Ireland v Italy Six Nations match in doubt amid global outbreak

Eddie Jones was understandably pleased as he emerged from a trying week having engineered the platform for a powerhouse England performance to which Ireland could find no answer.

Last night, Andy Farrell said Ireland were still chasing the 2020 Guinness Six Nations title, despite their humbling defeat to England at Twickenham.

Andy Farrell believes Ireland have taken another important step on their upward curve under new management.

Only a game? Not strictly true.

One of the strengths that Niall Quinn brings to his new role as FAI Interim Deputy Thingummyjig is that he reminds many people of one of the happiest moments of their lives.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man they had all been talking about.

This is not France. There is no bottomless pit of players from which a head coach can pluck a new generation, as Fabien Galthié did for this Six Nations.

Don’t mention the war? It would be nice not to have to but Ireland’s Six Nations opener takes place in the engorging shadow of last autumn’s ill-starred Asian campaign. Yes, we won’t be forgetting the debacle in Vietnam – sorry, I mean Japan – any time soon. The horror, the horror remains fresh in the memory.

For all the elements that make up this brave new world for Andy Farrell and the Ireland team as they head into the 2020 Guinness Six Nations, it is one of the fundamental lessons from the disappointments of 2019 that will register the strongest on matchday one.

Ronan O'Gara rates the six teams vying for Six Nations glory this spring.

Results over the weekend ended Munster’s slim chances of qualifying before a turnstile opened in Thomond Park on Sunday, writes Tom Savage.

There was no mention of the injury to Carbery in a medical update issued by Munster at 6.14pm last night, but confirmation was forthcoming an hour and a half later after news of the problem emerged online.

The bulk of the monies would concern policing international matches at the Aviva stadium and last year - the senior Republic of Ireland team played four Euro 2020 qualifiers at the stadium.

The Champions Cup is supposed to be the pinnacle for professional club rugby in Europe.

‘Tis the season for Christmas jumpers, blue Santa hats, and Leinster at the Aviva.

Caelan Doris is the right man in the right spot at the right time.

The ghosts of Christmases past will be circling around the four provinces this weekend as they prepare for the unique demands that come with the traditional back-to-back December rounds in the Heineken Champions Cup.

The last time Ireland played in Slovakia was a Euro 2012 qualifier in Zilina in 2010.

“I kind of get what you’re asking, but we didn’t lose anyway.”

Larry Ryan picks out five things we probably knew already from Ireland's draw with Denmark...

Ciaran Clark is wearing a broad smile at the Irish squad’s training base in Abbotstown — and with good reason.

Barring any training ground mishaps, two boys in green can be expected to dominate attention in tomorrow night’s friendly against New Zealand at the Aviva.

With the decisive battle to come next Monday at the Aviva, there’s no getting away from the phoney war status of Ireland’s friendly against New Zealand at the same venue on Thursday night.

“Santa Claus would come at Christmas and Rovers would win the Cup.”

A match between two teams who have provided nine of the 11 players in the 2019 PFAI team of the year.

After the 2-0 defeat to Switzerland in Geneva on Tuesday, Mick McCarthy has no hesitation in saying that Ireland were beaten by “the best team in the group”.

Some things don't change with the All Blacks. Though they can play rugby with a terrifying beauty, there is a robotic consistency to the way they put opponents to the sword.

It’s hard to see how taking on Switzerland on their own patch could be anything other than a seriously daunting experience for Ireland but Enda Stevens will be only too happy to be back in the thick of things in Geneva tonight.

Whether you are beating the All Blacks five tries to four or grinding it out in a tight arm-wrestle, Johnny Sexton knows the common thread to Ireland’s recent successes against the best team in the world was to never switch off.

Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley wants the FAI to properly promote and market next month’s Cup final in the hope of filling the Aviva Stadium. Rovers face cup holders and league champions Dundalk on November 3 in the decider.

Jack Byrne is in his Shamrock Rovers strip at the Aviva Stadium but there’ll be no football kicked here today.

For Dundalk, nothing succeeds like succession.

None of Mick McCarthy's four strikers had an international goal to their name when the squad assembled in Dublin, but they headed back to their clubs with both McGoldrick and Collins having opened their respective accounts.

John Egan will captain the Republic of Ireland for the first time tonight when Bulgaria visit the Aviva for an international friendly.

Ireland will take a fully fit squad to Japan for the World Cup.

CJ Stander has never shied away from the dirty work. Picture the Munster back row in action and it’s highly likely the image will involve a freeze frame of him with ball tucked under an armpit and ducking his head into contact for the umpteenth time.

Rory Best has been struggling and, no, we don’t mean the line out.

There were tears on Thursday morning as Rory Best stepped off the Ireland team's training pitch at Carton House for the last time.

In the run-up to big games, we easily pleased meeja types like nothing better than when rival managers and players have the fabled ‘pop’ at each other.

Mick McCarthy has described tomorrow night’s Euro 2020 meeting with Switzerland at the Aviva Stadium as Ireland's biggest game since his second coming as international manager.