, Ireland must harness every ounce of resilience for their remaining four matches, starting with Italy. We can’t blame the referee for the events in Paris; no match is winnable when missing a shedload of tackles and kicking the ball away. Englishman Karl … Read more
Whereas Irish rugby is reeling from one of its most deflating weeks in many a year, the Italian rugby squad travel to Dublin with increased belief that they can claim a first Six Nations away win over Ireland in the Aviva Stadium next Saturday (kick-off 2.10pm). This follows their gritty and deserved 18-15 win over … Read more
Under-20 Six Nations: France 50 Ireland 21 Ireland left the Stade Aimé Giral bruised, battered and with a nagging disappointment that they contributed to their downfall to a far greater extent that would be acceptable. France were worthy winners, scoring eight tries, possessing a surfeit of power, pace and guile that enabled them to play … Read more
Under-20 Six Nations: France v Ireland, Stade Aimé Giral, Perpignan, Saturday, 8pm Irish time – Live on RTÉ news channel, RTÉ Player Sami Bishti oozes a maturity that belies his years. He talks about not only being schooled in Blackrock as a rugby player, but as a person by coaches. A dual-track education process to … Read more
Ireland XV 14 England A 52 Painful, physically and emotionally and a night that will chase away sleep. After the disappointment of Paris last night, this match represented an audition for those that aspire to higher honours, a chance to lay down a marker. Instead, it was a shellacking, and few escaped with reputations intact … Read more