Rugby legends Fergus Slattery and Frankie Sheahan and 2FM DJ Will Leahy have all been treated for a dangerous heart rhythm disorder, it has emerged.

The survivors of the ‘battle of Christchurch’ gathered in Dublin on Saturday night to swap old war stories.

The survivors of the ‘battle of Christchurch’ gathered in Dublin on Saturday night to swap old war stories.

How ironic that a decision by the Welsh Rugby Union to swell their coffers by adding an additional fixture to their schedule could now end up costing them a fortune.

Ned English’s Duhallow team play Castlehaven in tomorrow’s Cork SFC final, but that’s only the starter’s gun when you chat to the man from North Cork. The ensuing conversation can stray anywhere.

For Shannon, his job was to make life as uncomfortable as possible for me in the lineout by attacking my back, while Ginger McLoughlin was invariably placed in front of me to form a two-pronged assault.

COLM TUCKER played his rugby the way he lived his life. He was earnest, committed, determined and like all successful sportsmen, certainly didn’t like to lose!

BEFORE reality TV and “live the dream” talent shows, there was a hugely influential science fiction and fantasy series which was compelling viewing for anyone with a grain of imagination.

AS A KID in South Africa he knew the names. Lansdowne Road.

IRELAND and South Africa meet for the 19th time this afternoon and it promises to be a belter of a contest. How could it be otherwise given South Africa’s status as world and Tri-Nations champions against the host nation who captured the Six Nations Grand Slam for the first time in 61 years.

ANOTHER rugby awards ceremony, another addition to Brian O’Driscoll’s trophy cabinet.

Leinster and Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll has been named the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year this evening.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL and Luke Fitzgerald have both voiced their support of Leinster colleague Shane Jennings ahead of today’s appeal in Dublin against a 12-week ban imposed for eye-gouging in a recent Heineken Cup game against London Irish.

WILLIE JOHN McBride has been voted the greatest ever Lion by best-selling magazine Rugby World – though there is no place in the Top 50 for 2009 captain, Paul O’Connell.

GARETH EDWARDS was a worried man as he left for South Africa in 1974.

TWO key pillars of Michael Cheika’s Heineken Cup-chasing Leinster squad have come in for stinging criticism from one of their most famous past players.

UNCERTAINTY may be key to the Six Nations’ perpetual allure but Gareth Edwards believes that a last day Grand Slam showdown between the form teams, Ireland and Wales, will still be on the cards after this weekend’s round of fixtures.

AN ALL TOO familiar pattern re-emerged last weekend with northern hemisphere hopefuls Ireland, Scotland and Wales losing the opening test of their summer tour.

AS SURE as night follows day, rugby players retire and fresh talent emerges. I was extremely fortunate to kickstart my international career in the company of some of the greats of Irish rugby including Moss Keane, Fergus Slattery, Willie Duggan and Ollie Campbell.

FRIDAY sees one of the most formidable collection of legends in one room since Homer sat down to write the Odyssey.

THE SURVIVING 22 Munster Rugby Lions - and the three Wallace brothers, Richard, Paul and David in particular - will be honoured at a corporate lunch at the Maryborough House Hotel, Cork, on January 27.

IRFU chiefs will break new ground by staging a Pro-Am golf tournament in aid of the Charitable Trust for Seriously Injured Players, at Mount Juliet on Friday, August 19.

The Irish Rugby Football Union hope to raise more than €100,000 for the Charitable Trust for Seriously Injured Players through a pro-am golf tournament at Mount Juliet on August 19.

CONSIDERING he was left in international rugby limbo for three years between 1997 and 2000, it is an even more exceptional achievement for Anthony Foley to be winning his 60th cap at the age of 31 against England at Lansdowne Road tomorrow.

Hugh Farrelly: Talking Rugby

MUNSTER companies are leading the charge for corporate hospitality facilities for clients at the crunch Munster v Wasps Heineken European Cup semi-final at Lansdowne Road.

THE SIX stood waiting to pounce, hoping the play and the clock would stop long enough for them to pick up another cap before the final whistle.

It remains the most famous Irish try of them all. Everyone who was at Twickenham in 1982 swears the Irish pack pushed Gerry McLoughlin over the line. ‘Ginger’ sees it differently! Diarmuid O'Flynn reports.

THE MAGNIFICENCE of Ireland’s triumphant march towards Triple Crown glory has captured the imagination of the country.

Paul O’Connell will play captain Ireland in the opening RBS Six Nations championship game against France in Paris on Saturday next.

IT IS the try seared into the memory of every rugby fan.

Jack Kyle has been named as the greatest ever Irish rugby player in a public poll.

Captain Keith Wood today urged Irish supporters not to get carried with unrealistic expectations on the eve of tomorrow’s crunch Lloyds TSB Six Nations clash with France.

Keith Wood has urged Irish supporters not to get carried away on the eve of the crunch Six Nations clash with France.