Sports-mad Stevie Mulrooney yesterday revealed that he was “more scared than shocked” when Ireland’s rugby heroes Peter O’Mahony and Bundee Aki surprised him on The Late Late Toy Show.
Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has been left with a dilemma following Peter O’Mahony’s decision to step down as captain after a decade leading the side as there isn’t an obvious replacement.
Rob Kearney has admitted that he doesn’t miss playing rugby after retiring two years ago.
Rugby player Api Ratuniyarawa has appeared in court charged with sexual assault, hours before he was due to play for the Barbarians against Wales in Cardiff.
South Africa have retained the World Cup after a thrilling victory against New Zealand in a gripping Final in Paris, with Brian O’Driscoll suggesting the decisive match of the tournament was a reminder of what might have been for Ireland.
Johnny Sexton says that his final year as a professional rugby player was the best he experienced in the sport.
The choreographer-in-chief has shaped his last dance, a conductor for the ages has laid down his baton, it is time for Ireland’s ancient condor to fold his great wings and rest.
Andy Farrell could be on the hunt for a new backs coach in the coming months after it was reported that Mike Catt is set to leave the role he’s held for the past four years.
The dust has settled on Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of New Zealand, yet former captain Brian O’Driscoll admits the pain of reflecting on what might have been is hard to accept.
The All Blacks paid tribute to Johnny Sexton last night following Ireland’s defeat at the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll believes Johnny Sexton will never forget the moment that could have swung an epic World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Paris.
For another four years, the glass ceiling that hangs above Irish rugby remains.
Hugo Keenan - During Ireland's uncomfortable opening, Keenan was pressed into action early and often, having to cover plenty of ground in the back-field. Typically proved up to the task with his kicking game particularly clever. 8
Johnny Sexton had the haunted expression of a man who had just been dumped, by a downward plunging express elevator, into the bowels of some hellish everlasting misery.
Ireland have been handed a major boost on the eve of their World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand, as Mack Hansen took part in the captain's run at Stade de France this morning.
The All Green airlift is underway!
Andy Farrell believes in-form World Cup hopefuls Ireland were previously plagued by an “inferiority complex”.
Mack Hansen has recovered from injury to take his place in the Ireland starting team to face New Zealand in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday night.
Proud Irishman Jimmy Nesbitt had to put the record straight as to where his loyalties lay for last night’s crucial Rugby World Cup clash with Scotland.
Johnny Sexton praised the Irish support after Andy Farrell’s men marched on to the World Cup quarter-final following a big 36-14 win over Scotland.
Hugo Keenan – Important hit on Darcy Graham and then the Scots thought he was in touch. What a try though, superb timing and running and then he even bagged a second and the bonus point. 9
Brian O'Driscoll believes Ireland delivered the ultimate statement performance at they beat Scotland to set up a Rugby World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand next weekend.
GARRY Ringrose, a triumph of sharp-edged conviction, delivered a masterpiece of creativity, the kind of cultivated artistic expression that would hardly look out of place if framed and hung from the walls of the nearby Louvre.
On paper, this looked like it could have been a stressful night at the Stade de France but Ireland removed that possibility by ripping the heart out of this sorry Scottish side during a stunning first-half.
Ireland winger James Lowe is adamant that complacency will not be an issue for his side as they look to secure their World Cup quarter-final place in Saturday’s crucial pool showdown with Scotland at Stade de France.
Robbie Henshaw has been handed a World Cup lifeline after the centre took a limited part in Ireland’s captain’s run at Stade de France today.
A speeding behemoth, one shaking the World Cup foundations with his competitive intensity, the rising voltage of Bundee Aki’s aura is electrifying Ireland’s Gallic advance.
Waking up on Sunday morning in Paris was an emotional rollercoaster.
Briefings for ‘influencers’ to promote horse racing asked one celebrity to talk about the “unbelievable care and attention” given to horses at a time when concerns were being raised over animal welfare and the sport.
Brian O'Driscoll warned Ireland not to get carried away with their World Cup dreams after a thrilling win against South Africa in Paris.
ON a Parisian night for the ages, one where Ireland wore their defiance like impenetrable body armour, South Africa’s famed and destructive ‘bomb squad’ were impotent to blast Johnny Sexton’s pursuit of World Cup immortality into fragments.
Hugo Keenan - Was the first Irish player to work his way into a bit of space only for a knock-on by an arriving team-mate to abruptly halt the attack. Enjoyed a real purple patch in the 15 minutes before half-time - 8
The Bastille prison holds a central place in the lore of this city and Ireland executed their own jail-break here as they somehow slipped the Springbok chains in Saint Denis.
Close to 2,000 Ireland fans packed out the courtyard of the historic Centre Culturel Irlandais in the heart of Paris to get their singing voices in tune ahead of Ireland’s match with South Africa.
France captain Antoine Dupont will undergo scans to determine the extent of the facial injury which overshadowed the hosts’ record 96-0 World Cup victory against Namibia in Marseille.
In-form centre Bundee Aki believes his bulked-up frame has helped him make a storming start to the Rugby World Cup as he prepares to win his 50th Ireland cap.
Dan Sheehan is back in an Ireland 23 for the first time at the World Cup, with the hooker named on the bench for Saturday’s mammoth clash against South Africa at the Stade de France.
The Irish rugby team got a welcome boost today ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash with South Africa when it was announced that communications giant Vodafone has extended its sponsorship with the national team by another four years.
Not even the most hallucinogenic Jamie Heaslip tweet – claiming, say, that without the Ross O’Carroll-Kelly novels, the cosmic ingredients required to facilitate the Big Bang simply would not have existed – can distract them now.
Simon Zebo has apologised after his social media account ‘liked’ a slew of posts promoting anti-vax and 9/11 conspiracy theories.
Brian O'Driscoll saluted Johnny Sexton as he became Ireland's all-time leading points scorer and he broke Ronan O'Gara's mark with a try in the thumping win over Tonga last night, but he warned the real tests are not coming for Ireland.
Hugo Keenan - On more than one occasion the full-back was left with the thankless task of trying to stop his opposite number Salesi Piutau one-on-one. Will have more enjoyable days in green but stuck at it. 6
So far, Ireland's World Cup is unfolding as if it was scripted by Andy Farrell himself.
HE’S 22 months from his 40th birthday, a sporting Methuselah, yet the sheen that continues to radiate from Johnny Sexton is that of an athlete at the peak of his powers.
Rugby World Cup organisers have announced plans to record new renditions of the national anthems of competing countries after those used over the opening weekend were heavily criticised.
An Irish woman was allegedly attacked and gang-raped by three men last night while in France to watch her country’s win against Romania in the Rugby World Cup.
Post match press conference with Ireland head coach captain Johnny Sexton, following their 82-8 win over Romania in their opening World Cup fixture in Bordeaux.
Ireland got their World Cup campaign off to a record breaking start after an 82-8 win against Romania, with Brian O’Driscoll saluting Johnny Sexton’s display as he returned to action.
Brian O’Driscoll believes a ‘bullish’ Scotland team could be a surprise package at the World Cup in France, as he warned they could be a threat to Ireland in the group stages.
