The question didn’t come from out of left field so much as the Far East. Where, asked the Japanese journalist, would you rank Ireland on a scale from one to 100 right now?

Andy Farrell has handed Leinster No.8 Caelan Doris a Test debut against Scotland this Saturday at the expense of Peter O’Mahony.

Andy Farrell believes he will be leading Ireland into a new era with a squad for the upcoming Guinness Six Nations he believes has got the lot.

Jonathan Sexton and James Ryan both look good to go for Ireland's Six Nations opener against Scotland early next month.

The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

It is with some relief that JJ Hanrahan chooses not to bring his impressive footwork into his dealings with the media.

It wouldn't be like an Irish mammy to wish illness on her son but you wouldn't have blamed Robbie Henshaw's if she had regarded it as the lesser of two evils when it forced the Leinster centre to miss out on the visit to the Sportsground two weekends ago.

As legendary comics writer Alan Moore slips into retirement, some of his Irish contemporaries tell Donal O’Keeffe about the genius who had such a huge influence on popular culture

Reminiscing about Liverpool’s greatest European heroes takes you on a journey of some of football’s most iconic names

With plans for Brexit in flux, Tusla said it is satisfied that Irish children will not be affected.

A new Heineken Champions Cup season, and for the first time in nine seasons a new destination for Munster supporters as they journey to Exeter for the opening pool game of the 2018-19 campaign.

Declan Kidney’s London Irish embark on life in the Championship tonight with the former Munster and Ireland boss having assembled a squad he hopes is capable of not just returning to the Premiership but staying there.

As impressive as Leinster’s conveyor belt of homegrown fly-halves is, something always had to give.

Ulster have confirmed the appointment of Dan McFarland as their new head coach.

Swapping high summer in Sydney for the winter cold of the English East Midlands might not seem a palatable prospect, never mind for a job that on face value appears something of a hiding to nothing.

JJ Hanrahan is banking on one fly-half’s ‘player welfare programme’ being another’s opportunity when the Munster team to face Ulster in Belfast on Monday is announced tomorrow.

Alex Wootton needs no encouragement to grab his chance to impress Munster’s new head coach Johann van Graan and if he continues his current try-scoring run, he will soon find himself in pole position for a Champions Cup wing berth.

A jealous man who attacked a couple with a large kitchen knife after complaining about his best friend's "better life" is facing life behind bars for murder.

JJ Hanrahan is already revving in red on his return to Munster, writes Simon Lewis. What did he miss? “What you cannot replace. It’s what you’re representing. You can’t buy that anywhere else in the world.”

Four alleged members of banned neo-Nazi group National Action who have been arrested on suspicion of preparing acts of terror are serving members of the British Army.

Former Ulster scrum-half Ruan Pienaar has joined French Top 14 side Montpellier on a three-year deal. 

Nicholas Taylor gave a thumbs up and said "yeah, spot on" from the dock as he was sent down for at least 18 years.

The final round of Pro 12 games brought plenty of drama today.

The fascinating aspect of England’s long unbeaten run is the mental fortitude they can now call on at critical moments, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, says it has been in contact with management at a secure mental health facility in Britain, which currently has three Irish children staying there, after a Channel 4 documentary raised serious concerns about the centre.

Leo Cullen has made eight changes for Leinster's Pro12 clash with Edinburgh tomorrow evening in the RDS.

Ben Youngs has urged England to continue rebuilding Twickenham into a fortress as they stand on the brink of a team-record 15th successive Test victory.

Tonight there’s a documentary on TG4 which I heartily recommend, and not for the viewer-retardant fact that I appear in it.

Leo Cullen has played down fears of Johnny Sexton being forced to take an extended break from rugby, with the Leinster head coach suggesting the 31-year-old will be out of action for around three to four weeks.

Jose Mourinho has hit out at “football Einsteins” following criticism of Manchester United’s recent poor form.

Northampton 1 Manchester United 3: Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United ended a three-match losing streak and reached the EFL Cup fourth round with a timely, if at times uncomfortable, win at Northampton — but the draw wasn’t kind to United, who now face deadly rivals Manchester City.

A middle-aged fantasist raped and murdered a drunk young woman in what a judge labelled a “crime of utter depravity” after luring his victim back to his squalid home.

An ex-bookkeeper accused of raping and murdering a barmaid has told a jury "over-eagerness" to satisfy his victim in bed caused her death.

A former bookkeeper, 52, accused of raping and murdering a barmaid has told a court he had not realised his alleged victim might be dead, despite being “cuddled up to her”.

Convenience foods firm Greencore, which only this week bought out another sandwich maker in Britain, said it will likely avoid any immediate big hit from the slump in sterling this year, though its debt load could rise in the longer term.

It’s hard to escape the sense that the time must be now for Ulster.