Bill Sweeney: Why Qatar's Nations Championship offer was rejected
It was last October in Paris, in the week leading up to the Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand, when World…
Liam Heagney
09 Sep 2024, 13:00
Contributors
Liam Heagney
@heagneyl
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.
Exclusive
Ehren Painter: ‘I’ve had some PBs. Do they humble you? Absolutely’
For a man of that size, you imagine every pre-season is a tortuous existence but it sounds like the recent months preparing with t…
Liam Heagney
08 Sep 2024, 3:27
Interview
'I didn’t really appreciate it until I got a punch in the gut'
What ‘saved’ Skivington was his foresight in writing off early the 2023/24 league and instead throwing everything into the cup…
Liam Heagney
08 Sep 2024, 3:15
Watch: Owen Farrell finishes on losing side in his Top 14 debut
Eleven months after leading his country to a bronze medal finish in Paris at Rugby World Cup 2023, he made his first league start …
Liam Heagney
08 Sep 2024, 2:56
Watch: Jonny May scores his first Pro D2 try for Soyaux Angouleme
Just 11 months ago, he was starting on the wing in the Rugby World Cup semi-final versus South Africa in Paris.
Liam Heagney
07 Sep 2024, 8:06
Adam Hastings to play for Glasgow despite fears aunt may have died
The soon-to-be 28-year-old has returned to Scotstoun after three years at Gloucester and head coach Franco Smith has confirmed tha…
Liam Heagney
07 Sep 2024, 4:11
'High profile, high achiever' long shortlist has delighted the RFU
Sweeney was enthused by the midweek call that was had with the recruitment agency heading up the job search to find the right pers…
Liam Heagney
07 Sep 2024, 3:28
The 'excited' Irishman fighting hard for Steve Borthwick's England
Contrast that short-lived Felix Jones flirtation with the joined-at-the-hip relationship O’Shea, another former Ireland full-bac…
Liam Heagney
07 Sep 2024, 3:18
End of Toby Booth era confirmed as Ospreys name 2025/26 coaching team
Friday’s shake up emerged with three weeks still to go before the Welsh regional side begins its new URC campaign with a Septemb…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 13:27
Ex-Championship prop handed an on-trial match start for Ulster
The 26-year-old former classroom assistant, who featured for the province’s age-grade teams, had been playing in the English Cha…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 10:17
England statement: Steve Borthwick recruits Gloucester's Dan Tobin
The appointment of Tobin follows the recent departures of head of strength and conditioning Aled Walters, who has joined Andy Farr…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 9:45
The 'brilliant' reason Billy Sela was name checked at RFU PGP launch
While the optimum number of matches for senior players has been set at 30, it is lower for the U20s and an interesting reference w…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 8:12
Jack Regan explains his immediate-effect retirement from playing
The Irishman created headlines with a 2021 Super Rugby breakthrough at the Highlanders. This resulted in a move to Ospreys but inj…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 6:14
Bristol statement: Operation has sidelined new signing Viliame Mata
It was last January when Bristol revealed that the Fijian back-rower would join them for the 2024/25 season from Edinburgh, the Sc…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 5:25
'He's choosing his house on can he get all his recovery equipment in'
It was last March when Gloucester announced they were signing the now 33-year-old Wade and ahead of their September 21 Premiership…
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 3:26
The England pathway statistic described as 'phenomenal'
The pipeline funnelling talented youngsters into the age-grade system didn’t go unmentioned at the Allianz Stadium presentation …
Liam Heagney
06 Sep 2024, 3:03
How RFU's new PGP will even help Finn Russell after Scotland duty
It was Wednesday afternoon at Allianz Stadium, the new brand name for Twickenham following its recent naming rights deal, that RFU…
Liam Heagney
05 Sep 2024, 4:47
Bill Sweeney's 'underperformed massively' assessment of England
The CEO, who gave his 100 per cent backing to the head coach following recent staff upheaval, didn’t pull his punches at the All…
Liam Heagney
05 Sep 2024, 4:07
The Bill Sweeney verdict on the England assistant staff upheaval
Optimism has been dented in recent weeks, though, by the decision of strength and conditioning expert Walters to jump ship and joi…
Liam Heagney
04 Sep 2024, 14:07
'There will obviously be an occasion where there is disagreement'
The new eight-year plan governing the professional game in England, which allows for an elite playing squad of 50, was unveiled at…
Liam Heagney
04 Sep 2024, 11:59
