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Liam Heagney

A seasoned rugby journalist, Liam hails from Limerick and has covered World Cups, Lions tours, Six Nations Championships and European Cup campaigns since 2000. He became a content editor at RugbyPass in 2019 after joining from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday in Ireland.

'Made for playing that stage': The South African the Lions couldn't afford to ignore

It was only last October when Duhan van der Merwe became eligible for Scotland but the South African's try-scoring has made him a …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
07 May 2021, 4:07

'If we do go fishing...': Lions quip over gunboat standoff that unfolded at pre-tour Jersey base

Warren Gatland's Lions are due to assemble next month in Jersey, the Channel Island where gunboats patrolled this week's fishing p…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
07 May 2021, 3:32

'Kyle's unlucky... Billy, we look at No8s being explosive': Why England duo Sinckler and Vunipola didn't make the Lions cut

England forwards Kyle Sinckler and Billy Vunipola were two of the headline omissions when Warren Gatland announced his 2021 Lions …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
07 May 2021, 3:05

The telling statistic that counted against Sexton in his Lions out-half selection battle with Russell

Ireland's Johnny Sexton has recently been nursing concussion but Warren Gatland has insisted this isn't why the veteran didn't mak…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
06 May 2021, 16:05

'A real point of difference': The evidence that convinced the Lions to back Sam Simmonds even though he hasn't played a Test in 38 months

You have to back to March 2018 to find the last time Sam Simmonds played for England but this ongoing omission didn't dent his Lio…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
06 May 2021, 16:00

'I'm not holding my breath': What Jack Conan said 15 days ago when asked about his Lions chances

Having only made his first Ireland start for 18 months in March, a Lions call was the furthest thing from the mind of Leinster's J…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
06 May 2021, 8:01

'The fact some ex-players nowhere near as good as him were criticising him wound him up a bit': The making of Lions skipper Alun Wyn Jones

Criticism from ex-players not as good as him was seemingly pivotal in propelling expected Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones back to his…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
06 May 2021, 3:13

'Sean Holley announced the boys who made it and also announced the boys who hadn't which was a bit weird and awkward'

Adam Jones, who hopes some Harlequins players hear good Lions news on Thursday, has recalled the awkwardness of his 2009 selection…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
05 May 2021, 12:21

'We have got to have hopes of getting quite a few in': The eve-of-selection mood at Exeter

Exeter had just one Lions squad pick in 2017 but the Sandy Park expectation is for this number to be greater when the 2021 squad i…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
05 May 2021, 10:45

Toulouse skipper Marchand cited after officials miss 'the reddest of red cards'

Ex-Lions skippers Brian O'Driscoll and Sam Warburton were left incensed by the alleged foul play of Toulouse skipper Julien Marcha…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
05 May 2021, 9:05

'We're struggling to get a visa': The red tape threatening NFL kicker dream of ex-Junior Springbok who twice tore kicking leg's ACL

A second torn ACL looked to have ended the pro sports career of Lloyd Greeff but the ex-Junior Springboks wing is now chasing an N…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
05 May 2021, 2:41

'Duty of care': Worcester explain why they have loaned out a rookie tighthead and replaced him with an ex-Wales prop

The decision to send a rookie tighthead out on a Championship loan has resulted in Worcester bringing in ex-Wales player Scott And…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
04 May 2021, 12:10

4 England outsiders - including uncapped Marcus Smith - said to be in contention for Lions selection on Thursday

Four players unwanted by Eddie Jones' England, including Harlequins' Marcus Smith, are said to be in contention for Lions squad se…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
04 May 2021, 9:18

9 handling errors, 8 missed tackles, 10 turnovers, 3 penalties and 2 cards... the Moneyball-style stats that could count against Russell's Lions hopes

Head-to-head stats for every position following the Six Nations have been compared and they suggest Finn Russell might be a risky …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
04 May 2021, 7:39

Springboks injury jinx strikes again at second row as RG Snyman suffers a fresh blow

26-year-old Springboks lock RG Snyman has been out of action since rupturing his ACL just seven minutes into his Munster debut las…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
04 May 2021, 5:53

'He has got a British passport which is handy': Nadolo's verdict on Northampton signing his 6ft 6in, 128kg cousin Willemsen

Nemani Nadolo's English-qualified cousin Duane Ratu Willemsen was trying to make it in NRL before signing for Northampton last mon…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
02 May 2021, 4:54

'It's not great and all you can do is send him a message, give him a call, apologise'

It was a break by Jonathan Joseph that tempted Joe Launchbury into making the tackle that ruptured his ACL and ruined his Lions dr…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
02 May 2021, 3:18

LIONS WATCH: Saracens player ratings vs Nottingham

Here are the Saracens player ratings from Nottingham on Saturday, just days before Warren Gatland unveils his 2021 Lions tour pick…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 May 2021, 13:25

'That is the reddest of red cards': Ex-Lions skippers O'Driscoll and Warburton raging over unpunished Marchand headshot

Toulouse skipper Julien Marchand escaped a likely red card during his team's victory in Saturday's all-French Champions Cup semi-f…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 May 2021, 11:37

Wasps lock Levi Douglas joins Toulon despite Launchbury's ACL injury

Wasps lost Joe Launchbury to an ACL last Sunday but that hasn't prevented them from allowing Levi Douglas to link up with French c…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 May 2021, 3:25
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