Neil Treacy

RTÉ Sport Journalist

15 January 2026; Erin King has been named Ireland Women's captain ahead of the 2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations. The 22-year-old flanker will lead Ireland into the Championship, which gets underway against England at Twickenham on Saturday, 11 April. Pho

King 'so honoured' to be named new Ireland captain

Erin King has been confirmed as the new captain of the Ireland women's rugby team ahead of the 2026 Guinness Six Nations later this year.

Rugby • 15 Jan

13 December 2024; Peter O'Mahony of Munster and Rémy Baget of Castres Olympique during the Champions Cup Pool 3 match between Castres Olympique and Munster at Stade Pierre Fabre in Castres, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Champions Cup round 4: All You Need To Know

All four Irish provinces round off their Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup pool stage campaigns this week. Here's everything you need to know ahead of this weekend's games.

Rugby • 16 Jan

5 July 2025; Jack Boyle of Ireland during the International Rugby Test match between Georgia and Ireland at at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Jackman: Boyle 'has the talent' to fill loosehead void

Bernard Jackman believes Ireland's loosehead prop injury crisis can give Jack Boyle an opportunity to put his stamp back on the international scene.

Rugby • 14 Jan

11 January 2025; A general view before the Investec Champions Cup Pool 3 match between Munster and Saracens at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Permutations: What's at stake in the Champions Cup?

Here's how Leinster and Munster are looking heading into the final round of games in the Champions Cup.

Rugby • 14 Jan

22 November 2025; Finlay Bealham of Ireland during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match between Ireland and South Africa at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Bealham out for 'a couple of weeks' as injuries pile up

Ireland's Six Nations preparations have experienced another hiccup, with Finlay Bealham the latest prop to pick up an untimely injury.

Rugby • 13 Jan

10 January 2026; Joshua Kenny, left, celebrates with Leinster team-mate Rieko Ioane after scoring his side's second try during the Investec Champions Cup match between Leinster and La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Cullen thrilled with Leinster's late bloomers

While Leinster are winning without touching their best, it's worth remembering just how depleted Leo Cullen's side currently are.

Rugby • 12 Jan

10 January 2026; Harry Byrne of Leinster celebrates after converting an 80th minute penalty to give his side a 25-24 victory during the Investec Champions Cup match between Leinster and La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsf

Cullen pleased with Leinster's fight and Byrne's nerve

Sparks always fly when Leinster and La Rochelle cross paths, and the great modern rivals produced another game for the ages as Leinster edged a 25-24 thriller which went down to the final kick of the game.

Rugby • 11 Jan

10 January 2026; Leinster players celebrate after Harry Byrne, hidden, converted an 80th minute penalty to give his side a 25-24 victory during the Investec Champions Cup match between Leinster and La Rochelle at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb

Byrne the hero as Leinster beat La Rochelle in epic

Leinster and La Rochelle's rivalry produced another game for the ages, as Harry Byrne's penalty kick with the final play of the game sealed a 25-24 Champions Cup win for Leo Cullen's side.

Rugby • 10 Jan

6 December 2025; Ruadhan Quinn of Munster reacts after his side's defeat in the Investec Champions Cup match between Bath and Munster at The Recreation Ground in Bath, England. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

'There have been days when we've let ourselves down'

Like most coaches who come to Ireland from New Zealand or Australia, Clayton McMillan has now experienced the step up in energy on the week of a big Champions Cup tie.

Rugby • 10 Jan

27 December 2025; Munster head coach Clayton McMillan before the United Rugby Championship match between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

McMillan calls on Munster to 'embrace the cauldron'

Champions Cup cauldrons in France are new to Clayton McMillan, but nothing new to Munster.

Rugby • 09 Jan