The Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) has announced today, Wednesday, 7 June, that Zebre (Zebras) will be the new club to replace Aironi Rugby in the Heineken Cup and the RaboDirect PRO12 for the 2012/13 season. Zebre were originally founded in 1973 as an invitational club for north-western Italy. The new club,
Champions Cup
Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby) has been named ERC European Player of the Year 2012
The prestigious award crowns an outstanding season for the full-back who started every one of Leinster’s nine European games as the Irish club triumphed in the Heineken Cup for an unprecedented third time in four years. Kearney succeeds teammate, Sean O’Brien, as the winner of northern hemisphere rugby’s ultimate individual
Heineken Cup – Leinster Rugby are champions, Sean O’Brien is man of the match
Leinster Rugby are the 2012 Heineken Cup champions. It is their third title in four seasons and they are only the second club to successfully defend their title after Leicester Tigers (2001, 2002) Leinster's 42 points were a record for a Heineken Cup Final (previous best 34 by Leicester in 2001);
HC Talking Points – Leinster’s Thorn could make world rugby history
The eyes of the rugby world will be on Brad Thorn this weekend as a Leinster Rugby victory in Saturday’s all-Irish Heineken Cup final will earn an historic treble for the veteran lock. If Thorn is selected and if Leinster manage to defeat Ulster Rugby at Twickenham Stadium, he will become
ERC European Player of the Year 2012
As the finals weekend of the European club rugby season fast approaches, ERC have named a shortlist of five players who are in contention for the northern hemisphere’s most prestigious individual accolade, ERC European Player of the Year 2012. The two Irish clubs who contest Saturday’s Heineken Cup final at Twickenham
HC Talking Points – Leinster rugby head coach Joe Schmidt looks ahead to the final
Here the thoughts by Leinster rugby head coach ahead the Heineken Cup final: On Ulster Rugby "Ulster are another side we know really well. A lot of the boys have played together in green jerseys but now they are in white or blue. They will combat each other to an
HC Talking Points – Twickenham set for irish invasion
The Irish invasion of Twickenham Stadium is fast approaching – and defending champions Leinster Rugby will have a number of Heineken Cup landmarks in their sights when they clash with Ulster Rugby in the first all-Irish tournament final on Saturday (5.00 pm). Leo Cullen’s team have lost just one of their