Ireland loves No 10 needle but it’s a Six Nations soap Farrell could do without

In the latest in a long line of Irish tussles at fly-half, Jack Crowley takes over from Sam Prendergast at Twickenham In the summer of 1979 Irish rugby jumped off a lower shelf in the nation’s sports shopand landed front and centre. This wasn’t prompted by a dramatic development on the field, rather it was a selection decision. Tony Ward, voted the first European Player of the Year two months earlier, was dropped. He had won the award largely for his dazzling form in that season’s Five Nations Championship. Then, ahead of the First Test on Ireland’s tour of Australia, he was canned. It made the six o’clock news. Ward was a gifted footballer. He would go on to play in the League of Ireland for Limerick United FC, starring for them against Southampton in the Uefa Cup. He looked the part: stocky, sallow, not only could he shoot the lights out but he could step off either foot, leaving opponents on their rear end. If Ireland had a catwalk then Wardy would have been a model. Continue reading...

By Brendan Fanning

Underdog status should be irrelevant - Farrell

Head coach Andy Farrell calls on Ireland to "put our stamp" and insists their underdog status should have no bearing on Saturday's must-win Six Nations game against England (14:10 GMT).