Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

"For now, we don't really know who the best Irish province is to challenge Leinster"

Ulster still weighed down by a 'what if' conundrum

There will be much frustration and introspective questioning for Ulster after their narrow loss to Toulouse in the Champions Cup.

Rugby • 19 Apr 22

O'Mahony and Carbery both missed the 13-8 first leg defeat due to injury

O'Mahony and Carbery passed fit for Munster

Peter O'Mahony, Joey Carbery and Simon Zebo have all been restored to the Munster team for their crunch Heineken Champions Cup last 16 second leg against Exeter Chiefs tomorrow.

Rugby • 15 Apr 22

Connacht trail 26-21 heading into Friday night's second leg

Connacht 'need to go up a level' to shock Leinster

Connacht showed they are maturing as a team in spite of their defeat to Leinster last week, according to senior coach Pete Wilkins.

Rugby • 12 Apr 22

O'Gara was not on the sideline for the game due to suspension

O'Gara's La Rochelle establish advantage over Bordeaux

Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle won 31-13 at Bordeaux in an all-Top 14 clash in the Heineken Champions Cup last-16.

Rugby • 09 Apr 22

Recap: Connacht 21-26 Leinster

Leinster edge Connacht 26-21 after the first leg of their Heineken Champions Cup last-16 match-up at the Sportsground.

Rugby • 08 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

Munster showed a definite change in ambition in Thomond Park on Sunday

Offloading in vogue as Munster join the party

An accurate offloading game makes rugby a better spectacle to watch but as spectators we must understand what drives it and when it is appropriate, writes Jonny Holland

Rugby • 25 Jan 22

All four provinces remain in the hunt for European glory.

Provinces learn fate as Leinster face off with Connacht

All four Irish provinces now know who they will face in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup after the pool stages reached their climax on Sunday.

Rugby • 23 Jan 22

Carty: Wasteful Connacht risk being 'nearly team'

Connacht fly-half Jack Carty admits his side will have to improve significantly if they are to make an impact in the Champions Cup knockout stages.

Rugby • 23 Jan 22

Champions Cup recap: Stade Francais 37-31 Connacht

Connacht blew a substantial lead for the second successive weekend as 14-man Stade Francais claimed a thrilling victory in Paris.

Rugby • 23 Jan 22

Thomond Park hosts Munster v Wasps on Sunday

Champions Cup Round 4: All you need to know

The pressure is off Connacht and Munster as they have already qualified for the last 16, but they will still be keen to end the pool stages on a high.

Rugby • 23 Jan 22

Both games fixed for Paris La Defense Arena have now been deemed walkovers

Ulster top spot hopes ended as Racing awarded walkover

Ulster's chances of securing top spot in Heineken Champions Cup Pool A appear to be done and dusted after the EPCR confirmed this morning that the game between Racing 92 and Northampton Saints had been cancelled due to Covid-19 cases in the away team, handing a 28-0 walkover for the French side.

Rugby • 22 Jan 22

Champions Cup: Bath 7-64 Leinster recap

Leinster joined Connacht, Munster and Ulster in the Champions Cup knockout stages with a landslide victory over struggling Bath at the Rec.

Rugby • 22 Jan 22

As it happened: Ulster survive late Clermont storm

The action as it happened from Ulster's fourth and final Heineken Champions Cup pool game against Clermont Auvergne in Kingspan Stadium.

Rugby • 24 Jan 22

Jimmy O'Brien scored four of Leinster's ten tries

Ten-try Leinster power into Champions Cup knockouts

Jimmy O'Brien scored four tries as Leinster marched on in the European Champions Cup with a 64-7 demolition of Bath.

Rugby • 22 Jan 22

Toulouse president Didier Lacroix argued that Toulouse would have been able to field a "competitive" team.

Toulouse threaten legal action over cancelled clash

Toulouse president Didier Lacroix said the club would take legal action after their Champions Cup clash against Cardiff on Saturday was cancelled due to a number of positive Covid-19 cases in the French side.

Rugby • 21 Jan 22

Lenihan tips Connacht and Leinster to progress

RTÉ Rugby analyst Donal Lenihan anticipates a successful weekend for the Irish provinces in the final round of the Heineken Champions Cup pool stage.

Rugby • 21 Jan 22

Blade scored the opening try in December's win against Stade Francais in Galway

Blade says Connacht won't take safe approach in Paris

Caolin Blade says he had a "good, hard" look at his role in Saturday's dramatic defeat to the Leicester Tigers last Saturday.

Rugby • 20 Jan 22

Iain Henderson, John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey all missed the weekend win against Northampton Saints

Henderson, Cooney and McCloskey fitness remains unclear

Ulster may have to do without Iain Henderson, John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey once again for Saturday's Champions Cup pool A meeting with Clermont Auvergne at Kingspan Stadium.

Rugby • 18 Jan 22

Furlong and Ryan are both carrying injuries into this weekend's game against Bath

Ryan and Furlong remain in contention for Bath return

Fears over the injuries to James Ryan and Tadhg Furlong ahead of the Six Nations have been somewhat allayed, with Leinster saying the pair could be in contention to play this week.

Rugby • 18 Jan 22

'Even if we had not scored at the end, I'd still have been proud'

Borthwick relieved after win against 'superb' Connacht

Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick cut a relieved figure on Saturday evening at the Sportsground, with his juggernauting side booking their place in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup with a game to spare.

Rugby • 17 Jan 22

Leicester 'punch to the guts' won't knock Connacht

Andy Friend says he won't let the disappointment of Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup defeat to Leicester linger in the Connacht squad.

Rugby • 17 Jan 22

Charlie Atkinson of Wasps takes on Cyril Baille

Champions Cup wrap: Wasps stun champions Toulouse

Wasps overcame two controversial refereeing decisions including a red card shown to Jacob Umaga to register a stirring 30-22 Heineken Champions Cup victory over holders Toulouse.

Rugby • 15 Jan 22

Bundee Aki confronted referee Mathieu Raynal at full-time

Aki issues apology after confrontation with ref

Bundee Aki has apologised for his reaction at full-time in Connacht's narrow loss to Leicester Tigers, in which he angrily confronted referee Mathieu Raynal.

Rugby • 16 Jan 22

Connacht saw their 18-point lead overturned at the Sportsground

Leicester defeat 'a tough one to take'

Connacht head coach Andy Friend says their defeat to Leicester is the toughest loss he's experienced in his three-and-a-half years in Galway.

Rugby • 15 Jan 22