4 Ireland U20s welcomed into Connacht academy

IRELAND U20 COACH Nigel Carolan has named four men who won honours under him this year to his Connacht academy. Peter Claffey, who missed the summer run to a world final against England through injury, heads the list of five new inductees to the first year of the Westerners programme. Claffey is joined by the…

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26-year-old Connacht centre McSharry forced to retire due to concussion

CONNACHT HAVE ANNOUNCED that Dave McSharry has been forced to retire from professional rugby due to a concussion injury. The 26-year-old underwent a review of his concussion issue with a neurologist last week and was advised to retire. McSharry played for Connacht 65 times. Source: James Crombie/INPHO McSharry played for Connacht 65 times and represented Ireland…

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‘We want whole people; we don’t just want obsessive robots’

LES KISS WAS 50 when Ulster appointed him as their director of rugby. He was 50 by the time he got to be the boss. There was a stint as co-head coach of rugby league’s London Broncos back in 1999, but Kiss was an assistant for the vast majority of his union coaching career up until…

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We’ll Leave It There So: Lance is coming to Dublin, Irish UFC star’s contract dispute and today’s sport

Home Bau Biggins (3) and Lille Maher (2) watching today’s Laytown Races. Source: James Crombie/INPHO Former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong is set to make his only European speaking engagement of 2016 when he takes part in a “no-holds-barred” public interview live in Dublin in October.There’s uncertainty over Joseph Duffy’s future on the UFC roster after…

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Lambie returns to Spingboks for first time since Stander red-card incident

SPRINGBOK HEAD COACH Allister Coetzee has recalled fullback Willie le Roux and fit-again out-half Pat Lambie to his 31-man squad for fixtures against Australia and New Zealand in the final rounds of the Rugby Championship. Coetzee’s side are heading into home fixtures against Australia on 1 October and New Zealand a week later on the…

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Addison’s World Cup prospects hindered by season-ending back surgery

ULSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that Will Addison won’t play again this season. The 26-year-old has undergone surgery on a back injury he sustained while training with Ireland during the Six Nations. According to an injury bulletin issued by the northern province this afternoon, it is hoped that Addison “will return to full fitness for pre-season.” Click…

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Dupont starts at 10 as Toulouse reshuffle backline for last-four clash with Leinster

Click:Hair growth treatment TOULOUSE WILL FIELD a different-looking backline to the one which overcame Racing in the quarter-finals when they line out against Leinster in Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup last-four clash (3:15pm, Virgin Media and BT Sport). The versatile Antoine Dupont, who started at scrum-half in Paris in the last round but line out at…

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Meyer signs Stade extension as owner promises €100 million investment

HEYNEKE MEYER HAS signed a contract extension with Stade Francais until the end of the 2020-21 Top 14 season, with the option of a further year. The former South Africa coach was appointed as sporting director and head coach of the Paris club last March. Stade then brought in Fabrice Landreau as sporting director in January…

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