24 May, 14:08
The Irish Rugby Supporters Club is delighted to announce that tickets for the GUINNESS Series 2013 will go on sale on ticketmaster.ie at 10am on Thursday, May 30.
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23 May, 11:00
The Irish Rugby Football Union today announced ticket prices for the GUINNESS Series 2013 and a pre-sale to Supporters Club members, which will open on Thursday, May 30.
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23 May, 09:41
The IRFU is currently inviting applications for the position of Communications and Media Officer.
Editor
20 May, 19:55
Second row Paul O'Connell spoke to the assembled media on the Lions squad's first day at their training camp in Carton House. He cannot wait until the full squad is together and is hoping to be involved in the historic tour opener against the Barbarians in Hong Kong.
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News
Battle Is On For Runners-Up Positions
9 January 2013, 11:15 am
By Editor
Out-half Jonathan Sexton prepares to take a kick at the posts during Leinster's round 4 defeat to Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium
© www.Inpho.ie
The format of the two best Heineken Cup runners-up qualifying for the quarter-finals as the number 7 and 8 ranked teams has been in operation since the 1999/00 season with bonus points coming into the equation in 2003/04.
The sides (with current names) who have qualified as best runners-up are:
SEASON/TEAM/WINS/BONUS POINTS/POINTS -
1999/00
London Wasps 5 - 10
Clermont Auvergne 4 - 8
2000/01
Swansea 4 - 8
Pau 4 - 8
2001/02
Munster 5 - 10
Scarlets 4 - 8
2002/03
Munster 4 - 8
Biarritz Olympique 4 - 8
2003/04
Gloucester 5 4 (T 4) 24
Edinburgh 5 2 (T 2) 22
2004/05
Northampton Saints 5 1 (T 1) 21
Leicester Tigers 4 3 (T 2, L 1) 19
2005/06
Sale Sharks 5 3 (T 3) 23
Leinster 4 6 (T 4, L 2) 22
2006/07
Munster 5 3 (T 2, L 1) 23
Northampton Saints 4 4 (T 4) 20
2007/08
Perpignan 5 2 (T 2) 22
Ospreys 5 1 (T 1) 21
2008/09
Toulouse 4 (+ 1 draw) 2 (T 1, L 1) 20
Ospreys 4 4 (T 2, L 2) 20
2009/10
Ospreys 4 (+ 1 draw) 2 (T 2) 20
Northampton Saints 4 3 (T 2, L 1) 19
2010/11
Ulster 5 2 (T 2) 22
Leicester Tigers 4 (+ 1 draw) 4 (T 3, L 1) 22
2011/12
Cardiff Blues 5 1 (T 1) 21
Ulster 4 4 (T 4, L 1) 20
(T = Try bonus; L = Losing bonus)
Here are some quarter-final pointers since runners-up and bonus points came into the Heineken Cup qualification equation:
- No team has qualified as a pool winner with less than four wins
- Since bonus points were introduced, no team has qualified as a pool winner with less than 17 points. Toulon topped Pool 3 with 17 points in 2010/11
- No side has qualified as one of the best runners-up with less than four wins
- Since bonus points were introduced, no side has qualified as one of the best runners-up with less than 19 points
- Leicester Tigers in 2004/05 and Northampton Saints in 2009/10 each qualified as best runners-up on 19 points
The maximum points and wins attainable by each team on current pool standings are:
POOL 1
Saracens - 24 points / 5 wins
Racing Metro 92 - 22 points / 5 wins
MUNSTER - 21 points / 4 wins
Edinburgh Rugby - 10 points / 2 wins
POOL 2
Leicester Tigers - 24 points / 5 wins
Toulouse - 23 points / 5 wins
Ospreys - 19 points / 4 wins
Benetton Treviso - 11 points / 2 wins
POOL 3
Harlequins - 29 points / 6 wins
Biarritz Olympique - 19 points / 4 wins
CONNACHT - 18 points / 4 wins
Zebre - 10 points / 2 wins
POOL 4
ULSTER - 25 points / 5 wins
Castres Olympique - 22 points / 5 wins
Northampton Saints - 20 points / 4 wins
Glasgow Warriors - 12 points / 2 wins
POOL 5
Clermont Auvergne - 28 points / 6 wins
LEINSTER - 20 points / 4 wins
Exeter Chiefs - 19 points / 4 wins
Scarlets - 12 points / 2 wins
POOL 6
Toulon - 28 points / 6 wins
Montpellier - 23 points / 5 wins
Sale Sharks - 14 points / 3 wins
Cardiff Blues - 11 points / 2 wins
Provincial News
24 May
An Irish province is guaranteed to win the RaboDirect PRO12, but who will be declared champions come Saturday night in Dublin? Will Ulster finish a season that began so well for them with league silverware, or can Leinster complete a famous double in Joe Schmidt's final game in charge?
Editor
24 May
John Afoa will start at tighthead prop in the only change to the Ulster team for Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 final against Leinster at the RDS (kick-off 4.45pm).
Editor
24 May
The Leinster team to face Ulster in Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 final at the RDS (kick-off 4.45pm) has been named.
Editor
24 May
Academy Manager Peter Malone today confirmed that nine players will join the Munster Rugby Academy for the 2013/14 season.
Editor
23 May
It has been confirmed today that Bank of Ireland has agreed to become the main sponsor of Munster Rugby from July 2013. The sponsorship includes exclusive branding of all playing and training kit for the Munster senior and 'A' squads.
Editor
22 May
After 22 rounds and two play-off games, the 2012/13 RaboDirect PRO12 season wraps up on Saturday with the final at the RDS appropriately between respective first and second seeds and provincial rivals, Ulster and Leinster.
Editor
22 May
Previewing Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 final against Leinster with Cóilín Duffy, Ulster winger Andrew Trimble said: "We really motivated for this game. People are talking about us being the best Ulster side in a few years, we had that record of 13 wins in a row at the start of the year. We want to win trophies, and there's no point having those records unless we back them up."
22 May
Ulster hooker Rory Best spoke to IrishRugby.ie's Cóilín Duffy ahead of Saturday's RaboDirect PRO12 final against Leinster at the RDS, discussing the match itself and how he is looking forward to captaining Ireland during next month's summer tour to North America.
22 May
With support from Department for Social Development, IRFU (Ulster Branch), the Irish FA and Ulster GAA are joining forces and using the power of sport to promote positive cross-community relations.
Editor
21 May
Connacht Rugby hosted an information evening for parents of the province's Sub-Academy players who are coming into this summer's training camp.
Editor
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