The Ireland Under-20s were runners-up in a tough pool and despite losing to hosts France last night, Mike Ruddock's charges could still finish the IRB Junior World Championship on a high by beating Australia in Sunday's 7th-8th place play-off.
The waiting is almost over as the British & Irish Lions prepare to get the Test series against Australia underway in Brisbane on Saturday. The Lions team for the first Test will be announced in the early hours of Thursday morning (3am Irish time/12pm local time).
A single point separated the sides as a hard-fought 5th-8th place play-off finished in France's favour at Stade Henri Desgrange on Tuesday night. Check out some photos from Ireland's fourth IRB Junior World Championsip match.
Three penalties from the boot of Jesse Mogg, allied to an early try from Tevita Kuridrani, steered the ACT Brumbies past a Rory Best-led Lions team on Tuesday. Check out our match photo gallery from Canberra.
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Ulster Bank League club Clontarf are set to host the world's most famous touring rugby side to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf next year.
The annual Athlone Rugby 7s tournament takes place on the August Bank Holiday weekend - Saturday, August 3 - at Dubarry Park, with the event again being generously sponsored by Smith's SuperValu and host club Buccaneers RFC.
Ireland internationals Iain Henderson, Robbie Henshaw, Ian Madigan and Simon Zebo were joined today by An Ghaeltacht, Clontarf, New Ross and Waterford City Rugby Clubs to launch the IRFU's new safety course, SAFE Rugby (Standard Approach to Field Emergencies in Rugby).
Ballinrobe Under 17 squad have just returned from "Festival Mondial de Rugby" (a A L'Ouverture) tournament in Vienne France which had 32 teams made up of the under 17 and 15 Rugby teams from the four corners of the world.
The Stevenson Sharks, a Dungannon-based Tag rugby team for children with a learning disability/special needs, have welcomed Ulster and Ireland stars Craig Gilroy and Paddy Jackson on board as club patrons.
