ONE BY ONE Ulster players and coaches pursed their lips and nodded along, making the effort to remain stoic and avoid being dragged down by the weight of some foreboding statistics. We’ve now been through six years of Pro12 semi-finals, and all 12 have been won by the home team. Compounding matters, Ulster have their…
Read more‘It’s too early to tell just exactly what we might do’: Schmidt turns his attention to Joburg
Rory Keane reports from Johannesburg FOR A MAN who had just masterminded arguably the greatest victory in the history of Irish rugby, Joe Schmidt cut a cool figure following his side’s heroics in Cape Town. Chatting to the small gathering of Irish press on this South African mission, the Kiwi was his usual calm and…
Read moreCullen pays tribute to ‘immense’, ‘brilliant athlete’ Reddan ahead of final bow
LEINSTER COACH LEO Cullen has hailed the ‘unique’ achievements of Eoin Reddan after the scrum-half confirmed he will retire after Saturday’s third Test against South Africa. The pair spent the early part of their careers on opposing sides — with Leinster and Munster, then Leicester and Wasps — before Reddan followed Cullen back to Ireland…
Read more4 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…
Read more26-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…
Read more‘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…
Read moreWe’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…
Read moreLambie 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…
Read moreAddison’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…
Read moreDupont 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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