Saturday 31 October 2020
Johnny Sexton has been reflecting on his captaincy of Ireland as the Six Nations gets underway again.
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.
The former Ireland captain believes some criticism of the scrum-half has been unwarranted.
Emerging stars like Beibhinn Parsons and Dorothy Wall showed their promise earlier this year.
Ian Keatley and Niamh Briggs will also join The42′s Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey ahead of this weekend’s international rugby.
The Munster back row is heading into the restarted Six Nations in superb form.
‘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.
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The exemption granted to elite sport has the Ireland skipper feeling privileged.
The42′s Niall Kelly has also been nominated for his work on Barry Geraghty’s autobiography ‘True Colours’.
It’s unclear if the World Cup Qualifying competition in December will be affected.
Du’Plessis Kirifi and prop George Bower have been included in Ian Foster’s latest squad.
The 24-year-old has been playing at fullback for Ulster in recent times.
The flanker has been close to making a return in recent weeks, but the path has not been a straightforward one.
There have now been 11 cases in five days at the club.
Garry Ringrose has also welcomed the addition of James Lowe to the set-up.
Peter O’Mahony and Chris Farrell have joined the squad following periods of self-isolation while five training invitees have returned to their provinces.
Academy graduate Dan Sheehan is also back in full training following a fractured cheekbone.
It’s the first time that supporters can buy a replica version of the women’s jersey in a non-World Cup year.
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.
As for the prospects of Georgia replacing Italy in the Six Nations, well, talk is cheap.
The All Blacks scored four tries to bounce back after last week’s Bledisloe draw.
Andy Farrell’s men restart their 2020 Six Nations campaign next weekend in Dublin.
Meanwhile, his Leinster and Ireland team-mate Caelan Doris is the Nevin Spence Young Player of the Year.
Simon Zebo scored two tries for the Top 14 side as they came up short in Bristol.
Gareth Steenson and Ian Whitten have been key men in the English club’s rise.
The likes of Conor McPhillips and John Muldoon have been influential behind the scenes.
Let coaches know how much they’re appreciated, because the importance of participation in sport for young people has never been more clear.
The Munster man moved to Paris for opportunities like this.
At one stage they were not even the best team in Devon but today Exeter Chiefs can become the No1 side in Europe.
International rugby is scheduled to return to these shores next week.
The Bears were 32-19 winners tonight, having scored a try in the opening 15 seconds of the game.
Stuart McCloskey opens up about his frustration at missing out on opportunities with Ireland during the Schmidt years.
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Ireland coach says the health and safety of the country has to take priority over the completion of a rugby tournament.
There’ll be a new name on the silverware after tomorrow’s final, which will be played at Bristol’s Ashton Gate.
They could face the Lions next July having not played since the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.
If Ireland were hit with an injury or Covid crisis this autumn would they be able to cope? The answer is a resounding yes.
Rising Covid-19 numbers have brought a return to tightened restrictions for contact sport.
