Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Relief for Ireland as they prepare to peak against Boks

Ireland's win over Scotland was met with some relief, realism and the thoughts of having a month to prepare for South Africa.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 22 Sep 19

Schmidt allays Sexton injury fears

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt allayed injury concerns over Johnny Sexton following the team's opening World Cup win over Scotland.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 22 Sep 19

Joe Schmidt: "We're very enclosed. We're not too far from the coast which gives us a little bit of breathing space thankfully."

'This is not your typical Irish surroundings'

Joe Schmidt is calm and collected in the eye of the strom as Ireland prepare for World Cup lift-off.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 21 Sep 19

Joe Schmidt: 'You'll see a collective effort and that effort will make us tough to beat'

Schmidt: 'We've been planning this for a long time'

Joe Schmidt says he is confident that Ireland will be "tough to beat" with just two days to go until their opening World Cup clash against Scotland.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 20 Sep 19

Schmidt: The World Cup is about who is best on the day rather than best in the world

Schmidt: Irish success is getting past quarter-finals

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has admitted that a successful World Cup for Ireland is getting to at least the semi-finals for the first time.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 19 Sep 19

Leo Cullen has the experienced Devin Toner available for selection the start of Leinster's Guinness Pro14 campaign next week

Cullen 'surprised' with Toner's World Cup omission

Leo Cullen says he didn't expect to have Devin Toner for the start of the Guinness Pro 14 campaign, but says the door isn't completely closed on those hoping to appear at the World Cup.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 18 Sep 19

Keith Earls is among the Irish players in Japan with injury concerns

Rugby chiefs defend World Cup squad sizes

World Rugby bosses have hit back at claims 31-man World Cup squads threaten player welfare by insisting that coaches such as Joe Schmidt left their objections too late to have any effect for the 2019 tournament in Japan.

Rugby World Cup 2019 • 17 Sep 19

Shampoo the answer as Scotland don't want any slip-ups

Scotland have brushed up their act ahead of Sunday's wet and wild World Cup opener with Ireland - by practising with balls soaked in shampoo.

Rugby • 16 Sep 19

Rory Best talks to his team-mates during the record defeat to England

Best set for final challenge as Ireland land in Japan

As Ireland touch down in Japan captain Rory Best is tasked with leading the team to new peaks after responding to an unexpected challenge.

Rugby • 12 Sep 19

Joe Schmidt coaching the youths boys team (Pic: courtesy Mullingar RFC)

Humble beginnings in Midlands had Schmidt hallmarks

As Joe Schmidt departs Ireland, Micil Glennon revisits the coach's first experience of Irish rugby.

Rugby • 11 Sep 19

Joe Schmidt: 'I've had some really special experiences'

Rank fools no one, All Blacks are favourites - Schmidt

Joe Schmidt predictably played down Ireland's new official title as best team in the world, with the head coach saying the rankings fool no one.

Rugby • 07 Sep 19

Keith Earls (r) with ice on his left leg

Earls 'walking around okay', says Schmidt

Keith Earls was "walking around okay" said Ireland coach Joe Schmidt as he provided a cautionary update on the winger's fitness.

Rugby • 07 Sep 19

Rory Best: "These moments are made special by your team by your family and by so many people."

'This place has been unbelievably special for me'

An emotional Rory Best thanked Joe Schmidt for "transforming the game" in Ireland as he made a tearful farewell to the Aviva Stadium after Saturday's defeat of Wales.

Rugby • 07 Sep 19

Ireland top of world after encouraging defeat of Wales

Ireland will set off for Japan as the world's number one ranked team after a deserved, if patchy, 19-10 win over Wales.

Rugby • 11 Sep 19

Top of the world fitting end for Schmidt's Irish trip

Tommy Bowe feels it would be a fitting legacy if Joe Schmidt's last home game in charge left Ireland top of the world rankings for the first time ever.

Rugby • 07 Sep 19

Jean Kleyn will win his third Test cap this Saturday

Kleyn starts against Wales as Carbery not named in 23

Jean Kleyn will start Ireland's final World Cup warm-up game against Wales, but there is no place in the matchday 23 for Joey Carbery.

Rugby • 05 Sep 19

Will Addison and Kiernan Marmion were left out of the squad

No fishing holidays for Ireland back-ups, says Schmidt

Joe Schmidt has confirmed that Ireland won't place back-up players on standby close to Japan during the World Cup.

Rugby • 04 Sep 19

Joe Schmidt had a hard conversation with Devin Toner

Brian O'Driscoll: Toner omission 'beggars belief'

Brian O'Driscoll insists that Ireland lock Devin Toner's World Cup omission "beggars belief".

Rugby • 03 Sep 19

Sexton relieved after avoiding 'nightmare' thumb op

Johnny Sexton says he was "blessed" that a thumb injury didn't turn out to be more serious with the World Cup on the horizon.

Rugby • 03 Sep 19

Agustin Pichot says he feels sorry for Toner

Schmidt returns fire on Pichot after Toner comments

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt feels World Rugby vice-president Agustin Pichot would be better off keeping his opinions to himself.

Rugby • 03 Sep 19

Kieran Marmion was one player excluded by Schmidt (R)

Ireland coach praises cut trio for remaining with squad

Kieran Marmion, Will Addison and Jordi Murphy remain with the Ireland squad despite missing out on World Cup selection.

Rugby • 03 Sep 19

'I thought Marmion was in pole position'

Two former Ireland managers have expressed surprise that Luke McGrath had skipped ahead of Kieran Marmion in Joe Schmidt's reckoning.

Rugby • 02 Sep 19

Jean Kleyn has yet to impress on Test stage

Coach must have role for Kleyn in World Cup masterplan

Jean Kleyn's inclusion in the Ireland squad at the expense of Devin Toner is a gamble, writes Micil Glennon, which suggests Joe Schmidt has a plan for the South African.

Rugby • 02 Sep 19

'I've coached Dev for ten years... That was an incredibly tough conversation yesterday'

Schmidt says scrum key as Kleyn gets nod above Toner

Joe Schmidt admitted it was "incredibly tough" to leave Devin Toner off Ireland's 31-man World Cup squad, stressing that Jean Kleyn's status as the only 'specialist tight-head second row' available was key to his inclusion.

Rugby • 02 Sep 19

'"It was one of those typical selection meetings where 20, maybe even 25, of the players are listed straight away'

Versatility key as Schmidt mulled over tough calls

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt said weighing past performance against current form was the trickiest task as he selected the 31-man squad for the World Cup in Japan.

Rugby • 02 Sep 19