Category: News

CONNACHT PROP FINLAY Bealham has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the Sportsground until at least 2019. The 24-year-old prop, who made his international debut during this year’s Six Nations, was the only Connacht player to feature for Connacht in all 31 games of this year’s Guinness PRO12 and European Challenge Cup…

MUNSTER’S DIRECTOR OF rugby Rassie Erasmus has handed centre Dan Goggin his first competitive start for the province in tomorrow afternoon’s Pro12 season-opener against Scarlets (3pm, Sky Sports 1). Erasmus, in his first game in charge, has also included the likes of Ireland internationals Tommy O’Donnell, Simon Zebo and Kiwi out-half Tyler Bleyendaal in his…

LEINSTER WILL WELCOME back Ireland internationals Jamie Heaslip, Jack McGrath, Devin Toner and Sean Cronin in tomorrow’s Guinness Pro12 clash with Edinburgh in Murrayfield [KO 7.35pm, TG4]. All four are available again after missing the opening rounds of the season under the IRFU’s player management programme, and Leo Cullen has put them straight into his…

LEINSTER MAY BE welcoming back Johnny Sexton tonight but centre Garry Ringrose knows it will count for little unless they improve defensively for the visit of league leaders the Ospreys. Leo Cullen’s side finished last year’s campaign with the best defensive record in the Guinness Pro12, conceding just 27 tries and a total of 290…

Click:22000PUFFS VAPE TOULOUSE HAVE BEEN boosted by the news out-half Zack Holmes has been cleared to face Leinster in next weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final showdown after his quarter-final red card. The Australian was sent-off by Luke Pearce for a high tackle on Racing 92 winger Juan Imhoff during the all-French quarter-final in Paris earlier…

Ryan Bailey reports from the Aviva Stadium TOULOUSE HEAD COACH Ugo Mola believes tomorrow’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against fellow four-time winners Leinster will be the next step on his side’s journey back to the top of European rugby. The Top 14 leaders were welcomed to Dublin by glorious blue skies this afternoon and Mola’s…

Ryan Bailey reports from Thomond Park GIVEN CONNACHT ARRIVED with a reconfigured side and more than one eye on the serious business around the corner, Andy Friend wanted to assess his side’s performance against Munster through the prism of three criteria; pride, opportunities and momentum. “Pride, tick,” the head coach began. “Opportunities, tick. Momentum, we…

THE APPOINTMENT OF Jérome Garcès to referee Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup final has certainly raised concern among Leinster supporters, particularly following the Frenchman’s officiating of the breakdown in Saracens’ win over Munster. Garcès, who also took charge of Leinster’s quarter-final victory over the English side in last year’s quarter-final in Dublin, will referee his first…

THE IRFU HAVE this morning issued confirmation that Rob Kearney has penned a deal that will extend his contract until the end of the 2019-20 season. The development puts an end to uncertainty over Kearney’s future, after the Leinster and Ireland fullback had been linked with a move to a French club after the 2019…

LESS THAN A month after Saracens were crowned champions of Europe for the third time in Newcastle, the first steps on the road to Marseille 2020 will be mapped out in Lausanne this afternoon. All four Irish provinces take their place in the draw for the 2019/20 Champions Cup pool stages, after Andy Friend’s Connacht…