Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy announce international retirements

Ireland veterans Peter O’Mahony, Cian Healy and Conor Murray have confirmed they will all retire from international rugby after this year’s Six Nations. While O’Mahony and Healy, Ireland’s most capped player, will step away from club and country at the end of the club season, Murray will head overseas in the summer. All three players have won over 100 caps for Ireland and won five Six Nations titles including two Grand Slams.

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Munster appoint Clayton McMillan as new head coach

Munster have turned to New Zealand in their search for their next permanent head coach with Chiefs boss Clayton McMillan taking the reins as Graham Rowntree’s successor next season on a three-year contract. Current attack coach Mike Prendergast will step up to the role of senior coach under a new team management structure while interim head coach Ian Costello will become general manager.

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Double World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff forced to retire

South Africa’s double World Cup-winning prop Steven Kitshoff has been forced to retire from rugby after suffering a serious neck injury. The 33-year-old sustained the injury in September 2024 while playing in a Currie Cup match for Western Province, and subsequently revealed he was “two millimetres from death”.

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Merciless France hit Italy for eleven tries in Rome

France scored 11 tries to thrash Italy in a high-scoring contest to set up a potential Six Nations decider with Grand Slam-chasing Ireland. The game, with 14 tries, broke the previous championship record of 12 tries in a match, and it was also France’s highest score in the Six Nations. In a thrilling 52-point first half, Italy opened the scoring through Tommaso Menoncello, but France scored three answered tries to regain control.

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Russell misses late conversion as England hold off Scotland

England edged towards the business end of the Six Nations in contention for the title as Finn Russell missed a 79th-minute conversion and Scotland’s Calcutta Cup winning streak ended at Allianz Stadium. Tries from Ben White and Huw Jones gave the dominant visitors a three-point half-time lead, but England hung in the fight and got the better of the breakdown after the break. A late Duhan van der Merwe try gave Russell the opportunity to win the game but the Scottish captain fluffed his lines.

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