You can take it with certainty England will still bag their bonus point win at the Stadio Olimpico

In the recent past, I have been critical of supporters still in the bars when the captain leads out the troops - but this was surreal

Andy Farrell and company get second chance at first steps

Australia and New Zealand flew out the blocks 10 days ago as international rugby resumed. The big question now is, will Ireland be able to do likewise next Saturday?

Make no mistake about it, Munster’s two-point win over Edinburgh on Saturday night was more satisfying to the dramatic late heroics against Scarlets in Llanelli the previous weekend

The evidence of any appreciable change in the way Munster are going about their business has been difficult to identify in the four games played to date

With its capacity to rest the top international players at crucial times during the season, the PRO14 has served Irish rugby well. However, the tournament stands at a crossroads

Leinster's defeat serves to highlight the shortcomings of the PRO14 - and also hits the IRFU in the pocket

For years before finally cracking what was required to succeed in Europe, Munster thrived on the underdog tag, playing with a chip on both shoulders over some grievance — manufactured or otherwise — and relying on their unbridled passion to see them ...

An Irish presence in the last four of the Champions Cup is dependent on a number of factors