THE OPPORTUNITY TO face New Zealand is just about the greatest motivation a rugby player can have as they battle back from injury. Robbie Henshaw has that carrot dangling in front of him now. Joe Schmidt’s men face the Kiwis in Chicago on 5 November, before they clash again in Dublin two weeks later. Two chances at history. Henshaw with new Leinster teammates Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose. Source: SPORTSFILE Having undergone knee surgery in June, remedying an injury sustained on Ireland’s tour of South Africa, Henshaw is somewhere between eight and 12 weeks away from a return to play. A scan and consultation with his surgeon in…

IRISH RUGBY TEAM manager Michael Kearney is set to step down from his role in the aftermath of the November international series. The announcement of Kearney’s departure was made this morning by the IRFU. Kearney was first installed in the position as team manager in January 2012 when he succeeded Paul McNaughton. He first worked alongside Declan Kidney before staying in the role when Joe Schmidt was appointed in 2013. Kearney’s spell involved has seen Ireland claim Six Nations titles in 2014 and 2015, a first Test Series win in the Southern Hemisphere (v Argentina in 2014), finishing top of Pool D at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and a…

FORMER LEINSTER LOCK Kane Douglas has been dropped from Australia’s matchday squad as head coach Michael Cheika shuffles his second row ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Perth [KO 11.05am Irish time, Sky Sports 3]. Kane Douglas’ time in Ireland did not work out. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO Douglas had started all three games in the tournament so far, but makes way for Rob Simmons. Adam Coleman of the Western Force will partner Simmons in the engine room as the Wallabies look to back up last weekend’s win over South Africa. Waratahs prop Tom Robertson and explosive Melbourne Rebels back row Lopeti Timani could make their Test debuts against the…

USA RUGBY HAVE today appeared to publicly welcome interest from foreign organisations such as the Pro12, who have broached the possibility of expanding to a trans-Atlantic competition. Before the beginning of the Pro12 season, managing director Martin Anayi told The42 that the existing cross-border nature of the competition meant expanding stateside would be a more natural move. USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne made sure to underline a commitment to the fledgling PRO Rugby North America league, but is clearly also keen to explore the possibility of linking up with a foreign league in a statement made today. “Although we commit to leaving no stone unturned when it comes to reviewing…

MUNSTER WING RONAN O’Mahony has retired from rugby on medical grounds a month shy of his 30th birthday, the province have confirmed. O’Mahony sustained a broken leg and dislocated ankle during a Pro12 game against Treviso in April 2017. An academy graduate who cut his teeth with Garryowen at club level and Castletroy College in school, he made 70 appearances for his native province, dotting down 21 times. “I’m heartbroken to be finishing my career earlier than I had expected,” said O’Mahony. “The last two years have been pretty tough since initially breaking my leg, and ultimately the injury has made it impossible for me to continue. “Growing up in…

MUNSTER HAVE BEEN using the services of a South African performance psychologist, Pieter Kruger, since last summer in their bid to end an eight-year run without a trophy. Kruger – who has also worked with the Springboks, Harlequins, and Brumbies – had some interesting feedback for Billy Holland. Holland feels Munster are on the bring of trophy success. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO Each of the Munster players underwent a detailed, hour-long psychological test and Holland was intrigued to hear Kruger’s assessment. “One of the things that came back for me is that I have a very good ability to go from not switched on at all to being very switched on quickly,” says…

Ryan Bailey reports from Thomond Park NEWS THAT GLASGOW had raced into an early two-try lead at Scotstoun quickly reduced the meaning and significance of this derby, so much so that the Thomond Park PA was announcing ticket details for Munster’s Pro14 quarter-final by half-time. Munster’s hopes of bypassing next weekend and securing a home semi-final were dashed almost instantly on Saturday night, contributing to something of an anti-climatic affair against Connacht, even if the typical inter-pro bite remained.  Peter O’Mahony after Saturday’s game. Source: James Crombie/INPHO Johann van Graan’s side, despite securing a three-try win, had to settle for second best behind Glasgow in Conference A again, and thus…

MUNSTER HAVE ANNOUNCED the shock departure of forwards coach Jerry Flannery and attack coach Felix Jones from Johann van Graan’s backroom staff at the end of the season. In a statement, Munster say they made every effort to retain the services of both Flannery and Jones, but they have ‘declined their respective contract offers’ and will leave Thomond Park at the end of their current deals in June. Flannery and Jones are leaving van Graan’s coaching team. Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO “As Johann has noted all along, the province was committed to retaining the services of both Jerry and Felix, and I believe the Professional Game Board made every effort to…

WHEN THE DISAPPOINTMENT of having their season ended at the penultimate hurdle had subsided, Dan McFarland offered both a compliment of their conquerors and a stark assessment of where his team are at right now. “We were very disappointed in our performance but, at the same time, having watched that Glasgow performance, I’m not sure even our best performance would have won here,” he shrugged in the media room at Scotstoun Stadium. It was a sobering night for Ulster, all the good work and positivity created around the team evaporated in a dismal 60-minute spell that saw them brushed aside by a more fluent, creative and complete outfit in the…

INJURY-PLAGUED AUSTRALIAN great David Pocock retired from Super Rugby today, but is hanging on to his World Cup dreams as he fights to be fit for the competition in Japan. Pocock, 31, has failed to shake off a calf injury that has dogged his season with the ACT Brumbies and there had been speculation he would sit out the rest of the season to ensure he can play in the World Cup in September. “After 13 years of professional rugby, I’m looking forward to the challenges the rest of this year holds and also thinking about what comes next,” Pocock said in a statement released by the Brumbies. The Canberra…