IRFU provincial and national age grade coaches - Under-18s, Under-19s and Under-20s - and IRFU elite player development staff from the four provinces gathered recently to review their experiences, discuss challenges and align closer to ensure the development of more effective elite players across the IRFU Elite Player Pathway.

The IRFU today announced a new one-year contract with Brian O'Driscoll which will see him remain available to play for Ireland and Leinster until the end of June 2014.

Ireland's Women continued their Rugby Sevens development by winning the Plate final at the London Sevens over the weekend.

The annual Technical Staff Conference was held in the Castleknock Hotel earlier this month and was opened by IRFU President Billy Glynn and director of rugby Eddie Wigglesworth.