"It was a calculated exercise. A coordinated shift up through the gears, one which needed to come earlier than it did. By contrast, England started at breakneck speed and only ever slowed to a canter | ✍️ @nathanrjohns.bsky.social #IREvENG

"Not all good experiences are enjoyable experiences." Sonny Baker looking ahead after tricky England debut | @nathanrjohns.bsky.social

Ireland were over-powered by the Black Ferns. But they also played into their hands, failing to game plan their way out of the multitude of mismatches. They were out-thought, out-played and out-coached. Analysis ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ireland were out-muscled by New Zealand. No prizes for guessing what the post-match message from the Ireland camp was ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Sounds like Sunday will come too soon for Aoife Wafer, despite ramping up her training this week Story ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

New Zealand's attack is good. If not scary good. But how did Ireland slow it down in last year's win and is any of that replicable? How about NZ's new threats? Jorja Miller anyone? World Cup stats column ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ahead of the Kiwi pool decider, are Ireland simply beating average teams or trending in the right direction? They certainly are starting to look more adaptable, of scoring in different ways Analysis 👇 www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Sam Monaghan struggling with a leg injury here. Brittany Hogan getting ready to replace her

As revealed on Thursday, Edel McMahon and Béibhinn Parsons won't feature for Ireland on Sunday www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Rotation set to be the order of the day for Ireland. No Wafer as expected, but Parsons and McMahon also likely to be rested. Full story ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Sunday could easily have been an overwhelming occasion, given the history behind Ireland missing the last World Cup Yet players were waving at family and smiling mischievously in the warm-up This is an Ireland team comfortable in its own skin More ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

One of Ireland’s coaches still scrums against his front rows Another coaches the Munster men in part by showing clips of the Irish women’s lineout A piece on two of the more interesting coaching trends of this World Cup ⬇️ www.rugbypass.com/plus/ireland...

Irish rugby has produced multiple top-end speedsters in the women's game. It's a stark contrast to the men's need for speed. Stacey Flood agrees that Ireland's pace is one of their most exciting attributes. She was on good form explaining why that is⬇️ www.the42.ie/we-have-that...

Aoife Wafer has been officially ruled out of Ireland's World Cup opener

Understandably, when Ireland transitioned away from Sexton, Jamison Gibson-Park’s influence grew Yet now he’s playing with an experienced 10 again in Russell, he is still the most important man on the pitch JGP’s numbers don’t lie - he is Farrell’s main man www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Since leaving Ireland, Joe Schmidt has coached twice against Andy Farrell-led sides. On both occasions, Ireland were left with a bloody nose. Is there a precedent for how to beat Farrell and the Lions? Analysis ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Just catching up on the highlights of a second (ish) string France running the All Blacks close. A good excuse to bring this piece from the 6N back to life. A look at how France's depth is so good compared to other nations ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ireland scored 35 points while being beaten up in the forwards. But hey, Tom Wood has a wand for a left boot. Don’t talk about his dad, don’t talk about his dad… U20s report ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

What if rugby had to compete with a professional GAA? Or a better paid League of Ireland? Jonathan Drennan, a Belfast man in Sydney, breaks down Australian rugby's struggles in a warning to Irish rugby New pod: Will the Lions tour save Aussie rugby? 👂 ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/podcasts/the...

What do Andy Farrell, Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman + Johnny Sexton have in common? All were mentored by Joe Schmidt. Never before has a Lions tour been so influenced by one coaching tree A piece on the 2015-19 Ireland staff, with insight from those involved ⬇️ www.rugbypass.com/plus/joes-ge...

What do Andy Farrell, Simon Easterby, Andrew Goodman + Johnny Sexton have in common? All were mentored by Joe Schmidt. Never before has a Lions tour been so influenced by one coaching tree A piece on the 2015-19 Ireland staff, with insight from those involved ⬇️ www.rugbypass.com/plus/joes-ge...

"We f*ck them up up front" People often stereotype South Africa's rugby DNA. When the Bulls have beaten Leinster in recent years, tho, their game plan has been simple and clear. Latest stats column: How the Bulls have ruined Leinster seasons gone by www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Given the size of its professional structure, French rugby needs to recruit from all over the world to fill playing squads. We see plenty of Georgian and Fijian players become locals, JIFF qualified. Could Irish lads be next? Story ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

The IRFU says 7s doesn’t help develop 15s players Multiple 7s players disagree Only way to tell who’s right is to take a deep dive. How many 15s players actually came thru 7s? Read ⬇️ Cull shows blazers no longer agree with players. Who is right? www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

The joy of the Lions is what it means to those involved But that special sauce has been bottled into a corporate, soulless package which adds nothing for the everyday fan A piece on what it was like being in the room in London today👇 www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Score at 15 vs 15: Cardiff 0 Munster 21 Score at 15 vs 14: Cardiff 26 Munster 0 Strange aul game dents Munster's playoff hopes. Report from the Arms Park ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ireland barely had to get out of second gear for most of that, thanks in large part to a dominant first half display. Wafer strong in the carry (surprise surprise), Flood sensational on the counter-attack. Report from Newport below ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Spent a day with the IRFU staff tasked with finding Irish qualified talent in England How do they find players? Which big names have they tried to sign? Will any English-born players play for Ireland soon? Full story ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Watched Northampton at Franklin's Gardens tonight Saints cantered home in the end, but made to work in that first half. A lot of potential Lions on display, even more when they play Leinster next Freeman vs Lowe Smith vs Prenergast Pollock vs VDF 🤤 🦁 www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/...

Jordie Barrett tonight (team ranking) 14 carries (2nd) 48 metres made (4th) 2 defenders beaten (4th) 16 tackles (1st) 3 turnovers won (T-1st) Nienaber will send him back to NZ having made an elite defender of him

Scott Bemand said Ireland are better now than when they shipped 88 points to England last year He's right, but they've shown two different styles of play so far this year. Conservative or handbrake off, which Ireland will turn up on Sat? Latest stats column⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Not a lot given away by the Lions coaches on wednesday on how they might try and play. Still, given Andrew Goodman's comments on taking the best of all four nations, it's a fun exercise to take educated guesses on what we might see. Analysis ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ireland coaches Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman to join Lions coaching ticket www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Don’t regularly post cricket stuff on here but latest piece has gotten some traction. European T20 Premier League latest, will it actually happen this year? theparttimer.substack.com/p/will-irela...

This is all the more relevant a chat now that Ireland U20s lost to Italy for the first time in a Six Nations Steve Aboud rejoining the Azurri this summer after previously putting in the structures which started to bring them youth success ⬇️⬇️🇮🇹

Used the fact it’s Italy week to get Steve Aboud on the pod as the man who revitalised their youth structure Ended up getting into a wider debate about talent development across the world, Ireland included. Are things as rosy as they seem? Well worth a listen podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/s...

France's defensive tactics looked familiar. Used by the All Blacks in recent years, has Irish rugby's kryptonite been exposed? Ireland still kicked plenty, but got caught playing empty phases Time to panic, or is what France did actually replicable? More ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Really good analysis here. I can agree that to beat France you have to have patience and pragmatism. New Ireland is a bit frantic.

Ireland shifted their attacking game plan because sides had started to figure out how to defend it France were not one of those teams Does the new plan actually play to the French strengths? Some numbers suggest it might 🤐 Fun exercise in this week's column ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

An article turned into a podcast… John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy in flying form this week Listen ⬇️ open.spotify.com/episode/2XVo...

Given it’s France week, plenty of chatter will likely centre on the French blooding new players earlier than Ireland Does Ireland have a problem with trusting youth? It’s not that simple This week’s stats column ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Backline injuries and a 6-2 split don't help, but that was a fairly insipid display from Ireland A Shane Daly looks to be badly injured Gavin, Kendellen and Bolton rare bright spots www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ronan O'Gara recently said Dan Sheehan is one of the world's best players. On the occasion of Sheehan captaining Ireland, why not see if ROG is right. What do the numbers say? www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Another nice analysis piece from @nathanrjohns.bsky.social looking at the tweaks in Ireland's attack since the autumn.

Ireland haven't thrown the baby out with the bathwater, but two subtle changes have their attack looking mighty impressive once again after an iffy November What have Easterby, Goodman at all tweaked to bring back the attacking mojo? Column ⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

Ireland shouldn't be this competitive in Test cricket. They barely play the format and have no First Class form. Yet they have now won three Tests in a row. Finances are tricky, but there has to be a solution. theparttimer.substack.com/p/play-more-...

Brilliant analysis from Nigel Carolan on this week’s @irishtimes.com rugby podcast. Carolan, the former Ireland U20s boss, now coaches the Scottish midfield in his day job with Glasgow Some gems in how to deal with the threat Listen ⬇️ podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/h...

Scotland have averaged 10 points per match in their last two clashes with Ireland In 2024, they averaged 24 ppm against all other Tier One nations How have Ireland shackled the Caledonian attack? Are there lessons to take into Sunday? This week's stats column⬇️ www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...

New year, new podcast. Myself and @drawingthetrade have teamed up to talk about Irish cricket, starting ahead of the Zimbabwe Test What should the future of Irish Test cricket look like? Featuring a chat with Test captain Andrew Balbirnie open.spotify.com/episode/7n6q...

Analyst Simon Chi has a stat called Expected Points Added. Think rugby's equivalent of individual expected goals Expected points of outhalves in recent Ireland matches, per 80 mins: Jack Crowley - 2.08 Sam Prendergast - 13.27 Did Ireland make the right call? www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/...