February 23, 2010
As usual the England v Ireland match at Twickenham on 27 Feb 2010 has resulted in a shortage of hospitality packages being available. Having once sold out, we have managed to source a very limited amount of official places for the game on Saturday, so call today!
August 11, 2009
Ireland are currently organising their next training camp which will take place next weekend. The squad will change to a degree with players returning from the British Lions rugby tour and other players being dropped. Notable absentees will be the Ulster players Ryan Caldwell, Darren Cave, Isaac Boss and Niall O’Conner and Chris Henry.
It is of great pride to the Irish squad that thirteen of their players featured on the Lion’s tour and with the coming season now not a long way off the training camp will be an important time for the squad to come together and bond. Ireland coach Declan Kidney stated that at the previous training camp a lot of different players were given an opportunity but was looking forward to the Lions players being back in the fold.
Declan Kidney further stated
“A lot of players are being given an opportunity and from that point of view as well, we were happy with the spread of players we were in contact with in Belfast.”
“The Belfast camp was productive in that we were able to continue to work with the players and pick up where we left off from the summer tour and the Churchill Cup.”
The training camp will be held in Limerick between the 16th and 19th of August.
March 25, 2009
A defiant Irish team overcame a stuttering Wales to wrestle the Six Nations title away from them, and in the last two minutes kick the three points to give them their first Grand Slam title in sixty-one years.
Ireland deserved the victory and led for most of the game, overpowering Wales where it mattered most, but a kick in the last few minutes from Stephen Jones almost snatched the dream Grand Slam from Irish hands.
Luckily for the Irish, their dreams were kept alive by the boot of Ronan O’Gara, who replied to Jones’ drop goal with one of his own, with just two minutes on the clock. Wales responded immediately and Irish indiscipline led to a Welsh chance in the final minute as Jones once again had the chance to end Ireland’s dream with a penalty practically on the halfway line. Long distance specialist Gavin Henson looked on as Jones attempted the penalty, got the accuracy perfect, but his range came up short, gifting Ireland their deserved victory.
Despite playing in front of a packed Cardiff crowd, free flowing Wales failed to spark their game into life, and couldn’t breach the Irish defence. Ireland on the other hand managed two tries from Bowe and the ever reliable O’Driscoll.
March 18, 2009
Ireland narrowly defeated Scotland to keep alive their hopes of a Grand Slam in the Six Nations, what would be their first for sixty-one years. The Irish now need to defeat current Grand Slam champions Wales in Cardiff next Saturday.
The Irish battled all the way to edge out the Scots, who have improved drastically during this rugby tournament. It was very close for the Irish, as they trailed Scotland 12-9 at the break, all the points coming from the respective boots of Chris Paterson and Ronan O’Gara.
Ireland took the lead in the second half as Jamie Heaslip went over for an Irish try, which was followed by a conversion, a drop goal and another penalty from the trusty boot of O’Gara. This was enough to Ireland home to victory.
Their trip to Wales will be anything but a formality though as Wales themselves can lift the Six Nation’s trophy if they defeat Ireland by thirteen points in Cardiff. It’s almost a shame that Wales couldn’t have beaten France a few weeks ago to set up a Grand Slam decider, in much the same as a potential decider between Wales and Ireland was averted in 2005 when it was Ireland who slipped up on route to the meeting in Cardiff.
