The Ireland national rugby union team is the men's representative national team for the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British & Irish Lions – players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions.
Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish former rugby union player and current coach. O'Gara played as a fly-half and is Ireland's second most-capped player and second highest points scorer. He is currently head coach of La Rochelle in the French Top 14.
The Ireland and South Africa rugby union teams have a rivalry dating back to 1906. The Springboks of South Africa dominated their early meetings, as have the other southern hemisphere giants, with the Irish winning just once against South Africa prior to 2004, but results have since turned in Ireland's favour, winning eight of the twelves matches between the sides since 2004. Following Ireland's tour win over New Zealand in 2022, South Africa are the only major Southern Hemisphere team over which Ireland has not achieved a series victory.
Seamus Oliver Campbell is an Irish former rugby union player. He played flyhalf for Ireland from 1976 to 1984. He is most well known for his role in orchestrating Ireland's Triple Crown victory at the 1982 Five Nations Championship, breaking a drought of over 30 years. Campbell has been described as Ireland's most complete flyhalf since Jackie Kyle.
Paul Jeremiah O'Connell is an Irish former rugby union player and coach. When he stopped playing, he was Ireland's third most-capped player (108) and the eighteenth most-capped international player in rugby union history. During his career, O'Connell captained Munster, Ireland and the British & Irish Lions. He is now the forwards coach for the Ireland national men's team.
The Lansdowne Cup is a rugby union trophy competed for by Australia and Ireland. Established in 1999, the cup was donated to the Australian Rugby Union by the Lansdowne Club of Sydney. The cup was launched in advance of the two Test matches played during the 1999 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia. The crystal trophy, made by Ireland's Waterford Crystal, for which the two nations compete was unveiled at a pub in Brisbane on 9 June 1999. Australia have won the Cup eight times while Ireland have won on six occasions.
Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton is an Irish former professional rugby union player who played as a fly-half and captained the Ireland national team from 2019 until 2023. He also played club rugby for Leinster and Racing 92.
Noel Arthur Augustine Murphy is a former Irish rugby union player who represented Munster, Ireland, the British Lions and the Barbarians as a flanker. He also played club rugby for both Cork Constitution and Garryowen. Since retiring as a player, Murphy has remained involved in rugby union, both as a coach and administrator.
The 1981 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa was a series of matches played by the Ireland national rugby union team in South Africa in May and June 1981. The Irish team played seven matches, of which they won three. They lost the Test Series 2–0 to the Springboks.
The 1998 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa was the team's third tour to the country, having previously visited in 1961 and 1981. Both Paul Wallace and Keith Wood had previously been on a tour to South Africa with the British and Irish Lions in 1997. Cape Town-born Dion O'Cuinneagain, had captained South Africa at both schoolboy and sevens level, before he switched allegiances. He made his senior international debut for Ireland in the 37–13 defeat against South Africa on 13 June 1998. Justin Fitzpatrick and Trevor Brennan also made their senior international debuts in the same game. A fourth debutant, Justin Bishop, scored a try while Eric Elwood added a conversion and two penalties. South Africa won the series 2-0, but the series was marred by violence and ill-will between the two teams.
The 1967 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia was a series of matches played in May 1967 in Australia by Ireland national rugby union team.
1992 Ireland rugby union tour of New Zealand. The Ireland national rugby union team embarked on their second tour of New Zealand, having previously visited in 1976. The tour party included father and son – tour manager Noel Murphy and his son Kenny Murphy. In 1993 Mick Galwey, Vince Cunningham, Richard Wallace and Nick Popplewell all returned to New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions.
The Ireland national rugby union team toured of Australia in May and June 1994. It was their second tour of Australia, having previously visited in 1979. Both Jonny Bell and Keith Wood made their senior international debuts in the first test.
1999 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia. The Ireland national rugby union team embarked on their third tour of Australia having also visited in 1979 and 1994. The tour saw Brian O'Driscoll make his full international in the first test against Australia. In 2001, O'Driscoll, together with Jeremy Davidson and Malcolm O'Kelly would return to Australia with the British and Irish Lions.
The 1984 Australia rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland was a series of eighteen matches played by the Australia national rugby union team in Britain and Ireland between 17 October and 15 December 1984. The Australian team won thirteen matches, drew one and lost four but notably won all four of their international matches.
Since 1927, Australia and Ireland have competed against each other in rugby union in thirty-seven matches, Australia having won twenty-two, Ireland fourteen, with one draw. Their first meeting was on 12 November 1927, and was won 5–3 by Australia. Their most recent meeting took place at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on 19 November 2022 and was won 13–10 by Ireland.
In June 2014, Ireland played a two-test series against Argentina. This was Ireland's first test series against Argentina since 2007, in which Argentina won that series 2–0. However, Ireland did go into this series on the back of a Six Nations Championship victory, and three consecutive win over Argentina. Including a record winning margin of 22, the last time these two teams faced each other. The tour is part of the third year on the global rugby calendar established by the International Rugby Board, which runs through to 2019.
The history of the Ireland national rugby union team began in 1875, when Ireland played its first international match, a 0–7 loss against England. Ireland has competed in the Six Nations rugby tournament since 1883. Ireland has also competed at the Rugby World Cup every four years since its inception.
In June 2017, Ireland played a two-test series against Japan as part of the 2017 mid-year rugby union tests. It was the first time Ireland had played a test series against Japan in Japan since 2005. The series was part of the fifth year of the global rugby calendar established by the International Rugby Board, which runs through to 2019.
Ciarán Frawley is a professional rugby union player who plays as a centre for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and represents Ireland at international level.
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