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Irish Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Terenure College name former All Black Carlos Spencer as new head coach
In what is the most stunning, high profile coaching appointment in the history of the All-Ireland League , Carlos Spencer has agreed to become the next head coach of Terenure College . The Irish Times has learned that the legendary 49-year-old former All Blacks outhalf has signed a three-year deal with the 2023 champions and will move over to Dublin in August. A statement by the club has confirmed the appointment of Spencer, who commented: 'Terenure is a club with a proud history, passionate supporters and a strong sense of community. I feel very lucky and honoured to now be a part of that.' Terenure also announced that the vastly experienced Paul Barr will be taking on the role of the club's performance director, working closely with the highly regarded and long-standing director of rugby Ian 'Moggy' Morgan. READ MORE The statement added: 'Carlos was the outstanding candidate following our recruitment process. We believe this is an ambitious and exciting appointment for our Club, the All-Ireland League and Irish Rugby. 'Carlos will be welcomed warmly into the Terenure Community and everyone involved with our Club is extremely excited to begin working with him, especially the players. 'We are confident that Carlos will bring with him an incredible wealth of knowledge, experience and skill from his professional playing & coaching career and we are looking forward to the journey ahead' In a nomadic and maverick career as a gifted, creative and running outhalf, Spencer played 44 Tests for the All Blacks and remains in their list of top ten all-time points scorers with 383 points. He also played 10 matches for the New Zealand Maoris, and no team was closer to his heart, as well as 89 games for Auckland and 99 Super Rugby games for the Auckland Bus (620 points). He also spent four years with Northampton and one with Gloucester before finishing his playing career with the Lions in South Africa. Spencer has coached in South Africa, the US and the Hurricanes in Wellington, and most recently was an assistant/backs coach with the Auckland Blues women's side. Two years ago he said: 'When I was playing, I always liked to bring a bit of innovation and 'out-of-the-box' thinking to the table. Now, as a coach, I want to encourage and help grow those same traits in our Blues wahine.'
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Aoife Corey on the rise in women's rugby, her first Irish cap, and compliments from Chloe Pearse – ‘It's a whirlwind of emotions'
The Women's Six Nations rugby tournament brought record breaking crowds to stadiums in Ireland this year, marking a welcome change of attitude in the way fans perceive the sexes in sports. Although there is still much progress to be made to make the world of men and women's sports equal (such as booting out camogie 'skorts'), it is evident that the graft has been put in to progress this change. Between women's soccer and rugby, there is definitely a shift occurring, spectators just have to encourage this change as much as possible through views, support, and making conversations about women in sport more commonplace. One such woman driving change and bringing top-quality athleticism to the pitch is Aoife Corey. The Clare woman has played rugby since she was 16, starting out with Ennis RFC and moving up the ranks quickly. Corey has been capped nine times for the women's Munster squad, plays frequently for the All Ireland League winning club UL Bohemians RFC, and has played sevens rugby for Ireland. As of the end of April, she has also been capped for the Irish women's rugby team, making her debut at the final match of the women's Six Nations against Scotland.
Irish Examiner
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster sign Connacht wing Andrew Smith on one-year deal
Munster have secured the signature of Connacht wing Andrew Smith for next season following an impactful month on loan from the western province. The former Ireland sevens Olympian becomes Munster's fifth permanent signing for 2025-26 following the additions of Leicester centre Dan Kelly, Leinster front-rowers Lee Barron and Michael Milne and Connacht fly-half JJ Hanrahan, all of them Irish-qualified. Read More Duncan Casey: Leinster 'victims of their own success'? Give me a break Smith, 24, joined on a short-term loan from Connacht in March and has scored three tries in four appearances, one in the famous Champions Cup Round of 16 win at La Rochelle and another two a week later in the quarter-final defeat at Bordeaux-Begles and he has since added an All Ireland League winners' medal after starting for Clontarf in their Division 1A final victory over Cork Constitution April 27. Munster and the IRFU announced on Tuesday that he had signed a one-year contract to remain at the province.
Irish Examiner
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Munster record-breaker Stephen Archer to end playing career
Munster's record appearance maker Stephen Archer has announced his intention to end his playing career this summer, bringing a close to an 18-year association with the prop's home province. The 37-year-old tighthead, who joined the Munster academy in 2007 and made his senior debut against Edinburgh at Murrayfield in October 2009, will retire at the end of the current campaign having made his 300th appearance earlier this month at Bordeaux-Begles. Archer became Munster's most-capped player against Leinster in November 2023 with appearance number 269, surpassing Donncha O'Callaghan's mark, and the twice-capped Ireland international spoke of his pride at staying the course for so long. 'Growing up, my family were huge Munster supporters and I was lucky enough to be brought to lots of games when I was younger,' Archer said in a statement issued by Munster on Wednesday. 'When I made my first Munster appearance in 2009, it was a dream… To still be playing 16 years on as Munster's most-capped player is fairly surreal and something I'm very proud of.' The Cork native, who came through the city's Christian Brothers College and represented UCC and Cork Constitution, with whom he won the All Ireland League in 2010. His Ireland caps came against Italy in 2013 and Australia in 2014, while he reflected on the two league winners medals as a professional, the Magner's League 14 years ago and the United Rugby Championship a dozen years later. 'After winning the first league in 2011, I didn't think it was going to be 12 years before we won it again in 2023. That made it more special in many ways, winning it again in Cape Town after all the near misses. 'Playing for Ireland was a huge honour and something I will always remember as a standout moment in my career. 'In all the Munster dressing rooms I've been a part of, there has always been a great bond between the players. I used to enjoy having the craic with the older players when I came in and now I'm the older player having the craic with the younger fellas. That's always been the way in Munster. 'The most enjoyable part has been sitting in the dressing room after a big performance where everyone has given it their all and you're all together as a team.' Archer's retirement leaves Oli Jager and John Ryan as Munster's frontline tighthead options for incoming head coach Clayton McMillan in 2025-26, with Roman Salanoa having not played for almost two seasons due to a knee injury. The soon to depart tighthead had been believed to be planning retirement much earlier than this season but answered his province's call by delaying his exit and signing a series of short-term contract extensions to remain available. Head of Rugby Operations and interim head coach Ian Costello paid tribute to Archer's service and durability. 'Archie has made a massive contribution to the province since joining the Academy in 2007 and is a hugely popular member of the squad,' Costello said. 'To have enjoyed such longevity in the game and played so many games for Munster shows his quality as a player but also his dedication, perseverance and character as a person. 'We are delighted that he's going out on his own terms and to have reached the 300-cap landmark is an incredible achievement that may never be matched. 'He has had brilliant support from his family and I'm sure everyone at Cork Constitution, CBC and UCC are very proud of his achievements in the game. 'We'll miss Archie but wish him, his wife Kelly and all his family the very best for the future.' Archer said he was looking forward to spending time with his nearest and dearest but added: 'That team bond is what I will miss most. The Saturday is when it counts but it doesn't just happen on Saturday – it's the week's work and the team bond that you build with everyone rowing in the same direction. 'I've shared the dressing room with special team-mates and we've had some of the world's best coaches – I have a lot to thank them for. 'I'd like to thank my parents and siblings for their support and encouragement over the years. 'I'd also like to thank the Munster supporters, I think the majority appreciate my effort and work ethic and I'm grateful to them for that. 'Most importantly, I'd like to give a massive thanks to my wife Kelly, she has sacrificed a lot to allow me concentrate on rugby for all these years and that is something I will always be grateful for. 'It's been special in the last few years being able to have my kids at games and in the dressing room afterwards. I hope those will be memories of a lifetime for them. 'I'm looking forward to enjoying more time with my family and friends in the summer. I'm excited for what's ahead, looking for a new career path where I can draw on the experiences and skills that I have gained from professional rugby and will be invaluable to me in the future. 'It's been amazing so far and while I'm looking forward to supporting the team in the future, we have a big few weeks ahead."
Irish Examiner
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Cork Con eager to win back-to-back AIL titles for first time in 20 years
It is 20 years since Shannon completed back-to-to-back All Ireland League title-winning campaigns and Cork Constitution captain Dave Hyland makes no apology for his club's bid to become the first team to follow in their footsteps at Aviva Stadium on Sunday. Twelve months on from winning a titanic tussle 33-22 over defending champions Terenure, it will be Clontarf out to deny Cork Con's bid for history in their efforts to match the middle leg of Shannon's famous three-in-a-row title run in the mid-2000s. Clontarf have some unfinished business of their own having lost the 2023 final to Terenure and last season's semi-final at Cork Con as they strive to regain the AIL crown they last wore in 2022 and while the Dubliners have won both of this season's league encounters with this weekend's opponents, Hyland's team will go to Lansdowne Road on a mission to make amends, with one eye on the record books. 'We haven't shied away from the back-to-back all year,' the Con skipper and No.8 told the Irish Examiner. 'It hasn't been done in 20 or so years and it's obviously a massive achievement. So we haven't shied away from it. It's something we want to do for the club, it would be the first time in the club's history. So really keen to do that. 'At the same time, we're just focused, especially this week, on the one in front of us. The back-to-back stuff will be there for us afterwards, if we get the job done and that's the real focus. 'Everyone's really confident and has full belief in what we're doing. Across the squad, there's been such a buy-in this year and it's been a massive squad effort. Not only Seniors but Juniors have been excellent all season. We're through to the Junior Cup final (v Old Crescent) as well the week after, and so it's a really big two weeks for our whole training panel. 'So massively confident but definitely respect for what Clontarf bring, we're well aware of their threats.' Clontarf's threats were to the fore at both Temple Hill and Castle Avenue as Con were edged out 20-16 on home soil and 15-13 on Dublin's northside, both wins secured with late scores on their march to first place in the final standings. 'They've a big, very dominant pack and (fly-half Conor) Kelly puts them in some good positions across the park,' Hyland said. 'They strike me as a side who are really good at playing cup rugby and they manage games really well, so it will definitely be a big challenge. 'In the AIL every game is physical but games against Clontarf seem to be that bit more physical. Their pack is definitely up there as most physical in the league and they go after you in that sense, so we're definitely prepared for that.' The Cork Con No.8 is part of a settled back row with flankers Jack Kelleher and Ronán O'Sullivan and he is expecting a pivotal contest in contact with their Clontarf counterparts. 'I think it's a really good match up. John Vinson (No.8) is a really good ball carrier and is a big threat for them but at six and seven they've got good poach threats so it's definitely going to be an interesting battle to say the least. 'I think we've got a really good balance in the back row. Ronán's a very good poach threat, really good in the loose. Jack's an excellent ball carrier, really, really physical and then myself trying to get on the ball and distribute, things like that. So it's a good balance across the back row. 'Jack and Ronan have been excellent all year, setting the standards for us and it will be a big battle of the back rows on Sunday, definitely.' Hyland's team had to dig deep to overcome Terenure 12 months ago following a first-quarter red card for lock John Forde and then briefly going down to 12 men early in the second half following overlapping yellows. Some heroic defending and the ice-cool nerves of fly-half James Taylor were critical to Cork Con's success and 'JT' could once again be the key. 'He's such a quality 10 and he distributes so well and puts us in the right spots,' Hyland said. 'Then off the tee he's excellent as well, so hopefully he does what he usually does on Sunday and has a good game. 'It's hard to know what to expect. I mean, going into last year, we definitely didn't expect a red and two yellow cards so anything could happen. It's definitely going to be a physical battle, an arm wrestle to get on top in set-piece in terms of the physicality and if history is anything go by, there have been two tight games this season so it could well be another tight one.'
