They say a picture paints a thousand words. That certainly rang true when studying the crestfallen appearance of new Ireland coach Andy Farrell, writes Donal Lenihan.

The meeting of the teams placed top and bottom in Division 1 ultimately panned out as expected in Navan, Galway securing their third consecutive win and Meath slipping to their fifth loss in a row and, in the process, relegation.

THERE’S a quiet revolution taking place in the background to this season’s Six Nations that could have huge repercussions for Irish rugby.

THE journey takes less than a minute but it’s the moment you know you’ve arrived at one of the best arenas in world rugby.

TWO defeats against England in 2019 mean Andy Farrell faces big challenges tomorrow afternoon at Twickenham. So what needs to happen for Ireland to win?

Donal Lenihan gives his personal reflections on Munster’s first CEO and his friend, Garrett Fitzgerald.

I don’t get cranky anymore. New Zealand and the Crusaders buried all that. I have learned that connecting with people is the cornerstone of good coaching.

What’s motivating Eddie Jones?

It was a bit early in Andy Farrell’s tenure to be talking about a must-win game, but it was hard to escape the pivotal nature of Saturday’s tasty Six Nations encounter against Wales.

It was a bit early in Andy Farrell’s tenure to be talking about a must-win game, but it was hard to escape the pivotal nature of Saturday’s tasty Six Nations encounter against Wales, writes Donal Lenihan.

Ireland must win key battles in the contact zone, writes Donal Lenihan.

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With the nightmare of the World Cup in Japan finally consigned to history as the Andy Farrell era of Irish rugby got underway, it is somewhat ironic that the new boss’s very first tournament will have a direct influence on Ireland’s next World Cup campaign in France in three years’ time.

Earlier in the week, new head coach Andy Farrell made the point that he wanted his Irish team to stand for something.

Donal Lenihan looks at the recipe for opening day success in the 2020 Six Nations.

Donal Lenihan and Ireland-20s’ Cork Con out-half Jack Crowley join 'the new Ant and Dec of Irish rugby'.

Saturday’s Six Nation’s opener between Ireland and Scotland brings together two coaches at different stages of their journey. Both will be feeling the pressure, but for different reasons, writes Donal Lenihan

That Conor Murray gets the nod at scrum-half for Ireland's Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday - despite the clamour for the in-form John Cooney - was predictable, writes Donal Lenihan.

The harsh and punishing reality of life among Gaelic football’s elite stared Meath in the face as they made their return to Division One after a 14-year absence.

Saracens will be visiting clubs such as Ealing Trailfinders, Ampthill, and Hartpury RFC in the Green King IPA Championship next season, writes Donal Lenihan.

On an explosive Saturday that saw Saracens relegated from the Gallagher Premiership on the eve of a must-win Champions Cup pool game against Racing 92, Munster took their exit from this season’s competition without firing a shot.

A run of two wins from their last eight games has increased the focus on the squad and management for all the wrong reasons.

While a win over Ospreys is well within their compass, the fact that holders Saracens can still advance as a best runner up will suit them just fine.

The official changing of the guard from Joe Schmidt to Andy Farrell took place in Abbotstown on the Sunday before Christmas.

I thought my days of accumulating caps finished a long time ago, but not so. Thirty-three years after featuring for the British and Irish Lions as part of the IRB’s centenary celebrations in Cardiff, test recognition yielded just that.

The Champions Cup is supposed to be the pinnacle for professional club rugby in Europe.

There was a trio of away wins in the O'Byrne Cup this afternoon, as Kildare, Laois and Offaly delivered victories, while neighbours Westmeath and Meath shared the spoils in Mullingar.

Joe Schmidt appears to be the sacrificial lamb, thrown under the bus not only by Nucifora but later in the day by his captain Rory Best. Long live the king.

Love them or loathe them, Saracens have played a big part in Munster’s celebrated European journey.

Ireland’s so-called ‘green sweep’ on the opening weekend of the Heineken Champions Cup was always unlikely to be replicated in Round 2 given the quality of the French opposition for the Irish quartet.

Former Munster CEO Garrett Fitzgerald has defended the province's handling of the signing of the "exceptional young man" Gerbrandt Grobler.

Donal Lenihan outlines where the game will be won and lost.

Check out the latest from our roving columnist in Japan...

As the build-up to Saturday's World Cup final continues, our columnist Donal Lenihan is making the most of his remaining time in Japan.

Our columnist Donal Lenihan gives his reaction from today's semi-final and looks ahead to the final.

Our columnist Donal Lenihan is full of praise for England after their semi-final win over the All Blacks.

No one knows why good teams go bad, but they do. The Irish rugby team, for example, who, within the space of a year went from being very good to being really not very good at all.

Our columnist Donal Lenihan has been bringing us some cultural insight, as well as his regular analysis, from the World Cup in Japan.