The IRFU may have left it a little later than normal this season, but the announcement of four contract extensions for senior Irish players, Connacht’s Bundee Aki and the Leinster trio of Dan Sheehan, Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier further nails down one of the planning pieces for Irish coach Andy Farrell. All … Read more
Ireland fullback Hugo Keenan could be back in the Leinster squad as early as this week for their United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Glasgow on Saturday in Scotstoun Stadium (kick-off 5.30pm). Keenan (broken thumb), along with prop Andrew Porter (calf) and flanker Ryan Baird (leg fracture), missed the Six Nations championship and Ireland’s Triple … Read more
Jacob Stockdale is his own toughest critic. It’s been that way since his youth, and it’s worth recounting a story from his first year on the Ireland Under-20 squad to illustrate the point. Sitting in the Lansdowne pavilion in January 2015, the 18-year-old Lurgan-born wing opened a folder to reveal handwritten notes alongside numbers on … Read more
James Lowe is likely to miss out on the remainder of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign after picking up a groin injury during Saturday’s 42-21 win over England at Twickenham. In a squad update on Monday, the IRFU said the Leinster winger will continue to be monitored. However, the likelihood is that he will be ruled … Read more
“I had good chats with Andy [Farrell]. In fairness, he’s always honest, giving you things to work on and everything. He said it was a gut feeling about the balance of the backrow [and] that was the decision he made. In fairness, that’s what you want from coaches, you just want, like in anything in … Read more
15 Jamie Osborne Passed early test on the high ball and then made a nicely timed run to score his try. Defensively put in a try saving tackle on Pani in the second half and stepped up from last week. Rating: 6 14 Robert Baloucoune A good outing for the Ulster winger. Showed calm under … Read more
On the last night of athletics at the Paris Olympics, the hopes of a nation rested on the young shoulders of Cyréna Samba-Mayela. As Olympic hosts, France had yet to win a single medal on the track or field, and only Samba-Mayela could save their blushes. For all those inside the packed Stade de France … Read more
‘I’m getting PTSD talking about it. I love rugby and I hated that game’ … Source link
Former referee Nigel Owens has explained why he believes that Hugo Keenan’s try was disallowed during the Six Nations match against Italy. Keenan darted over the line in the 72nd minute after receiving the ball back from fellow outside-back James Lowe. Lowe received the ball near the left touchline and avoided the tackle of Italian … Read more
Italy 17 Ireland 22 Two and a half minutes from time, James Lowe came in off his wing and Manuel Zuliani offloaded one-handed to the talented 23-year-old Italian replacement Leonardo Marin. A star of the future was set to become one of the present with his first touch when he raced up the touchline and … Read more