Not his best moment. Connacht centre Bundee Aki did not travel to Ireland’s Portugal training camp ahead of the Six Nations, after being cited following his side’s loss to Leinster on Saturday. A ‘Misconduct Complaint’ against the 35-year-old was after comments made to match officials at the match. In a statement, the IRFU said: “The […]
4 days ago
He didn’t hold back. Ireland’s rivalry with South Africa has reached new heights over the last decade, with the head-to-head 5-4 in Ireland’s favour. However, their last game, in November, was a stark reminder of the Springboks’ status as the best side in the world, as they demolished Ireland’s scrum at the Aviva Stadium. In […]
4 days ago
Awful news. France tighthead prop Uini Atonio has been forced to retire with immediate effect after suffering a heart attack. The 35-year-old has won 68 caps for his country since 2014 and was named in Les Bleus’ squad for the upcoming Six Nations, which begins against Ireland next Thursday. A statement from his club Stade […]
4 days ago
A frustrating situation. Since Connacht’s rise from the ashes during the late 2000s, one of the many pleasing aspects – alongside silverware, support and a new stadium – has been the rise in homegrown talent. Players such as Denis Buckley, the Murray brothers, Jack Carty, Robbie Henshaw and Tiernan O’Halloran have all starred for the […]
6 days ago
It’s that time of the year again. Head coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland squad for the upcoming Six Nations. They begin their campaign with a Thursday night game against the French at the Stade de France on February 5 (kick-off, 8.10pm). There are two uncapped players – Munster second row Edwin Edogbo, and […]
1 week ago
Not what we had hoped for. Optimism in Irish men’s rugby is the lowest it’s been since the first year of Andy Farrell’s reign. Ireland’s Autumn Nations Series campaign was an overall disappointment, and the World Cup is less than two years away, with Ireland struggling to replace an ageing squad. While Ulster are enjoying […]
1 week ago