HARPIN' ON RUGBY

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Front Five – 31.01.16

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.

Click here for our “8-0-review” of Zebre v Munster

As one reader on twitter remarked

we did well to find as many as 80 words!

It was an absorbing game on a heavy pitch, where the touchline on the Clan Terrace side of the ground was a bog.

Connacht show their steel in bonus-point win

Brendan Fanning - Irish Independent

A lazy, unrecognisable Ulster left itself in the changing room at the end of the first 40 minutes, to become a true compelling force

Ulster wake from slumber to carve out bonus-point win

Andrea Gardina - Irish Times

I joked that it could be like the game in Bosnia where no one saw the goal being scored by Walters in that other “foreign” sport!

The Italian Fog: Zebre: 12 – Munster: 16

Gayl -WestTerraceView

Briggs senses a different energy about the squad, born of the sport’s growing status in Ireland

Ireland look to cement their place in women’s Six Nations top echelon

Michael Aylwin - The Observer

I know he's playing Payne at 13 so it doesn't really matter what the country thinks.

Brian O'Driscoll Has Some Insight Into One Of Joe Schmidt's Major Selection Decisions

PJ Browne - Balls.ie

Feel free to share any interesting links you spot yourself about t’internet by email, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, blog comment or carrier pigeon – whatever works for you. JLP

Note - views expressed in "Front Five" links do not necessarily reflect those of HarpinOnRugby

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Zebre 12-16 Munster (8-0-review)

My first look at Zebre this season, and in some ways I can see why they are the higher-ranked of the two Italian Pro12 outfits, but in other ways I can see why they’re ranked second-to-last overall. Plenty of aggression on show from both sides, but very little skill - Munster will be disappointed not to have capitalised on an early Chisholm try but still just about kept ahead. Leinster must target 9+ points from the two February meetings with Zebre.

JLP

Match played at the Stadio XXV Aprile on Saturday, January 30, 2016

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Let us know at paganoblog@gmail.com

Front Five - 30.01.16

Start your day with five eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the ruggersphere.

Disappointing result in Newport

but hey at least it makes the Welsh

like the Pro12 if only for a day! ;-)

Leinster conceded 13 points in the 20 minutes they had 14 men on the field. That statistic tells its own story.

Terrific Tovey, awesome Ashton and defiant defence hands Men of Gwent gutsy victory

Gareth Griffiths - WalesOnline

If it proves to be serious, it would be the latest in a long line of crushing blows for the luckless 28-year-old

Six Nations scare for Luke Fitzgerald

Ruairidh O'Connor - Irish Independent

...it will not come as a massive surprise when Gatland is handed the job, despite Stuart Lancaster seemingly being in contention.

Is This The Ideal Lions Coaching Team?

Alan Drumm

“I think we’re well looked after here, and then off the pitch the set up we have, if we’re talking internationally, it’s brilliant."

Conor Murray excited by Six Nations after nailing down Munster future

John O'Sullivan - Irish Times

It must be one of the great releases for pent-up rugby players - gloving up and boxing the snouts off each other.

Isaac Boss spills the dirt on Leinster's best (and worst) boxer

Patrick McCarry - SportsJOE.ie