Before gaelic football became gaelic fistball, under-age coaches used to continually inform their young charges that “the ball moves faster than the man”.

RUGBY LEAGUE chiefs hope to build on the interest shown in Ireland’s first game at Thomond Park

They’re providing the backbone to England’s rejuvenation but Northampton Saints have hit a glass ceiling, as Julian Bennetts explains

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill believes it is inevitable video technology will be introduced into football after his side benefited from the kind of contentious decision which would come under scrutiny.

YOU can see the question coming a mile away …what makes Declan Kidney such a successful rugby coach?

PROFESSOR Tony Collins laughs when you ask about the reaction to his new book: “I’ve gotten a good response from people who aren’t English,” he says.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika is being touted as the most likely target to lead Melbourne, the new Super 15 franchise.

AUSSIE RULES club Collingwood are continuing with plans to face the Dublin footballers in a Compromise Rules clash later this year despite the renaissance of the International Rules Series.

IT all began for Ian Dowling on a lovely spring afternoon in 2004.

IT may be quite hard for Irish people to understand, but for top rugby league stars in the UK, their lives are every bit as much of public interest as their soccer counterparts - more so in many ways.

LOST in all the hype about the Irish win over South Africa on Saturday was an equally stirring against-the-odds rugby win across the pond.

HARLEQUINS, Munster’s Heineken Cup opponents next Saturday, claimed to have signed South African international second row Geo Cronje yesterday, but last night Blue Bulls chief executive Stephan Pretorius disputed the signing, claiming Cronje’s contract with the Bulls was still valid.

IRELAND'S Rugby League side got their European Nations Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 25-12 victory over Wales at Aberavon yesterday.

The Rugby League Ireland Conference reaches its climax this Saturday as Clontarf Bulls aim to round off their impressive debut RL season by clinching the title against Dublin Blues at Castle Avenue.

A world champion rugby team will be winging its way to Ireland this week to encourage young people to hit the playing fields.

SO, this footballing season will end predictably for a change. The footballing folk of Armagh and Tyrone bringing their mutual antipathy to Dublin for an afternoon in late September.

IRISH coach Eddie O'Sullivan has laughed off suggestions Rugby League star Gary Connolly is set to link up with the national rugby team.

Sport will unite this weekend to pay tribute to the memory of murdered Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

The Rugby League say a compromise has been reached over the club-versus-country dispute involving Super League leaders Bradford Bulls.

Rugby League chiefs in Britain have unveiled plans for a slimmed-down Super League at the top of a pyramid of summer rugby.

The Rugby Football League has signed an exclusive contract with James Gilbert Ltd to supply balls for the 2000 - 2001 Silk Cut Challenge Cup Final between Bradford Bulls and St Helens at Twickenham on Saturday, April 28.

RUGBY LEAGUE superstar Jason Robinson last night set his sights on a potential England Six Nations debut, and said: ‘‘I’m amazed things have happened so quickly.’’