Friday 30 October 2020
The scrum-half took on the skill just twice last weekend, but isn’t willing to sound its death knell.
The Ulster defence coach has watched the 24-year-old evolve his understanding of a new position over the past year.
The 22-year-old Leinster back row feels he saves his best performances for the biggest games.
The Ireland head coach insists his side won’t be playing high-risk rugby in search of a four-try win in France.
Our weekly columnist believes Sheffield United will bounce back from a poor run of form, and tips Leeds United to claim another three points.
The Ireland scrum-half hit the ground running despite an eight-month gap between competitive fixtures.
The skipper feels improvements in training as he looks forward to a return to Paris.
The Connacht hooker is grateful to Andy Friend and Jimmy Duffy for guiding him back to peak form.
The blindside typified an apparent renewed focus on skills during the win over Italy.
Jamison Gibson-Park’s international debut was tempered with a tight hamstring.
Training and form carry a great deal more weight under Andy Farrell, the Munster wing says.
The 23-year-old waited 18 months between his first and second Ulster caps. He is intent on building momentum for his third.
Ireland players are feeling the heat of competition in training for longer as they are made wait to see the starting XV.
The Carlow loosehead spent 28 months on the sideline before starting his rise to this point in 2017.
Former Ireland rugby internationals Andrew Trimble, Niamh Briggs and Ian Keatley were in top form on Thursday night.
The Banbridge man took over on a short-term basis last year, but has impressed in the role.
The 18-year-old was due to skip the second half of the Six Nations, but its postponement means she is back in Ireland’s ranks.
‘My team-mates at Connacht are well used to my loud voice and to me screaming at them, giving them crap here and there.’
The player has been isolating since Wednesday after being a close contact of a confirmed case.
The exemption granted to elite sport has the Ireland skipper feeling privileged.
Ian Keatley and Niamh Briggs will also join The42′s Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey ahead of this weekend’s international rugby.
The flanker has been close to making a return in recent weeks, but the path has not been a straightforward one.
Captain Ciara Griffin insists the efforts made to curb the spread of Covid-19 have been no sacrifice for the squad.
The Leinster number 8 will be eager to bank 80 Test minutes after injury limited his time in the first three rounds.
The Irish captain found the top corner from the tightest of angles in the WSL, but there was plenty of Irish interest elsewhere.
As for the prospects of Georgia replacing Italy in the Six Nations, well, talk is cheap.
Plus, how the Big Six came to be the top half-dozen dogs.
The Munster man moved to Paris for opportunities like this.
The panel will chat with our own Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey ahead of Ireland’s penultimate match, which is rescheduled for next weekend.
International rugby is scheduled to return to these shores next week.
Rising Covid-19 numbers have brought a return to tightened restrictions for contact sport.
Munster, Ulster and Connacht will face the senior Ireland squad in competition at the Sports Campus this weekend.
The Ulster lock will be free to play against Wales on 13 November.
‘It nearly feels like I’ve been given back my sporting career.’
Andy Friend is able to field his strongest available side as his team bid to bounce back from their ‘A’ defeat to Munster.
Mike Haley and Darren Sweetnam make their return tot first-team action.
“If you forget about it, you won’t learn from it. When we need that hurt, we’ll use it.”
The Clan Terrace was repurposed as the team’s meeting room over the summer.
“I know we’ve got the talent,” Friend said as he looked back on a heavy A inter-pro loss to Munster, “to me it’s a mental thing.”
Keane later joked that Klopp was ‘very sensitive’.
The northern province claimed just one win in their five matches since rugby restarted in August.
Whether you’re on level two or level three restrictions, tuck yourself into a safe corner and enjoy the best of the internet.
The Cork amateur remains the best of the Irish, but today’s 73 puts him over par.
The Seagulls equalised deep in stoppage time, but there was still time for Solskjaer’s side to edge a five-goal thriller.
