If Andy Farrell proves to be nothing more than a lucky general, then Ireland supporters are in for one hell of a ride in the coming years.

Earlier in the week, new head coach Andy Farrell made the point that he wanted his Irish team to stand for something.

It may have been Hogg with the schoolboy error but Ireland's report card is clear: must do better, writes Brendan O'Brien.

Johnny Sexton starred on his first outing as permanent Ireland captain as Andy Farrell’s tenure as head coach began with an unconvincing 19-12 victory over Scotland.

Stuart Hogg has apologised to his Scotland teammates for messing up what should have been a certain try against Ireland in Saturday's Six Nations opener at the Aviva Stadium.

Scotland threw everything at the hosts in the closing stages but some heroic defence saw Ireland hold on.

Donal Lenihan looks at the recipe for opening day success in the 2020 Six Nations.

Just five training sessions into his tenure as Ireland attack coach, Mike Catt is nevertheless expecting “some good stuff” from Andy Farrell’s team against Scotland in Dublin tomorrow.

Supporting Scotland is tough going at the best of times, but the last four-and-a-bit months — since that abrupt wake-up call delivered by Ireland on the opening weekend of the 2019 World Cup — has been particularly fraught.

Saturday’s Six Nation’s opener between Ireland and Scotland brings together two coaches at different stages of their journey. Both will be feeling the pressure, but for different reasons, writes Donal Lenihan

Irish actor Stuart Townsend will not face charges following a domestic incident with his wife in September in the US.

Zander Fagersoninsists GregorTownsend is still the man to lead Scotland forward.

Not that Ireland haven’t enough to be getting on with, but there was little evidence in Scotland’s 34-0 defeat of Samoa in Kobe today that Gregor Townsend’s men are ready to rain on Japan’s World Cup parade come their decisive Pool A clash at the World Cup on Sunday October 13th.

The Irish team for tomorrow’s elite men’s road race at the UCI World Championships in Yorkshire are a tried and tested bunch of riders at the top level - with the exception of Rory Townsend.

Those of us with an emotional investment in Scottish rugby have a complex relationship with the concept of hope.

Forty-five minutes before kick-off, Joe Schmidt and Gregor Townsend shot the breeze on the side of the pitch while their respective squads warmed up in intense humidity behind them.

The scenarios in Pools A and B may already became clearer ahead of Ireland’s kick-off against Scotland yesterday but asking South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus about quarter-final permutations following this defeat was a fool’s errand.

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

TOKYO — It has been decidedly low-key this week in and around the Scotland team base in the opulent Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in the Shinagawa area of Tokyo. Not in a bad way. It just feels like after nearly three months of training camps and ever-increasing hype, there is nothing left to say or do — it is now time to get into the action. And while they might not be shouting it from the rooftops, there is definitely a deep-rooted sense of belief within the group that tomorrow’s World Cup opener against Ireland is a match they can win.

Joe Schmidt doesn’t forget.

Gregor Townsend has opted to name an experienced line-up ahead of Scotland’s World Cup opener against Ireland.

Ireland aren’t the only country to have embraced the residency ruling.

Richie Gray made the decision to opt out of World Cup selection with Scotland, according to assistant coach Danny Wilson.

Having established that today’s summer showdown at Twickenham is about as far removed from a “warm-up” as a summer showdown can be, both the English and Irish camps have also made clear that this is a Test match that dare not be treated in isolation of the bigger picture.

Coach Gregor Townsend says Scotland are keeping a close eye on Ireland as both sides prepare for their opening weekend showdown at the World Cup in Japan next month.

Scotland’s World Cup preparations got off to a nightmare start as they were crushed 32-3 by France in Nice.

Head coach Gregor Townsend kept two places aside when he named a 42-man squad three weeks ago

Daniel Storey hands out the end of season awards.

Anti-racism campaigners believe players are nearing the point when they will walk off the pitch if they continue to be subject to racist abuse, but concede it will be a “massive decision” to take.

Al Boum Photo has won the Cheltenham Gold Cup after the 12/1 shot stormed home after an impressive ride by Paul Townend

A disappointment? Definitely.

Joe Schmidt hopes Johnny Sexton will shake off a head injury in time for Ireland's Guinness Six Nations trip to Italy.

Ireland bounced back from their painful home defeat to England as they got their Guinness Six Nations title defence back on track with a much-needed victory at Murrayfield.

Gregor Townsend’s side got their Six Nations tournament off to the perfect start.

Mauricio Pochettino maintains Tottenham’s priorities lie elsewhere but after suffering a second cup exit in four days, and weighed down by injuries to key players, the manager must confront mounting concerns the north London club’s season is in danger of unravelling.

As we wait expectantly on the cusp of the 2019 Guinness Six Nations, the final round of the self-styled Rugby’s Greatest Championship seems an awfully long way down the track.

Leinster forwards coach John Fogarty has described the upcoming interpros as “a defining part of our season.”

Richard Keogh says the Irish team has loved playing under Martin O’Neill and backed the manager to cope with the heaviest criticism of his time in charge.

Ulster Rugby got the head coach they wanted in Dan McFarland yesterday and the province is now hopeful the former Connacht man will take the reins much sooner than the mid-January date the Scottish Rugby Union are holding him to.

Jurgen Klopp believed the manner of Liverpool’s come-from-behind victory over Crystal Palace is the perfect way to approach Wednesday’s mouth-watering Champions League clash with Manchester City.

We look back at a fascinating 2018 tournament. 

Variety and versality have marked this Cork musician’s journey to date, writes Cathy Desmond

That Ireland could be crowned Six Nations champions by 7pm this evening will not enter the thinking of anyone inside Joe Schmidt’s bubble as kick-off approaches this afternoon.

You don’t have to be an incurable optimist to support Scotland but it helps. Year upon year of sky-high hopes being dashed when reality hit home could make even the most fervent fan start to wonder if that gleam they see in the distance is the light at the end of the tunnel or just another train coming to crush their dreams.