As the new year dawns, we move into the second half of the 2016-17 northern hemisphere season, a season that you will all know ends in a British and Irish…
Ireland
Ireland: Four proud provinces stand up in Europe
By Alex Shaw Four proud provinces. That’s the mantra of Irish rugby and it certainly lived up to that billing this past weekend. There were a lot of premature European…
Stuart Lancaster finds redemption over the Irish Sea
Just over a year ago Stuart Lancaster’s world fell apart and judging by his expression as England exited their own World Cup before the knock-out stages you would have got…
Autumn Internationals: The Lions squad for 2017 is shaping up
Any Lions squad member selected in April will have to have multi-faceted skills, one-trick ponies need not apply. Any tourist needs to have talent and resolve in abundance, game intelligence…
Ireland 27-24 Australia: Five talking points
By Whiff of Cordite Ireland completed a memorable November series with a gritty win over the Wallabies on Saturday – with the falling bodies, it was a game reminiscent of…
The disciplinary lottery rolls on and on
There were plenty of international players in the dock this week but maybe the disciplinary process should be in the dock as well. Another week of autumn internationals, another round…
Analysis: Spotlight on New Zealand’s kicking against Ireland
As his England side prepared to take on Steve Hansen’s men in the autumn of 2013, with a three-Test summer tour of New Zealand on the horizon, Stuart Lancaster stressed…
Saints and Sinners: The weekend’s talking points
The Saints Ben Youngs and Co Joe Launchbury won the Man of the Match award but Ben Youngs made the most eye-catching contribution to England’s 37-21 win over South Africa.…
Ireland’s journey from despair to triumph against New Zealand
Did Ireland’s hammering in Hamilton in 2012 lead to the cheering in Chicago in 2016?
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…