The News Review:
- Gloom in the valleys but Johnson’s red army are confident
- Munster man heads for Leicester
- Henson happy to be back
Gloom in the valleys but Johnson’s red army are confident
guardian.co.uk – Feb 24, 2006
Last year their fans were preparing themselves for a grand slam or at least a triple crown when the team fell short. This season Ireland went into the Six Nations with even higher hopes. Munster and Leinster were the Heineken Cup form teams when the pool stages ended (remember Sale being taken apart in Limerick and Bath being shredded at home). But Ireland stuttered in the opener at Lansdowne Road and were lucky to beat Italy before falling apart in the first half in Paris. If the unthinkable happens in Dublin on Sunday still a long shot even allowing for the charismatic Johnson whose head will be on the block then?.
Munster man heads for Leicester
Emerald Rugby – Feb 24, 2006
Speculation is growing that the Guinness Premiership outfit are set to lose the services of England fly-half Andy Goode to French side Clermont-Auvergne at the end of the season and the acquisition of Burke on a two-year contract would certainly appear to add substance to those rumours. Burke was a member of the Munster side which played in the inaugural Heineken Cup way back in 1995 and is currently in his second spell with the province having returned to Ireland in 2004 after successful stints in Britain with Harlequins Bristol and Cardiff. However the former Ireland international unsurprisingly jumped at the chance of moving to Welford Road as he has long been considered Ronan ‘Gara’s understudy at Munster and has been made very few first team appearances this season because of injury and the emergence of the promising 20-year-old Kiwi fly-half Jeremy Manning. “I needed a new challenge in that this season has been disappointing” the 32-year-old confessed in the Irish Examiner. “Leicester offered me a huge opportunity to make another impact in the Premiership and also perhaps in Europe. “I’m well aware that I will have huge competition but I see this as another challenge.
Henson happy to be back
Welsh Rugby Union – Feb 24, 2006
Henson’s return to the national squad had been delayed following a lengthy ban for an incident in the Heineken Cup while playing for his regional side spreys. The centre was found guilty of elbowing Leicester Tigers prop Alessando Monero and banned until March 5. n appeal however his ban was reduced making him available for selection this weekend. And Henson has revealed that he has been welcomed back with open arms into the Welsh set-up this week. “I have fitted back in well with training” he said.