Sinéad Kissane: Scott Bemand hopes to find right mix with blend of new faces and the more familiar
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RTÉ News
12 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Hannah O'Connor: Bolters won't disrupt Ireland's Rugby World Cup plans
Hannah O'Connor doesn't believe that the inclusion of three relatively unknown players in Ireland's squad will be disruptive to the team's Rugby World Cup hopes. Former England prop Ellena Perry and Exeter centre Nancy McGillivray both made their Ireland debuts in the recent warm-up games against Canada and Scotland, respectively, while Connacht back row Ivana Kiripati played in both Tests. Kiripati, 22, played most of her adult rugby in college in the USA but dovetailed her time there with stints in Ireland, impressing for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge, and Connacht. Gloucester's Perry, 28, is a replacement for injured front row Christy Haney, while 22-year-old McGillivray's PWR experience has earned her a place in Scott Bemand's 32-player squad. Neither was named in the 37-player preparation panel back in May. Back row Deirbhile Nic a Bháird and back Vicky Elmes Kinlan are among those who didn't make the cut for the trip to England, where Ireland will face Japan, Spain and New Zealand in Pool C. Asked what sort of effect parachuting players in at a late stage has on a squad, former Ireland forward Hannah O'Connor told the RTÉ Rugby podcast: "You can kind of get the gist from the girls and from what you hear in the media and anybody doing interviews, it's a very tight-knit group. "Everybody gets along very well and they spend a lot of time in each other's company. "We've heard it in the past from Irish teams under Andy Farrell as well of how cohesive they are as a group in terms of how they get along and that makes a huge difference. "So from that point of view of the new girls coming in, I wouldn't be overly worried about cohesion in terms of knitting in with the group and I heard Scott mention about everybody who has been in the group has brought something to the group. On the overall squad selection, O'Connor, who retired last year after leading Leinster to the Women's Interprovincial crown, added: "I suppose no massive surprises in the backs. Former international @HannahOConnor22 believes the three new Ireland call-ups won't disrupt squad cohesion so close to #RWC2025 - full #RTERugby podcast here — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 13, 2025 "I think they kind of picked themselves, there hasn't been a lot of surprises. "I suppose Nancy McGillivray being the only kind of new face in there compared to what we had seen over the last little while [it's] Vicky Elmes Kinlan who'd be disappointed to miss out there. "In the forwards, obviously Christy Haney is a big blow in terms of the scrum. "We're not flush on props in Ireland in terms of the grassroots, Ellena Perry comes in [because of her] experience. "It's such a key position and [I'm] gutted for Christy. "Scrummaging is her baby and as said she brings a lot of stability there when she's either started or come off the bench. "Ivana Kiripati is probably the bolter there. "She's obviously been in the extended squad the last number of years and been in and around the group and training. "She has played a rugby overseas with college in America and come home for the Celtic Challenge and has played a few interpro games with Connacht. "I suppose someone like Deirbhile Nic a Bháird is a big name that misses out, which I was surprised at myself, to be honest. "Her versatility and what she's done both in a Munster jersey and in a club jersey for Belvedere, anytime she's gotten a chance to shine for Ireland, she is that kind of all-action back row player."
Extra.ie
12 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Over a third of school rugby players admit they'd play On despite concussion symptoms, study finds
A new study has revealed that a worrying stat that over a third of rugby players in schools would play on with concussion symptoms. The study was conducted by UCC where over 520 IRFU-registered rugby players from 17 clubs and five schools were surveyed as part of the research. 35% of school players said they would still play a sport while also having a headache that resulted from a minor concussion. Meanwhile only 14% of club players held the same sentiment. The study was conducted by UCC where over 520 IRFU-registered rugby players from 17 clubs and five schools were surveyed as part of the research. Pic: Getty Images The intense pressurizing culture in rugby schools seems to be at them as 11% of school players said they personally felt a concussed player should return to play during a semi-final game rather than going off. When comparing this to the 4% of club players that felt the same it's clear that school players feel the need to perform outweighs the need to recover. Another surprising stat from the research was that 20% of school players said most athletes would feel a concussed player should resume playing in such a scenario like a semi-final as well. This may change in the future after Garry Ringrose's decision to pull out of the Lions' test series against Australia due to concussion symptoms that went unnoticed. Another surprising stat from the research was that 20% of school players said most athletes would feel a concussed player should resume playing in such a scenario like a semi-final as well. Pic: Getty Images Hopefully the work of players like Ringrose and the effort by the IRFU and World Rugby will help younger players realise the severity of concussion and CTE. And it would appear that plenty of players need to know this information and have been on the receiving end of head trauma. The research found 46% of club players had experienced a medically diagnosed concussion at least once in their playing career with a worrying 16% recording three or more diagnosed concussions. Then 41% of school players had experienced a medically diagnosed concussion with only 4% having three or more diagnosed concussions. Meanwhile, only 26% of club players and 30% of school players never had a suspected previous concussion. Overall, rugby players in Ireland were able to identify concussion signs and symptoms correctly 78% of the time. The study concluded: 'Players showed good concussion knowledge, indicating other factors such as the desire to play, performance pressure and the lack of awareness of long-term risk may still contribute to unsafe attitudes.'
Irish Independent
13 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Johnny Sexton's management company records a six-figure profit
Sexton retired from playing during the year under review, in October 2023, following the Rugby World Cup. New accounts filed by JAS Management & Promotions Ltd show that it then recorded bumper profits for the 12 months to the end of last September. The €425,952 post-tax profit followed a post-tax loss of €83,240 in the prior year – a positive swing of €509,192. The profit for last year resulted in the firm sitting on accumulated profits of €2.67m at the end of last September. Cash funds at the company last year more than halved from €1.3m to €554,744, while during the same period the value of the company's financial assets increased by €1.22m from €881,826 to €2.11m. Sexton's memoir was Ireland's biggest selling non-fiction title of 2024 The accounts – signed off by directors Johnny Sexton and wife Laura on August 6 – show that aggregate pay to directors last year decreased sharply from €322,334 to €238,606, made up of emoluments of €63,759 and pension contributions of €174,856. Sexton – who turned 40 last month – added to his company's coffers in the current financial year with sales from his book Obsessed: The Autobiography, which was the biggest selling non-fiction title of 2024 in Ireland. Its release in paperback resulted in a fresh surge in sales. The former Ireland outhalf will also have benefited from the Government's innovative tax relief programme – introduced in 2002 – for professional sportspeople which allows them to receive a generous tax refund in the year they retire permanently from their sport. The tax relief has helped efforts by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to keep Ireland's top rugby players at home, as they can claim the tax relief on their earnings in Ireland over a 10-year period of their careers. After retiring from the game in October 2023 following Ireland's loss to New Zealand, Sexton took up a senior role with glass bottle and tin-can maker Ardagh. Earlier this year Sexton was added to the British and Irish Lions coaching ticket ahead of taking up a full-time coaching role with the Ireland rugby team this month, as well as working with men's and women's senior and age-grade teams. He has been working with the Ireland men's squad in a part-time coaching capacity since the 2024 autumn series. Sexton set up his professional management firm in 2010 to handle earnings from commercial ventures such as sponsorships and image rights.
