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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.

'The Saracens debacle and fallout, you can see it in the performances that it has clearly impacted'

Lewis Moody was knocking around south-west London on Saturday just like old times. There in the shadows of Twickenham, the great T…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
23 Feb 2020, 2:34

'I don't chase headlines... I definitely don't type Wayne Barnes into Google'

An assistant referee for Saturday's Wales versus France game, the veteran match official opens a treasure chest of anecdotes... fr…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
22 Feb 2020, 2:47

Callum Sheedy has had his say on speculation that he will be called up by Wayne Pivac's Wales

Dan Biggar is recovering from his third concussion this season following the defeat to Ireland and Jarrod Evans is currently the o…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
17 Feb 2020, 4:17

IRELAND MID-TERM REPORT: Captain Sexton, Stander and Ryan lead the way but room for improvement at Twickenham

With Scotland and Wales both beaten in Dublin to set up a Triple Crown visit to England, RugbyPass grades all 25 players used so f…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
11 Feb 2020, 5:44

Farrell's winning Ireland have scripted Triple Crown plot that not even Hollywood would think of

The new Irish boss must now plot the downfall of an opposition skippered by his own son Owen after a liberating Sexton-led show of…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
09 Feb 2020, 5:49

'Kick Italy out and bring in Georgia, that is just rubbish chat... very short-sighted'

Jake Polledri was 19 years old when there was last a W placed alongside the Italians on the championship table... five years and 2…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
09 Feb 2020, 3:02

Two from two under Farrell, Sexton tackles 'culture of fear' allegations about life under Schmidt

There was some damning ‘culture of fear’ commentary in the build-up to round two, allegations that suggested life under the Ki…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
08 Feb 2020, 13:10

Ireland player ratings vs Wales

Andy Farrell’s Irish now stand two from two against the Celts, just like Joe Schmidt's class of 2014 when he first got his teeth…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
08 Feb 2020, 11:37

Preview: End of the Schmidt, Gatland rivalry has made for a very different Ireland-Wales build-up

The lead-in to Saturday’s showdown has contrastingly been all sweetness and light after too many years of tetchiness and rancour…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
08 Feb 2020, 3:39

The players left on Irish Rugby's 'central contract' hit list after deal struck for James Ryan

With just two of the dozen players currently on central contracts having deals that expire at the end of the season, the focus is …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
05 Feb 2020, 13:31

How 'true Irish grit' was Andy Farrell's calling card after a near 62-week wait to start his new job

It was November 2018 when it was first confirmed that Englishman Faz would take over and the opening win over Scotland showed sign…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
02 Feb 2020, 4:10

'We were walking down Fifth Avenue, and every ten seconds people were stopping him. French people, Irish people, even Americans'

After featuring in eight Le Crunch encounters, France-England is now very much a past tense fixture for Mathieu Bastareaud as he s…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
02 Feb 2020, 3:31

The truth behind Johnny Sexton's latest compelling return from injury

Sidelined since limping out of action with Leinster in early December, it was only two days before the Six Nations opener that his…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 Feb 2020, 14:59

Ireland player ratings vs Scotland

Andy Farrell's reign as Irish boss got underway with a hard-fought win over Scotland that was in contrast to their dominance when …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 Feb 2020, 13:26

Recap: Ireland vs Scotland LIVE | Guinness Six Nations

Follow all the action on the RugbyPass live blog from the Guinness Six Nations match between Ireland and Scotland at Aviva Stadiu…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 Feb 2020, 5:23

The tale of two Irish hookers... one in contractual limbo and a rival ready to make his Test debut

It's 33 months since Tadgh McElroy chose Saracens over the Ireland scene... he's now fighting for a way back into the pro ranks wh…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
01 Feb 2020, 2:59

'I grew up in South Africa with the Five Nations… it was the trendsetter'

Poised to become the first South African-born coach to take charge of a side in the Six Nations, new Italy boss Franco Smith has b…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
31 Jan 2020, 10:26

Drew Mitchell is coming out of retirement to play MLR, with Robshaw and Zebo also set for talks

Major League Rugby is starting to become a major drawcard... Drew Mitchell is the latest star signing for the 2020 season while ou…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
28 Jan 2020, 6:32

'I don't think Saracens' relegation changes the dynamics... it's about Quins moving up the league'

It's the talk of rugby, the salary cap crisis enveloping the 2018/19 champions who can expect no sympathy when they play their fir…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
26 Jan 2020, 7:41

'Player wages are too high... rugby can't afford the squads it has'

Premiership Rugby insists Saracens are the only English club in salary cap trouble, but Newcastle MD Mick Hogan worries about the …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
26 Jan 2020, 3:24
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