Justify Text
Banner
Latest News

  • Casey comes in from the cold after eight years in the wilderness

    Sat, May 10, 2008  COME IN, Bob, your time has arrived. It may only be an exhibition game, but after eight years in the wilderness Bob Casey has been invited to come in from the cold following the London Irish captain's inclusion in the Ireland squad to play the Barbarians on May 27th and the subsequent Churchill Cup with the Ireland A squad.  p

  • Extended squad raises questions

    Fri, May 9, 2008  Ireland's interim coaching team has named a 37-man squad ahead the match with the Barbarians at Kingsholm on May 27th, but only 30 of those will travel to the southern hemisphere to face New Zealand and Australia.

  • Foley set for hero's reception

    Fri, May 9, 2008  Declan Kidney has made eight changes to his side ahead of the final Magners Celtic League outing of the season, opting to rest some key players ahead of the Heineken European Cup final.

  • Champions burned by Dragons

    Fri, May 9, 2008  Dragons 31 Leinster 26 : Leinster and the Newport Gwent Dragons saved one of the best Magners League matches of the season until the last weekend as the Welshmen scored a narrow victory at Rodney Parade.

  • Connacht bow out in style

    Fri, May 9, 2008  Connacht 24 Ospreys 20 : Connacht ended their Celtic League campaign on a high note by condemning the Ospreys to yet another away defeat at the Sportsground.

  • Humphreys exits stage left

    Fri, May 9, 2008  Ulster 17 Cardiff Blues 26 : Ulster legend David Humphreys' widely anticipated final bow ended after only eight minutes in the last ever game of the season when he limped off with a calf injury.

  • Kidney daunted but raring to go

    Fri, May 9, 2008  DECLAN KIDNEY's persona won't change with his forthcoming incarnation as Ireland coach and, as ever, he will bring a sense of humanity to the role.  p

  • Fringe players get last chance to stake claim

    Fri, May 9, 2008  MAGNERS LEAGUE: DRAGONS BEAT their Welsh rivals Ospreys on Tuesday night to guarantee they will finish above Connacht in the League and figure in next season's Heineken Cup.  p

  • Low-key finale not without its subplots

    Fri, May 9, 2008  AS LEINSTER backs Fionn Carr and Ian Keatley move west and scrumhalf Frank Murphy returns to Ireland from Leicester Tigers for the coming season, certain incumbents will be conscious of trying to protect team places.  p

  • The final curtain call for Humphreys

    Fri, May 9, 2008  "YOUV'E GOT to look at it as the glass half full, don't you," says Ulster and Ireland's David Humphreys. Tonight the outhalf will pull on the Ulster shirt for the final time when he steps onto the Ravenhill Road turf.  p

  • McGahan and Bradley the outstanding candidates

    Fri, May 9, 2008  MUNSTER VACANCY: AS HISTORY has shown, the Munster hierarchy will move swiftly to replace the departing Declan Kidney; they have already begun a process of drawing up a shortlist.  p

  • Smal expected to be named new forwards coach

    Fri, May 9, 2008  KIDNEY'S TEAM: WHILE DECLAN KIDNEY gave his first interview as Ireland coach in Cork, negotiations to fill the national management team were conducted in Dublin with South African Gert Smal and Leinster's Paul McNaughton expected to be confirmed as forwards coach and national team manager respectively.  p

  • Humphreys to make final farewell

    Thu, May 8, 2008  Team News : David Humphreys will bring the curtain down on an illustrious career when he lines out for Ulster in the province's final game of the Magners League against Cardiff at Ravenhill tomorrow night.

  • Sexton determined to finish on a high

    Thu, May 8, 2008  Team News : Michael Cheika has made a number of changes for Leinster's final Magners League game against the Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow night. And although crowned champions last weekend Jonathan Sexton is determined to finish on a high.

  • O'Driscoll welcomes Kidney appointment

    Thu, May 8, 2008  Brian O'Driscoll is confident new head coach Declan Kidney has all the right credentials to put a smile back on the face of Irish rugby.

  • Bradley makes three changes

    Thu, May 8, 2008  Team News : Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made three changes to his starting XV ahead of tomorrow night's final Magners League clash of the season against the Ospreys at the Sportsground.

  • Kidney steps in with little fanfare

    Thu, May 8, 2008  RUGBY IRFU APPOINT DECLAN KIDNEY AS HEAD COACH WHEN DECLAN Kidney informed the Munster squad at their meeting before yesterday morning's training session that he would be the new Irish head coach, his announcement was greeted with a huge round of applause. On what must have been an emotional day for the 48-year-old on reaching the pinnacle of his career, that would have privately pleased him no end.  p

  • Facilitator with a unique coaching gift

    Thu, May 8, 2008  Gerry Thornley profiles the new Ireland head coach and gives an insight into the unique skills and idiosyncrasies he will bring to the set-up  p

  • Cheika gives Leinster squad members their chance

    Thu, May 8, 2008  THE MAGNERS League champions, Leinster, will be without Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney, Felipe Contepomi, Ollie le Roux and Keith Gleeson for tomorrow night's final match against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.  p

  • Garryowen motivated by prospect of back-to-back titles

    Thu, May 8, 2008  THE TROPHY cabinet at Dooradoyle that groaned under the weight of silverware last season took on a more spartan appearance during the present campaign as Garryowen was forced to relinquish one trinket after another.  p

  • O'Loughlin returns for Connacht

    Wed, May 7, 2008  Connacht head coach Michael Bradley has named a 26-man squad for the province's final match of the season against Ospreys on Friday evening.

  • Three uncapped in Scots tour squad

    Wed, May 7, 2008  Scotland coach Frank Hadden named uncapped trio Ben Cairns, Thom Evans and Moray Low in his squad to tour Argentina in June.

  • Kidney confirmed as new Ireland coach

    Wed, May 7, 2008  Declan Kidney has been named as the new Ireland head coach but the IRFU confirmed that the current Munster coach will be given time to concentrate on the Heineken Cup final and will play no part in Ireland's summer tour.

  • Cheika names strong Leinster squad

    Wed, May 7, 2008  Squad News : Michael Cheika has named a strong Leinster squad as the Magners League champions take on the Dragons at Rodney Parade this Friday in their final game of the season.

  • D’Arcy to miss out after more surgery

    Wed, May 7, 2008  RUGBY NEWS GORDON D'ARCY will not be available for Ireland's game against the Barbarians or their two summer Test matches against New Zealand and Australia. The Leinster centre underwent surgery on his broken arm for a second time last Friday and won't return to the training pitch until pre-season with his province.  p

  • O’Driscoll not interested in some time off

    Tue, May 6, 2008  RUGBY NEWS ONE IMAGINES Michael Cheika would be free to expose his younger players to the rigours of Magners League rugby for the return fixture against the Dragons next Friday, considering the title is safely stored away in Dublin 4. However, some of the senior guard might disagree to a rest week.  p

  • Leinster savour the moment

    Mon, May 5, 2008  RUGBY: THE BEST team in Ireland, Wales and Scotland over a nine-month, 18-match campaign through autumn, a very long winter and a whiff of summer were . . . Leinster. Left trailing in their wake were, among others, Munster, Cardiff and the Ospreys, all of whom they beat home and away. Hats off and let's hear it then: Allez les Bleus!  p

  • Dragons slain and ghosts laid in style

    Mon, May 5, 2008  MAGNERS LEAGUE/Leinster 41 Newport Gwent Dragons 8: AT LAST, a few rays of sunlight. The inevitability of Leinster's coronation, and the clear absence of a couple of thousand ticket holders who'd obviously decamped to the south-east coast or elsewhere at the first hint of summer, meant the occasion lacked a competitive cutting edge, but Leinster could do little more than put the Dragons to the sword as they did.  p

  • Quinlan lauds Munster character as Warwick strikes for late winner

    Mon, May 5, 2008  Llanelli 23 Munster 24: ALAN QUINLAN heaped praise on his Munster team-mates' character and endurance after their impressive fight back at Llanelli on Saturday. Declan Kidney's men looked lost for long periods in a thrilling Magners League contest at Stradey Park. After trailing 23-13 with just 15 minutes remaining, replacement outhalf Paul Warwick's 52-metre penalty secured a last-gasp win.  p

  • Williams looks on the bright side as tired Ulster run out of steam

    Mon, May 5, 2008  Ulster 24 Glasgow 35:  THE IRONY was not lost on Ulster coach Matt Williams that Dan Parks, a player he was derided for sticking by during his early days as Scotland coach, inflicted the telling damage as Glasgow escaped with a rare victory from Ravenhill.  p

  • Garryowen lay down a marker

    Mon, May 5, 2008  ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS/Shannon 6 Garryowen 31: THE MOST enthusiastic of Garryowen supporters could not have contemplated such a landslide win against their great local rivals, Shannon, who went into the game backed by the knowledge that they never lost an AIB All-Ireland League semi-final when at home.  p

  • Cork Constitution ease into the final

    Mon, May 5, 2008  Cork Constitution 17 Clontarf 3: CORK CONSTITUTION made it through to their sixth AIB All-Ireland League final with victory over Clontarf at Temple Hill on Saturday. They meet Garryowen in the final in Musgrave Park next Sunday.  p

  • Six-try Leinster crowned champions

    Sat, May 3, 2008  Leinster 41-8 Dragons: Leinster's coronation as Magners League champions came a week early as Michael Cheika's side proved far too strong for the Newport-Gwent Dragons in tonight's title decider at the RDS.

  • Cork and Garryowen to meet in final

    Sat, May 3, 2008  Cork Constitution continued their imperious form as they made it 20 AIB League wins in-a-row as they defeated Clontarf 17-3 in today's semi-final at Temple Hill and will now meet Garryowen in the final.

  • Warwick steals it for Munster

    Sat, May 3, 2008  Llanelli 23-24 Munster : Munster's replacement outhalf Paul Warwick kicked a penalty in the 10th minute of injury-time to snatch a Magners League victory from the Scarlets, who had sacked director of rugby Phil Davies last Tuesday.

  • Leinster set fair to take title in style

    Sat, May 3, 2008  RUGBY/Leinster v NG Dragons: PRIVATELY, Leinster won't be too disappointed Connacht didn't shove them over the Magners League finishing line last night by beating Cardiff, whose bonus-point win keeps the title mathematically alive and ensures this evening's expected coronation will not be an anti-climax. It is now perfectly primed for the boys in blue.  p

  • IRFU hopeful about Kidney

    Sat, May 3, 2008  RUGBY: THE IRFU remain confident Declan Kidney will agree to become the next Ireland head coach and it will be possible to confirm the appointment early next week. It is believed Kidney has been offered the post and the unexpected delay is because he has yet to sign on the dotted line.  p

  • Laughing cavalier with real gravitas

    Sat, May 3, 2008  Gerry Thornley talks to the ebullient Leinster prop on his life in rugby, his time in Ireland and his plans as he prepares to go home to South Africa  p

  • Connacht outclassed as season peters out

    Sat, May 3, 2008  MAGNERS LEAGUE/Connacht 11 Cardiff Blues 39: ANOTHER SEASON over for Connacht and another disappointing end. Their faint prospects of making the long-awaited Heineken Cup breakthrough died an ignominious death at the Galway Sporstground last night.  p

  • Strong bonds built on adversity

    Sat, May 3, 2008  EUROPEAN CUP/FOCUS ON TOULOUSE: Gerry Thornley hears from coach Guy Noves, who is setting his side up as vengeful carriers of the French Tricolore  p

  • Kidney in balancing act

    Sat, May 3, 2008  MAGNERS LEAGUE PREVIEWS/Llanelli V Munster : MUNSTER ARE not about to cough up another Magners League match in the way they did on Wednesday at Ravenhill. Whatever about resting front-line players, Declan Kidney does not want to approach his Heineken Cup final duel with Toulouse in just over three weeks with a string of defeats behind him, albeit with the shadow side.  p

  • Ulster out to complete mission

    Sat, May 3, 2008  Ulster V Glasgow: WELL AFTER Ulster's winning match against Munster in Belfast in midweek, coach Matt Williams expressed significant frustration with his players. His side did not run the ball as they had planned; the lineout did not function and through Ryan Caldwell the team drew another yellow card against a Munster side that, according to Williams, "did not turn up on the night".  p

  • Lyons signs up with Llanelli

    Sat, May 3, 2008  LLANELLI SCARLETS have announced the signing of Australian star David Lyons on a four-year contract. New South Wales Waratahs number eight Lyons has won 43 caps for Australia and played in two World Cup campaigns. Confirmation of his move to Stradey Park comes just two days after the Scarlets sacked their rugby director, Phil Davies.  p
Rugby: Fixtures, Results and Tables
Upcoming Fixtures Lions Fixtures 2009 Six Nations 2009
Celtic League All-Ireland League European Cup
Your Vote
Declan Kidney has been named as the new Ireland coach. Is he the right man for the job?
Advertisement
Photosales
Buy rugby and schools rugby photographs taken by Irish Times photographers. Click here
Breaking News