Person: Leone Nakawara

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

rugby

Munster draw short straw in Champions Cup

Munster’s new-look brains trust will have little time to brace for their first intensive exam on the back of a Heineken Champions Cup draw in Lausanne yesterday which did the province few favours.

Where the mind goes, the body will follow

rugby

Toner plays leading role as Leinster seek glory in Bilbao

Ryan and Rog inflict further semi-final pain on Munster

rugby

Donal Lenihan: Munster can prevail. But it will demand season’s best performance

Munster is the one I love, the club that gave me everything. But that guarantees nothing...

Peter O’Mahony: Munster won’t change calls despite Donnacha Ryan’s insider knowledge

Whether you are a coach or a player, Donnacha Ryan is a man you want on your team facing into the biggest challenges, and judging by the uproar when the Ireland lock was overlooked for an IRFU central contract last season, Munster supporters felt the same way.

Thu, 11 Jan, 2018

Ireland v Wales - RBS Six Nations Rugby Championship 2016

A rare window of opportunity for Ireland to build strength in depth

The opportunities are dwindling to expose Ireland’s less experienced Test players and build strength in depth ahead of the next World Cup.

Fri, 17 Nov, 2017

Peter Jackson: Hot and not

Weekend review

Mon, 13 Nov, 2017

Murray believes momentum is with Munster

Stuck between the excitement of the Champions Cup action just gone and the anticipation of the autumn Tests, it would be easy to overlook the next two rounds of league action as the Guinness PRO14 season resumes this weekend.

Wed, 25 Oct, 2017

Heart, guts, belief: The assets Johann van Graan inherits

Munster 14 Racing 7: Heart, guts, belief. Rassie Erasmus neatly summarised the attributes in the Munster squad that he hands over to Johann van Graan over the next month or so and which his successor saw at first hand on an archetypal European night at Thomond Park.

Mon, 23 Oct, 2017

Thomond braced for perfect storm

Batten down the hatches, there’s a tempest coming.

Sat, 21 Oct, 2017

Tommy O’Donnell, James Cronin and Ronan O’Mahony back for Racing return

Rassie Erasmus has made three changes from the side which booked a place in the Champions Cup quarter-finals last Saturday in Glasgow as Munster play their 60th top-flight European game at Thomond Park.

Sat, 21 Jan, 2017

Racing 92 v Northampton Saints - European Rugby Champions Cup

Munster must match Racing’s physicality

So much for the French unpredictability. The world and its mother knew Racing 92 would take a scalpel to the side that earned a losing bonus point away to Toulon in last week’s domestic fixture and the reigning Top 14 champions duly performed significant surgery.

Sat, 07 Jan, 2017

Racing v Munster: How the sides compare

Simon Lewis compares the sides ahead of Sunday’s Champions Cup opener.

Sat, 15 Oct, 2016

Rassie Erasmus says Munster will start with a blank canvas

Whether it was a brave face or genuine optimism from Rassie Erasmus this week, the feelgood vibes emanating from Munster’s director of rugby ahead of tomorrow’s Champions Cup opener in Paris could evaporate in a heartbeat if his side fails to rise to the occasion.

Sat, 15 Oct, 2016

Williams sparkles as Tigers tame Toulon

Champions Cup: Leicester ended Toulon’s nine-match unbeaten run in Europe as Owen Williams kicked 20 points to see the Tigers home at Welford Road.

Mon, 08 Dec, 2014