RORY MCILROY TOOK a break from the pressures of competing in the Irish Open to watch this evening’s Pro12 clash between Leinster and Ulster at the RDS. McIlroy, a renowned Ulster fan, has started the competition in promising fashion and is just one shot off the lead as it stands. The golfer was joined by…

THE IRFU ARE in contact with Paul O’Connell over a possible coaching role within the union. The 36-year-0ld announced his retirement from playing in February, having previously agreed a move to Toulon on a two-year deal. O’Connell was forced to retire after the World Cup. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO O’Connell suffered a severe hamstring injury at…

IRELAND ARRIVED IN Cape Town yesterday with three South African natives among their 32-player squad. CJ Stander’s return to his homeland has been well flagged for some months now, but Richardt Strauss and Quinn Roux will also come across familiar faces in the coming weeks as Joe Schmidt’s men take on the Springboks in a…

Rory Keane reports from Johannesburg  RICHIE MURPHY HAS voiced his disappointment over CJ Stander’s one-week ban following his red card in last Saturday’s 26-20 victory against South Africa at Newlands. The Munster flanker was sent off in the 23rd minute of  the match after he collided with Pat Lambie while attempting to charge down the…

LEIGH HALFPENNY IS set to make his first appearance of the season for Toulon in their Top 14 semi-final clash against Montpellier on Saturday. Toulon manager Bernard Laporte announced on Friday that the Wales international full-back will line up for the crunch encounter despite not having played for nine months. “He will play, for sure,”…

THE OLYMPIC GAMES have always been a central part of Audrey O’Flynn’s sporting ambition, beginning well before she became an Ireland hockey international. The Cork native recalls watching local hero Sonia O’Sullivan battle for Irish pride on the global stage as she grew up. Having taken up hockey at the age of 12, the dream…

IRELAND’S MAX DEEGAN has been named the World Rugby U20 Championship Player of the Tournament for 2016. The Lansdowne man received his award after the final of the competition this evening in Manchester, in which Ireland were beaten 45-21 by England. Deegan was among the try-scorers, however, and his performances in Ireland’s run to the…

THE CHIEFS MADE light of their poor record in South Africa, running in eight tries in a 21 – 60 rout of the Stormers in Cape Town. The new 18-team format meant this afternoon’s quarter-final was the first time the South African side was pitted against Kiwi opposition this season, and the men from Waikato…

RESTED AND REINVIGORATED, one hopes, most of Ireland’s international players return to their provinces this week to begin pre-season training ahead of what promises to be an exciting and demanding campaign for the four Irish sides. Increasingly, the fear is that the English and French clubs will make their short-term acceleration away from the Irish…

Munster 17 Zebre 0 Murray Kinsella reports from the RSC RASSIE ERASMUS’ MUNSTER began pre-season with a three-try win over Zebre in testing weather conditions in Waterford. Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO The superb Darren Sweetnam scored a try in either half, while fellow wing Ronan O’Mahony got on the end of a clever Ian Keatley grubber…