Person: Ian Davies

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

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Brendan O'Brien: Must do better - Why do we ask the impossible of referees?

Whatever your taste in sports, odds are it has been soured at times by a decision from a referee or an official of some other hue. Bill White, a former baseball player and commentator, got it just right when he said that umpiring is tough because, no matter what the decision, you’re always half-wrong.

rugby

Andy Friend says Connacht ready for the fray ahead of Glasgow test

rugby

Leo Cullen pledges improvement despite hammering of Zebre

rugby

James Lowe and Max Deegan double up as Leinster hammer Zebre

If Racing stop Munster up front, they’ll have final word

business

BP hunts for successor as chairman looks to retire

Late score helps Leinster overcome Edinburgh

LEINSTER 21 - EDINBURGH 13: A late shot of whiskey helped Leinster to a narrow win over Edinburgh with Jamison Gibson-Park’s try coming as last orders were being called at the RDS last night.

Sat, 30 Sep, 2017

Johnny Sexton back but cloud remains over Jamie Heaslip

Johnny Sexton will skipper Leinster tonight as four of the province’s British & Irish Lions return to action for the first time this season. 

Fri, 29 Sep, 2017

Pat Lam warns Connacht troops to keep cool on back of Bundee Aki suspension

Connacht coach Pat Lam has called on his players to control their tempers on the back of Bundee Aki’s suspension for abusing a referee.

Wed, 03 May, 2017

Munster get back on track after Saracens heartbreak

Benetton Treviso 14 Munster 34: It’s a pity in many ways that Saturday’s visit of Connacht to Thomond Park means little to the Red Army even though a favourable outcome could still see Munster emerge as top seeds after the 22nd and final round of the Guinness PRO12 regular season.

Mon, 01 May, 2017

Ten changes as Munster focus on Benetton Treviso

Benetton Treviso v Munster: We know what Connacht have done to us, while Treviso have been overturning teams like Ospreys and Edinburgh.

Sat, 29 Apr, 2017

Bundee Aki hit with three-game ban after admitting misconduct charge

Connacht centre Bundee Aki has received a three-match ban for misconduct.

Thu, 27 Apr, 2017

Complacency hurt Connacht badly, admits Kieran Marmion

Connacht v Scarlets, Guinness PRO12: Kieran Marmion admits complacency cost Connacht dearly as they failed to defend their Guinness PRO12 title this season.

Thu, 27 Apr, 2017

Ulster's play-off hopes dented

Ulster 24 Cardiff Blues 24: Cardiff Blues dented Ulster’s hopes of making the Guinness PRO12 play-offs when they carved out a share of the points at the Kingspan Stadium last night.

Sat, 08 Apr, 2017

Joey Carbery marks return with two tries as Leinster secure bonus point

Leinster 39 - Edinburgh 10: Joey Carbery crowned his first start since December with a couple of tries but that bit of good news for Joe Schmidt was offset by a shoulder injury to Josh van der Flier early in the game.

Sat, 18 Feb, 2017

Connacht v Benetton Treviso - Guinness PRO12 Round 10

Connacht deliver the perfect anniversary present to Pat Lam

Connacht 47 Treviso 8: Pat Lam could hardly have asked for a more routine victory in his 100th game in charge as Treviso, yet again, offered only token resistance in what is turning out to be another disastrous campaign for the Italians.

Mon, 05 Dec, 2016

Ulster can stymie Glasgow’s flow, says Iain Henderson

Ulster will roll out their strongest available line-out when they visit 2015 Guinness Pro12 winners Glasgow tonight.

Fri, 23 Sep, 2016

Pat Lam speaks to his team after the game 21/5/2016

Connacht staring at unwanted record

Connacht hope for a major change of fortunes when they face Zebre in the third round of the PRO12 in Parma this evening (5.05pm).

Sat, 17 Sep, 2016

Simon Zebo adds to Munster injury woes ahead of Cardiff clash

No sooner did Rassie Erasmus solve one injury crisis at Munster with the loan signing of Springbok centre Jaco Taute than another reared its head with Simon Zebo ruled out of action for five weeks.

Fri, 09 Sep, 2016

Connacht have secured a home play-off semi-final in the Pro 12

Connacht earned a home Guinness PRO12 semi-final courtesy of a 14-7 win over Glasgow Warriors at the rain-soaked Sportsground.

Sat, 07 May, 2016

Johnny Sexton is congratulated by teammates 2/4/2016

Pro 12 let down by declining standard of refereeing

After a brief respite, due to the unwelcome failure to qualify for the quarter-final phase of Champions Cup action, Munster and Ulster recommence their quest to join Leinster and Connacht in securing one of the seven slots available to the Guinness Pro 12 sides in next season’s tournament.

Wed, 13 Apr, 2016

Glasgow end Italian trip with bonus point victory

Zebre 14 Glasgow 43. Guinness Pro 12.

Sat, 09 Apr, 2016

Keith Earls and Darren Sweetnam dejected after the game 2/4/2016

Munster’s drive for victory backfires at the death

Leinster 16 Munster 13: With the clock on 79 minutes and 49 seconds a snap poll of not just Leinster’s supporters but the province’s players and coaches as well would have seen the vast majority settle for a draw in this typically tight Guinness Pro12 battle with rivals Munster.

Mon, 04 Apr, 2016

Benetton Treviso v Munster - Guinness PRO12 Round 16

Munster get welcome top four lift

Treviso 13 Munster 16: Improving Treviso pushed Munster all the way in yesterday’s Guinness Pro12 clash at Stadio Monigo but failed narrowly to secure a third victory in succession.

Mon, 29 Feb, 2016

‘Must win’ game for Munster

The prospect of missing out on qualification for next season’s European Champions Cup looms larger than ever for Munster after Glasgow Warriors’ win over the Newport Gwent Dragons on Thursday. That result drops Munster to eighth in the Guinness Pro12 table with only the top six assured of Champions Cup action.

Sat, 27 Feb, 2016

Paul Marshall says Ulster must keep composure

Roger Wilson will make his 200th appearance for Ulster when the Guinness Pro12 table-toppers welcome Scarlets to Kingspan Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

Sat, 20 Feb, 2016

Clinical Ulster crack Treviso

Treviso 13 Ulster 32: Stuart Olding scored a try on his return to action for Ulster as they secured a bonus-point 32-13 Pro12 victory over Treviso at the Stadio Monigo.

Mon, 01 Feb, 2016

Depleted Ulster show grit and leapfrog Edinburgh

Ulster 14 Edinburgh 7: A decimated Ulster held on to take the Pro12 points against Edinburgh in gale-force conditions at the Kingspan Stadium last night and leapfrog over their Scottish visitors.

Sat, 05 Dec, 2015

Northern Irish driver killed in school tour bus crash

A Northern Irish bus driver has died and a 13-year-old boy has suffered a fractured skull after a bus carrying 34 British school pupils crashed in Belgium.

Mon, 29 Jun, 2015

Ulster must go back to Glasgow

Glasgow 32 Ulster 10

Mon, 18 May, 2015

Ulster lose out on home semi-final as Glasgow stage fightback

Roared on by a sell-out crowd, Glasgow scored a come-back bonus point 32-10 win after they had trailed 10-6 to Ulster at half-time.

Sat, 16 May, 2015

Neil Doak rings changes for Ulster’s trip to Glasgow

Ulster head coach Neil Doak has decided that though a win in Glasgow this afternoon is both possible and rich with reward, he’ll put the Top Four play-offs at the top of his list of priorities.

Sat, 16 May, 2015

Ruthless Munster remain on target

Edinburgh 3 Munster 34: Edinburgh scarcely represented Munster’s biggest hurdle in their march towards the knockout stages of the Guinness Pro12 league but nevertheless the visitors were in ruthless form in Scotland on Saturday afternoon.

Mon, 13 Apr, 2015

Keith Earls: Tendon op in September.

Anthony Foley has warned Keith Earls will have a battle to reclaim his place in the Munster side after naming the Ireland international in the replacements for the Pro12 clash against bottom-of-the-table Zebre today.

Sat, 10 Jan, 2015

Cardiff hold on to avenge home defeat and give Dragons the blues

Newport Gwent Dragons 9 Cardiff Blues 11

Fri, 02 Jan, 2015

Cool heads and ruthless hearts key for Munster rugby

The big guns are back from Ireland duty, Thomond Park is a sell-out and Munster fans are finally getting the Saturday evening European blockbuster they have craved.

Sat, 06 Dec, 2014

Nervy Munster eke out victory

GUINNESS PRO12:

Sat, 29 Nov, 2014

Reds ‘outpassioned’ us, says chastened Gopperth

Too often we lump antipodeans into the same cultural basket.

Mon, 06 Oct, 2014

Leinster see red as Munster see lots of yellows and still win

Fired-up Munster beat arch rivals Leinster in Dublin for the first time since 2008 as Anthony Foley’s coaching reign finally took off at the Aviva Stadium.

Sat, 04 Oct, 2014

Three-try Zebo turns it on as Munster get a bonus point

Munster 31 Zebre 5

Sat, 20 Sep, 2014

Big guns back as Munster bid to build momentum

Anthony Foley’s bid to make home advantage finally count at Thomond Park tonight will not be hindered by the return of Munster big guns Paul O’Connell and Conor Murray as the Reds welcome Zebre to Limerick for Guinness Pro12 round three (7:30pm).

Fri, 19 Sep, 2014