MUNSTER HAVE TODAY announced the signing of New Zealand centre Francis Saili. Capped twice by the All Blacks, the versatile 24-year-old can also play on the wing and has scored five tries in 33 Super Rugby appearances for the Blues, as well as representing Auckland on 31 occasions in the ITM Cup. According to a…
Author: FASHIONISLANDBLOG
Here’s everything you need to know about Munster’s newest All Black
THE OPTIMISM THAT greeted the news that Francis Saili was joining Munster next season didn’t just come from the fact that the province had signed a big name, but that they had acquired a massive talent in exactly the right area. While you could argue that Ulster’s import, Charles Piutau, might be the better player,…
Andy Goode hung his Wasps team-mate all the way out to dry for bailing on a charity event
WASPS OUT-HALF ANDY Goode has already signaled his exit from the Coventry club this summer. Perhaps it’s that waiting London Irish contract that gave him the courage to name and shame team-mate Christian Wade for pulling out of a charity event for the Matt Hampson Foundation in Birmingham last night. Goode was very excited about…
Ireland international Fitzpatrick forced to retire with concussion issues
ULSTER AND IRELAND prop Declan Fitzpatrick has been forced to retire from rugby at the age of 31 due to concussion issues. Fitzpatrick has retired at the age of 31. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO Fitzpatrick won seven international caps and played for Ulster almost 100 times, but has taken medical advice to hang up his boots…
‘Credit to Ulster, they wore us down’ – Leinster coach O’Connor
LEINSTER HEAD COACH Matt O’Connor was a beaten man when he took his seat in the post-match press conference following the 26 -10 defeat at the hands of Ulster. His day had started with a public admonishing from Joe Schmidt, who picked apart one of O’Connor’s main complaints in what has been a difficult second…
BOD replaced one Munster sporting legend with another on the Good Wall tonight
BRIAN O’DRISCOLL REPLACED Ronan O’Gara with Colm Cooper on the Good Wall on the last episode of the series of Second Captains Live tonight. O’Driscoll paid tribute to Cooper’s “phenomenal” ability, highlighting his “cunning and guile”. In addition, he took himself off the number one spot and put golfer Padraig Harrington at the top of the…
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AT THE END of his first season as an Irish international, Jared Payne has a medal tucked away at home as proof that things have gone fairly smoothly during his fourth year on these shores. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO It hasn’t always been that way for Payne, however. If a proposed rule change from World Rugby…
What do Paul O’Connell, Georgia Salpa and Hozier have in common?
WITH JUST TWO days to the FAI Junior Cup final between Sheriff YC and Liffey Wanderers a number of household names have come out in support for both clubs. As well as receiving backing from Ireland rugby captain Paul O’Connell and WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee, Liffey can also count singer-songwriter Hozier, noughties pop star…
‘I broke my hand punching Simon Easterby in my first game back’
NINE YEARS SEPARATE Paul O’Connell’s two IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year awards, and the Ireland captain has changed greatly in that time. 2006 saw the Munster lock follow in the footsteps of Malcolm O’Kelly, Gordon D’Arcy and Johnny O’Connor in claiming the award that probably means a little more to recipients that any other….
Connacht heading to Russia in the Challenge Cup after pool stage draw
CONNACHT WILL FACE a nightmare away trip to Russia, after drawing new boys Enisei STM in Pool 1 of the Challenge Cup. The Russian champions, who will play their home games in Sochi, 2,282 miles away from Galway, are joined by Newcastle Falcons and Brive in a competitive looking Pool 1, but a glance at…