![How Irish rugby went from shunning professionalism to the gravy train every sponsor wants to jump on | Independent.ie How Irish rugby went from shunning professionalism to the gravy train every sponsor wants to jump on | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/WBsYPGU3HMZwU9Iyt9EWhjY7IUA=/0x0:3238x2158/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/e61901c8-8373-41a8-b894-e53e47b68a28/acfe88ff-8335-49a1-8528-4f038691665a/RUGBYU%20Ir%20%2882%29.jpg)
How Irish rugby went from shunning professionalism to the gravy train every sponsor wants to jump on | Independent.ie
![Ciara Kelly: The Irish who celebrated the loss of our 'elitist' rugby team are snobs themselves – I have no middle-class guilt about calling them out | Independent.ie Ciara Kelly: The Irish who celebrated the loss of our 'elitist' rugby team are snobs themselves – I have no middle-class guilt about calling them out | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/3gCbNsw5Pfk7m_rfxAdRK822dIc=/189x0:3243x2036/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/fef9d1a5-ab4b-49c2-9612-6f43d48aa253/9ac02afb-a6bc-4986-b455-98a05b22ae5a/MGrugby.jpg)
Ciara Kelly: The Irish who celebrated the loss of our 'elitist' rugby team are snobs themselves – I have no middle-class guilt about calling them out | Independent.ie
![The Left Wing: On the eve of the quarter-finals, is Irish rugby on the cusp of something special? | Independent.ie The Left Wing: On the eve of the quarter-finals, is Irish rugby on the cusp of something special? | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/rUcRJwGmhVg1rucgtFjP4fdn42A=/0x112:3062x2151/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/0de6f0b9-4c2b-4a94-bdf1-834da5a09b16/c083e16c-e8e5-41a8-bdfe-1ccffb1a9d9b/0de6f0b9-4c2b-4a94-bdf1-834da5a09b16.jpg)
The Left Wing: On the eve of the quarter-finals, is Irish rugby on the cusp of something special? | Independent.ie
David Kelly's Six Nations diary: Smith's Aviva rallying cry, Irish party-poopers, O'Toole's impact | Independent.ie
![Eamonn Sweeney: The greatest trip in Irish sporting history is over. But what a trip it's been | Independent.ie Eamonn Sweeney: The greatest trip in Irish sporting history is over. But what a trip it's been | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/XGykg5fH_kX8oD9O7krHmIX-YkM=/0x64:3051x2098/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/0a87700e-8c90-41ba-a44e-488bbdcab177/c5886f6b-85e5-4bf1-af31-43c9716d881f/0a87700e-8c90-41ba-a44e-488bbdcab177.jpg)
Eamonn Sweeney: The greatest trip in Irish sporting history is over. But what a trip it's been | Independent.ie
![I'd be open to playing at any of the provinces' - Ian Madigan open to Ireland return after four years away | Independent.ie I'd be open to playing at any of the provinces' - Ian Madigan open to Ireland return after four years away | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/6nUpcL7JqIs8rIxzsedZGlD4QVs=/119x128:2040x1186/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/724473c0-c3b7-11ed-85ad-0210609a3fe2.jpg)
I'd be open to playing at any of the provinces' - Ian Madigan open to Ireland return after four years away | Independent.ie
![Ireland under-20s secure bonus point win over much-fancied England side in thrilling encounter | Independent.ie Ireland under-20s secure bonus point win over much-fancied England side in thrilling encounter | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/ALpoaOUrGqqarg2ejTK7duibZSY=/0x41:1500x869/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/8a8cbbb2-c2d2-11ed-9bc2-0210609a3fe2.jpg)
Ireland under-20s secure bonus point win over much-fancied England side in thrilling encounter | Independent.ie
![Johnny Sexton shines on his return as Ireland defy the Bordeaux heat to score 12 tries in record World Cup win | Independent.ie Johnny Sexton shines on his return as Ireland defy the Bordeaux heat to score 12 tries in record World Cup win | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/hM6fKNA7NSb_HIfoj_1Vf4EwZcI=/4x0:3238x2156/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/a736b99c-2329-49c1-a547-3104047e8b1e/75aff3f1-c673-4e5f-9909-ea85e03a35a0/a736b99c-2329-49c1-a547-3104047e8b1e.jpg)
Johnny Sexton shines on his return as Ireland defy the Bordeaux heat to score 12 tries in record World Cup win | Independent.ie
Linda Djougang leading by example as Ireland try to find their way out of a hole on return to Parma | Independent.ie
![Revealed: The Irish provinces could be playing Super Rugby giants in a blockbuster new tournament | Independent.ie Revealed: The Irish provinces could be playing Super Rugby giants in a blockbuster new tournament | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/Xay4L-KmVI3uCLvgyecL6qcGM6Q=/0x6:1280x712/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/9d94d1a4-c0cf-11ed-87b0-0210609a3fe2.jpg)
Revealed: The Irish provinces could be playing Super Rugby giants in a blockbuster new tournament | Independent.ie
![Editorial: We've won nothing yet – but Andy's Army brings back memories of Italia '90 glory | Independent.ie Editorial: We've won nothing yet – but Andy's Army brings back memories of Italia '90 glory | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/OOeokplqSGoZUMIJfnDS9-G7pSs=/0x13:3197x2144/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/5745609e-52b1-4638-a151-1e97d11271fd/9d8e04f0-9533-4bca-afc3-f42b83a5895d/5745609e-52b1-4638-a151-1e97d11271fd.jpg)
Editorial: We've won nothing yet – but Andy's Army brings back memories of Italia '90 glory | Independent.ie
![Ireland v New Zealand: Bernard Jackman - Ireland's World Cup dreams shattered as well runs dry | Independent.ie Ireland v New Zealand: Bernard Jackman - Ireland's World Cup dreams shattered as well runs dry | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/9SQ-mHpkI_ayxnfg32qKfCmQwZ0=/266x38:3231x2014/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/8b347763-ed69-4303-96a4-7da7cd3f78d4/d975b9f9-3d6b-45df-a458-42f0443790a7/Sports2648271.jpg)
Ireland v New Zealand: Bernard Jackman - Ireland's World Cup dreams shattered as well runs dry | Independent.ie
![Four 1/10s and five 2/10s - Ruaidhri O'Connor rates the Irish players and Joe Schmidt after World Cup disaster | Independent.ie Four 1/10s and five 2/10s - Ruaidhri O'Connor rates the Irish players and Joe Schmidt after World Cup disaster | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/vMY2Sx5n8r82_9x-7k02AByEVvo=/0x407:3903x2561/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/f9c394e2-c2be-11ed-acff-0210609a3fe2.png)
Four 1/10s and five 2/10s - Ruaidhri O'Connor rates the Irish players and Joe Schmidt after World Cup disaster | Independent.ie
![One of Irish rugby's most decorated legends will retire after Ireland's third test against South Africa | Independent.ie One of Irish rugby's most decorated legends will retire after Ireland's third test against South Africa | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/S1lhr1s7MGMI-aIgt5Tdx_URlS4=/0x37:540x334/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/550b708c-c106-11ed-94b1-0210609a3fe2.jpg)
One of Irish rugby's most decorated legends will retire after Ireland's third test against South Africa | Independent.ie
![Johnny Sexton breaks all time Irish points record as Andy Farrell's men hit Tonga for eight tries in Nantes | Independent.ie Johnny Sexton breaks all time Irish points record as Andy Farrell's men hit Tonga for eight tries in Nantes | Independent.ie](https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/-QUvr2VekcC-tVCa7vVLoH3CmpQ=/92x0:1036x629/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/8924d9f0-702a-48f9-8291-c0a6196669ee/4ec8bab2-ce5c-4110-96fa-a48452dea0d1/8924d9f0-702a-48f9-8291-c0a6196669ee.jpg)