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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 'new model' athletes fresh off Leinster's academy production line set to stalk the PRO14

Here it is, the time of season when reigning European Cup holders Leinster stand out from the crowd for very different reasons. …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
26 Jan 2019, 6:23

'I will not repeat it' - Zebo reflects on 'unacceptable' racism

Simon Zebo has opted not to make public the exact racist words aimed at him by an Ulster supporter who is now banned for life from…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
25 Jan 2019, 4:43

Discarded - the sobering Six Nations' 4-year attrition rate laid bare

Roll up, roll up. With European pool stage campaigns ending, Six Nations preparations will now quickly click into gear this we…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
20 Jan 2019, 9:29

Rugby union civil war brewing as PRO14's European dominion returns?

Buckle up. Here comes a round six weekend where the PRO14 is growling with a collective Champions Cup snarl not witnessed sinc…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
17 Jan 2019, 14:51

Cian Kelleher's massive, potentially career defining gamble

Cian Kelleher is a wanted man in Dublin. He’s scoring tries, three in his last five appearances. He’s in rude health, too,…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
13 Jan 2019, 7:55

'I do not know what happened to me that day. I'm not a bad guy'

Simon Zebo has insisted his run-in last October with Michael Lowry is past tense as he prepares to play in his native Ireland this…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
11 Jan 2019, 4:35

How the Irish rumour mill inevitably followed Grobler to Gloucester

What is it about Gerbrandt Grobler and whispers? A UK newspaper interview last August resulted in him branding Ireland as ‘unfor…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
10 Jan 2019, 15:43

Seventeen years after it was scrapped, Leinster tightening grip on unofficial 'third title'

Not since 2002 has the IRFU’s interprovincial title officially been played for. However, Leinster’s derby demolition of Ulster…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
06 Jan 2019, 11:35

Jonny Sexton's 6'5, 118kg little brother and 52 other Irish exports playing pro-rugby in Europe

Not for nothing have the Irish been described as the Samoan rugby players of the northern hemisphere. More often than not, they ar…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
06 Jan 2019, 7:43

'He is a player who has an aura in the group' - Brive coach gives fascinating insight into Fiji star

Jeremy Davidson is tipping Dominiko Waqaniburotu for a special 2019 double - promotion to the Top 14 with Brive and quarter-final …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
04 Jan 2019, 14:47

How a beaten Ireland U20s side produced three All Black killers in just two years

Turns out June 2016 in Manchester was the month when England got the World Rugby Under-20s Cup but Ireland ultimately got the crea…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
03 Jan 2019, 13:54

Steffon Armitage on the move and England international set to join him in France

One of the most talked about England players who didn’t get selected for the 2015 World Cup - Steffon Armitage - could be on the…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
31 Dec 2018, 10:04

Sexton snubbed by Midi Olympique's 'Team of the Year' XV

Johnny Sexton’s difficult weekend took another twist on Sunday evening following his omission from Midi Olympique’s internatio…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
31 Dec 2018, 4:38

With attendances of just 3,000, London Irish's latest big play simply must pay off

It’s been Jingle Bells all the way over the holiday period for London Irish, the club experiencing a Happy Christmas like never …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
30 Dec 2018, 10:13

Tom Varndell has walked out of French rugby

Tom Varndell’s brief flirtation with France is over after just six PRO D2 games with Soyaux Angoulême. The English Premiersh…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
29 Dec 2018, 5:13

Trouble at the Thomond turnstiles? The startling drop off in numbers at Munster matches laid bare

Thomond Park will be buzzing on Saturday. Old rivals Leinster are in Limerick, the sold-out signs went up weeks ago for the Irish …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
28 Dec 2018, 10:53

'You need Santa, Jesus and a winning lottery ticket to fix that mess'

Dragons enjoyed a dead cat bounce on Friday night, their first since they unceremoniously jettisoned Bernard Jackman on December 1…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
24 Dec 2018, 5:13

The truth about coaching turnover in the rugby union

Job security as a professional rugby head coach in Europe isn’t quite as fragile as an English Premier League soccer manager. …

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
19 Dec 2018, 7:23

Ulster are paying a heavy price at the turnstile for their nightmarish year off the pitch

Ravenhill wasn’t bursting at the seams when Ulster swooped for their latest Champions Cup win on Friday night. A little over 12,…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
16 Dec 2018, 5:47

Within 12 months Ireland could lose one of the chief unsung architects of its success

Rob Kearney’s start-of-the-week admission that he doesn’t yet know where he will play his rugby following the 2019 World Cup w…

Liam Heagney
Liam Heagney
09 Dec 2018, 7:17
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