Yes, players are bigger, but that is down to expertise and not because of steroids Rugby union does not have a problem with drugs, certainly not at the top level of the sport. There, I have said it and I stand by it. In Ireland, France and now in England, there has been some recent […]
Transformation of the game in two decades has been phenomenal The physicality of the collisions in international rugby is breathtaking but so too the athletic prowess, as demonstrated here by Australia’s Kurtley Beale, who beats team-mate Israel Folau and Ireland’s Rob Kearney to the ball at the Aviva Stadium. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire. One truth […]
Pic: Laurent Benezech in his playing days A message to my fellow rugbyman, Alan Quinlan. Mon Cher Alan, It was with great interest that I read your column in Wednesday’s Irish Times. It arrived via email with a cover note from the journalist Paul Kimmage: “Alan Quinlan is speaking your language – he just doesn’t […]
The Irish Sports Council say schools are ‘a law unto themselves’ The general consensus in schools is ‘no supplements allowed’ but the temptation remains for those unlikely to experience this level of competition again. Photograph: Inpho/Morgan Treacy > https://twitter.com/Inphosports “Everyone has a personal gold medal. That might be just making the First XV of your […]
Image: Billy Stickland/INPHO > > https://twitter.com/Inphosports SUNDAY INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST Paul Kimmage was on The Last Word with Matt Cooper this evening talking about the possibility of performance enhancing drug use in Irish rugby. Kimmage had a recent column in the newspaper that described his suspicions about drug use in rugby. The author of Rough Ride […]
The Ireland Women’s players line up for the anthems at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France back in August © Dan Sheridan/www.Inpho.ie The Irish Rugby Football Union today announced three full-time coaching and support appointments for representative women’s rugby in Ireland. Anthony Eddy has been appointed Director of Sevens and Women’s Rugby and with […]
What a festive season of competitive club rugby we have on offer for the thousands of supporters in Ulster who follow their teams. With Ulster Bank All Ireland Junior Cup semi final action, Ulster Championship League, Qualifying league fixtures the excitement will continue to build as we complete the first half of a dramatic season […]
Grave warning: UK Anti-Doping chief Andy Parkinson is concerned about the availability of drugs online Photo: GETTY IMAGES Britain’s outgoing anti-doping tsar claims the biggest risk to sport is the use of performance-enhancing substances by those looking to secure their first professional contract The availability of drugs on the internet is fuelling a growing culture […]
FIJI SEVENS HEAD coach Ben Ryan published a number of intriguing tweets yesterday evening highlighting a technique which he believes has the game “in crisis”. The former England Sevens boss has an issue with the rucking technique that, depending on where one is from, is referred to as a crocodile roll, tin opener, can opener, […]