Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Ireland are heavy favourites against England this weekend

Jackman: England have to bring Ireland into a battle

Bernard Jackman says Ireland must beware of a wounded England team, when the sides meet in the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday.

Rugby • 06 Mar 24

Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby has received high praise in this championship

Jackman: 'The opposition now fear our defence'

Bernard Jackman believes Ireland's defence is now "feared" across the game, after a dominant start to the Six Nations on both sides of the ball.

Rugby • 28 Feb 24

Wales arrive in Dublin at a relatively low ebb

Jackman: Wales scrum and kicking game are weaknesses

RTÉ rugby analyst Bernard Jackman instances the Welsh set-piece and kicking game as obvious weaknesses as Warren Gatland's side land in Dublin ahead of Saturday's Six Nations encounter.

Rugby • 23 Feb 24

Ulster are eighth in the URC with eight games left to play

Jackman: Ulster job is one of the best in Europe

Bernard Jackman believes the Ulster job would be an attractive prospect for the game's top coaches, with the province set to replace Dan McFarland as head coach.

Rugby • 21 Feb 24

(L to R): James Lowe, Caelan Doris and Jamison Gibson-Park

Ireland have created a powerful winning aura - Jackman

Bernard Jackman, speaking on RTÉ's Against The Head, believes some teams are beaten before the match even starts such is the aura around the Irish right now.

Rugby • 13 Feb 24

Scottish out-half Finn Russell talks to match officials while waiting for a TMO decision at the end of the game

Jackman: World Rugby needs to simplify the game

World Rugby needs to simplify the game to take pressure off referees and not alienate people from the sport, according to Bernard Jackman.

Rugby • 12 Feb 24

O'Mahony will lead Ireland for the 2024 Six Nations

Jackman: O'Mahony a 'clear-cut' captaincy choice

Bernard Jackman believes Andy Farrell has made the right decision to name Peter O'Mahony as Ireland captain for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, even if it's just a short-term choice.

Rugby • 17 Jan 24

Farrell will be away from Ireland duty for next year's Six Nations as he concentrates on the Lions

Jackman: 'Fresh' Farrell can boost Ireland after Lions

Bernard Jackman believes Andy Farrell's time away in charge of the British & Irish Lions for the 2025 tour to Australia will have numerous positive ramifications for Ireland.

Rugby • 12 Jan 24

Caelan Doris has won 36 caps since making his Ireland debut in 2020

Jackman tips Doris as dark horse for Ireland captaincy

Bernard Jackman believes Leinster back row Caelan Doris could be a "dark horse" to be appointed Ireland captain for next month's Guinness Six Nations opener against France.

Rugby • 06 Jan 24

Ulster had to settle for two losing bonus points against Edinburgh and Glasgow

Ferris: Ulster need more consistency in team selection

Stephen Ferris believes Ulster need to show more cohesion and greater consistency in team selection to bounce back from a disappointing defeat to Edinburgh in time for a crucial run of Champions Cup games.

Rugby • 05 Dec 23

Ciarán Frawley prepares to kick a conversion against Munster

Jackman: Frawley deserves a chance to stake his claim

Bernard Jackman believes Ciarán Frawley deserves an opportunity to stake his claim for the Leinster starting out-half jersey while Ross Byrne is sidelined through injury.

Rugby • 30 Nov 23

JJ Hanrahan has impressed in his early outings for Connacht

Jackman: Hanrahan has time to fulfil Ireland potential

Connacht out-half JJ Hanrahan could still make an impact at international level after making an impressive start to his Connacht career, according to Bernard Jackman.

Rugby • 06 Nov 23

Bernard Jackman is excited about the potential for Ireland's equestrian teams in Paris

Horse Sport Ireland role for Jackman ahead of Olympics

Former Ireland rugby international and current RTÉ analyst Bernard Jackman has been appointed Acting Head of High Performance Sport at Horse Sport Ireland (HSI) in the lead-up to the next summer's Paris Olympic Games.

Equestrian • 03 Nov 23

South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus (l) with head coach Jacques Nienaber (r)

South Africa taking 'the biggest risk' with 7:1 bench

Bernard Jackman believes South Africa could be taking too big a risk with their 7:1 bench selection for the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand on Saturday.

Rugby • 26 Oct 23

Garry Ringrose looks to break through a South Africa gap between Jaden Hendrikse and Kurt-Lee Arendse when the sides met last November

Jackman: 'Kamikaze' defence will present Irish chances

South Africa's "kamikaze" defensive system along with a regimental lineout strategy will present Ireland with opportunities if they can execute their own gameplan correctly, according to Bernard Jackman.

Rugby • 18 Sep 23

Seven of South Africa's replacements against New Zealand were forwards

Jackman: Rassie's 7:1 bench split should be encouraged

Former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman says he welcomes the creativity from the Springboks' coaches

Rugby • 30 Aug 23

Gavin Coombes and Stuart McCloskey are under pressure to make Ireland's squad

Jackman: McCloskey and Coombes could miss out on squad

Bernard Jackman believes Stuart McCloskey and Gavin Coombes may fall victim to a numbers game when Andy Farrell names his Irish Rugby World Cup squad later this month.

Rugby • 09 Aug 23

Coombes is looking to win his third Ireland cap this weekend

Jackman: Coombes deserves his chance to impress v Italy

Bernard Jackman believes Munster's Gavin Coombes is one of the fringe players who deserves a shot in the Ireland team in Saturday's opening Bank of Ireland Nations Series game against Italy.

Rugby • 02 Aug 23

Johnny Sexton helped Ireland to Grand Slam glory in the spring

Jackman: No risk of Sexton being banned for World Cup

Bernard Jackman said talk of Johnny Sexton potentially missing the Rugby World Cup due to suspension is "outlandish" and predicted the situation would likely be resolved with a fine.

Rugby • 13 Jun 23

Leinster host Leicester Tigers at the Aviva on Friday

Jackman: Tigers don't have the power to beat Leinster

Bernard Jackman believes Leinster will have to be significantly off the pace if they're to fall to a Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final defeat to the Leicester Tigers on Friday.

Rugby • 05 Apr 23

Leinster were 38-29 winners when the sides last met in December

Jackman: No obvious weakness in Leinster's game

Bernard Jackman says there is no obvious weakness in Leinster's game for Ulster to exploit, if they want to pull off a shock in Saturday's Champions Cup Round of 16 meeting at the Aviva Stadium.

Rugby • 29 Mar 23

'Now he's gone full-time defence he's put his own shape on it'

Easterby merits credit for mean Irish defence - Jackman

Bernard Jackman tells the RTÉ Rugby Podcast that Simon Easterby deserves plenty of plaudits for the role he has played in shaping Ireland's defence on the road to the Grand Slam.

Rugby • 22 Mar 23

Italy have looked dangerous in attack, in spite of their two defeats

Jackman: Italy need to take Ireland out of comfort zone

Bernard Jackman believes Italy will need to create chaos on the pitch if they're to cause a huge upset and end Ireland's Grand Slam hopes in Rome on Saturday.

Rugby • 22 Feb 23

Ireland finish out their campaign with trips to Rome and Edinburgh before hosting England on the final round of the Six Nations

Jackman: Slam-chasing Ireland a step ahead of the rest

Grand slam-seeking Ireland showed again they are a step ahead of the rest of their Six Nations rivals, according to former international hooker Bernard Jackman.

Rugby • 13 Feb 23

France were 30-24 winners when the sides met in Paris last year

France will be better, but so will Ireland - Jackman

Bernard Jackman and Sean Cronin say they haven't been fooled by France's shaky Six Nations start, although they still believe Ireland will make it two wins from two when the sides meet this Saturday at the Aviva Stadium.

Rugby • 09 Feb 23