Author: THEJOHNANTONIOBLOG

ALL BLACKS COACH Steve Hansen insisted he was “loving it” as he axed three senior players and demanded a 200 percent improvement from his forwards in Saturday’s winner-takes-all Bledisloe Cup clash with Australia. Hansen showed no mercy after last week’s thrashing in Sydney, dumping prop Owen Franks and wings Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane —…

15. Isa Nacewa (Leinster) Source: James Crombie/INPHO 14. Matt Healy (Connacht) Source: James Crombie/INPHO 13. Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO 12. Bundee Aki (Connacht) Source: Inpho/Billy Stickland 11. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) Source: Craig Watson/INPHO 10. Paddy Jackson (Ulster) Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO 9. Kieran Marmion (Connacht) Source: James Crombie/INPHO Click Here: georgia rugby jersey8….

BEFORE THE NEW Year was rung in on Saturday night, Munster inflicted a seventh Pro12 defeat of the season on Connacht,, equaling their loss total on the way to the title last year. Yet, despite being ravaged by injury, saying goodbye to coaches and sitting 15 points adrift of the play-off places, prop Finlay Bealham…

– Sean Farrell reports from the Sportsground. PAT LAM WAS only able to add two of his four winter recruits to his European squad, but even players not involved in the matchday 23 have helped to make the Sportsground a much happier place this week. The Pro12 champions have been plagued by injuries in recent…

Murray Kinsella reports from Stade Ernest Wallon WATCHING THE ENDGAME in Toulouse yesterday, it appeared that Connacht weren’t quite certain of exactly what they wanted to do. There were visits into the home side’s defensive territory in the closing 15 minutes, but it seemed as though Connacht were tangled up in indecision. Go all out…

Newbridge College 7 St Mary’s College 24 AN ENERGY-SAPPING first-half defensive effort from Newbridge ultimately proved their undoing as a powerful St Mary’s pack, led by captain Niall McEniff forced their way into the Leinster Senior Cup second round. It took over 27 minutes for the breakthrough thanks to a resolute performance from the Kildare…

Source: PA Wire/PA Images JOE SCHMIDT STRUGGLED to explain Ireland’s sloppy performance as their Six Nations challenge crumbled on the opening day. Two late Greig Laidlaw penalties snatched a 27-22 win for Scotland and ensured that Ireland had to be content to leave Murrayfield with a losing bonus point. Ireland conceded three tries in a…

LEINSTER HOOKER SEAN Cronin says he is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a hamstring tear and is hopeful of returning to action sooner than the initial 10-week prognosis. The 30-year-old’s rehabilitation programme is progressing encouragingly and Cronin expects to be back running next week with Leinster’s Champions Cup quarter-final on the first weekend in…

WHEN IRELAND PLAY France at any grade the pre-match focus generally revolves around the battle up front, but when the U20s line out in Donnybrook tonight [8pm, RTÉ2] there will be plenty of attention on the visiting fly-half. At just 17 years of age it’s quite an achievement to even be involved at this level,…

HAVING NAVIGATED THE choppy seas against France at the weekend, Ireland are now looking towards their next Six Nations test against Wales in two weeks’ time. A win under the Cardiff lights would leave Ireland firmly in contention ahead of the final weekend and an Aviva Stadium date with England which has long been earmarked…