Paul O’Connell will be back in a green tracksuit today as he begins the next step on his journey into coaching.

The Irish Rugby Football Union have defended their decision to hand the next Ireland's women's head-coach a six-month contract on a part-time basis.

Norita Duggan, a top club rugby coach, has expressed serious criticism of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) after its latest edict on how to approach the development of the women’s game in Ireland.

Ireland 17 Wales 27

Tom Tierney has stepped down as the Ireland's women's rugby Head Coach after their World Cup campaign ended on a disappointing note with a 27-17 loss to Wales in Belfast today.

There’ll be much soul-searching and head scratching once they’ve been put out of their misery, but right now, Ireland will lift their heads one last time in a bid to take something meaningful out of this Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Claire McLaughlin admits Ireland’s players have let themselves down at this World Cup but believes they can still salvage something from the wreckage.

Let’s start with a positive. Ireland scored four tries for the first time in the competition, but unfortunately once again failed to gain any traction in a tournament which has unravelled at an incredible rate.

Lindsay Peat hopes France can go on to be crowned Women’s Rugby World Cup champions after their first- half blitz demolished Ireland on Thursday night.

Ireland coach Tom Tierney has described his squad of players as "heartbroken" after a defeat to France on Thursday night that ended their Women's Rugby World Cup dream.

Catch up on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com this morning.

The temptation is to say ‘game over’ for Ireland after the host nation came out a distant second-best in this win-or-bust Pool C decider against a slick French side in the Women’s Rugby World Cup at Belfield last night.

Ireland’s comprehensive 21-5 defeat to France at a rain-soaked UCD Bowl saw Tom Tierney’s side fail to qualify for the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-finals last night.

Ciara Griffin says Ireland’s Six Nations victory over France earlier this year will mean nothing ahead of Thursday’s World Cup showdown at UCD.

Three days’ rest and recuperation now and then it’s the French, writes Brendan O'Brien.

Three days’ rest and recuperation now and then it’s the French.

It’s not the job of the Ireland team to sell this Rugby World Cup but Tom Tierney’s side are doing more than anyone to make the wider public, both here and abroad, sit up and take notice of events at Belfield.

Ireland’s women have developed a reputation for doing things the hard way.

The Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 kicks-off today with all eyes on Ireland as it hosts the tournament for the first time.

The Ireland’s Women’s management team have announced that flanker Claire Molloy will captain the rugby squad during the World Cup, writes Ciara Phelan.

The Ireland Women's management team have confirmed that captain Niamh Briggs has been ruled out of the Women's Rugby World Cup, writes Ciara Phelan.

Ireland Women’s Rugby captain Niamh Briggs was mobbed by young fans in Limerick earlier today as she arrived in the city by boat for the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy tour.

Ireland skipper Niamh Briggs has told her team-mates to embrace their ‘once in a generation’ chance to win a World Cup on home soil.

Tom Tierney says Ireland’s women’s team will take priceless lessons into next month’s World Cup from their Six Nations defeat to England last March.

Ireland captain Niamh Briggs hopes her injuries woes are behind her as the countdown starts to the Rugby World Cup in August.

The Ireland Women’s management team has confirmed a 48-strong training panel to prepare for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Dublin and Belfast in August. 

Ireland 7 England 34: England’s women captured their first Six Nations title since 2012 as they swept to victory in a pulsating Grand Slam decider at Donnybrook last night.

The Ireland Women's challenge fell away in the final quarter at Donnybrook tonight as England secured their first Women's Six Nations title since 2012.

Niamh Briggs, by her own admission, is ultra-competitive and a disastrous spectator — so this will really test her limits.

Wales 7 Ireland 12: Ireland Women’s head coach Tom Tierney is wary of the challenge his team face in Friday’s Six Nations Grand Slam decider with England.

The Ireland Women mastered the squally conditions at Donnybrook to deservedly grind out a 13-10 win over France in front of an enraptured 3,886-strong crowd.