CHARLIE RYAN AND Liam Turner are among five new players added to the Leinster academy for the 2019/20 season, with the Ireland U20 duo entering the system at the first-year stage. Second row Ryan captained Ireland during the recent U20 World Championship in Argentina, while former Blackrock College centre Turner played every minute of Ireland’s …

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SONNY BILL WILLIAMS will miss New Zealand’s Rugby Championship clash against Australia as the All Blacks named a 34-man squad for the two Bledisloe Cup Tests. Williams is set to play two games with Counties Manukau, including their Mitre 10 Cup opener, while missing the meeting with the Wallabies in Perth on 10 August. However, …

Read more “Sonny Bill to sit out Bledisloe opener as New Zealand trim squad to 34”

JOEY CARBERY HAS been included in Joe Schmidt’s 40-man squad bound for a warm weather training camp in Portugal despite picking up an ankle injury last weekend against Italy. The IRFU confirmed that Munster fly-half will be available for selection in “four to six weeks” as his rehab continues. The versatile John Cooney is among …

Read more “Carbery included in 40-man training squad as Cooney among trio cut”

2016 WAS UNDOUBTEDLY one of the busiest, and best, sporting years we’ve had in  a long time. From the Euros to the Olympics, never-mind domestic competitions and other events and matches worldwide, it’s a sporting year that threw up a ridiculous amount of highlights that we wont be forgetting for a very long time. Here’s …

Read more “42 of the best bits of the sporting year”

NINE GAMES, NINE victories. UL Bohemians remain unbeaten at the top of the league after their ninth win of the season, their victims this time St Mary’s. Home games, away matches, they all come alike to the Munster women who were the away team in the lunchtime game at Templeville Road but emerged with all …

Read more “UL Bohemians maintain unbeaten run at top of Women’s All-Ireland League”

This is part of The42′s Class of 95 series, a week-long examination of professional rugby in Ireland. Source: Gary Carr/INPHO WHEN RUGBY TURNED professional in 1995, it had just as big an impact on how teams operated off the pitch as they did on it. Correctly managing the business side of the game from brand …

Read more “From 200 diehards to 11,000 season-ticket holders: how Leinster compete in the professional game”

ULSTER BANK LEAGUE DIVISION 1A CLONTARF 6 TERENURE COLLEGE 13, Castle Avenue Bottom side Terenure College stunned Division 1A title holders Clontarf with a 13-6 defeat at Castle Avenue last night, inspired by a ferocious defensive display. Mark O’Neill celebrates at the final whistle last night. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO ‘Nure number 8 Eoin Joyce crossed for …

Read more “Struggling Terenure shock champions, Cookies beat Garryowen and more from last night’s UBL”

Updated 11 February WHATEVER YOUR GAME plan might be, it’s always going to come up short if your breakdown work is not of a sufficient standard. Ireland found that out to their detriment last weekend in Murrayfield and we can be certain head coach Joe Schmidt has spent time working on this area of his …

Read more “Analysis: Ireland always work hard but their breakdown must be better in Italy”

FRENCH INTERNATIONAL MAXIME Mermoz will join Newcastle Falcons in time for the start of the 2017/18 season following his short-term deal with English Premiership rivals Leicester. The 30-year-old centre has previously won the domestic French Top 14 title with three different clubs in Toulouse, Perpignan and Toulon. At Toulon, he also won two European Cups …

Read more “France centre Mermoz opts to join Newcastle Falcons”

Updated 16.40 IRELAND HEAD COACH Tom Tierney has made wholesale changes to the Ireland team set to face France in their Women’s 6 Nations clash at Donnybrook Stadium on Sunday (RTÉ Two, 12.45pm). As expected, there’s no room for Sene Naoupu, Alison Miller and Hannah Tyrrell in the squad with Tierney saying: “We’ve got a couple …

Read more “Tierney continues to ring the changes as Ireland team named for France while trio confirmed in 7s squad”