A Fading Force The last time Munster played Toulon, the French side ended their title ambitions at the semi-final stage in the Stade Vélodrome. The three-times European champions were at their peak in 2014, and had too much firepower for a Munster team that were in a state of transition. 24-16 probably wasn’t a … Continue reading Munster v Toulon: Match Preview
Glory Days
One of the things that stood out for me in Ireland’s Grand Slam celebrations on Saturday was the restrained emotion from Joe Schmidt in his post-match interview. It’s not unusual for players or coaches to find it difficult to contain their emotions after a big win, but it confirmed a long-held view of mine … Continue reading Glory Days
Storming The Fortress
This weekend is a daunting trip for Ireland, not only because of what is at stake, but because their record in Twickenham doesn’t make for pleasant reading. Ireland haven’t beaten England in their home ground since 2010, or to put it another way, Ireland haven’t won in Twickenham since England hit rock-bottom under Martin … Continue reading Storming The Fortress
A Job Half-Done
Stage Fright When Ireland played Scotland in the penultimate round of the Six Nations in 2009, they looked nowhere near ready to go out and beat Wales the following week. They were hesitant and error-prone for the majority of that Test, only taking control when Jamie Heaslip scored off the back of a Peter … Continue reading A Job Half-Done
rucktackleandmaul.com 