Bernard Jackman: The questions that remain after IRFU shut down the men's sevens programme
Get the entire podcast episode below for the full conversation, including Murray and Bernard's previews of the upcoming URC quarter-finals.
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Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Munster's new jersey harks back to glory days but current stars must 'drive on'
Drive on is Diarmuid Barron's summer mantra as he rehabs a shoulder injury. He'd like to think it's Munster's mantra for the new season, too, after the tumult, drama and disruption of last year. There was Graham Rowntree's sudden departure six games into the campaign followed by the extensive search for a new head coach - and, under interim boss Ian Costello, the rousing Champions Cup quarter-final victory over ROG's La Rochelle before the semi-final defeat to eventual tournament winners the URC, Munster were involved in one of the games of the year with their last eight clash with the Sharks going to extra-time and penalties. "Look, we needed to pull off some results and the lads did, they did a great job," said Barron, referencing the victories over Connacht and Ulster that saved the Reds' Champions Cup status for next season. "But it was definitely very disappointing to bow out the way we did in the URC and the Champions Cup. When things just fall apart, it can be easy for things to get away from humans, so to gather it up and make sure that we're in the Champions Cup this year - and to make sure that we pulled off some big results - was great. "But it's a short enough career that you don't want to be spending every year doing that, and the last few years we've probably given ourselves big mountains to climb and that isn't where we want to be. "There's definitely a positive to last season but we also need to be better than that, because we have all the stuff to do it. Things happen and some things are unforeseen and uncontrollable. But I'd like to think that we'll put ourselves in a better position this year." Clayton McMillan (Image: ©INPHO/Photosport/Aaron Gillions) Clayton McMillan's arrival as Munster's new head coach should enhance that prospect. The Kiwi started work in Limerick two weeks is yet to have a proper chat with the former Chiefs supremo as he has been working away from the main training group, but the 27-year-old expects McMillan to provide a platform for the players to succeed. "It's definitely a new chapter, because there's going to be different philosophies and beliefs," he said. "When your head figure changes, it changes things, and it's very exciting - it's time to drive on, to get on with things, and hope that we're going in the right direction, which I'm sure we are." They will have to do so without senior leaders Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Dave Kilcoyne and Stephen Archer, who have retired or left the Reds. Yet player of the series Tadhg Beirne was a real leader for the Lions in Australia, Craig Casey skippered Ireland in the summer and Barron is among those who have captained the side. "It's very important that people don't try to copy what the lads were," said Barron. "I don't think that happens in this group, if you're not authentic you get found out quickly."There's definitely lads going to have to step up. When you lose guys that we've lost, you've no option but to step up or else you're going to sink pretty quickly. I don't think there's an option to shirk it. You've got to step up." The feelgood factor around the province was added to this week with the unveiling of the new home jersey that is a real throwback to the one worn by the '06 Heineken Cup winning squad. Some of those greats were captured in a Munster video admiring the new shirt with members of the current panel. "It's a little reminder but I think that would go out of my head after five minutes," said Barron."It's obviously something very nice for people to be able to reminisce on. But there was nothing to do with us as a playing group that's here now."As much as it's a nice thing to think about, you just have to get on with things. The jersey is a lovely touch and whatnot. Absolutely. But we need to drive on ourselves and we can't be thinking too much about things like that." Barron himself won't lack motivation, and not just because of the late season arrival of his namesake Lee from Leinster to add to the competition for the hooker role. Munster's Diarmuid Barron celebrates a try against La Rochelle (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady) But the Tipp man was injured in the La Rochelle game, returned for the knockout stages of the URC but the issue with his shoulder meant he missed out on an Ireland debut against Georgia or Portugal with Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher in Australia. "It was a massive source of frustration," said Barron. "It was probably the most frustrated I've been in my career to date. But you move on from that pretty quickly. "I'd like to think that I can handle a bit of adversity, but it was just so frustrating because obviously Dan and Rónan were away with the Lions. It was just an opportunity but I'm just going to have to make other opportunities, hopefully. "These things happen and I'm very lucky to be playing my rugby at Munster so whatever happens after that happens. Look, the year just gone has probably been the most frustrating one in terms of trying to stay fully fit rather than playing, carrying knocks and bruises and then getting injured at the end of the season. "I think I've done my penance. Hopefully, good times are around the corner. All you can do is set yourself up for success and hope that it happens." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Times
05-08-2025
- Irish Times
Dan Sheehan won't lose sleep over ban as it rules him out of games he was unlikely to play in
Ireland and Lions hooker Dan Sheehan may not agree with the suspension he received following his illegal clearout of Australia's Tom Lynagh during last Saturday's third Test in Sydney. However, the reality is the four-week suspension handed down by World Rugby's independent review committee is unlikely to damage his or Leinster 's start to the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season. If Sheehan attends 'tackle school' and one match is deducted – making it a three-game ban – he will be unavailable for Leinster's pre-season clash with Cardiff on September 13th, as well as away URC fixtures in South Africa against Stormers on September 26th and the Bulls on October 4th. Leinster then play against the Sharks at home on October 11th before meeting Munster in Croke Park on October 18th. The latter match will be new Munster coach Clayton McMillan's first taste of derby rugby in Ireland. The strong likelihood is that Sheehan would not have played the pre-season friendly against the Welsh side or have undertaken another long-haul flight to face the two South African teams given the gruelling Lions tour and physical nature of the Test matches against Australia. READ MORE [ Owen Doyle: Dan Sheehan should have got a red card and a longer ban for dangerous strike Opens in new window ] His suspension calls into question the purpose of sanctions if friendly matches can be included. The 13 Leinster players who were involved in the Lions tour took their holidays after the final Test match last weekend and are unlikely to report back for pre-season training until the end of August or early September. It is the earliest Leinster have ever had to go to South Africa. Last season, coach Jacques Nienaber had to defend the squad-selection policy for the annual tour as Leinster dug deep into their panel of players. How will the 2025 Lions be remembered? Listen | 40:08 The timing of the fixtures came shortly after the 2025 Six Nations had concluded and in Ireland's final match in Rome against Italy, Leinster had 16 players involved. That ensured a travelling squad devoid of the international frontline names, although New Zealand back Jordie Barrett, Springbok secondrow RG Snyman and French prop Rabah Slimani were named. 'Since I've been here, the South African tour has always been in this slot between the Six Nations and the European games and that always makes it a little bit tough, especially since some of the squad played a big chunk of minutes over the Six Nations,' said Nienaber last March. The seasonal launch of the frontline players is likely to be in round three against the Sharks or the following week against Munster. Last season's home derby clash, which was also held at Croke Park, drew a crowd of over 80,000.
RTÉ News
04-08-2025
- RTÉ News
Dan Sheehan handed four-match suspension
British and Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan has been suspended for four matches following his illegal clear-out of Australia's Tom Lynagh during Saturday's third Test in Sydney. The sanction will be reduced to three games, subject to the Ireland and Leinster player successfully completing a coaching intervention course. Sheehan's challenge in the first half of the Lions' 22-12 loss at Accor Stadium went unpunished by Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli before he was retrospectively cited. Replays showed the 26-year-old's elbow appeared to make contact with his opponent's head. Wallabies fly-half Lynagh kicked a penalty moments after the incident but was then withdrawn for a head injury assessment (HIA) and did not return. Sheehan will be unavailable for Leinster's pre-season clash with Cardiff on 13 September and United Rugby Championship (URC) fixtures against South African sides the Stormers and the Sharks on 26 September 26 and 11 October respectively. If he serves the full four-match ban, the forward will also sit out his province's URC clash with rivals Munster on 18 October. World Rugby's independent review committee deemed Sheehan's actions to be reckless, that contact was made with Lynagh's head, and ruled the action amounted to a high degree of danger without mitigation. Sheehan, who was captaining the Lions at the time after skipper Maro Itoje failed an HIA, has accepted the sanction. However, in his submissions, the player did not agree foul play occurred or that the offence warranted the citing. Despite their weekend loss, Andy Farrell's Lions celebrated a 2-1 series success over Australia following victories in Brisbane and Melbourne.
