Trying to achieve a balance during the summer tour of giving new players a run-in and get wins is a tough one, Declan Kidney thinks he's cracked it with his tour squad for New Zealand and Australia.
Ireland will face the might of the All Blacks, Australia, the Barbarians and the New Zealand Maori
The O2 Team of the Decade has been chosen by a special panel of judges:
O2 IRUPA TEAM OF THE DECADE (2000-2009)
The pack:
1. Marcus Horan
2. Keith Wood
3. John Hayes
4. Malcolm O'Kelly
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Alan Quinlan
7. David Wallace
8. Anthony Foley
Backs:
9. Peter Stringer
Having won the RBS Six Nations Player of the Championship 2010, Tommy Bowe has now been awarded Bord Gáis Energy IRUPA Players' Player of the Year award. Bowe also won this award in 2008!
Andrew Trimble picked up try of the year for his try against Bath in the Heineken Cup, Leinster's John Fogar
Though Ireland came away with no Six Nations Trophy (Grand Slam or otherwise) and no Triple Crown after losing to Scotland, Tommy Bowe has been named RBS Six Nations Player of the Championship.
Despite being disappointed they hadn't won, Tommy Bowe said:
“We can take an awful lot from the to
Jerry Flannery will sit out the rest of the Six Nations after receiving a six-week ban for kicking Alexis Palisson in the France game and being cited afterwards.
Flannery pleaded guilty and can resume training on March 29 (9 days after Irelands final game against Scotland)
Flannery has the rig
Pairing Paddy Wallace and Peter Stringer at halfback is one of the more interesting decisions during Kidney's time so far as Ireland coach.
Wallace has spent most of his rugby at inside centre for both Ulster and Ireland in recent seasons and will partner Stringer with 91 caps. This should give S
From a stunning hat-trick on his debut against France in the Six Nations 2000, to leading Leinster to the Heineken Cup, to leading Ireland to a first Grand Slam in 61 years O'Driscoll has had a massive career (and that doesn't even mention his three Lions tours!).
O'Driscoll was the only Irishman
Donncha O'Callaghan capped off an amazing year yesterday by marrying his long-term girlfriend Jennifer Harte in Cork.
With a winter wonderland surrounding them, vast amounts of salt was scattered around the entrance to St Columba's Chuch to avoid any injury to the pride of Irish rugby in attend
At 25 the world's his oyster and his market value soared after an amazing Lions tour where he scored four tries. Out of contract at the end of the season with Ospreys, interest is growing from Ulster, Leinster and Munster!
That said it looks like the Ospreys will retain Mr Bowe's services h
DUBLIN, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Ireland and Munster back row forward Denis Leamy has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, the southern Irish province said in a statement on Wednesday.
Leamy was injured in the last play of Sunday's bonus point 37-14 Heineken Cup victory at Perp