Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

22 September 2025; Robbie Henshaw during a Leinster rugby squad training session at SACS High School in Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by Shaun Roy/Sportsfile

Leinster's Henshaw to return for 'massive' Stormers tie

Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw is available for Leinster for their opening game of the United Rugby Championship, while Jordan Larmour, Will Connors and Brian Deeny may also make their returns from injury.

Rugby • 22 Sep

19 August 2025; Senior coach Jacques Nienaber during a Leinster Rugby open training session at Old Belvedere RFC in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Nienaber among Leinster coaches to sign new deals

Leinster have confirmed contract extensions for coaches Jacques Nienaber, Tyler Bleyendaal and Robin McBryde until the end of the 2026/27 season.

Rugby • 15 Sep

RG Snyman receives treatment for a cut during Leinster's win over Scarlets

Nienaber: URC focus not an issue for Leinster

Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber has no concerns about Leinster's mental state following a rollercoaster month for the province.

Rugby • 03 Jun

Nienaber urges Leinster to get out of 'hell'

Senior coach Jacques Nienaber has demanded Leinster get over their "brutal" Champions Cup loss in order to salvage something from their season.

Rugby • 10 May

Jordie Barrett started on the bench for Leinster's loss to Northampton

Nienaber gets 'frustration and anger' of Leinster fans

Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber says he understands the anger of fans following the team's latest European exit.

Rugby • 06 May

Jacques Nienaber looks on as a dejected Will Connors exits the training ground hokey cokey competition

Leinster must flick switch for Ulster clash - Nienaber

Jacques Nienaber has been able to enjoy two incredible back-to-back Leinster performances in recent weeks, and the senior coach believes the victories are reward for the hard work that the squad have put in throughout the season.

Rugby • 15 Apr

Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber has had a huge influence on their new game plan

Leinster DNA change a risk worth taking

Given that Leinster lost back-to-back Champions Cup finals in 2022 and 2023 by a grand total of just four points, there was a decent case to be made that they were doing very little wrong.

Rugby • 14 Jan

Leinster DNA change a risk worth taking

Given that Leinster lost back-to-back Champions Cup finals in 2022 and 2023 by a grand total of just four points, there was a decent case to be made that they were doing very little wrong.

Rugby • 13 Jan

Leinster's Caelan Doris halts Grégory Alldritt during the hard-fought win

Ross full of praise for impenetrable Leinster

Mike Ross believes Jacques Nienaber's fingerprints are all over Leinster's impressive start to the season as their defence shut down La Rochelle to secure a fine 16-14 win in France on Sunday.

Rugby • 13 Jan

Leinster won just nine of their 16 lineouts against Clermont Auvergne

Nienaber offers explanation on Leinster's lineout mess

Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber has offered an explanation into his side's lineout mishaps from Saturday's Investec Champions Cup win against Clermont Auvergne, admitting his side were trying out a new set-up ahead of a tweak to the laws next month.

United Rugby Championship • 18 Dec 24

Paul Boyle (c) takes the ball up against the Leinster defence

'They are flying at you' - Witness for Leinster defence

Leinster became the first team to restrict Connacht to just two tries this season in their URC win on Saturday but Jacques Nienaber says they are far from the finished product.

Rugby • 22 Oct 24

Nienaber has been with Leinster since December

Nienaber: Leinster haven't been neglecting attack

Jacques Nienaber says Leinster are not focusing on defence at the expense of their attack since his arrival at the province in December.

United Rugby Championship • 28 May 24

Leinster led 27-14 at half-time when the teams met last season

Nienaber: Toulouse clean slate can benefit Leinster

Jacques Nienaber says coming in fresh for the latest installment of the Leinster-Toulouse rivalry may prove useful.

Rugby • 09 May 24

Jacques Nienaber: '[Ronan's] players love him and they play for him'

Nienaber: Soul searching key to toppling La Rochelle

Jacques Nienaber says Leinster's coaches will work on finding La Rochelle's soul in order to earn a first play-off win over Ronan O'Gara's European champions.

Rugby • 10 Apr 24

Josh van der Flier: 'You have to go and attack it'

Van der Flier: Leinster don't feel it's 'now or never'

Josh van der Flier says Leinster don't believe it's "now or never" in this generation's bid to add another Champions Cup title to their name.

Rugby • 09 Apr 24

Jacques Nienaber: 'Rugby is always going to evolve - it has to'

The Jacques Nienaber interview: Beauty of zero sum game

In a wide-ranging interview, Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber describes defence as a "thing of beauty", working with Sam Prendergast and trends in the modern game.

Rugby • 17 Feb 24

Jack O'Donoghue (l) and Mack Hansen are set for prolonged periods on the sideline

'Fine line between aggression and controlled violence'

He stands six foot tall and weighs in at around 19 stone but Andrew Porter still admits that putting his body on the line at the breakdown is "quite scary".

Rugby • 12 Jan 24

Jacques Nienaber: 'Hats off to Ulster, they really attacked the space well'

Leinster coach Nienaber unconcerned about Ulster loss

Senior coach Jacques Nienaber isn't too worried about the defensive frailties that cost Leinster against Ulster last week.

Rugby • 08 Jan 24

O'Brien ruled out but Lowe may make Leinster return

Ireland boss Andy Farrell has been hit with another injury blow after Leinster wing Jimmy O'Brien was ruled out for "a number of months" with a neck injury, however, James Lowe is close to a return to action.

Rugby • 08 Jan 24

James Ryan (r) was one of Leinster's standout players

Leinster captain Ryan hails immediate Nienaber impact

James Ryan hailed the impact of new senior coach Jacques Nienaber after Leinster shut out European champions La Rochelle in a famous Champions Cup away win.

Rugby • 11 Dec 23

Jacques Nienaber replaces Stuart Lancaster on the Leinster coaching ticket this season

Nienaber: Leinster move gives me best of both worlds

Leinster's new senior coach Jacques Nienaber speaks about his first impressions of Leinster, and why he traded in his World Cup winners South Africa for a move back to Ireland.

Rugby • 06 Dec 23

Jacques Nienaber at Leinster training in Dublin on Monday afternoon

From Webb Ellis to slab of Guinness - Nienaber welcomed

Double World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber took his first Leinster training session this afternoon and was welcomed to the club with a slab of beer.

Rugby • 27 Nov 23

Nienaber (left) is due to link up with Leinster next week

Holland: Nienaber will be well briefed upon arrival

Jonny Holland says he doesn't expect new Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber to make sweeping changes to the province in his debut season, but believes the World Cup winner will arrive in Dublin next week with a lot of homework done around his new side.

Rugby • 15 Nov 23

Nienaber tipped to be Leinster's 'missing ingredient'

Donal Lenihan and Bernard Jackman believe Jacques Nienaber's addition to the Leinster coaching set-up can lead to greater success for the province, with the former referring to him as the "missing ingredient".

Rugby • 08 Nov 23

Jacques Nienaber celebrates with the World Cup

No regrets, no rush back for Nienaber, says Cullen

Jacques Nienaber will be given all the time he needs to celebrate South Africa's monumental achievement before he takes up duties at Leinster, says Leo Cullen.

Rugby • 30 Oct 23