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InternationalIreland

Schmidt leaves Ireland camp due to family bereavement

Joe Schmidt is reportedly poised to join the All Blacks (PA)

Joe Schmidt has left the Irish training camp in Carton house and has returned to New Zealand following a family bereavement according to the Irish Times.

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Speaking at the team camp, Greg Feek explained that assistant coach, Andy Farrell, would assume control of the team during Schmidt’s absence.

“Unfortunately Joe had to go back to New Zealand due to a family bereavement, but he’ll be back in a few days”

“On behalf of the team, I’d like to pass on our condolences to Joe and his wider family”

Ireland play the first of their two Guinness Summer Series Test matches against Conor O’Shea’s Italy at the Aviva Stadium this coming Saturday at 2.00pm.

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Comments on RugbyPass

P
PMcD 21 minutes ago
Andy Onyeama-Christie on brink of Saracens exit as new club emerge

It’s pretty tough when you look at the numbers Tom - the marquee players wages are increasing (outside of the cap), the next 5 best players in the squads are being picked off by the Top 14 (with much higher offers), the academy players naturally increase and you see significant increases once a player hits 50 PREM caps, so the players from say 10th spot to 30th are all being squeezed in the squad and many of the older players are being forced to take reductions to keep that last final contract.

If you look at the maths of the salary cap, it basically says you need to turn your squad of 38-42 players over every 5-6 years and balance the demographics (as age & ability generally drives the increases).



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6 Go to comments
E
Eric Elwood 41 minutes ago
Ulster score 61 in European Challenge Cup romp over Racing 92

Great second half from Ulster. They really tired racing out in the first half. A few heavyweights missing too. Scott Wilson at tight head looking a beast. Andy Farrell is aware I hope.

1 Go to comments
T
Tom 46 minutes ago
Andy Onyeama-Christie on brink of Saracens exit as new club emerge

No sympathy. He's a Bristolian traitor!

6 Go to comments
P
PMcD 56 minutes ago
Andy Onyeama-Christie on brink of Saracens exit as new club emerge

I actually have some sympathy for Onyeama-Christie, he finds himself in “the squeezed middle” at Saracens, where they have brought Farrell back (as a non-marquee player) and are having to squeeze the contracts of everyone else to make it fit, whilst O-C is at the age and experience where he should be seeing some big increases.

It does look like Sarries have decided to switch him for George Martin and the salary cap is making it hard for players to stay with their clubs unless they are prepared to take some hits on salary.



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6 Go to comments
P
PMcD 1 hour ago
Andy Onyeama-Christie on brink of Saracens exit as new club emerge

He plays for Scotland, so that might be difficult. 🤣🤣

6 Go to comments
N
NB 1 hour ago
Wales are out of luck and out of ideas, so where do they go from here?

Speaking to The Rugby Paper, James said:

“I’ve loved my time in England U20s, but now it’s about whatever opportunities come. I’m not tied down anywhere; I’m open to opportunities. Whatever happens, happens. There’s a wealth of talent there [in England]. If it’s with England, then so be it. But if it’s with Wales as well, I’m open to that too.”



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9 Go to comments
P
PM 1 hour ago
Is 'Terminator 2.0' Andre Esterhuizen the ultimate Eddie Jones hybrid?

I grew up with feet and inches for height too and metric otherwise. Feels more normal and natural to me too.

209 Go to comments
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JoBe 1 hour ago
Six Nations statement: Tom Curry 'Tunnelgate' incident

More bleating from a Springbok supporter? As an Englishman, I think SNR or the RFU should have released any footage of the incident after the hearing to publicly clarify events. This would have stopped the conspiracy theorists using their one brain cell for anything other than breathing. Over the course of the Autumn internationals the level of refereeing has been ‘patchy’. There needs to be more effort to get consistency of decision making and to get rid of referees ‘personal interpretation’ of the laws. Yes, SA have had their fair share of cards, they aren’t alone!

23 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 1 hour ago
Four things on Razor's 2025 All Blacks Christmas wish list

What have I made up? Shouldn’t be hard to show me.

Great man with the fans? NZ fans don’t like him. They voted Dmac and BB as their preferred 10s ahead of Mounga.



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Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
The potential route to the Rugby World Cup final for the top 6 teams

And NZ will play their equivalent in the third game of the tournament. Scotland were ranked 5th in 2023 so the equivalent would be NZ playing England in the second match of their group then playing France in the final match of their group and going on to face SA in the first knock out. That’s what Ireland faces in relative terms last time.

The rankings for 2023 were taken in 2019. No tests counted between those RWCs for the draw.



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O
Over the sideline 1 hour ago
Four things on Razor's 2025 All Blacks Christmas wish list

He is average at test level. Show me anything hat proves different. Blaming 1 person isn’t right is it. Yet you blame BB. Weird how it’s ok for you to blame just one person. Whether you believe Mounga os the saviour or not is irrelevant. The simple fact is he didn’t set the world alight when given 5 years in the job. Why go backwards? Also how do you know about Reihana or Jacomb? They arnt given a go. No one else is. Yes its probably too late now but as BLIND FREDDY could clearly see the time was 2 years ago…. Another major Razor failure. They keep stacking up. Mind you it won’t be Razors fault tho as he doesn’t coach them apparently. Just like when the ABs lose… razor points out very quickly how it was always “execution” and never a failed game plan.

Lets just say the guy has been a major letdown so far.



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Eric Elwood 1 hour ago
The potential route to the Rugby World Cup final for the top 6 teams

Agree. Great idea. It would accelerate the development of up and coming teams.

54 Go to comments
J
JJ 1 hour ago
Wales are out of luck and out of ideas, so where do they go from here?

Kane James plays for Exeter Chiefs and played for england U20s in June. His sister plays for Wales. Ieuan Davies is one of the scrum-halves at Bath and he wants to play for Wales.

9 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 1 hour ago
Alex Mann won't face citing for part in Wales-South Africa incident

You don’t need to say by to yourself. Just go.

62 Go to comments
P
PMcD 1 hour ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

Then they did it with Williams to cover that Reinach spot, so it does feel like you need a quick 9 who is quick enough to cover wing (and strong enough defensively).

7|1 does have risks . . . . But the reality is that if you can’t match SA up front, you will likely lose already, so does the 7 forwards give you a better chance of competing against the SA pack and is it worth the risk of only having the 1 back.



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247 Go to comments
D
DP 2 hours ago
App comment

All Sharks teams are B teams. The end result is almost always a loss.

7 Go to comments
B
B 2 hours ago
Emoni Narawa shares extent of Eden Park injury that ended his All Blacks season

Emoni's injury makes a mockery of World Rugbys stance on player safety….

1 Go to comments
H
Hammer Head 2 hours ago
Six Nations statement: Tom Curry 'Tunnelgate' incident

They’re not untouchable, per se.

It’s more that nobody’s allowed to touch them and they can touch anyone they like.



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H
Hammer Head 2 hours ago
Six Nations statement: Tom Curry 'Tunnelgate' incident

Nothing happened?

Same could be said about the alleged testicle attack of 2025.



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N
NB 3 hours ago
How England are building the foundations for World Cup success in 2027

I don’t think that should be the choice P.

When SA fitst intro’d the 7-1 v NZ in 2023 thay had Reinach as the one on the bench to cover 9 and both wings, and Willemse to move up from 15 to cover 10.



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247 Go to comments
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