Compared to a global death toll spiralling beyond 300,000, Dave Kearney could hardly be considered a victim of the pandemic other than in a strictly insignificant sense. The significance of that will not be lost on Europe’s only unbeaten team.
Before Covid-19 stopped the hitherto unstoppable, Leinster’s record for the season could have come straight out of Joe Calzaghe’s world-beating playbook: Played 19, Won 19, the majority a long way inside the distance. No individual profited more than Rob Kearney’s relatively unsung younger brother on the wing.
By way of overdue compensation for bouts of long-term injury, Kearney junior had scored 12 tries in 11 starts for his native province and one more in one start for his country. When the season went into lockdown, only Teddy Thomas had matched him try for try, from 14 starts which puts the 30-year-old Irishman top of the heap by a fraction on strikes-per-game ratio.
Denne historien er fra May 17, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Denne historien er fra May 17, 2020-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
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Scotland must not waste potential
N assessment of where Scotland and England are after the autumn series, with another Calcutta Cup clash to come at Twickenham in the middle of the Six Nations, is an interesting comparison. It's made even more pointed by competition for places on the 2025 Lions tour.
Boks going to need a bigger trophy cabinet...
Peter Jackson looks back on a season where, once again, South Africa proved to be the best team on the planet
150th party nearly ends in tears for sloppy Irish
IT'S been a pretty scruffy autumn for Ireland and that trend continued in Dublin yesterday when they squeezed out a win against an Australia side that probably deserved better for their efforts.
I'm still a crazy little man on the pitch, says Sheedy
CALLUM Sheedy has revealed how being his own biggest critic drives him on amid the quest for perfection. Cardiff's Welsh international flyhalf is now more than a decade into his career, but admits he is still \"a crazy little man\" out on the field.
Saints are looking to kick-start campaign
NORTHAMPTON last season used the Champions Cup to turbo charge their Premiership campaign and will be looking for a repeat when European rugby’s top club tournament starts this weekend.
Hawkins linked with Wales move
EXETER have yet to open talks with Joe Hawkins over a new contract as speculation mounts that the centre will be returning to Wales next year.
Pressure builds on RFU chief to resign
TOM Ilube’s tenure as RFU Board Chairman, and his financial credentials, will come under increased scrutiny with the news that Crossword Cybersecurity PLC, a company of which he was founder and chief executive, went into administration on November 18.
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
