IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne has issued a statement following confirmation of Ronan O'Gara's decision to retire from playing professional rugby.

Ronan O'Gara's retirement from professional rugby brings to an end an achievement-packed career that saw him dominate matches in Ireland and around the world in the colours of Cork Constitution, Munster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions.

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.

Rob Kearney togged out with some rugby stars of the future to launch Kellogg's 2013 IRFU partnership. Kellogg's has been a proud supporter of Irish rugby for over ten years. During this time participation in the sport has continued to grow from a grassroots level with almost a fifth (18%) of children in Ireland now playing rugby.

A 12-strong Ireland Women's Sevens squad has been named for the London Invitational Sevens which will be streamed live this weekend.

Ulster number 8 Nick Williams was tonight voted the Hibernia College IRUPA Players' Player of the Year for 2013 by his fellow players at the 11th annual awards ceremony.

The International Rugby Board Council has announced the implementation of a global trial of the 'crouch, bind, set' scrum engagement sequence, which is aimed at enhancing player welfare by reducing impact on engagement by up to 25% in elite competition.

With less than one month to go until kick-off, tickets for the knockout stages of the IRB Junior World Championship are now on sale.

Ireland will play two of their Pool D matches in the 2015 Rugby World Cup at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, with their other fixtures pencilled in for the iconic Wembley Stadium and the Olympic Stadium, which played host to last summer's successful London Games.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has begun the process of recruiting a Performance Director with the appointment of executive search firm Odgers Berndtson.

The lure of the Olympics is attracting a wide range of female athletes from different sports to try out for the Ireland Women's Sevens squad.

A 37-man British & Irish Lions squad, including nine Irish players, was announced today by tour manager Andy Irvine and head coach Warren Gatland.