Author: FASHIONISLANDBLOG

LIONS PAIR RUAN Combrinck and Warren Whiteley have been rewarded for their impact off the bench last weekend by being named in South Africa’s starting XV for the third Test against Ireland in Port Elizabeth on Saturday [KO 4pm Irish time, Sky Sports]. Combrinck was man of the match after playing only the second half…

THE IRFU THIS morning released their anti-doping report for the 2015/16 season, showing no adverse findings with the number of total tests rising from 191 to 267. Ireland’s senior men were tested 94 times compared to 28 the year before, mostly attributable to the Rugby World Cup campaign in England. While the sharp drop in…

THE IRFU ISSUED their annual reports today with CEO Philip Browne sending a stark message to Irish provinces that the union can no longer be the ‘lender of last resort’. Increases to player and management costs around the provinces have largely wiped out the surplus of €5 million taken in from increased broadcast revenue and…

FOR THE FIRST time this season, Ulster will wear a bespoke European kit which the province will run out in during their Champions Cup campaign. New signings Charles Piutau, Marcell Coetzee and Rodney Ah You were in attendance at Kingspan Stadium this evening to officially unveil the new Kukri manufactured shirt. Source: John Dickson The…

Heartbreak. Source: INPHO/Dan Sheridan OlympicsKatie Taylor‘s Olympic reign is over after she suffered a shock defeat to Finland’s Mira Potkonen.And the boxer’s camp were left outraged by the decision, with both Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger venting their frustration at the judges.A tearful Taylor admitted afterwards that she shouldn’t be losing to opponents like Potkonen.A lack of…

PRO12 CHAMPIONS CONNACHT are exploring the option of ground-sharing Eamonn Deacy Park with Galway United. The Irish Independent are today reporting that the province are due to meet with the Galway Football Association to discuss the possibility of redeveloping the ground. If the plans were to get the green light, the capacity of the stadium…

THE SURPRISING, YET deserving winners of last season’s Pro12, Connacht will start the campaign as the team to beat but after a couple of big-name departures, Pat Lam’s side face an uphill battle to retain their crown. Click Here: fermanagh gaa jerseys Source: PA Wire/Press Association Images What’s changed?  The high-profile loss of Robbie Henshaw to…

THE FRENCH AND English rugby leagues continued apace over the weekend, with plenty of Irish involvement.  Here, we round-up the exiles’ contributions over the past few days. Aviva Premiership Wasps made it two wins from two games with an impressive 34-22 success away to Leicester on Saturday, as Ireland international Marty Moore made his first start at tighthead…

THE PROVINCES HAVE certainly seen better weekends in the Pro12. Ulster were the only Irish side to come away with a win from the second round of matches, a result which leaves them sitting in third. Munster fell to the first defeat of the Rassie Erasmus era on Friday night while on Saturday, Tommy Seymour’s…

ULSTER WILL BE without the services of Craig Gilroy and Luke Marshall for this weekend’s meeting with Glasgow Warriors. Les Kiss and his side will be aiming for their fourth consecutive Guinness Pro12 victory of the season at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday evening [7.35pm]. According to an injury update issued by Ulster today, Gilroy sustained a…