Conway has been rewarded with his longest Munster contract yet, a three-year deal, after a year in which he became Munster's third-highest try-scorer in history.

In one of the few conversations about his funeral arrangements, Garrett had told Áine that he didn’t want a blow-in giving his eulogy, and that it had better be funny. She did him proud on both counts, writes Michael Moynihan.

Tributes have been paid to Garrett Fitzgerald, the Munster Rugby CEO who oversaw the province's greatest days. He died on Friday, aged 65.

When Dave Kilcoyne and Jack McGrath were named in Ireland’s matchday 23 to face Italy 12 months ago, Cian Healy lost no sleep.

One of the strengths that Niall Quinn brings to his new role as FAI Interim Deputy Thingummyjig is that he reminds many people of one of the happiest moments of their lives.

Friday night in Cork is set to be a major landmark for Stephen Archer, but he won’t be thinking about it too much.

In the throes of the action, I’ll be like every other fan, intrigued by Racing 92’s Heineken Cup visit to Thomond Park tomorrow.

Since rugby history was made when Romania’s Farul Constanta played eventual winners Toulouse in the first ever pool match, the Heineken Cup has produced some of the most breathtaking moments in the sport. Simon Lewis gives us his top 25

Johnny Sexton may have only been half-joking when he suggested the knives would be out for himself and half-back partner Conor Murray once Ireland had departed this World Cup.

There are three changes from the starting line-up Joe Schmidt sent out against Samoa last Saturday for Ireland’s final Pool A game in Fukuoka.

New Plymouth in the rain.

There was a time when Johnny Sexton’s schoolboy half-back partner in Japan was Vinny Hammond.

With qualification for the knockout phase secured after an Ireland performance more in keeping with what we have come to expect from this squad, the only outstanding issue surrounded the not insignificant detail as to whom Ireland would meet in their quarter-final in Tokyo next weekend.

I always knew I liked acting and pretending to be someone, or sometimes something else, but I was cripplingly shy.

Eir sport has unveiled a "new and fresh" looking Rugby World Cup team of experts, with Gordon D’Arcy, Peter Stringer and Jerry Flannery fronting studio analysis for Japan in the autumn.

Marvel illustrator Will Sliney is one of many well-known people who has lent his talents to anew fundraising initiative for CUH children’s unit. Marjorie Brennan meets the real-life heroes of the unit

It won’t prompt an update from the AA Roadwatch team but the steady traffic of players switching provinces will continue this summer on the back of IRFU performance director David Nucifora’s vision to maximise the playing pool.

Peter Jackson gets over the gain line, behind the headline

There has been a surge in stories lately about who’s going to end up where in 2020 and not all of it has been about your columnist.

Noel Baker It was black tie night on Dancing With The Stars, but not all contestants will go to the ball.

It’s the end of the line for The Young Offenders star Demi Isaac Oviawe, who is the latest celeb to get the boot from Dancing with the Stars.

Switch-up week in Dancing with the Stars saw some of the contestants really switch-on with a change of partner — but for others it proved to be a real turn-off.

The scrum, the lineout, and the gainline are areas Ireland must dominate to beat England this Saturday, but where are England most vulnerable? The space between Owen Farrell’s ears.

HIS cha cha charm offensive on Sunday night’s Dancing with the Stars brought the studio audience to their feet.

Here's your morning bulletin.

The new series kicks off Sunday, January 6 for a 12-week run.

Having delayed the inevitable longer than anyone could possibly imagine, Peter Stringer last night finally brought down the curtain on his 20-year rugby career.

Having delayed the inevitable longer than anyone could possibly imagine, Peter Stringer last night finally brought down the curtain on his 20-year rugby career.

"I cannot describe how it feels to have lived that dream for nearly all my life."

Talk to Len Dineen, they said. There’ll be stories, they said. Well, the Limerickman, who recently retired after 40 years as a rugby commentator, settled in ...

Donnacha Ryan has come a long way in a very short time, from Tipperary across the Pyrenees via Paris for a crack at joining one of rugby’s rarest breeds.

The team news ahead of Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final.

And so the Munster Miracles keep on coming, as if put together on some sort of supernatural assembly line cranked into use only in times of deepest trouble.

Enda McEvoy gives the TV View of Ireland’s winning match with England. 

Serge Betsen enjoyed many momentous days playing for France: Six Nations Grand Slams, Top 14 titles, World Cup semi-finals. But something still rankles: The 2006 Heineken Cup final defeat to Munster, and that try by Peter Stringer.

It is seven years since Peter Stringer packed his Ireland kit bag for what would be his final Six Nations campaign but that does not stop that annual championship feeling from taking a firm grip on the veteran scrum-half.

Is it just us or has January felt 365 days long this time around?

Des O’Driscoll shares the latest news from the entertainment world.

Is it just us or has January felt 365 days long this time around?

Your lunchtime news bulletin.

Former Irish scrum-half Peter Stringer said he feels as fit now as he did 10 or 15 years ago and is determined to keep on playing as long as he has the opportunity.

Former Irish lock Donncha O’Callaghan said that getting through his 20th preseason campaign as a professional was made all worthwhile when he was this week named as captain of Worcester Warriors for the season.

Worcester Warriors 26

Donnacha Ryan will join Ronan O’Gara as part of Racing 92’s contingent bidding to conquer fortress Thomond Park in Munster’s first home European fixture of the season, which was announced yesterday.