Conor Murray was delighted to be reunited with Andy Farrell at Munster this week but despite Farrell’s arrival as coaching consultant, the Ireland star insists there has been nothing lacking from the existing team management.

Joe Schmidt’s hopes of coaching the British and Irish Lions against New Zealand in 2017 may have received a setback after tour manager John Spencer revealed that only a head coach able to take a year-long sabbatical will be considered to lead the 2017 tour to New Zealand.

When news broke of Andy Farrell’s appointment as Ireland’s new defence coach, there were two initial reactions.

Forget the debacle that was England’s World Cup campaign, Ireland believe that in landing Andy Farrell as their new defence coach, they have staged a coup in hiring a British & Irish Lions series winner.

From shortly before 8pm tonight the streets from Camden to Carmarthen will be deserted.

Before looking forward to the inaugural Champions Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday, I feel compelled to examine the implications of an announcement last week that attracted minimal attention on this side of the world.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has sung the praises of England hooker Dylan Hartley — four years after questioning his temperament.

Owen Farrell is a conundrum. He is the least flashy of characters in the most showy of positions.

Saturday’s stunning win over the Springboks was all the more pleasurable given that few saw it coming in the wake of a very difficult period on the injury front, writes Donal Lenihan.

With Warburton out, if Deans chooses to recall George Smith to the fray, we could see a sizeable shift in that battle at the breakdown.

Rob Kearney has thanked the British and Irish Lions coaching staff for sticking with him during his fightback from injury.

Head coach Michael Cheika welcomed back two key players as the Waratahs bid to beat the British & Irish Lions on Saturday, promising that “anything in red that moves, we’ll have a crack at”.

Warren Gatland has absorbed much advice over the last 12 months in relation to what he should and shouldn’t do on the 2013 Lions tour to Australia.

Three Irish provinces have achieved one of their early season goals of reaching the quarter-finals of Europe’s premier club competition.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll insists Luke Fitzgerald has the skills required to make a successful move to full-back.