Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Robbie Henshaw and Béibhinn Parsons have won the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Players of the Year

Henshaw and Parsons win Player of the Year awards

Robbie Henshaw and Béibhinn Parsons have been honoured as the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year in 2020-21 in the men's and women's categories.

Rugby • 12 Jan 22

Ireland v Japan: All You Need To Know

Ireland face Japan for the second time in 2021 on Saturday

Autumn Nations Series • 05 Nov 21

Lenihan enthused by mobile Ireland pack

Donal Lenihan is enthused by Andy Farrell's Ireland selection and expects the team to overcome the test posed by a talented Japan team.

Rugby • 05 Nov 21

'It was a big game for a lot of them, (they were) given an opportunity. Quite a few of them took that chance'

Farrell delighted to overcome 'class outfit' Japan

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said he was "made-up" for his players after a win over "class outfit" Japan in the Aviva Stadium.

Rugby • 03 Jul 21

Stuart McCloskey scoring Ireland's second try

Ireland edge out inspired Japan in thrilling contest

Ireland finally overcame a thrilling Japan side in a contest which swung frantically to and fro in front of 3,000 spectators at the Aviva Stadium.

Rugby • 03 Jul 21

Joey Carbery being tackled during the 2019 World Cup pool game against Japan

Ireland v Japan: All you need to know

The lowdown ahead of Ireland's summer test match against Japan

Rugby • 02 Jul 21

'I suppose I got a bit of luck at the start of the season'

Keenan on Irish call: It's all happened very quickly

Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan says there's an onus on the new-look team to right the wrongs of the 2019 Rugby World Cup loss to Japan and spoke of his excitement of playing a senior XVs international match in front of a crowd for the first time.

Rugby • 29 Jun 21

The Aviva Stadium hasn't welcomed fans to a sporting event since February 2020

Fans return to Aviva for July games against Japan, USA

Crowds of 3,000 and 6,000 respectively will be allowed into the Aviva Stadium for Ireland's upcoming rugby internationals against Japan and USA, as fans return to the venue for the first time since February 2020.

Rugby • 21 Jun 21

Hugo Keenan races away for Ireland's second try

Six Nations recap: Italy 10-48 Ireland

The action as it happened in Ireland's Six Nations victory over Italy in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Rugby • 27 Feb 21

Ireland head to Rome with their coach needing a win more than anyone

Italy v Ireland: All You Need To Know

The lowdown ahead of Ireland's trip to Italy for Round 3 of the 2021 Six Nations

Rugby • 26 Feb 21

'There's no better opponent really than the team you guys (the media) are tipping as favourites'

Farrell sees France as template for emerging players

Andy Farrell believes Ireland's rookie half-backs Billy Burns and Jamison Gibson-Park can take inspiration from the rapid development of France's rising international stars.

Rugby • 13 Feb 21

Casey and O'Toole included in Irish Six Nations squad

Tadhg Furlong and Rhys Ruddock have been included as Andy Farrell has named his 36-man-squad for Ireland's upcoming 2021 Six Nations campaign, however, Ulster scrum-half John Cooney misses out.

Rugby • 25 Jan 21

Ethan McIlroy impressed in the recent inter-provincial series

Jackman tips Ethan McIlroy to make Six Nations squad

Bernard Jackman expects Andy Farrell to name a "tried and tested" squad for the 2021 Six Nations but suspects that Ulster wing Ethan McIlroy may be one of the newer names to get a call-up.

Rugby • 25 Jan 21

Ireland won three from five in the Six Nations in 2020

Irish rugby in flux after difficult year

As the fallout from this most difficult of years continues, it seems the real action in 2021 will take place off the pitch

Rugby • 31 Dec 20

Ryan: 'We have to be a lot better than that. There's so much to improve there'

Ryan insists Ireland heading in 'right direction'

Ireland captain James Ryan says there will be a thorough inquest into the sub-standard display against Georgia but is convinced the team is "going in the right direction".

Rugby • 30 Nov 20

Georgia captain Merab Sharikadze says Ireland remain among the world's best teams

Irish still among world's best, insists Georgia captain

Georgia captain Merab Sharikadze insists Ireland remain one of the world's best teams.

Rugby • 28 Nov 20

John Fogarty and Simon Easterby ahead of last month's game against Italy

Fogarty seeks more cohesive performance from Irish pack

Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty is braced for a relentless physical battle with Georgia and believes remaining calm, controlled and cohesive will be key to success.

Rugby • 28 Nov 20

'We certainly feel we're going in the right direction in terms of our phase attack'

Easterby: We're trying to change the way we play

Ireland assistant coach Simon Easterby is confident that Saturday's lineout woes in the 18-7 defeat to England will be ironed out and stressed again the coaching ticket's ambition to improve decision-making within the team.

Rugby • 24 Nov 20

Challenging Times: Warren Gatland's turbulent reign

The latest edition in our quiz series focuses on Warren Gatland's dramatic, sometimes traumatic, sometimes glorious, and now oft-debated four-year stint as coach of the Ireland rugby union team.

Rugby • 26 Mar 20

James Ryan: 'We spoke about being physical, being aggressive. We didn't show enough of that'

James Ryan: We didn't fire many shots at Twickenham

Ireland lock James Ryan says the most disappointing aspect of the 24-12 loss in Twickenham was that the visitors failed to "fire many shots".

Six Nations • 26 Feb 20

Hadleigh Parkes of Wales is tackled by Andrew Conway of Ireland

Ireland 24-14 Wales - recap

Ireland claimed a deserved 24-14 bonus-point victory over grand slam champions Wales at the Aviva Stadium. See how it all unfolded here.

Six Nations • 13 Feb 20

Doris scoring for Leinster in their Champions Cup rout of Northampton

'Doris is the best number eight in Ireland right now'

Former Ireland number eight Jamie Heaslip believes Caelan Doris is the form backrow in the country at the minute and is fully capable of making the step-up to international rugby.

Six Nations • 29 Jan 20

The new millennium coincided with a revival in Ireland's rugby fortunes

Quiz: 20 Years of the Six Nations Championship

The Five Nations became Six with the arrival of Italy at the turn of the millennium and the competition has now witnessed 20 installments.

Rugby • 01 Feb 20

'He went back to the tried and trusted of what worked for the last six years and I just don't think they were expressive enough'

Nacewa: Ireland became too conservative in 2019

Former Leinster great Isa Nacewa believes Ireland's excessively conservative approach in 2019 is to blame for their demoralising World Cup campaign.

Ireland rugby union team • 22 Oct 21

'One criticism coming from camp is that it was probably too structured'

O'Leary: Schmidt's system hurt Irish skill levels

Former Ireland scrum-half Tomas O'Leary has argued the team's regimented structure under the coaching of Joe Schmidt may have negatively impacted upon the players' skill levels.

Rugby • 19 Oct 19