Did Ireland’s hammering in Hamilton in 2012 lead to the cheering in Chicago in 2016?
Ireland
Five talking points from Ireland’s historic 40-29 win over New Zealand
By the Whiff of Cordite blog Despite having a team entirely composed of players from the unfairly maligned Pro12, Ireland managed to not only win a rugby match but beat…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Conor Murray and Ireland Are there enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe Ireland’s 40-29 win over New Zealand? It was their first victory over the Kiwis in…
How can Ireland stop the All Blacks machine?
By Alex Shaw The 27-man Ireland squad jetted off to Chicago this week with the most difficult question in rugby to answer weighing heavily on their minds – how do…
Champions Cup: Stars of Round One
Champions Cup rugby was back with a bang this past weekend and though it was tinged with huge sorrow at the tragic loss of a person so dear to the…
Champions Cup: Europe provides the stage for Test auditions
By Alex Shaw The European Rugby Champions Cup makes its 2016-17 bow this weekend and as early as round one, offers up a mouth-watering array of match-ups. Intensity is ratcheted…
The residency rule is being exploited as project players flood European game
Another day, another project player and another kick in the teeth for anyone who thinks you should play for the country of your birth or at least the place where…
Why England’s mounting injury problems could have a silver lining
By Alex Shaw There are two words rugby fans and coaches the world over fear to hear – injury crisis. It can loom like an ominous, dark cloud over any…
Champions Cup: Clubs ready themselves for European adventure
The Champions Cup starts in earnest this month with enough high-profile clashes to whet the appetite of the most ardent Euro sceptic. The English leg of EPCR’s (European Professional Club…
Hotshot: Connacht prop Conan O’Donnell
How did you get into rugby? My first sport was Gaelic football, which I started when I was three or four, with St Mary’s. I played until U18s and we…