Seen it, Done it, Got the T-Shirt
Mike Ruddock has stepped down from his position as coach of the Ireland u20 team to be replaced by Nigel Carolan of Connacht. Continue reading
Razor Cuts His Ties
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Category Archives: News
Speed Kills
We heard about this guy a few weeks ago but hadn’t seen footage until now. This is what the Olympics will do for a sport!
Rugby Mag cover his conversion in greater depth. Aspen coach Andy Katoa, quoted in the article, is himself a cross over player. He was picked in Round 9 of the 1991 draft by the San Diego Chargers. Brett Favre went in Round 2 that year!
Match Reaction: South Africa U20s 19 – 23 Ireland U20s
The Irish U20s celebrate a cracking opening day win over hosts South Africa in the Junior World Championships. They led 13-3 at halftime and withheld a ferocious early second half onslaught to calmly see out the game.
A win against a Bok U20 team on home soil is an enormous result – normally at this age-group, the physical advantage of the South Africans over their Irish counterparts is even more pronounced than at test level, but a hard-nosed Irish pack got down and dirty and showed outstanding toughness, effort and discipline to take the game away from the Boks. Continue reading
Baabaas vs Ireland XV Highlights
Highlights of Barbarians vs Ireland XV [courtesy of Gloucester Rugby]
Positions Of Need
Eric Elwood: with another year of Heineken Cup rugby guaranteed, the Connacht chief recognized the two key positions in which he needed to strengthen his squad … and then went out and did something about it.
Connacht have confirmed a couple of really intelligent signings in former Bristol and Leinster hooker Jason Harris-Wright and Galwegians centre/fullback Brian Murphy. Continue reading
Leinster’s New Contracts
Leinster announced a huge number of contract extensions together, neatly defusing inspection of new recruits (Denton and Bent) and camouflaging some other calls which might have got more attention in the media were they announced piecemeal.
In the wake of their Heineken Cup semi-final win in Bordeaux against Clermont Auvergne, Leinster have released a statement detailing a whole raft of contract renewals and a few new signings. Continue reading
Still Got It … Dexy’s, That Is
Big Bad Brad Carnegie Thorn: they don't get much All Blacker than this guy, the spiritual successor to Richard 'Tiny' White and Colin 'Pinetree' Meads.
There’s an absolutely cracking interview by Dexy’s in this morning’s Irish Times with Brad Thorn. Thorn probably doesn’t transcend rugby like Jonah Lomu did, but inside the sport he has earned as much respect and admiration as anybody who has played the game in the professional era. What a hero!
Denis Fogarty Hitches His Wagon To Aurillac
Fogs Jnr is out of Munster and off to Aurillac, the Jeremy Davidson-coached Pro D2 outfit. There's been a lot of movement in the Munster squad this season – and probably more to come – but this is a curious one.
Munster hooker Denis Fogarty is off to Aurillac at the end of the season. Aurillac currently play in the Pro D2 [France’s professional second division] and are coached by former Ulster, Ireland and Lions second row Jeremy Davidson. They’re not doing too well at the moment and are currently stuck in eleventh place of a sixteen team league, having won less than half their matches. Continue reading
FIRA U18 SF: Ireland 22 – 20 France
Brad Thorn Comes To Leinster
Brad Thorn of Leinster (credit: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE)
Leinster have announced the short-term signing of All Black World Cup-winner Brad Thorn for the remainder of the season. Continue reading
Digging Like a Demented Mole 