Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

'There are times when players can feel hard done by and get caught up in a decision, but the good teams get on with it and control what they can control'

Wales keeping noses clean as referees play central role

Wales have defied pre-tournament expectations by claiming the Triple Crown and giving themselves a shot at an improbable Six Nations Grand Slam, writes Jonny Holland.

Jonny Holland • 02 Mar

'We have the player pool, it's about using it right and developing a team that can compete on the highest stage'

Potential not in short supply, but Farrell needs more

With standards in the provinces improving all the time, there is still plenty of time to turn the potential into success for Ireland at the ...

Rugby • 23 Feb

'Carty is able to manage the game and also brings a degree of unpredictability to the opposition defensive line'

Carty the perfect 10 to freshen up predictable defence

There were plenty of positives to take from Ireland's defeat in Cardiff and with the prospect of Jonny Sexton being sidelined for the next Six ...

Rugby • 09 Feb

'Contracts should be sorted and sorted sooner rather than later'

Contract delays leaving players in an unfair limbo

The contract situation in Ireland is dragging on for too long - it must be sorted as soon as possible, writes Jonny Holland.

Rugby • 02 Feb

"There's never a right time to take Leinster on but now might not be the worst. In a few more weeks they could be unplayable again"

Leinster display 'uncharacteristic trends and errors'

Leo Cullen's side got back on track against Ulster but there are aspects that need much improvement if they're going to continue their dominance in ...

Rugby • 12 Jan

'Ulster were evidently up for the game judging by their reaction to even the smallest wins'

Ulster show inter-pro intent as Covid disrupts games

Ulster showed their intent with a determined victory against Connacht, but the threat of Covid-related postponements looms, threatening the Irish province's momentum, writes Jonny Holland.

Rugby • 29 Dec 20

'The sooner we catch up with the southern hemisphere and can get the crowds back through the gates the better for supporters, players and boardrooms'

European action excites but fans the missing X-factor

There was a lot to enjoy in the weekend's Heineken Champions Cup games but the lack of supporters had a major impact on the players ...

Rugby • 15 Dec 20

'The worrying thing for me is that Scotland are a huge step up from the passionate Georgians'

Scotland will sense Ireland fragility

Jonny Holland assesses Ireland's pros and cons against Georgia and how next opponent's Scotland will view things

Rugby • 01 Dec 20

Holland: 'We've always wanted that World Cup performance and it hasn't been delivered. Maybe this will be the slow-game building up to a performance on the big stage'

Ireland still searching for a gameplan and best team

Johnny Holland assesses the current Ireland team, measured against the might of England, and the selection issues facing head coach Andy Farrell.

Rugby • 24 Nov 20

Wales struggled to make an impact in attack against Ireland

Selection decisions for Ireland ahead of England test

Ireland have a number of major personnel calls to make as they prepare to face England in Saturday's Autumn Nations Cup clash at Twickenham, writes ...

Rugby • 17 Nov 20

"Players need to be playing consistently to maximise their performances."

Postponed games a blow to blossoming careers

The international window has ordinarily given provinces' fringe and younger players the chance to step up, but right now it's an opportunity that is - ...

Rugby • 10 Nov 20

'Ireland put themselves in a great position and a few mistakes let them down'

Farrell must be wary not to throw baby out with water

Ireland are not too far from where they want to be despite Saturday's disappointing defeat to France in Paris, writes Jonny Holland.

Rugby • 04 Nov 20

'If you were a poaching player you'd do worse than stand next to Connors in the defensive line'

A coaching dilemma - when to poach and not to poach?

Do you coach the team to stand off, create line spacings, integrity and speed and hope to force turnovers or do you go for the ...

Rugby • 27 Oct 20

'You only get to speak about the finer details when players have the ability to understand'

Coaching more about empowering than being a dictator

Andy Farrell's team selection will be watched closely around the country this week and the hand of the head coach has already been forced by ...

Rugby • 13 Oct 20

Munster box themselves in with over-reliance on kicks

It was no surprise to see Munster going for the box kick to test Leinster's Jordan Larmour but what was frustrating was that it felt ...

Rugby • 08 Sep 20

It feels dishonest to take the pats on the back when you know that the team review will look different

TV pictures only tell half the story

The Irish provincial derbies over the weekend were played under strange conditions, write Jonny Holland.

Rugby • 01 Sep 20

Aerial struggles a concern for double-chasing Leinster

In assessing last weekend's return of rugby, Jonny Holland pointed out an area of concern for Leinster as they seek to maintain their winning run.

Rugby • 25 Aug 20

'There won't be much time for teams to feel their way in to the game. The semi-finals are only a few weeks away. Whoever adapts quickest will have a good chance of going all the way in this competition'

Prepare for ring rust and ruck rule confusion on return

After watching lots of Super Rugby and Premiership rugby, Jonny Holland expects teams to adopt a cautious approach to combat new interpretations and lack of ...

Rugby • 18 Aug 20

Sam Cane and the brutal laziness of 'injury prone' tag

Calling a player 'injury prone' or suggesting they retire for their own good is rarely an informed opinion and can be deeply damaging, writes Jonny ...

Conor Murray • 11 Aug 20