Team-mates vote James Ryan as Leinster’s Player of the Year

JAMES RYAN IS the Leinster Players’ Player of the Year for 2018/19.  Ryan was presented with the award at the Leinster Awards Ball last night, and it caps his meteoric rise with the province having won the Young Player of the Year award only last season.  That gong went Max Deegan’s way this time around.  …

London Irish confirm signing of Paddy Jackson

FORMER ULSTER AND Ireland out-half Paddy Jackson has signed for London Irish, the club confirmed today. The 26-year-old had moved to France last year to play with Perpignan after being acquitted in the high-profile Belfast rape trial. The 25-cap Ireland international exercised a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the club after …

Highly-motivated Munster bid to end Leinster’s season at sold-out RDS

AT THE END of another rollicking season, one of largely favourable fortunes for the provinces, there remains one final piece of business to be settled before all eyes — in this part of the world anyway — begin to look ahead to events in Japan later this year. For either Leinster or Munster, their season …

Kearney content with extension after pushing for two-year deal

ROB KEARNEY SAYS there is only a final signature missing from a fresh central contract to extend his stay in Ireland, but he admits he was pushing for a two-year deal. The Leinster and Ireland fullback was speaking with Off the Ball today and referred to his imminent contract announcement as a ‘nine-month extension’. So …

Bastareaud among high-profile names missing as France name World Cup training squad

ALTHOUGH HE SERVED as French vice-captain during the most recent Six Nations, Mathieu Bastareaud has been left out of France’s Rugby World Cup training squad.  The 30-year-old Toulon centre does not appear among Les Bleus’ 37-man squad, and misses out along with experienced scrum-half Morgan Parra – who has been struggling with an ankle injury …

Quins land prolific Fijian Goneva after Newcastle’s relegation

HARLEQUINS HAVE CONTINUED their recruitment drive by signing prolific wing Vereniki Goneva from Newcastle Falcons. Fiji international Goneva, who can also play centre, will make the move to London after the Falcons were relegated from the Premiership. The 35-year-old averaged a try every other game for Newcastle and Leicester Tigers and Quins head of rugby …

‘The dream is to get a professional contract, whether it be here or at home’

GORDON RUGBY CLUB had a crucial Shute Shield clash in Sydney today as their drive for a play-off spot came into the final two regular season games, and key to their hopes of earning that spot is Irish out-half Seán Kearns. The former Leinster underage playmaker, who won two Leinster Schools Senior Cups with Blackrock, has …

Major blow for Wales as Gareth Anscombe ruled out of the World Cup

GARETH ANSCOMBE HAS been ruled out of the World Cup due to an injury he suffered during yesterday’s warm-up defeat to England. Click Here: cheap vans slip on shoes The 28-year-old Ospreys out-half sustained an ACL injury in his knee during the first-half of the 33-19 loss and has now officially been ruled out of …

Aki ruled out until February as injury crisis forces Connacht to make 4 changes

Bundee Aki will undergo surgery on his ankle. Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO CONNACHT HEAD COACH Pat Lam has made four personnel changes to his starting line-up for tomorrow night’s Guinness Pro12 meeting with Ulster at Kingspan Stadium [KO 7.35pm, Sky Sports 2]. In a massive blow to the province, talismanic centre Bundee Aki will undergo surgery …

WWE superstar expected to receive a character change

According to Dave Meltzer, Kevin Owens is getting a new change in his character based on his physique. Here’s what he had to say last night on Wrestling Observer radio: “With the bowling segment its an attempt to take the Kevin Owens character in a new direction. The idea is he’s the anti Mr. Perfect. …