Former Irish rugby and Lions team doctor Eanna Falvey tells a great story about how Joe Schmidt’s attitude is reflected in his players.

The morning after the madness of the day before and normality was holding sway in the heart of the city.

British and Irish Lions bosses insist they have not gambled by handing their players two days off in Queenstown ahead of Saturday's Test series decider with New Zealand.

Doireann O’Sullivan’s three superb points in last September’s TG4 All-Ireland ladies senior football final went a long way towards securing a sixth successive title for Cork.

Former Ireland team medic Eanna Falvey is to be the British & Irish Lions lead doctor for this summer’s tour to New Zealand.

THE calls and texts weren’t long arriving last Friday. “Your buddy O’Gara this morning — ” (I always like that description of anyone who ever wrote for a paper anywhere, in any era: ‘your buddy’) “— what is he at?”

They’ve worked for years for this moment, representing Ireland at the World Cup -then two days before a game they get a bad bout of diarrhoea, lose 3kg and can’t play. Irish team physician, Dr Eanna Falvey on the ‘you are what you eat’ philosophy of modern-day rugby.

The IRFU has enlisted the aid of a cutting-edge healthcare company based in Cork to ensure its players are in top physical shape for next month’s World Cup.

Chris Henry would prefer to talk rugby, but the Ulster flanker is far too nice a chap to demur when the conversation circles back towards last November and the morning when he was taken ill with what proved to be a defect in his heart wall.

Munster coach Anthony Foley last night revealed that Tommy O’Donnell is ‘crestfallen’ after being ruled out of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup .

These are busy times for Conor Cusack in the sporting arena and beyond but he is rising to the challenge with his customary passion, writes Kieran Shannon.

Maybe Jamie Heaslip really is invincible after all. Having missed just one RBS 6 Nations game in seven seasons, the absence of Ireland’s mainstay at No.8 from two of the first three games of this 2015 campaign suggested the formerly unbreakable forward was suddenly human after all.

It matters not if it is a championship decider or a one-off match, the pressures of professional rugby are such that when the final whistle blows and victory has been secured, joy is quickly followed by relief in the mix of a player’s post-match emotional whirl. 

1 The tracksuits of terror: Where are they?

It has been a long road back for Joe Hayes.

Thirty-six years old and in the form of his life, Rob Heffernan has very few complaints at present.

Game day, 8am.

If Joe Schmidt was anxious in the build-up to his first ever Six Nations encounter as head coach, the close fought nature of the opening two fixtures on Saturday would have done little to ease his nerves in the hours before taking on Scotland.

Beyond the work, the pressure and the spotlight, Eanna Falvey enjoyed the ride.

Anyone picking up a newspaper recently has seen that GAA players seem to be undergoing hip operations more often now than ever before.

Clare football goalkeeper Joe Hayes is facing up to four months on the sideline following hip surgery.

Leading international expert in sports-related concussion Dr Micky Collins is adamant countries like Ireland must follow the example set by America in taking decisions concerning head injuries out of the players control.

The IRB has applauded Brian O’Driscoll’s “maturity” for praising Ireland doctor Eanna Falvey, who prompted the player’s immediate substitution when he diagnosed his concussion against New Zealand.

Long-serving Cork footballers Alan Quirke and Pearse O’Neill have retired from the inter-county game.

Top knee surgeon Ray Moran admits there is currently little that can be done to prevent cruciate ligament injuries.

The British and Irish Lions juggernaut rolled out of town yesterday, to be put back in cold storage for four more years.

British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton has been ruled out of Saturday’s Test series decider against Australia in Sydney.

Tommy Bowe got the big build-up from Warren Gatland and, luckily for the British & Irish Lions, the Monaghan flier feels ready to hit the ground running in tomorrow’s second Test against Australia.

Miracle man Tommy Bowe will complete a remarkable recovery from injury when he lines up for the British and Irish Lions in Saturday’s second Test against Australia.

Amongst his many titles, Eanna Falvey is Director of Sports Medicine at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry and team medic to the Irish rugby team. This summer, the Corkman will travel to Australia as assistant Tour doctor with the Lions.

Italy 22 Ireland 15

In part two of the investigation into cruciate injuries, we look at advances in medical science.

One of Ireland’s top sports medics says the perception of cruciate injuries being rampant in the GAA is exaggerated because “a lot of the victims are high-profile and it’s in the media eye.”

DR Éanna Falvey of the Sports Surgery Clinic, Ireland rugby team doctor, define your terms: what is a cruciate ligament injury?

Just because you haven’t seen that back of his from the terraces this summer doesn’t mean you’ve seen the back of him.

Donal Óg Cusack remains involved with the Cork senior hurlers, despite the achilles tendon injury that has ruled him out for the season.

The Ireland squad received a major boost yesterday with the news that first-choice tighthead prop Mike Ross is winning his race to be fit for next Saturday’s crunch second-test in Christchurch.

Garryowen captain Paul Neville paid tribute to his side’s defensive efforts after Saturday’s Bateman Cup final victory at Templeville Road.

If Declan Kidney genuinely believes having to play four games in 22 days will adversely affect Ireland’s chances of getting their RBS 6 Nations challenge back on track, he will rotate his squad for Saturday’s clash with Italy at the Aviva Stadium.

Dear Frank,