Person: Yoann Maestri

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

rugby

Old friends reunited as O’Connell signs Stade deal

It’s a case of friends reunited for Paul O’Connell, after the 38 year-old Munster and Ireland legend confirmed yesterday he is to move to Paris and take up as role as forwards coach with Stade Francais.

rugby

Leinster face old European royalty as Munster pitted against France’s finest

rugby

Simon Easterby dismisses fears of more French cheap shots

rugby

Munster v Toulouse: How the sides compare

rugby

How Ugo Mola became fall guy for Guy Noves’ Toulouse woes

Stars aligning as Munster defying the odds again

Johnny Sexton won’t be the chief target on French radar, says forwards coach Yannick Bru

Johnny Sexton? Our French friends aren’t all that bothered apparently.

Sat, 25 Feb, 2017

France's forwards coach says their focus will be away from Johnny Sexton tomorrow

In 2015, Sexton wound up with a black eye during the France game.

Fri, 24 Feb, 2017

Raphael Lakafia and Racing pair boost French squad

France have called up Stade Français back-row Raphael Lakafia to replace Damien Chouly ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Ireland.

Tue, 21 Feb, 2017

Johnny Sexton: ‘There have been a lot of distractions for me’

Johnny Sexton admits he’s been frustrated by the lack of support from referees and officials during a bruising Six Nations campaign.

Fri, 18 Mar, 2016

Sean O’Brien ruled out of Ireland's clash with England

Ireland props Cian Healy and Mike Ross will join Joe Schmidt’s Six Nations squad this week but the head coach has confirmed Sean O’Brien is definitely out of the February 27 clash with England at Twickenham.

Tue, 16 Feb, 2016

Joe Schmidt admits Ireland's Six Nations dream is almost over

Joe Schmidt has admitted Ireland have only a "very, very outside chance" of now retaining their Six Nations title.

Mon, 15 Feb, 2016

Peter Jackson: Officials turn a blind eye in miserable end to Ireland’s reign

When the Ireland management invited Marvin Hagler to give their players a fighting talk, The Marvellous One voiced fears for their collective safety.

Mon, 15 Feb, 2016

Plenty for Ireland to stew over and little time to find recipe before England clash

France 10 Ireland 9: With a Six Nations championship defence all but over after two outings, Ireland’s ambitions no longer concern three titles in-a-row but how to avoid a third successive game without winning.

Mon, 15 Feb, 2016

Sean O’Brien and Dave Kearney to miss England trip

Ireland look set to be without Sean O’Brien and Dave Kearney for their Twickenham clash with England in two weeks as Joe Schmidt’s injury list lengthened further on a bruising day in Paris.

Mon, 15 Feb, 2016

Rory Best: We missed a massive opportunity

Rory Best admitted Ireland blew a "massive opportunity" for victory in France that could well end their hopes of a third consecutive RBS 6 Nations title.

Sat, 13 Feb, 2016

Ireland lose by the slimmest of margins in France

Ireland's five-match unbeaten run against France came to a punishing end as Guy Noves' side edged home a tight Six Nations encounter at Stade de France today.

Sat, 13 Feb, 2016

How France and Ireland compare

FRANCE

Sat, 13 Feb, 2016

Yoann Maestri: France are playing catch-up

France are playing catch-up on Europe’s best sides, according to second row Yoann Maestri.

Thu, 04 Feb, 2016

We’ll need Sexton at his influential best

The issues and decisions that will impact tomorrow’s tournament-defining clash with France...

Sun, 11 Oct, 2015

3 positional problems for the Ireland team facing France

Outside centre

Sat, 10 Oct, 2015

VOTE: Six Nations 2015 Best Try

Last weekend, the Six Nations came to a thrilling end, Ireland claiming a second consecutive championship.

Tue, 24 Mar, 2015

Top Three Tries - Six Nations Round 5

What a day of rugby!

Sun, 22 Mar, 2015

France back on track

Italy 0 France 29

Mon, 16 Mar, 2015

Labit concern over Sexton’s tackling style

Racing Metro coach Laurent Labit fears Johnny Sexton could suffer more concussions because of his tackling style.

Mon, 16 Feb, 2015

France announce team to face Ireland on Saturday

France have named their starting XV for the Six Nations match against Ireland on Saturday evening.

Wed, 11 Feb, 2015

System ‘tougher for French, English’

France head coach Philippe Saint-Andre believes he and English counterpart Stuart Lancaster have a much tougher job than their rival RBS 6 Nations bosses and cited Ireland’s centrally contracted players as his primary evidence.

Thu, 29 Jan, 2015

Penney braced for bad news on skipper O’Mahony

Munster are fearing facing a long spell without captain Peter O’Mahony as they wait for the results of a scan on his injured shoulder today.

Mon, 07 Apr, 2014

Munster boost as O’Mahony given all-clear

Munster have been given a boost ahead of today’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse after captain Peter O’Mahony was included in Rob Penney’s team to face the four-time champions at Thomond Park (1:30pm).

Sat, 05 Apr, 2014

There’s going to be a Munster surge in the next two years

Derby day tomorrow in Paris and Dublin.

Fri, 28 Mar, 2014

Toulouse rest stars with Munster on the horizon

Toulouse coach Guy Noves looks to have prioritised the Heineken Cup over the Top 14 after deciding to give three of his French internationals a weekend off ahead of their quarter-final trip to Munster.

Thu, 27 Mar, 2014

France get the jump on Ireland - in the rankings

France jumped ahead of Ireland in the IRB’s World Rankings following Saturday’s narrow victory over Scotland.

Tue, 11 Mar, 2014

France still undefeated after second-half try parade

France 30 Italy 10

Sun, 09 Feb, 2014

Wallabies sextet suspended after boozy night out in Dublin

Australia coach Ewen McKenzie has suspended six members of his squad ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Scotland after they were involved in a late-night drinking session.

Tue, 19 Nov, 2013

‘Hammer the hammer’

Three key areas of confrontation at the Aviva today

Sat, 09 Mar, 2013

French coach Saint-Andre recalls Michalak

France head coach Philippe Saint-André has dropped Francois Trinh-Duc for Saturday’s meeting with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium with the unpredictable Freddie Michalak returning to the number 10 jersey.

Thu, 07 Mar, 2013

Coach disconnects French challenge

England 23 France 23

Mon, 25 Feb, 2013

Michalak retained as France ring changes for Wallabies clash

Frederic Michalak was today retained at fly-half for France as coach Philippe Saint-Andre made several changes ahead of Saturday’s clash with Australia in Paris.

Thu, 08 Nov, 2012

Irish duo vie for player award

Jonathan Sexton and Donnacha Ryan have made a 12-man shortlist for the RBS Player of the Championship.

Wed, 14 Mar, 2012

Hogg to start for Scotland

Full-back Stuart Hogg will make his first Test start today as Scotland look to revive their RBS 6 Nations campaign against Rugby World Cup finalists France.

Sun, 26 Feb, 2012

Harinordoquy expects stern Scotland test

France flanker Imanol Harinordoquy anticipates Scotland will provide a much sterner test for the Rugby World Cup finalists than many observers are anticipating in tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations clash at Murrayfield.

Sat, 25 Feb, 2012

Same again for France

France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has not made any changes to his matchday squad for the RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on February 26.

Tue, 14 Feb, 2012

Right call, but wrong protocol

For the first time in 12 years Ireland returned from Paris undefeated in the Six Nations but not in the circumstances they would have wished.

Mon, 13 Feb, 2012

Paris match gets green light

Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations clash with France was tonight given the go-ahead after the Stade de France passed a pitch inspection by referee Dave Pearson.

Sat, 11 Feb, 2012

Minds, bodies and movement

1 The mental challenge

Sat, 11 Feb, 2012

How they match up: Simon Lewis looks at the key battles

SCRUM

Sat, 11 Feb, 2012

Yachvili sidelined for Ireland clash

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili has been ruled out of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland in Paris with a back problem.

Thu, 09 Feb, 2012

Harinordoquy returns as France make four changes

France have brought Imanol Harinordoquy into their team for Saturday’s Six Nations home clash against Ireland in one of four changes to the starting lineup from last weekend’s victory over Italy.

Wed, 08 Feb, 2012

‘Knee-jerk reaction’ to Wales defeat ruled out by Tainton

EXPECT a few tweaks here and there but there will be no “knee-jerk reaction” by the Irish brains trust this week as they digest last Sunday’s defeat to Wales and prepare for this Saturday’s follow-up against the French in Paris.

Wed, 08 Feb, 2012

Harinordoquy to start against Ireland

France have promoted Imanol Harinordoquy to their starting line-up as one of four changes for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland.

Tue, 07 Feb, 2012