Blackrock College stormed into the Leinster Schools Junior Cup final with a 42-7 win over Castleknock College at Donnybrook yesterday.

51-time champions Blackrock College will face Castleknock College in the Leinster Schools Junior Cup semi-final following their emphatic triumph over Clongowes Wood at Donnybrook.

Ireland women’s head coach Adam Griggs has challenged his players to showcase their “world class” credentials in tomorrow’s Six Nations Championship clash with England.

The refurbishment of the famous gates of the Phoenix Park, Dublin, which were removed in advance of the visit of Pope Francis, will cost just over €820,000.

Champions St Michael’s College eased into the Leinster Schools Senior Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive win over Gonzaga College at Donnybrook in a repeat of last year's final.

There are two debutants today and they both happen to be No 8s – but whereas Caelan Doris has come through that well-established development pathway of Blackrock College, the Leinster Academy and the Leinster senior side, Scotland’s new face is a bolter from the blue.

He may share the same name and position as an international star of the recent past, but Ireland U20s flanker Sean O’Brien plans to make his own reputation.

David McCann will captain the Ireland Under-20s as part of a 37-man Six Nations squad dominated by Leinster players.

There’s something iconic about the mix of red and blue.

Leinster star Hannah O’Connor had described the province’s historic clash against Harlequins at Twickenham Stadium tomorrow (7pm) as being like ‘a double Christmas’.

Cork has been without a team in the top level of the women's club game in Ireland for the past two seasons.

No team in Europe has played as many matches in the Challenge Cup as Connacht

There are six uncapped players in Adam Griggs's Ireland women's squad to face Wales in a test match on Sunday.

Connacht full-back Tiernan O’Halloran said they were shocked how unfit Russia were when they played them in Moscow in their final World Cup warm-up match.

Back in May 2009, the rugby analyst Liam Toland wrote a brilliant column on what it was like to be in Croke Park when the ground was full for a Leinster against Munster Heineken Cup semi-final.

If an average Six Nations fixture takes place on the day of the apocalypse, a Rugby World Cup is a declaration of war.

As Japan prepares to get Asia’s first Rugby World Cup underway at the Tokyo Stadium tonight (11.45am Irish time), it would be all too easy to forget their opponents as the planet turns its gaze towards the Brave Blossoms.

It is part of a global movement by young people campaigning for radical and systemic action on the climate crisis.

Ireland’s most successful women’s head coach Philip Doyle has been lured back into Test rugby by the chance to revive Scotland’s fortunes ahead of World Cup qualifying.

St Michael’s College produced a remarkable final-quarter fightback at Donnybrook to claim the Leinster Schools Junior Cup title at the expense of previous champions Blackrock College.

A year which began with a frustrating hamstring injury which sidelined him for four months has taken a massive upward swing for newly appointed Irish U20 captain Caelan Doris.

The man who rules European rugby astride a turbo-charged zimmer frame is contracted to make his last stand next year at the age of 37, assuming he lasts that long.

Ireland have announced their Women's team to take on Scotland in the final home game of the Women's Six Nations this weekend.

The body was sore after his long-awaited return to first-team action but Conor Oliver is relishing the opportunity to prove his worth in the Munster back row all over again.

Christchurch feels very safe and secure. And the Ireland in me had forgotten how much you savour those things. The contrast from Paris is huge. There is no anger in this world. On the RER in Paris, every nationality in the world is around you.

Munster are hoping for another new contract boost with the retention of Ireland back-three star Andrew Conway to follow extended deals announced last night for forwards Billy Holland, Stephen Archer, and Kevin O’Byrne.

Rugby star Sophie Spence wants female Irish players to “receive an equal level of respect and treatment” as their male counterparts.

The first volume of a new biography of Éamon de Valera delves into such areas as his childhood and also his difficult relationship with Michael Collins, writes Ryle Dwyer.

The past weekend was a golden one for the Irish provinces against their English counterparts, but Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster isn’t getting carried away with talk of a power shift in the Champions Cup.

EVERY morning, Paul Howard and his dog set off from Dublin at 7am to drive to Avoca, where he spends the day writing.

If there is any further dragging of heels by the banks, he must exercise the full range of powers at his disposal — and demand more from Donohoe if necessary, writes Daniel McConnell, Political Editor

The darkest part of Éamon de Valera’s political life is chronicled in a new book that whets the appetite for the second volume, writes Ryle Dwyer.

Eight of the very best Leaving Certificate grades would be the pinnacle of any young person’s achievement, but it doesn’t beat an All-Ireland camogie medal for one Limerick student.

Dublin schools have cleaned up with seven out of 13 students receiving eight H1's in today's Leaving Cert results.

Security will be tight in the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey tomorrow night for the clash between the USA and Ireland but AJ MacGinty is no stranger to being escorted in and out of this fixture.

Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions could be about to surprise a few sceptics in New Zealand over the next six weeks.

The Ireland Women’s management team has confirmed a 48-strong training panel to prepare for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Dublin and Belfast in August. 

Gonzaga College 41

Cistercian College, Roscrea will face Gonzaga College in the quarter-finals of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup, following their narrow victories over CBC Monkstown and Castleknock College yesterday.

Andrew Conway was such a superb schoolboy rugby player at Blackrock College that many shrewd judges tipped him to have banked a hatful of Irish senior caps by the time he reached his mid twenties.

When you’ve locked horns and beaten women’s rugby giants New Zealand and World Cup champions England in the recent past, taking on highly-ranked Canada isn’t quite the frightening prospect it could be.