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.
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.
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.
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.
Argentina dumped Ireland out of the World Cup for the third time as a 10-minute, two-try salvo floored Joe Schmidt's battered and shattered side at the Millennium Stadium.
As a part-Irishman and an accomplished polo player Argentinaian prop Marcos Ayerza is itching to take down the land of his ancestors with the Pumas secret scrummaging weapon.
France boss Philippe Saint-Andre has hit out at officials for failing to act on what he branded Sean O'Brien's "assault" on Pascal Pape in Sunday's 24-9 defeat to Ireland.
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt admits captain Paul O'Connell may not play again at the World Cup but is hopeful Johnny Sexton will be available to face Argentina in the quarter-finals.