Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Champions Cup recap: Leinster 47-21 Bath

Leinster overcome an interval defecit to blow away Bath with a swashbuckling second half performance at Aviva Stadium. The hosts run in seven tries in a bonus-point victory.

Rugby • 18 Jan

Champions Cup recap: Northampton 34-32 Munster

The action as it happened in Munster's final pool game away to Northampton Saints in Franklin Gardens

Rugby • 18 Jan

RG Snyman tries to break the Sharks cover

Munster cut open by ravenous Sharks

A strong second-half performance from the Sharks saw them run out impressive 50-35 winners over Munster in their round of 16 Heinken Champions Cup clash in Durban.

Champions Cup • 01 Apr 23

Impressive Leinster run five past poor Montpellier

Leinster secured a bonus-point 35-14 win away to Montpellier in their opening Champions Cup tie of the season.

Rugby • 12 Dec 20

Finn Russell and Scottish teammate Stuart Hogg are on the five-man shortlist

Exeter and Racing players dominate award shortlist

Champions Cup finalists Exeter Chiefs and Racing 92 dominated the five-man shortlist for the European Player of the Year award, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said on Tuesday.

Rugby • 29 Sep 20

Maro Itoje gets to grips with James Ryan

Leinster's fate familiar when Irish and English collide

Leinster's Champions Cup loss to Saracens was further evidence of a damaging recent pattern against English sides for Irish teams.

Rugby • 21 Sep 20

"I am extremely excited and honoured to take on this new challenge and chapter in my career," says Kruis

England and Saracens lock Kruis heading to Japan

England lock George Kruis will end a 12-year association with Saracens at the end of the 2019-20 season and head to Japan after agreeing a switch to Panasonic Wild Knights in the Top League.

Rugby • 25 May 20

Leinster and Saracens to meet in Champions Cup quarter-final

Leinster to meet Saracens as match-ups are confirmed

The Champions Cup quarter-finals have thrown up a repeat of last year's decider as Leinster are re-united with Saracens following the conclusion of the pool phase this afternoon.

Rugby • 19 Jan 20

'It would be really nice if we could go against what is the standard procedure which is to lose away from home in the quarter-final'

McFarland: We've no chance unless we play our best

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland admitted his team stand little chance in Champions Cup quarter-final unless they hit their peak level.

Rugby • 18 Jan 20

Munster were eliminated from the Champions Cup this evening

Munster's knockout hopes ended as Glasgow rout Sale

Munster's slim hopes of reaching the Champions Cup quarter-finals were ended this evening as Glasgow Warriors routed Sale in AJ Bell Stadium.

Rugby • 18 Jan 20

Champions Cup recap: Ulster 22-15 Bath

The action as it happened from Ulster's final Pool 3 game against Bath at Kingspan Stadium

Rugby • 18 Jan 20

The top spot in Ulster's pool is still up for grabs

Permutations: Champions Cup knockout qualification race

The pool stage of the Heineken Champions Cup ends next weekend. But which teams can still qualify and what are the qualifications permutations for the Irish provinces including when it comes to home quarter-finals?

Rugby • 13 Jan 20

CJ Stander, left, and Arno Botha of Munster following their side's defeat

Racing 92's late show leaves Munster on brink

Munster fall to a 39-22 defeat against Racing 92 in Paris as their chances of reaching the Heineken Champions Cup last-eight take another blow

Rugby • 12 Jan 20

Recap: Clermont Auvergne 29-13 Ulster

The action as it happened from today's Champions Cup encounter between Clermont Auvergne and Ulster at Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin.

Rugby • 11 Jan 20

Chris Farrell (second from left) believes that Munster gave Racing 92 some soft points in the first game between theside

Farrell believes Munster can thrive in must-win clash

Chris Farrell believes that Munster must be resilient in defence and nullify the threat of Racing 92 to have a chance of leaving Paris with the victory that they need to remain in the hunt for a place in the Champions Cup quarter-finals.

Rugby • 10 Jan 20

Exciting Clermont Auvergne prospect Samuel Ezeala bagged a brace for the visitors at the Rec

Clermont Auvergne finish with a flourish to beat Bath

Bath suffered a third successive Heineken Champions Cup defeat after Clermont Auvergne turned on the pace and power to secure a bonus-point 34-17 win with three late tries at the Rec.

Rugby • 06 Dec 19

Conor O'Brien received a special mention from the coach after the game

Cullen focused on Bath with decisions to be made

Leinster's young guns have given head coach Leo Cullen a major selection headache following Saturday's scintillating demolition of an experienced Dragons side away at Rodney Parade.

Rugby • 01 Dec 18

Three more years of the Champions Cup on RTÉ Radio

RTÉ Radio retains Champions Cup rights

RTÉ Radio has signed a three-year extension to cover the European Rugby Champions Cup until the end of the 2019-2020 season.

Rugby • 02 Oct 17

Rory O'Loughlin scores a try for Leinster after latching on to a kick from fellow European Rugby Champions Cup debutant Ross Byrne

Leinster's young guns overwhelm Northampton

A youthful Leinster side recorded an emphatic 37-10 win over Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens in the European Rugby Champions Cup on a night when England captain Dylan Hartley, on as a second-half substitute, was punished with a red card for a swinging arm tackle on Sean O'Brien.

Rugby • 10 Dec 16

Munster name side for emotional Thomond test

As a mark of respect to the late Anthony Foley, Munster have retired the number eight jersey for the Glasgow game on Saturday in the European Champions Cup. Ireland international CJ Stander, who has been selected in the number eight position, will wear number 24.

Rugby • 21 Oct 16

Seán Cronin with the first of his two tries

Leinster open European campaign with victory

Five-try Leinster enjoyed a winning start to their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign, defeating Castres 33-15 at the RDS.

Rugby • 15 Oct 16

Munster take on Stade Francais on Saturday, 9 January

Details revealed for rescheduled European matches

European Professional Club Rugby has confirmed the new dates and kick-off times for the five matches in the European Rugby Champions Cup originally postponed due to the terror attacks in Paris last month.

Rugby • 09 Dec 15

The pools for the 2015/16 European Rugby Champions Cup

Tough Champions Cup draws for Leinster and Ulster

Leinster and Ulster have been handed difficult draws for the pool stages of next season's European Rugby Champions Cup.

Rugby • 17 Jun 15

Jamie Heaslip speaks highly of Wasps openside flanker James Haskell

Jamie Heaslip: Wasps clash is why you play rugby

Leinster captain Jamie Heaslip has said that Saturday’s do-or-die Champions Cup showdown is the definition of why he plays the sport, ahead of the team’s visit to face Wasps in Coventry.

Rugby • 23 Jan 15

Do or die for Munster and Ulster

With Munster and Ulster's progress in the Champions Cup very much in the balance, Tadhg Peavoy previews the games that could decide their future in this season's competition.

Rugby • 05 Jul 15