Latest news with #Carolan
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Glasgow Warriors' task is even harder than proving billboard wrong - but scabs can be picked at
Warriors completed mission improbable in Limerick - now it's off to Dublin Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Winning a semi-final in Ireland when no-one gives them an earthly is not a new thing for Glasgow Warriors. They did it last year when they dethroned Munster as the United Rugby Championship kingpins. In doing so, they became only the second team to win in Limerick over the course of the season and they also brought to an end the hosts' winning run, which had stretched to ten games. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It was all the more satisfying because an over-zealous scoreboard operator at Thomond Park had flashed up an advert for the final on the big screen. Of course, it was Glasgow, not Munster, who made it through, winning 17-10 to set up a showdown with the Bulls in Pretoria - which they also won to lift the trophy. Glasgow Warriors defeated Stormers last weekend. | SNS Group On Saturday, it's Leinster who block their path to a second successive URC final and Glasgow are happy to again embrace underdog status. 'You can refer to it in terms of it not being unknown territory for us,' said Nigel Carolan, the Warriors' attack coach. 'It's a path we've been down and no one gave us a chance going to Munster last year. Munster even had a billboard with the advertisement of the final. 'Everyone had written us off. But if we can bring our A game, we can beat anybody. Be it Thomond Park, Pretoria or the Aviva Stadium.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is a sterner test for Warriors In truth, Leinster represents an even tougher test than last year; they beat Glasgow 52-0 in the Champions Cup quarter-final in Dublin just eight short weeks ago. For Carolan, that's ancient history. Not surprisingly, he prefers to focus instead on the more recent league encounter with Leinster at the Aviva when a young Glasgow side matched the home team for long periods before being edged out 13-5. Both sides' form has dipped in recent weeks but Carolan believes Glasgow are coming to the boil again and their opponents have 'scabs' that can be picked at. 'The Champions Cup game is written off,' he said. 'It's so long ago now. There was probably a little bit of mental scarring after that. It was evident in the few games we played after that. 'I think it's fair to say that Leinster went through the same after their loss to Northampton [in the Champions Cup semi]. Both teams were trying to find ways to pick themselves up. I thought how we performed last Friday night against the Stormers was definitely a step in the right direction. It'll definitely give us some momentum for this week. Glasgow Warriors have suffered against Leinster already this season. | Getty Images 'There are scabs there in Leinster. If we can pick at them, if we can bring the best version of our game physically, emotionally, and have that accuracy as well, I think we can ask some really good questions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There's nothing like a semi-final to focus the mind. Going back to the Aviva, for us, based on our last performance there, and even the template of how we played, how physical we were, how we showed up, I think gives us a lot of confidence. 'We've been here before and I think there's a standard now as well; an expectation after we've done it the hard way last year.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Love/Hate duo reunite for 'darkly comedic' crime drama
Love/Hate creator Stuart Carolan is teaming up once again with Aidan Gillen for Tall Tales & Murder, a new six-part series commissioned by RTÉ and BBC Northern Ireland, in association with Screen Ireland. Described as a darkly comedic crime drama, the show also stars Ella Lily Hyland (Black Doves), Philippa Dunne (Derry Girls), and Packy Lee (Peaky Blinders). Filming has just begun in Dublin, with the series set to premiere in 2026. Carolan co-created the series with Emmy, BAFTA and Directors Guild of America winner Chris Addison (Veep, Breeders), who also directs alongside Neasa Hardiman. Based on Caimh McDonnell's bestselling Dublin Trilogy books, the show will be produced by Avalon (Catastrophe, Starstruck) in association with Metropolitan Pictures (Kin), and distributed internationally by Avalon. Speaking about the project, Carolan said: "I've been a fan of the brilliant Chris Addison since The Thick of It - it's been incredible fun working with him to bring this insane story to life." Addison added: "I'm frankly giddy with delight to team up with the twisted and highly original mind of Stuart Carolan. We've taken Caimh's wonderful novel as a jumping-off point and ended up with what I like to think of as a dark and delicious screwball drama." RTÉ's Head of Drama, David Crean, called the series part of "an unprecedented slate of original Irish drama" being produced by the broadcaster this year, while BBC Northern Ireland's Eddie Doyle praised it as "storytelling at its darkest, funniest and most surreal." The 12-episode series (2 x 6 parts) is executive produced by Addison, Carolan, and Avalon's Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett and Jon Thoday, with David McLoughlin and Catherine Tiernan for Metropolitan Pictures. Caroline Norris is series producer, and Gemma O'Shaughnessy produces.
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
Leinster losses 'history' for Glasgow, insists assistant coach Nigel Carolan
Glasgow assistant coach Nigel Carolan believes his side have rediscovered their "ruthless" streak in good time to try to defend their United Rugby Championship title. The Warriors entered the play-offs having lost four of their previous five matches in all competitions, including an alarming 33-7 defeat at Benetton. But Franco Smith's side banished any concerns about their form when they romped to a five-try 36-18 victory at home to Stormers in Friday's quarter-final to set up a semi-final trip against Leinster at Aviva Stadium this Saturday. "I definitely think there's a template there (from Friday) that we try and play to," said Carolan. "I think what we showed was really good ambition, some good accuracy. We scored some cracking tries, even though we didn't have a massive amount of the ball. "But I think what it did show is when we did get chances, we were pretty ruthless and that's what you need this time of the season, as you approach the quarter-finals and semi-finals. "Every opportunity counts and it's important that you take those chances when they come about." Glasgow must find a way to redress the balance against a Leinster side who hammered them 52-0 in the Champions Cup in April before defeating them 13-5 in the final league match last month. Carolan is adamant his side have banished any lingering effects from the heavy European defeat in Dublin two months ago. "I think it's history now," he said. "We've played them since, and I think what we turned up with the last time we played them is a bit more us. And I think what we saw on Friday night against the Stormers was more us again. "I think we're building nicely. I think we've definitely got a bit of the mojo back from where we were. I think it was probably the Leicester game (a 43-19 win on 5 April) when we last sort of played like that. I think it's important that we got into this weekend on the back of a good performance last Friday and there's a lot of confidence we can take from it." Carolan reported that Scotland forwards Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey and Zander Fagerson are all progressing well in their recovery from injuries but unlikely to be ready for Saturday. He is hopeful that centre Huw Jones will be fit to return in Dublin after missing the Stormers game with an Achilles issue. "Huw is on track at the moment to be ready," said Carolan. "Obviously we pulled him last week for precautionary reasons, but he's shaping up really well. We'll just have to see how he progresses through the week."
Irish Independent
7 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
‘I think it's history now' – Glasgow's Irish assistant coach Nigel Carolan confident for URC semi against Leinster
Glasgow entered the play-offs having lost four of their previous five matches in all competitions, including an alarming 33-7 defeat at Benetton. But Franco Smith's side banished any concerns about their form when they romped to a five-try 36-18 victory at home to Stormers in Friday's quarter-final to set up a semi-final trip to Leinster this Saturday. 'I definitely think there's a template there [from Friday] that we try and play to,' said Carolan, former backs coach at Connacht. 'I think what we showed was really good ambition, some good accuracy. We scored some cracking tries, even though we didn't have a massive amount of the ball. 'But I think what it did show is when we did get chances, we were pretty ruthless and that's what you need this time of the season, as you approach the quarter-finals and semi-finals. 'Every opportunity counts and it's important that you take those chances when they come about.' Glasgow must find a way to redress the balance against a Leinster side who hammered them 52-0 in the Champions Cup in April before defeating them 13-5 in the final league match last month. Carolan is adamant his side have banished any lingering effects from the heavy European defeat in Dublin two months ago. 'I think it's history now,' he said. 'We've played them since, and I think what we turned up with the last time we played them is a bit more us. And I think what we saw on Friday night against the Stormers was more us again. 'I think we're building nicely. I think we've definitely got a bit of the mojo back from where we were. I think it was probably the Leicester game [a 43-19 win on April 5] when we last sort of played like that. I think it's important that we got into this weekend on the back of a good performance last Friday and there's a lot of confidence we can take from it.' Carolan reported that Scotland forwards Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey and Zander Fagerson are all progressing well in their recovery from injuries but unlikely to be ready for Saturday. He is hopeful that centre Huw Jones will be fit to return in Dublin after missing the Stormers game with an Achilles issue. 'Huw is on track at the moment to be ready,' said Carolan. 'Obviously, we pulled him last week for precautionary reasons, but he's shaping up really well. We'll just have to see how he progresses through the week.'
Scotsman
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Great acquisition': Son of ex-England coach could enhance Glasgow Warriors
Stand-off who played against Scotstoun club this season linked with move north Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Dan Lancaster would be a 'great acquisition' for Glasgow Warriors if the Scottish-qualified stand-off opts to head north in the summer. The Racing 92 player looks set to leave Paris when his contract expires at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with a move to Scotstoun. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Glasgow are losing Tom Jordan at the end of the current campaign, with the versatile Scotland international having agreed a deal to join Bristol Bears, and the Warriors have already struck a deal to bring Charlie Savala to the club from Northampton Saints. But Savala is currently out with a knee injury and Glasgow assistant coach Nigel Carolan said the club would be in the market for quality Scottish-qualified players. Dan Lancaster, centre, chats with Glasgow Warriors pair Jamie Dobie and Rory Darge after the Champions Cup match between the sides at Scotstoun in January this year. | SNS Group 'I'm not involved in those upstairs decisions,' said Carolan. 'The way we're playing at the moment, I think we're a club that hopefully will attract a lot of players. For players of national interest, we're definitely a good option at the moment. I'm not too sure who's involved with that side of things but if he does come, he's been doing quite well with Racing this year. He'd be a great acquisition.' Lancaster, 24, has played 25 games for Racing this season, starting 16 of them, and featured for the French club against Glasgow in a Champions Cup pool stage match at Scotstoun in January. He moved last summer from Ealing Trailfinders, following his father, Stuart Lancaster, to Paris. Lancaster senior, the former England boss, was appointed head coach of Racing in June 2024 but left the club in February after a difficult tenure. His son has started more games for the club since and Carolan admitted Glasgow were always on the look-out for players who could help unlock their talented backline. 'With our backs, we've got serious quality there,' said the Warriors attack coach. 'If we can add to it, we've got so many guys that we've developed over the last couple of years who are now of national interest. I think on those [international] windows where those guys are away, it's important that we continue to develop our own players. If there's one or two that can add to that quality, I think it's important as well.' Dan Lancaster gets a pass away while playing for Racing 92 against Sale Sharks in the Investec Champions Cup. | Getty Images Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dan Lancaster is Scottish-qualified through his Dumfries-born paternal grandmother and played for Scotland at under-18 level before switching to England U20s. Stuart Lancaster was born in Penrith but played for Scottish Students, Scotland U19 and Scotland U21 via his mother. Glasgow, meanwhile, don't expect to have either Zander Fagerson or Jack Dempsey available for the United Rugby Championship semi-final against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday. Fagerson has been sidelined by a calf injury since April and Dempsey has not played since the Six Nations due to a hamstring problem. 'Both are making some really good progress but this weekend is going to be too early for the two of them,' said Carolan. 'Certainly for Zander and his Lions tour, he's well on track there. He's one we could definitely do with at the moment, he's a big player. He's getting close but this weekend is just a bit too soon.' Jones 'touch and go' Huw Jones, who missed the quarter-final win over the Stormers due to an ongoing Achilles tendon issue, is touch and go for the semi and unlikely to be risked if there any doubts around his fitness. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Huw is not the worst,' said Carolan. 'We need to track him and see how he's progressing through the week. We pulled him [out] last week. He was just a little bit tight in that area. He had a scan and a jab in it. We'll see how he progresses this week. 'He's on track but we're going to have to wait and see. He won't train [on Monday] but we'll see how he is on Tuesday and Thursday. Dan Lancaster playing for Scotland U18 against Wales in 2018. | SNS Group 'Huw wants to do what's best for himself and the club first of all. Maybe if there was no Lions tour he could risk it. But he wants to put the best version of himself out there as well. At the moment, he just has to hold back. He's afraid to just let loose on that, until it settles down. 'Everyone wants to see Huw Jones at full strength and full stride. But if he's holding back, I don't think it's good for anybody.'
