Author: FASHIONISLANDBLOG

THE SIX NATIONS is the best attended sporting event in the world according to a new report commissioned by Uefa. The report from European football’s governing body found that an average of 72,000 people attended Six Nations matches in 2015 — a competition won by Ireland –compared to 68,400 in the NFL that year and…

UNFORTUNATELY FOR ULSTER flanker Sean Reidy during this week’s media briefing, he has to repeat one word that has consistently eluded Ulster’s grasp this season. “Clinical.” It’s something Ulster have not been for the past few weeks. At home to Connacht they were turned over on several occasions in key areas. Away to Leinster they…

Updated 8.47pm IN MY FIRST column, I wrote about the pressure we feel from external forces, outlining three techniques to manage and harness this felt pressure. In this piece, we look at the kind of pressure that is self created – internally produced psychological pressure – and the related chemical processes that can produce negative side effects. Here,…

IT’S EASY TO forget how far Rory O’Loughlin has come in a relatively short period of time. In a season of breakthroughs and outstanding performances at Leinster, his rise has been the story of the year. As O’Loughlin presents himself for media duty at the province’s UCD headquarters, he does so in a hoody with…

Conor Murray tackled by Josh Strauss last weekend. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO CONOR MURRAY HAS turned the heat ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations opener against Scotland by claiming that Glasgow Warriors deliberately targeted him last weekend. And the Irish scrum-half said he is lucky not to have suffered a serious injury after, he says, Glasgow targeted…

CONNACHT CAPTAIN JOHN Muldoon says he is ‘honoured’ to sign on for a 15th year with the province and that his experience will be crucial at the Sportsground next year after Pat Lam’s departure. Yesterday Connacht announced that Muldoon had signed a new one-year contract extension at the Sportsground, but he says Lam’s decision to…

CONNACHT SECOND ROW Ben Marshall has retired from professional rugby on medical advice after suffering a concussion-related injury. Marshall played just five times for Connacht. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO The 26-year-old has been out of action all season and the Guinness Pro12 champions confirmed the unfortunate news this afternoon. Marshall joined Connacht at the start of…

WHILE IRELAND AND their supporters will be confident that Paddy Jackson is more than capable of doing a fine job at Murrayfield on Saturday, Scotland will have been encouraged by news that Johnny Sexton has been ruled out of the Six Nations clash. The Leinster out-half’s calf issue continues to bother him and Ireland say…

Updated 18.45 THIS THIRD ARTICLE in our series on mental skills is focused on Strength-Based Thinking (SBT) and how to apply it in sports and other areas of life or performance. Read the first two articles in this series here.  In basic terms, SBT involves reminding yourself, in particular your brain/mind, of the various aspects…

Roger Federer celebrates after beating Rafael Nadal in an incredible Australian Open final Source: Aaron Favila Slaughtneil players celebrate at the final whistle of their All-Ireland semi-final Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO England head coach Eddie Jones wasn’t in the best of shape at the RBS 6 Nations Media launch Source: PA Wire/PA Images Carl Frampton dejected…