Andy Farrell insisted continuity in Ireland team selection would not come at the expense of creativity as he kept changes to a minimum for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations second-round visit of Wales to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

A new-look team was unveiled yesterday as the national team head coach showed his hand for this Saturday’s 2020 Guinness Six Nations opener at home to Scotland

There are three key metrics that Munster can use to measure progress, writes Owen Harrison.

Seven tries last week, another seven tonight.

Leinster were relieved to leave Lyon with their winning record intact in the European Champions Cup after a nervous end to their win in Stade Matmut de Gerland.

It wouldn't be like an Irish mammy to wish illness on her son but you wouldn't have blamed Robbie Henshaw's if she had regarded it as the lesser of two evils when it forced the Leinster centre to miss out on the visit to the Sportsground two weekends ago.

Tadhg Furlong is a doubt for Leinster ahead of the province's Champions Cup clash with Lyon.

Garry Ringrose is still sporting a bandage to cover the head injury he picked up in Japan but a hat-trick of tries in this bonus-point Heineken Champions Cup win in Dublin suggests that there is no lingering hangover from Ireland's dismal World Cup showing.

The difference between Ireland and New Zealand can be summed up in a few words after Saturday’s defeat.

Oh Lordy. Where do we start? Do we actually have to start? Can we somehow sneak out of it?

Player ratings on a disappointing end to Ireland's Rugby World Cup campaign

Ireland will have to wait another four years for a crack at a first World Cup semi-final appearance after Joe Schmidt’s tenure as head coach came to an end with a comprehensive defeat to the world champions on Saturday.

There are three changes from the starting line-up Joe Schmidt sent out against Samoa last Saturday for Ireland’s final Pool A game in Fukuoka.

Joe Schmidt will ask his team of All Blacks slayers to do it all over again this Saturday as Ireland attempt to win a World Cup quarter-final for the first time in their history.

Ireland looked back to their ruthless, clinical best in a dominant 47-5 win over Samoa in Fukuoka.

Joe Schmidt chose his words carefully but he was clearly fuming about the fact that Ireland were playing rugby today while others got to take the weekend off.

Robbie Henshaw will belatedly begin his 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign against Samoa on Saturday after Ireland named a team close to full strength in their bid to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Bodies and minds rested after a weekend off in Fukuoka, Ireland’s players return to work today looking for the elusive spark that could propel them past Samoa and onto a World Cup quarter-final with confidence renewed.

Robbie Henshaw has praised the impact of the fans supporting the Irish rugby team in Japan, saying the travelling support has been “unbelievable from the get-go.”

Garry Ringrose could be pressed into a third successive World Cup start this Thursday after Ireland’s midfield stocks were reduced by a concussion for Chris Farrell.

Seeing Joe Schmidt is happy to do so, let’s start with Jack Carty. Even as recently as a week ago, if an Irish team to face the World Cup hosts had been named with Jack at 10, the general reaction might be best characterised by raised eyebrows.

Well, that’s one itch scratched. Partially, anyway.

Our rugby analyst on where Ireland must get it right against Scotland

The 2019 Rugby World Cup is finally underway and before too long, it will be Ireland’s turn to get their campaign up and running. It will hardly be the gentlest of introductions to this global gathering of the sport’s greatest exponents, though, and the fact that Joe Schmidt’s men have to face Six Nations rivals Scotland first up tomorrow has shaped everything that has gone before this summer.

Two days out from their all-Six Nations World Cup 2019 opening showdown, and the game is afoot.

A Tuesday morning injury update from Ireland squad communications manager David O Siochain, though, suggested Kearney’s injury was not as bad as first feared.

Henshaw, who played only 80 minutes during pre-season, in the final warm-up game against Wales in Dublin on September 7, was set to go for a scan this morning.

Chris Farrell says he is not superstitious. Yet the prospect of playing in a World Cup can do funny things to a player.

Brian O’Driscoll believes Garry Ringrose’s place in the Ireland starting XV is in doubt.

Having trailed 10-7 at half-time, Ireland started the second period with intent with two tries before the hour mark

Had a thought this morning. If Joe Schmidt was offered a pass on tomorrow’s final World Cup warm-up game against Warren Gatland’s Wales in Dublin, would he take it?

Ireland supporters are about to discover whether their team’s trials and tribulations of the past few months will have been worth it when the World Cup squad gets put through its final paces before Japan at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow.

There’s many means of changing the mood music.

The Irish team to face Wales this Saturday has been announced.

Joe Schmidt on ...

Joe Schmidt gave an upbeat assessment on Joey Carbery’s injured ankle following the Ireland fly-half’s worrying withdrawal from the victory over Italy on a medical cart.

Never mind the trip to Japan, Ireland’s rugby stars will have racked up plenty of miles before the World Cup even starts and that is just the way Robbie Henshaw likes it.

A fifth win for Leinster tomorrow will make them the most successful side in the history of the competition.

There was a time early on in his career when it was almost mandatory to precede Robbie Henshaw’s name with the phrase ‘former Westmeath minor footballer’ given his three Leinster Championship appearances for the county.

Leinster are refusing to shy away from history as they chase a fifth star against Saracens in Newcastle this weekend.

Leinster refuse to be a team that limits their eggs to the one basket.

PRO 14 Scoreboard here with this one Leo Cullen said Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final will be a litmus test for him and his coaching team’s player management system.

Sean O'Brien starts at openside flanker and will captain the side.

Robbie Henshaw says Ireland must develop a New Zealand state of mind if they are to have any chance of winning this year’s Rugby World Cup.