Rugby League Cares is delighted to announce a unique and far-reaching collaboration between the two codes of rugby that is putting player wellbeing first and foremost in the sporting agenda.   RL Cares is partnering with Rugby Players Ireland, the body responsible for delivering player welfare services to rugby union players across the island of Ireland, for the charity’s fundraising bike ride in June, the Wild Atlantic Adventure.   The ride builds on the already strong relationship between the two organisations and will see riders take on an epic 300-mile cycling chal ..read more

World Rugby and Rugby Players Ireland have today launched a new Brain Health Service to support former elite players who have concerns about their brain health.  Ireland is the first country in the world to launch the new initiative which is available free of charge.   The first of its kind, the service includes an awareness and education component, an online questionnaire and tele-health delivered cognitive assessment with a trained brain health practitioner.  This service assesses players for any brain health warning signs, provide advice on managing risk factors and sign ..read more

Today marks a significant milestone in the Irish sporting landscape with the formation of the Irish Athletes Alliance, a pioneering initiative aimed at championing the rights, well-being, and professional development of elite Irish athletes. Led by the Gaelic Players’ Association, Rugby Players Ireland, the Irish Jockeys Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland, the Irish Athletes Alliance aims to serve as a voice and as a catalyst for positive change within Ireland’s high-performance sporting community. Aligned with a collective vision to safeguard the interests of ..read more

After months of research and development, Tackle Your Feelings with the help of Deirbhile Nic a Bháird and Ryan Baird, has launched an updated TYF Schools App. With new digital features, the updated app makes the programme easier for teachers to deliver, supported by greater accessibility and updates to content. To date, thousands of students have already participated in the curriculum which was first launched by teacher Eimear Considine in 2020. Through the app, secondary school teachers are equipped with the tools and resources to guide their students through a life skills development progra ..read more

 This article forms part of our new MORE THAN A PLAYER series, in conjunction with the BKT URC who take you off the pitch and into the personal lives of Rugby Players Ireland’s members.   Ulster’s Luke Marshall has had plenty of trials and tribulations throughout his storied career. He spent 10 months on the sidelines after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament in May 2018 before spending a further 16 months out of action following a second knee injury in March of 2022. He has been capped 11 times by Ireland and no doubt would have added to those had he not spent so long out injur ..read more

Represent. Develop. Engage.    B2B Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady Andrew Porter scored the decisive try after Dan Sheehan had touched down in the first half as Ireland claimed back-to-back Championships with a hard fought win over Scotland. Having been overturned at the death by England in the previous round it was understandable that Ireland were not at their imperious best. Nevertheless they displayed enough grit and guile to see out the challenge posed by a determined Scottish team who still had a claim to their first Triple Crown in 34 years. Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sh ..read more

As Tadhg Furlong pulled up at his old stomping ground to link up with Tackle Your Feelings Schools, he couldn’t help but draw comparison with one of last times he was on the avenue at Good Counsel in New Ross. “You’d have the boy racers in their Starlets and jumped up Golfs,” he begins. “There were the Cinquecentos and then you had the rich families with the real nice cars too. Anyways, we were all bombing it around the place one day including David Flynn and his Honda Civic. “Now David fancied himself in his cars and so when we had a chance, we put his car up on blocks and took the wheels off ..read more

 This article forms part of our new MORE THAN A PLAYER series, in conjunction with the BKT URC who take you off the pitch and into the personal lives of Rugby Players Ireland’s members. It’s been quite the 12 months for Munster winger Calvin Nash. The 26-year-old became a key member of Munster’s starting line-up last season as they conquered the United Rugby Championship. Nash scored a crucial try as the southern Irish province defeated the DHL Stormers in the Grand Final in one of the most famous of unlikely runs.   Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo Fast forward to 2024 and Nas ..read more

Milestones Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan Peter O’Mahony led Ireland into the 2024 Six Nations having been named captain of the squad coming into the campaign. Pete was to the fore of one of the group’s greatest victories as they overcame the French in Marseilles, a game in which Calvin Nash marked his full debut for the national side with a try. The game also saw Cian Healy‘s return to the international fold having been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup through injury.  O’Mahony’s enforced absence against the Italians resulted in another milestone achievement for Caelan Doris with ..read more

Gold Rush There were any amount of tributes being offered up to the Irish Women’s Sevens team as they became the first Irish side to win a leg on the HSBC SVNS Series. They did so in style too, overcoming hosts Australia 19-14 in Perth. Bar being overturned by New Zealand in their pool, the Irish recorded victories over the USA, Japan and Fiji before comprehensively beating Great Britain in the semi-final. Ahead of the final (and further boosted by being named the HerSport.ie Team of the Year back home in Dublin on Saturday night), it was clear they were motoring nicely. Mandatory Credit ©INP ..read more