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#Irish Rugby

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>PRIDE: Keith Wood with his son Tom: "Under-20s rugby is fantastic to watch. A lot of mistakes are made but players try things that a senior team wouldn’t. There’s joy and a freedom to it."<br>Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho</p>

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Keith Wood: 'After a Lions series, every player that went on tour is wrecked'

The former Ireland hooker on his rugby family, why Andy Farrell’s side need to rebuild and the physical toll of touring with the Lions

Ask Donal Lenihan! What's your question for the Ireland and Munster legend

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Ask Donal Lenihan! What's your question for the Ireland and Munster legend

<p>CBC celebrate beating Crescent Comp in the Pinergy Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup Quarter-Final at Thomond Park. Pic: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon</p>

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Join the Irish Examiner for livestream coverage of Munster senior cup schools rugby semis and finals

Ireland v Italy - Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship

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IRFU condemns 'cowardly' online abuse after Edwin Edogbo's Ireland debut

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SDonal Lenihan: It's 26 years since such major surgery to an Irish team. We were backed into a corner then

Andy Farrell speaks to the media after the match 14/2/2026

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'People need to ask themselves: 'Are we Irish?'' Andy Farrell hits out at online trolls in 10 debate

Ireland v Italy - Guinness Men's Six Nations - Aviva Stadium

Craig Casey's yellow? Hard to take, admits Andy Farrell

Ireland’s scrum-half was sent to the sin bin after a TMO check by Ian Tempest in the 32nd minute for foul play.

Mon, 16 Feb, 2026

Ireland v Italy - Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship

Edwin Edogbo savours Ireland debut and all that comes with it

The Cobh man marked a special day at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Mon, 16 Feb, 2026

Gonzalo Quesada takes a selfie with fans after the match 14/2/2026

'That's the thing I'm most proud about' - Italy fall short in Dublin but make their mark

Italy are very much a team on the up. As for Ireland, the debate is whether the graph continues to slip, or if they are at a point where they can start to rediscover the heights that were the norm only a few short years ago.

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Mack Hansen 13/1/2026

'I should be right around pre-season' - Mack Hansen out for season and Ireland's summer tour

The 27-year-old winger is targeting being back for pre-season training with Connacht in the summer and hitting the ground running for Stuart Lancaster’s side at the start of the 2026/27 season.

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Craig Casey 14/2/2026

Player ratings: how Irish players fared in nervy Six Nations win over Italy

It's Twickenham next up for Andy Farrell's side after a tough test with the Azzurri.

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Joey Carbery during the warm up 18/1/2026

Knee injury likely to mark end of Joey Carbery's Bordeaux stint

The out half is out of contract at the end of the season.

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Ireland v Italy - Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship

Andy Farrell looks to ‘bigger picture’ as Ireland show character to get past Italians

The Ireland head coach will prepare his side for a trip to Twickenham next weekend.

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Cormac Izuchukwu 14/2/2026

Izuchukwu hails 'special' day as Ulster contingent shine for Ireland

The Birr native was part of the side that eventually saw off Italy.

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Paolo Odogwu is tackled by Edwin Edogbo and Tadhg Beirne 14/2/2026

Ireland survive Italy scare to get Six Nations campaign up and running

Andy Farrell will have plenty to work on ahead of Twickenham, after a less-than-fluid performance.

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Ireland v Italy - Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship

Ireland v Italy, Six Nations, as it happened

It went down to the very last action, deep into injury-time, before this one was decided

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

'We need to have both': Ireland must play with discipline and intent says Caelan Doris

Striking the right balance between the two has been one of the central themes of this week’s preparation for Saturday afternoon’s visit of Italy to Aviva Stadium.

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

S Ireland need mental and tactical reset for best Italian visitors

An Italy side deemed by Andy Farrell the best Azzuri selection to have visited these shores ensures Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations meeting will not be the gimme this fixture once was for Ireland

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

S Donal Lenihan: Farrell’s selection shake‑up sends clear message after Paris setback

Selection shake-up signals Farrell’s demand for greater physicality and work rate as improving Italy target historic Dublin win

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Caelan Doris 13/2/2026

Caelan Doris on kickstarting Ireland's Six Nations: 'You can't have any passengers tomorrow'

Andy Farrell's side host an Italy side looking to make it two wins on the trot.

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Six Nations Podcast: Ireland v Italy preview

Six Nations Podcast: Ireland v Italy preview

Simon Lewis and Brendan O’Brien dig into a very interesting Ireland team selection ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations game at home to Italy. Rotation? Not a bit of it.

Listen | Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Andy Farrell 12/2/2026

S Ronan O’Gara: Perspective is the first casualty of crisis talk

The Azzurri may come to Dublin with their tails up, but Andy Farrell's men will be cranky.

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Media Conference

Regeneration project means fans will have to endure 'a little bit of pain' says Farrell

If nothing else, Farrell’s selection highlights that no player is ever untouchable, with van der Flier the most prominent fall guy and the head coach insisting he is not rotating with a trip to face England at Twickenham to follow seven days later

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Media Conference

How many cards has Andy Farrell left to play as Ireland head coach?

If the new set up clicks then the brains trust can look at lubricating the wheels of change even more come the summer. More of the same stutters and the questions and doubts only multiply

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Craig Casey dejected after the match 5/2/2026

Six Nations: Craig Casey starts as one of six Irish changes for Italian clash

Farrell has made six changes to the starting 15 that lost to France last Thursday

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Joe McCarthy 10/2/2026

'It does eat away at you' - Joe McCarthy and Ireland eager to atone for Paris

Opening the Six Nations on a Thursday night did at least give the Ireland squad a greater degree of room to breathe before reconvening this week for Italy’s visit to Dublin. McCarthy used his down time by playing PlayStation with his brother Paddy.

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Italy v Ireland - Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship

S Reasons to be fearful for Ireland: The Azzurri are whipping boys no more

They couldn't, could they? After their respective opening round showings, few are putting Saturday's meeting of Ireland Italy in the home and hosed category now

Thu, 12 Feb, 2026

Italy v Ireland - Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship

S Donal Lenihan: Italy come to Dublin with a whiff of upset in their nostrils

Given what transpired at the Stade de France, Gonzalo Quesada’s men will travel to Dublin without any inhibitions.

Wed, 11 Feb, 2026

Ethan Roots and Bryn Ward 6/2/2026

Confident Bryn Ward ready to make another step up for Ireland if needed

Bryn Ward's rise has been rapid this season. It's just five months since he made his Ulster debut. He's now part of the Ireland Six Nations squad

Wed, 11 Feb, 2026

Ireland v Japan - Quilter Nations Series 2025

Ireland coach dismisses decline talk but wants more top-level exposure for young players

"I'd love players to get exposed more often," said Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty. "But it's difficult when you've got four teams."

Wed, 11 Feb, 2026

John Fogarty 10/2/2026

Ireland players must understand 'what 100 per cent looks like' to kickstart Six Nations campaign

Italy come to Dublin on Saturday as Andy Farrell's side bid to get up and running.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Italy v Ireland - Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship

Ireland v Italy in the Six Nations: Kick-off time, TV details, team news and everything you need to know

Andy Farrell's side will be looking to bounce back from their loss to France in Paris on the opening night.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Munster v Dragons - United Rugby Championship

Meet the first woman to take charge of a Six Nations match when Ireland face Italy

The 33-year-old Scot has overcome misogyny and abuse and is justifiably proud of becoming the first woman to take charge of a men’s Six Nations match.

Tue, 10 Feb, 2026

Italy v Scotland - Guinness Men's Six Nations - Stadio Olimpico

Six Nations on road to perdition unless chastening Celtic wake-up call is heeded

Championship risks becoming a two-tier affair as Ireland, Wales and Scotland all lose on the opening weekend.

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Michael Milne with friends and family after the match 5/2/2026

Bruised but not broken: Ireland look to reset after Paris punishment

After a heavy loss to France, Ireland regroup ahead of Italy as Michael Milne urges belief and a fast response

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Theo Attissogbe attempts to tackle Stuart McCloskey 5/2/2026

Andy Farrell: Ireland didn't lack composure, they lacked grunt

Thursday’s Guinness Six Nations 36-14 defeat to France was the latest setback for an Ireland squad that has fallen off the pace set by world rugby’s elite through a series of worrying results.

Sat, 07 Feb, 2026

Shane Daly and Ben Bamber 6/2/2026

England 'A' canter to Thomond Park victory over Ireland XV

Two Irish tries in reply did little to halt the English, in what was viewed as an opportunity for fringe players to stake a claim for frontline inclusion during the Six Nations.

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Munster v Barbarians - Representative Match

Ex-Munster man Jack Daly earns two-year deal with Western Force

Western Force head coach Simon Cron said Jack Daly has "earned a lot of respect from the players for his work ethic and approach to the game"

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Six Nations Podcast: Does French lesson in Paris mark the end of a golden era?

Six Nations Podcast: Does French lesson in Paris mark the end of a golden era?

Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis reflect on a long dark night for Ireland at the Stade de France after an opening Six Nations defeat to the hosts.

Listen | Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Dan Kelly scores a try 30/1/2026

Dan Kelly: 'I'd almost forgotten what it was like to play with the shackles off'

It’s not that there isn’t structure to what Kelly has found on this side of the Irish Sea. There is. It just isn’t anything like the structure he experienced back at Tigers.

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

France v Ireland - Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Championship

S Ronan O'Gara: Ramos on a different level as the misery rained down on Ireland in Paris

Ireland had a midfield penalty in the second period and Prendergast didn't get the distance his forwards desperately needed to get their teeth into. It could have been 29-21 and now Ireland could test their pulse.

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Ronan O'Gara speaks to the media after the match 18/1/2026

Ronan O'Gara facing increase in touchline ban after appeal

The La Rochelle head coach was initially given a fortnight's ban and a fine.

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

Andy Farrell urges Ireland to disrupt French dazzle

The head coach wants his players to lean into Antoine Dupont and his defending champions on Thursday night.

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

Doris and Ireland eager to deliver performance to inspire the nation

The 2026 Guinness Six Nations gets underway on French soil with Ireland unfancied underdogs to defeat the defending champions who ended their reign as back-to-back titleholders.

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Munster v Dragons - United Rugby Championship

Six capped players start for Ireland XV against England A

Leinster backrow Max Deegan will captain the team

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Ireland Rugby Squad Training

Ronan O'Gara: Ireland's 10 conversation has turned nasty

The legendary out-half fears the suffocating fear of Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley or even Harry Byrne fouling up an opportunity in green is doing neither them or Irish rugby any good.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Andy Farrell 3/2/2026

'Hopefully this experience will stand to us' - Andy Farrell relishing new-look Ireland's challenge in France

The Ireland boss saw no point in sugar-coating the situation as he announced his team in the French capital on Tuesday.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

A view of the Men’s Six Nations Championship Trophy 26/1/2026

S Six Nations 2026: team-by-team guide to the tournament

Ireland and France will get the campaign under way in Paris on Thursday night.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

A view of the Men’s Six Nations Championship Trophy 26/1/2026

Underdogs and overhyped: The big questions ahead of Six Nations kick-off

Thursday night is this French squad’s date with destiny. The French public have had an underwhelming experience since the trauma of the World Cup, last year’s title notwithstanding.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Colm Tucker arrives ahead of the match 31/1/2026

Tucker calls on Ireland XV charges to embrace England 'A' challenges

Cullie Tucker’s squad will have just two pitch sessions behind them come kick-off.

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026