Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Past woes still echo as unpredictable England arrive

Ireland and England's latest meeting, 150 years after their first, comes freighted with greater than average levels of uncertainty

Rugby • 27 Jan

'The gulf between the top teams and the rest of the pack is more obvious than ever'

Champions Cup knockout stages look lopsided and diluted

Ulster are among the teams that really shouldn't be in the knockout stages of a competition that's supposed to about pitting the best of the best against each other, writes Jonny Holland.

Rugby • 21 Jan

Tom Seabrook's hat-trick helped Northampton over the line

Northampton edge out Munster in European humdinger

Munster are set for an away last-16 encounter after falling just short in a Champions Cup classic to Northampton Saints in Franklin's Gardens.

Rugby • 18 Jan

Leo Cullen felt his side's pool win over La Rochelle was more like a knockout game

Cullen sets sights on Bath after La Rochelle dogfight

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen didn't have much time to analyse his side's performance in what was a very tight second half against La Rochelle

Rugby • 13 Jan

'La Rochelle's ability is obvious, and the power can be unstoppable'

Prendergast can expect serious La Rochelle examination

La Rochelle will be up against it when they take on Leinster this Sunday, but they still have a love for the Champions Cup, and will be eyeing what would be a huge scalp to kick their season on.

Rugby • 07 Jan

'An interesting sub plot in the final in London will be the tale of two of the game's most influential scrum halves'

Gibson-Park v Dupont duel sure to add spice to final

The speed of ball that both Jamison Gibson-Park and Antoine Dupont play with will make the Champions Cup final an epic contest.

Rugby • 07 May 24

Munster travel to Franklin's Gardens on Sunday

Donal Lenihan's Champions Cup last-16 preview

After the international interlude, we're at the last-16 stage in the Champions Cup. Owing to the current idiosyncratic format, Leinster and Munster face off against teams they've already played in the pool phase.

Rugby • 05 Apr 24

Byrne missed out last week with an ankle injury

Champions Cup: Provincial team news as Byrne returns

Leinster, Munster and Ulster have all named their teams for the final round of pool games in the Investec Champions Cup.

Rugby • 19 Jan 24

Ulster end their pool phase with a tough assignment at Harlequins

Donal Lenihan's Champions Cup Round 4 preview

It's the final round of pool games, with Donal Lenihan casting an eye over what's in store for the four Irish provinces.

Rugby • 19 Jan 24

Graham Rowntree watched his Munster side give up another big lead on Sunday.

Rowntree left frustrated by Munster collapse

Graham Rowntree cut a frustrated figure after his Munster side lost 32-24 at Exeter Chiefs on Sunday afternoon.

Rugby • 18 Dec 23

The Stormers celebrate their late win over La Rochelle

Champions Cup round-up: Holders La Rochelle lose again

Champions Cup holders La Rochelle suffered an agonising defeat against the Stormers in Cape Town – their second successive loss of the tournament – following a late Andre-Hugo Venter try that Manie Libbok converted to secure a 21-20 verdict.

Rugby • 16 Dec 23

Ulster secured their first points of the campaign

Ulster provide Christmas cheer in big win over Racing

A much-improved Ulster recorded a much-needed victory over Top14 leaders Racing 92 in the second round of the Investec Champions Cup.

Rugby • 16 Dec 23

Jamison Gibson-Park scored Leinster's second try

Sloppy Leinster come from behind to defeat Sale Sharks

Leinster have gained firm control of Pool 4 in the Investec Champions Cup, but Leo Cullen's side had to endure a sluggish first half before eventually running out 37-27 winners against Sale Sharks at the RDS.

Rugby • 16 Dec 23

European Champions Cup: Leinster 37-27 Sale recap

After their gutsy win away to La Rochelle, Leinster took control of Pool 4 with a somewhat messy bonus-point win against a spirited Sale Sharks.

Rugby • 16 Dec 23

Bundee Aki looks dejected after Connacht's 55-36 defeat to Saracens on Saturday

Connacht concede eight tries as losing start continues

A 55-36 defeat to Saracens on Saturday afternoon made it two defeats out of two for Connacht in this season's European Champions Cup.

Rugby • 16 Dec 23

European Champions Cup: Saracens v Connacht - Recap

Connacht look to get their Champions Cup campaign back on track away to three-time winners Saracens, follow the action with James Fenton.

Rugby • 16 Dec 23

Joe McCarthy is playing with a maturity that belies his years

McCarthy and Frawley giving Farrell food for thought

Joe McCarthy and Ciarán Frawley pushed their Ireland claims significantly with starring roles in Leinster's Champions Cup victory over La Rochelle.

Rugby • 12 Dec 23

Rob Lyttle of Ulster dives over to score his side's first try

Second-half surge sends Ulster through to last 16

Second-half tries from Rob Herring and Duane Vermeulen put Ulster through to the European Champions Cup knockout stages as a 22-11 win over Sale Sharks also ended their losing run.

Rugby • 21 Jan 23

Coombes on the double as Munster keep Northampton out

Two first-half tries from Gavin Coombes laid the foundation for Munster to get their first win in this season's Heineken Champions Cup after an 11-point win over Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens.

Rugby • 18 Dec 22

Referee Karl dickson sin-binned Gibson-Park for the tackle on Friday.

Gibson-Park may miss Connacht clash after being cited

Jamison Gibson-Park will this evening go before an EPCR disciplinary committee after the Leinster scrum-half was cited for his tackle on his Connacht counterpart Kieran Marmion on Friday night.

Rugby • 12 Apr 22

Beirne, Kilcoyne and Coombes ruled out of Exeter tie

Ireland internationals Tadhg Beirne, Dave Kilcoyne and Gavin Coombes have all been ruled out of Munster's Heineken Champions Cup clash away to Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.

Rugby • 04 Apr 22

The incident happened earlier this month happened against Leinster

Muir's appeal against four-week ban rejected

Bath wing Will Muir has had his appeal against a four-week ban rejected.

Rugby • 23 Dec 21

Jordan Larmour grounds the ball for Leinster's third try despite the tackle of Joe Simmonds

Superb Leinster come strong to down defending champions

Leinster delivered a bravura display, overcoming a poor start to topple defending champions Exeter Chiefs in a titanic quarter-final at Sandy Park.

Rugby • 10 Apr 21

Kevin Gourdon crashes through the tackle

La Rochelle dominate Sale to cruise into European semis

Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle have reached the Champions Cup semi-finals thanks to a 45-21 win over Sale at Stade Marcel Deflandre.

Rugby • 10 Apr 21

Henry Slade is hoping Exeter Chiefs can get their first European win over Leinster at the fifth time of asking this weekend

Slade hoping to learn from previous Irish lessons

Henry Slade is hoping lessons will be learnt from England's recent Six Nations defeat as Champions Cup holders Exter host Leinster in a European quarter-final this weekend.

European Champions Cup • 10 Apr 21