Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Simon Easterby will be the interim Ireland head coach for the Six Nations

Easterby: No 'closed book' on Ireland coaching ticket

Simon Easterby, who will take over as Ireland head coach after the autumn internationals, hasn't ruled out recruiting from outside the Irish system in the search for a defence coach.

Rugby • 19 Sep 24

Simon Easterby will take charge for next year's Six Nations and the 2025 summer tour, details of which are yet to be confirmed

Easterby named interim Ireland head coach

Simon Easterby will assume the role of Ireland men's interim head coach from December to allow Andy Farrell concentrate on the 2025 Lions Tour, the IRFU has confirmed.

Rugby • 17 Sep 24

Ireland's Caelan Doris and South Africa's Pieter-Steph du Toit speak to referee Luke Pearce during Saturday's first Test

Easterby backs Doris over referee communication

Simon Easterby has given his backing to Caelan Doris, after the Ireland vice-captain's communication issues with referee Luke Pearce last week.

Rugby • 11 Jul 24

Jamie Osborne is one of the Irish players who picked up a knock in last week's first Test

Injury problems ease for Ireland ahead of second Test

Ireland's injury worries appear to be easing ahead of Saturday's second Test against South Africa in Durban, with Andy Farrell set to have a full squad of players to choose from.

Rugby • 11 Jul 24

Emerging Ireland beat the Cheetahs, Griquas and Pumas in 2022

IRFU confirms Emerging Ireland trip to South Africa

The IRFU has announced it will send an Emerging Ireland squad to South Africa in September for a three-game tournament in Bloemfontein.

Rugby • 12 Jun 24

Antoine Frisch was called up by France this week

Easterby: Ireland to 'wait and see' on Frisch call-up

Ireland assistant Simon Easterby says Antoine Frisch could well come into consideration for a future Ireland call-up, providing the Munster man doesn't make a debut for France this weekend.

Rugby • 12 Mar 24

Calvin Nash was able to take some part in today's training session

Ireland not ruling out Nash and Frawley for Scotland

Ireland say Calvin Nash and Ciarán Frawley are both still in contention to be fit for Saturday's Six Nations finale against Scotland at the Aviva Stadium.

Rugby • 12 Mar 24

Warren Gatland's Wales have lost both games in this Six Nations, but only by a combined three points

'He's his own man' - Easterby wary of a Gatland gamble

While it's 12 years since Ireland were last beaten by Wales in a Six Nations game in Dublin, it's hard to remember the last time one side was so overwhelmingly favoured in a meeting of the pair.

Rugby • 21 Feb 24

Caelan Doris sat out this morning's training session

Easterby eases Doris injury fears ahead of Wales clash

Simon Easterby has eased fears that Caelan Doris is an injury doubt for Ireland's Guinness Six Nations meeting with Wales on Saturday.

Rugby • 20 Feb 24

Jack Conan has missed Ireland's first three games in Pool B

'Jack is back' - Conan set to be available v Scotland

Ireland will head towards their final Rugby World Cup Pool B game against Scotland with a full squad to choose from, with Jack Conan set to be available after close to eight weeks out injured.

Rugby • 28 Sep 23

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell (L) and defence coach Simon Easterby (R)

Easterby: Ireland won't be swayed by big Bok bench

Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby says his side won't be sucked in by mind games when it comes to their team selection for Saturday's crucial Rugby World Cup Pool B meeting with South Africa.

Rugby • 20 Sep 23

Conan (left) picked up a foot injury against Italy

Easterby positive on Conan fitness ahead of RWC

Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby has allayed fears that Jack Conan is an injury doubt for the Rugby World Cup in France next month.

Rugby • 09 Aug 23

Conan suffered a foot injury in the first half of Ireland's win against Italy

Injured Conan sits out Ireland RWC camp in Portugal

Jack Conan has sat out Ireland's Rugby World Cup training camp in Portugal this week, after suffering a foot injury in Saturday's warm-up game against Italy.

Rugby • 08 Aug 23

'Now he's gone full-time defence he's put his own shape on it'

Easterby merits credit for mean Irish defence - Jackman

Bernard Jackman tells the RTÉ Rugby Podcast that Simon Easterby deserves plenty of plaudits for the role he has played in shaping Ireland's defence on the road to the Grand Slam.

Rugby • 22 Mar 23

Ireland missed 38 tackles against the French

Easterby's strong case for the defence

In what is rightly being regarded as one of Ireland's best ever championship performances, the side missed an incredible 38 tackles in the 32-19 win over France.

Rugby • 17 Feb 23

Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey tackle Australia captain James Slipper

Easterby's defence a key element for Ireland - Jackman

Ireland's ability to grind out wins is a crucial takeaway from this month's Autumn Nations Series according to Bernard Jackman and Mick Kearney.

Rugby • 23 Nov 22

Easterby says Ireland won't be taking Fiji lightly this weekend

Easterby dismisses Cotter's 'training session' remark

Ireland insist they will afford Fiji the same respect as South Africa and Australia following provocative comments from rival coach Vern Cotter.

Rugby • 11 Nov 22

Prendergast (centre) will captain Emerging Ireland against the Pumas

Prendergast to captain Emerging Ireland v Pumas

Connacht's Cian Prendergast will captain Emerging Ireland in tomorrow's second tour match against the Pumas in Bloemfontein, with Simon Easterby naming a brand new starting XV for the meeting with the Currie Cup champions.

Rugby • 04 Oct 22

Munster's Calvin Nash scored one of the eight tries

Emerging Ireland start tour with easy win v Griquas

Emerging Ireland got their three-game tour of South Africa up and running this afternoon, with a dominant 54-7 win against a poor Griquas side in Bloemfontein.

Rugby • 30 Sep 22

Cian Prendergast (left) and Ciarán Frawley (right) are both included in the squad

Easterby wary of 'compromises' over Emerging Ireland

Simon Easterby says he's wary of the compromises that the four Irish provinces have had to make for his upcoming Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa.

Rugby • 16 Sep 22

Simon Easterby has been appointed head coach of Emerging Ireland

Easterby to lead Emerging Ireland on South African tour

The IRFU have confirmed Simon Easterby will lead an Emerging Ireland squad for a three-match South African tour this autumn.

Rugby • 31 Aug 22

Ireland training at Lansdowne Road on Friday morning

Ireland all-clear for Wales and focused on discipline

Ireland have a clean bill of health following this morning's captain's run at the Aviva Stadium and are all systems go for tomorrow's opening Guinness Six Nations clash against Wales.

Rugby • 04 Feb 22

Ireland have to bounce back quickly, says Easterby

Regret lingers but France loom large for Ireland

With France on the horizon, Ireland don't exactly have time to wallow in the pain of a bitterly disappointing defeat to Wales but Simon Easterby admits that regret will linger.

Rugby • 09 Feb 21

'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

Triple Crown still 'hugely important', says Easterby

Most of the Ireland players may have Six Nations championship medals but claiming the Triple Crown would be "hugely important", according to Simon Easterby.

Six Nations • 23 Feb 20