JOE SCHMIDT WILL be a busy man over the next month as Ireland take on Italy, Argentina, New Zealand and USA. The end of the November Tests usually signifies a chance for Schmidt to draw breath, but he will have another big job in December this year. The Ireland head coach will sit down to…

IRELAND HEAD COACH Joe Schmidt has picked a 42-man squad for the November Tests without star scrum-half Conor Murray. Despite signing a new contract with the IRFU last month, the Munster man misses out on the four-Test schedule as he continues to recover from a neck injury. There are three uncapped players among the group…

IN RECENT YEARS, Ulster’s medical jokers haven’t exactly fared too well medically themselves. You think back to the likes of Ronald Raaymakers or Tim Boys, both brought over to relieve an injury-stricken squad only to go down with injuries themselves before ever making a senior appearance. Henry Speight runs out at the Kingspan. Source: Tommy…

Wales 21Scotland 10 JONATHAN DAVIES MARKED his first Wales appearance in nearly a year with a try as Wales began their November internationals campaign with a 21-10 win over Scotland. A serious ankle injury had kept centre Davies on the international sidelines since last autumn, but he was on hand for what proved a decisive…

IRELAND ARE DUE to welcome Rob Kearney and Garry Ringrose back into full training today as Joe Schmidt looks to nail down his team selection for this weekend’s clash with the All Blacks. As has been well flagged this month, the Ireland boss has enviable options in a number of positions and making decisions in…

JAPAN COACH JAMIE Joseph has revealed that his players get paid an allowance of less than €16 a day while on tour — while England’s internationals earn over €28,000 per match. Joseph and Japan are in Twickenham on Saturday where they’ll come up against an England side anxious to get last weekend’s agonising 16-15 loss…

FRANCE PLAYERS WILL wear rainbow laces during their match against Fiji in support of Gareth Thomas, the French Rugby Federation’s vice president Serge Simon said on Tuesday. Former Wales captain Thomas was a victim of a homophobic assault last Friday in Cardiff. Thomas posted a video on Twitter saying he had been a victim of…

BACK TO FORTRESS Aviva, and back to the well for Leinster for what is another crunch European tie, as Leo Cullen’s defending champions bid to move up another gear in their quest to advance through to the quarter-finals. The province have yet to fully hit their straps this term, but last week’s victory at the…

CONNACHT HAVE ONLY beaten Munster five times in the professional era but it looks like they will be without Bundee Aki as they bid to make it four wins from five home matches against their neighbours. A combination of minutes clocked up and a knock sustained against Ulster last week could see the Irish centre…