The big one. La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara has revealed some big plans regarding his coaching future as he looks to continue to grow his legacy in the game. The former Munster and Ireland out-half already has an incredibly impressive coaching CV, winning the Top 14 with Racing 92, multiple Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, and back-to-back Champions Cups with La Rochelle. But he has his eyes on the big prize, with the Corkman revealing he wants to win a World Cup – whether that be with his home country of Ireland or… France. He signed a new five-year contract with La Rochelle in De ..read more

Door shut. Munster Rugby looks set to be frustrated by the IRFU once again as they look to strengthen their squad in a key position next year. According to Murray Kinsella, the southern province have seen their request to sign a NIQ loosehead prop next season denied by the governing body. 35-year-old Dave Kilcoyne has struggled with injury the last couple of years and looks set to depart at the end of the season, leaving Munster with just Josh Wycherley and Jerermy Loughhman as the only two senior looseheads in their ranks. The vast majority of Irish looseheads are currently signed to Leinste ..read more

Again? Munster massively enhanced their chances of securing a URC home quarter-final with a remarkable bonus-point win over the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday. The traveling Irish side were massive underdogs coming into the game, playing the South African side at altitude at their fortress Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Tries from Shane Daly, RG Snyman, Shane Daly, and Conor Murray ensured a famous 22-27 win for the away side, with Munster breaking a longstanding record in the process. Munster have remarkably become the first-ever European side to win at Loftus. This also means they’re the first-eve ..read more

Rugby’s Greatest Championship. The dust may have just settled on the remarkable 2024 Six Nations Championship, but with the 2025 fixtures recently announced, we are already looking ahead to next year’s edition. Can Ireland begin with a bang against England and retain the trophy in 2025? Ireland the Favourites Again? Ireland are likely to be favourites once again when the 2025 Six Nations tournament rolls around. They started the 2024 competition as strong favourites, with some bookies offering low odds of 11/10. Online betting is big in Ireland, and there are a plethora of bookmakers to choos ..read more

On the move. All Blacks utility back Jordie Barrett has opened up on his decision to join Leinster in the United Rugby Championship next season. The Hurricanes star has committed his long-term future to New Zealand and the All Blacks but has taken up his option of a sabbatical for six months. Many of his All Blacks teammates have opted to use their sabbaticals to take up lucrative offers in Japan, but Barrett has instead opted for a different route that he feels will make him a better player. Speaking to NewstalkZB, Barrett admitted that money is important when making such a decision but ther ..read more

Here we go. All twenty-one fixtures of the 2024 Autumn Nations Series have been revealed, setting the stage for the ultimate spectacle of international rugby for fans to look forward to later this year. The Autumn Nations Series boasts some of the biggest rivalries in rugby, involving many of the sport’s top nations and players. Kicking off on Saturday 2nd November, England will host New Zealand at Twickenham for what has historically delivered blockbuster entertainment and will once again set the tone for the rest of the Autumn Nations Series. Fans can then enjoy their weekends starting earl ..read more

Ouch. Leinster could soon be boosted by the return of lock James Ryan who has opened up about the ‘freak injury’ he sustained during the Six Nations that has kept him out since the beginning of March. Ryan picked up the injury in training ahead of Ireland’s penultimate game against England, somehow managing to rupture his bicep during an innocuous game of tip rugby. While trying to shut hooker Tom Stewart down, the Ulster hooker stepped him and his bicep completely blew out in absolute freakish fashion. Ryan was left in a “huge cast” for two weeks and ended up copping plenty of slagging from ..read more

Boo army. Leo Cullen’s side finally got revenge in the knockout stages with an emphatic 40-13 win over the French giants, having been defeated by Rochelle the last three seasons in a row, including the last two finals. O’Gara has played up to the pantomime villain role that was cast upon him by the crowd after he was the subject of some “resounding boos” when the cameras flashed to his coaching box, branding it as the “ultimate compliment.” The former Ireland and Munster out-half said he is not “sensitive” and says the treatment he received was a bare “minimum” after inflicting an enormous am ..read more

Enforcer. It’s been quite the year for Ireland and Leinster lock Joe McCarthy who continues to impress on both the domestic and international stage. The 23-year-old was selected in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup squad last year, playing a limited role, before his performances for Leinster at the beginning of this season saw him selected to start Ireland’s Six Nations opener against France. He was named Player of the Match in that game and played all five games for Ireland as they retained their Six Nations title, earning himself a spot in the Team of the Championship too. And now he’s been given s ..read more

New home. Leinster Rugby have this afternoon confirmed that the club will play its BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup games away from the RDS Arena for the 2024/25 season. Due to a planned regeneration of the RDS Arena it is unlikely to be available for use and as a result, an alternative option for the season ahead was required. As a result, Leinster Rugby will play the majority of its games in the URC and the Champions Cup in the Aviva Stadium, with Croke Park also hosting a number of games across the season. Games in the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship w ..read more