Full coverage: irfu

Advanced analytics and AI technology will become the backbone of rugby strategy as each team looks for an edge over their competitors. From player development to split-second decisions on the pitch, data will drive the game like never before. 

South Africa have the bomb squad, while Andy Farrell must leave his best players on the pitch as long as he can. Is Irish rugby failing to produce adequate talent for the international stage for him to select?

As Leinster and Munster's coaching teams pore over the wealth of data from the season, distinct patterns emerge, revealing areas of strength and those in need of refinement. In many cases, the facts challenge the narrative building about the perceived weaknesses of both teams.

The longer Scotland keep the game close, the more confident they will become as they look to take advantage of Ireland's poorer second half performances.

The former prop is gearing up for a civil action against former clubs Munster and Sale Sharks, the IRFU, World Rugby, and the RFU in what may be a reckoning for the sport.

When the ball is in play, a rugby referee has 138 potential penalties he may award, a staggering amount to assess while keeping up with elite professional athletes.

The lineout will be a key battle in the tactical war at the Aviva. Ireland will have a plan to restrict France's attacking ambitions.

Coaches would typically be replaced due to poor performance in the first part of the cycle, but it is very unusual to be let go within 10 months of the biggest competition as in the cases of Eddie Jones and Wayne Pivac. 

Rugby unions all over the world are facing increased pressure to address the concussion problem in the game.

Rugby doesn't just have to evolve, it has to make radical alterations to the way it operates on and off the field.