Ireland

Rory Best will captain Ireland for the RBS 6 Nations with uncapped quartet CJ Stander, Stuart McCloskey, Ultan Dillane and Josh van der Flier the 35-man squad's newcomers.

The Northern Ireland Executive is committed to delivering a "compelling" bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the First Minister has said.

Former England assistant coach Andy Farrell is to take on an advisory role at Munster with immediate effect

Andy Farrell says he "can't wait to get started" after being appointed as Ireland defence coach.

Munster halted their five-game losing run and completed the double over Ulster this season by beating their interprovincial rivals 9-7 on Saturday to stay in touch with the leading sides in the Guinness PRO12.

Ian Madigan will leave Leinster next summer to join French Top 14 club Bordeaux Begles.

Nick Williams' 76th-minute try proved to be the deciding score as Ulster ended Connacht's unbeaten home record this season, winning a closely-fought Guinness PRO12 derby 10-3 at the Sportsground.

Leinster and Ireland prop Cian Healy's two-week suspension has been lifted after he appealed against a citing for foul play.

Sean O'Brien has rejected multiple lucrative offers in France to commit his long-term future to home province Leinster, signing a new three-year deal with Leinster and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).

Ian McKinley's hopes of returning to play in Ireland have received a major boost after the Irish Rugby Football Union announced its application to take part in the ongoing trial regarding the use of protective goggles in-game.

It’s been a grim couple of months for Irish rugby.

Munster back-rower CJ Stander has penned a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the province until at least June 2018.

Rory Best has signalled his intent to see out his career at home province Ulster by signing a new dual Ireland contract that runs until 2018.

With the Rugby World Cup over and the Six Nations still a couple of months away, we are afforded an opportunity to take a look ahead to the British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand in 2017.

Izzy Noel-Smith scored a 79th-minute try to hand England Women an 8-3 win over Ireland at Twickenham Stoop.

Keith Wood is a man who is part of a very elite group of players. He is one of the privileged few to have pulled on the famous Lions jersey and come back to the Northern Hemisphere as part of a winning Lions team.

Munster and Ireland full-back Felix Jones has been forced to retire aged just 28 after a neck injury.

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe has been ruled out of the 2016 RBS 6 Nations Championship with a knee injury suffered during the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina nine days ago.

Argentina coach Pablo Bouza believes the Pumas would not have made the World Cup semi-finals had they joined the Six Nations as originally planned instead of the Rugby Championship.

Ireland's World Cup inquest will start in earnest on Monday, and revolve around injuries, supposed inexperience and miscalculations.