Irish Rugby

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Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey's shoulder injury will be assessed ahead of Munster's Investec Champions Cup game with Castres.

Casey, 26, was forced off in the second half of the defeat by Toulon on Sunday and head coach Clayton McMillan said post-match that the injury looked "reasonably serious".

However, the injury does not appear to be as bad as first feared and he could feature in Munster's final pool match in Limerick on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

Ireland's Six Nations campaign begins in France on 5 February and the news will be welcome to head coach Andy Farrell after Casey had established himself as deputy to Jamison Gibson-Park.

Meanwhile, Connacht prop Finlay Bealham is expected to be unavailable for "a couple of weeks" after he injured his knee in the United Rugby Championship defeat by Leinster.

There is also concern for Leinster prop Paddy McCarthy, who sustained a "significant foot injury" in the dramatic European win over La Rochelle, and Andrew Porter will be assessed for an ongoing calf concern.

There is better news as prop Tadhg Furlong is set to return in Leinster's final pool match in Bayonne on Saturday (15:15 GMT), and backs Garry Ringrose and Jimmy O'Brien will be available while full-back Hugo Keenan has returned to training but will not play in France.

Versatile back Ciaran Frawley was also forced off in the win over La Rochelle with a foot injury and he will be assessed ahead of the game in Bayonne.

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Former Ulster lock Alan O'Connor has joined the Ireland coaching ticket in preparation for the Women's Six Nations.

O'Connor played 212 times for Ulster before retiring from professional rugby last year.

The 33-year-old joins Scott Bemand's staff to replace Alex Codling as the side's forwards specialist after the Englishman's role with Munster was made full-time at the beginning of this season.

Ireland, who were knocked out of the World Cup by France at the quarter-final stage last year, start their Six Nations campaign away to England at Twickenham on Saturday, 11 April, a game that could break the attendance record for a Womens' Six Nations match.

Ireland began a three-day preparation camp for the tournament in Dublin on Monday with 37 players in attendance.

Notably included were key forwards Erin King and Dorothy Wall who both missed the World Cup through injury, while Bemand has also included 10 uncapped players.

Forwards Beth Buttimer, Cara McLean, Jemima Adams Verling, India Daley, Rosie Searle and Sophie Barrett are all in attendance, as are backs Alana McInerney, Catriona Finn, Niamh Gallagher and Robyn O'Connor.

Ireland training squad

Forwards: Ailish Quinn, Aoife Wafer, Beth Buttimer, Brittany Hogan, Cara McLean, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Dorothy Wall, Ellena Perry, Erin King, Fiona Tuite, Grace Moore, Jane Clohessy, Jemima Adams Verling, India Daley, Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Niamh O'Dowd, Rosie Searle, Ruth Campbell, Sadhbh McGrath, Sam Monaghan, Sophie Barrett.

Backs: Alana McInerney, Anna McGann, Aoibheann Reilly, Aoife Dalton, Beibhinn Parsons, Caitriona Finn, Dannah O'Brien, Emily Lane, Enya Breen, Eve Higgins, Nancy McGillivray, Niamh Gallagher, Robyn O'Connor, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.

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Leinster match-winner Harry Byrne said he felt confident standing over the last-gasp penalty which snatched a dramatic Investec Champions Cup pool 3 win over La Rochelle in Dublin.

With Leinster trailing 24-22, replacement out-half Byrne stepped up after having earlier missed a conversion attempt to steer the Irish province to a nail-biting bonus-point win.

Byrne took the penalty after a discussion with Sam Prendergast - who missed two conversion attempts earlier in the game - and the 26-year-old said there was "not much" chat before he stepped up.

"I just said to Caelan [Doris, captain] I want to take it," Byrne told Premier Sports.

"I'd taken the one before, hit the post but I hit it well so I felt I wasn't going to miss that one.

"It was a straight kick. To be honest, I probably played for a bit of a draw with the first one and hit the right post. I lined it up dead centre and struck through it."

Leinster won by the slimmest margin after a back-and-forth contest. They raced into a 12-0 lead and fell 17-12 behind before surging 22-17 behind.

But after La Rochelle moved two points clear with a late try, Byrne's penalty capped another compelling entry into the rivalry.

"It was chaotic," added Byrne, whose last Ireland cap came in the 2024 Six Nations.

"We wanted to play and keep the ball on the pitch but probably didn't realise that they wanted to do that too so it turned into a ding-dong battle to see who'd break first really.

"We wanted to keep the ball in play as much as we could and back our fitness, we spoke about it all week. Coming into that environment, with slower bodies, you can inject a bit of tempo."

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Wolfhounds maintained their perfect Celtic Challenge record as they put 50 points past Edinburgh at Hive Stadium.

The Irish outfit established a healthy half-time lead thanks to tries from Erin King, India Daley, Aoibheann Reilly, Stacey Flood and Niamh Marley.

Cieron Bell and Talei Tawake crossed in response for Edinburgh, but the hosts were unable to add to their score after the break as tries from Maggie Boylan and Aoife Corcoran took Wolfhounds to their half-century.

Edinburgh stay on five points after three matches, while Wolfhounds top the standings with 15.

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Ulster fly-half Jake Flannery says players being "very clear" over their roles has helped improve the team's performances and results this season.

Richie Murphy's side have won six of their first eight United Rugby Championship encounters in 2025-26 to sit third in the table, while they have seen off Racing 92 at home and lost to Cardiff away in the European Challenge Cup.

The introduction of Mark Sexton as attack coach and Willie Faloon as his defensive counterpart has been significant, Flannery explained in an interview with BBC Sport NI.

"I think the biggest thing is clarity. We are very clear on our roles as a team, whether it be attack or defence. The two lads [Sexton and Faloon], every training session, are just driving standards and driving clarity every minute of every session. It's constant, room for growth and constant development happening all the time.

"I think you're seeing that coming out on the pitch and I think the exciting thing is we're not even close to the finished product. There's so much growth to go.

"It's an exciting group to be part of."

Flannery scored one of Ulster's three tries in their 28-3 victory over Munster at Affidea Stadium last week, the latest positive result for the Irish province as they prepare to resume their European campaign.

"The attack is brilliant, and is really coming on, but I think the defence are really keen to get the ball back for the attack, and it drives both sides of your game on.

"We're just really eager to get the ball because we believe we are in a position to really challenge teams and score points every time we get the ball."

The 26-year-old believes that the opportunity to play a different team in the form of the Cheetahs - in a game which has been moved from Amsterdam to s-Hertogenbosch because of weather conditions - this weekend brings a freshness to the game.

"A new experience for a load of guys, including myself. A new place to play, probably haven't the luxury of seeing 10 games from the Cheetahs, only probably a couple of Challenge Cup and a couple in the Toyota Challenge as well.

"So yeah, new team that we don't see too often, new location, it'll be a cool weekend."

In the Cheetahs' corner this weekend will be Ulster legend Ruan Pienaar, who is now an attack coach with the South African side.

"When I was playing for Emerging Ireland against the Cheetahs a few years ago he was actually playing, which was mad. Doaky got a picture with him and it was cool," enthused Flannery.

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Sunday's Challenge Cup fixture between Cheetahs and Ulster has been moved to Dukes Rugby Club in s-Hertogenbosch and will now be played at 13:00 GMT.

The sides were due to meet in Amsterdam with kick-off at 15:15, but with sub-zero temperatures expected in the capital, the game has been relocated to the south of the Netherlands with the NRCA Stadium deemed unplayable.

Governing body European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has also confirmed that the match will also now be played behind closed doors.

"EPCR, Rugby Nederland and Toyota Cheetahs are continuing to monitor weather conditions, should these further impact the fixture," read a statement from Ulster.

"Ulster Rugby is seeking further clarification from tournament organisers regarding the implications of this decision and next steps, particularly for supporters who have already made travel arrangements."

Ulster return to European action after victories against Connacht and Munster in the United Rugby Championship.

The northern province hammered Racing 92 in their opening Challenge Cup game before losing to Cardiff.

The Cheetahs have struggled with their form this season and will aim to end their five-game losing streak against Richie Murphy's outfit.

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Ulster full-back Jacob Stockdale has been ruled out of Sunday's Challenge Cup pool game against the Cheetahs (15:15 GMT) with a rib injury.

The Ireland back suffered the injury in last week's United Rugby Championship win over Munster and was forced off early in the second half.

The 29-year-old joins Juarno Augustus, Michael Lowry, Rory McGuire (all ankle), Charlie Irvine (calf), Ethan McIlroy (ribs), James McNabney (knee), Stewart Moore (hand) on Ulster's injury list.

In more positive news, Ben Moxham is available for selection for Sunday's game in Amsterdam after recovering from a serious knee injury.

The 24-year-old winger has not played since tearing an anterior cruciate ligament during Ulster's loss to Leinster in November 2024.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI, Ulster defence coach Willie Faloon indicated that back-row Augustus may not be absent for as long as first thought after he was initially diagnosed with "a significant ankle ligament injury".

"He saw a specialist last Friday and hopefully we'll see in the next couple of weeks when he'll be back. We're hoping it will be a little more positive," said Faloon.

Ulster opened their Challenge Cup campaign with a resounding 61-7 win over Racing 92 but fell to a 29-26 loss to Cardiff.

Since then, Richie Murphy's side lost to Leinster before beating Connacht and Munster in the festive inter-provincial derbies in the United Rugby Championship.

Faloon added that this week's meeting with the Cheetahs offers something of a change of venue and opposition for the Irish province.

"Looking forward to it, looking forward to putting in a performance there, but it's different, travelling to Amsterdam, playing against a team that we don't face regularly, it's an exciting challenge.

"We want to go as well in the Challenge Cup as we can so it's really important that we win this game and put ourselves in a good position."

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Munster are set to welcome their Ireland internationals back for Sunday's Investec Champions Cup pool encounter with Toulon at Stade Felix Mayol (13:00 GMT).

Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley and Tom Farrell were all rested for last week's United Rugby Championship loss to in-form Ulster in Belfast.

However, Munster head coach Clayton McMillan will be without John Hodnett (thumb) and Alex Kendellen (ankle) because of injury.

Centre Alex Nankivell is fit after picking up a knock against Ulster, while prop Oli Jager has resumed full training after three months out following a concussion against Edinburgh on 18 October.

Munster opened their Champions Cup campaign with a resounding 31-3 win over Gloucester before suffering a heavy 40-14 loss away to Bath.

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Ireland international centre Robbie Henshaw has recovered from a finger injury in time to face La Rochelle this weekend, while the availability of Garry Ringrose, RG Snyman, Rabah Slimani and Harry Byrne will be assessed during the week.

Saturday's Champions Cup pool stage meeting (17:30 GMT) at the Aviva Stadium will be the seventh contest between the two sides in the competition over the past five years with each side winning three apiece, although two of the French side's victories came in finals.

Henshaw was injured against Munster on 27 December and missed Leinster's eight-try win over Connacht on Saturday.

Both prop Slimani and fly-half Byrne were due to be on the bench in that Irish interprovincial derby, but were late scratches from the side.

Second row Snyman and centre Ringrose have both been absent since the Champions Cup opener against Harlequins on 6 December but have returned to training.

Leinster come into the weekend on the back of seven straight victories in all competitions while La Rochelle, despite some struggles this season, beat Toulon 66-0 on Sunday to move into seventh in the Top 14.

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Munster head coach Clayton McMillan felt his side were "poor" in their United Rugby Championship loss against Ulster on Friday night but said his side will "bounce back" from a poor run.

After making a strong start to the campaign, Munster have struggled over recent weeks and have now lost four of their past six including back-to-back Irish derbies against Leinster and Ulster.

Against the latter at Affidea Stadium, Richie Murphy's side had only a narrow 6-3 lead at half-time before tries from Tom Stewart, Jake Flannery and Bryn Ward after the restart secured a comfortable 28-3 win for the hosts.

The result put an end to Munster's three-game winning run against Ulster and saw the northern province jump above their Irish rivals in the table.

"We trained well during the week and expected a much better performance across the board," McMillan told BBC Sport NI.

"We didn't get it, and we weren't allowed to get it through a quality, physical Ulster side, so full credit to them.

"They [Ulster] won the scraps on the ground and were able to build a little bit of momentum off that, the breakdown was poor, we lost races and we carried high. We had a couple of good moments but, overall, were poor again."

The defeat dropped Munster to sixth in the URC table before they turn their attention to the Champions Cup and Sunday's game against Top 14 side Toulon (13:00 GMT).

McMillan added he needs to "find out what will bring a turn of form" before their trip to the Stade Mayol.

"It is just our execution, which is becoming a recurring theme so, first and foremost, the coaches will look at ourselves before we look at the players," said the head coach in his first season at Thomond Park.

"We need to reflect again and start thinking about what will bring a turn of form. We are hanging in there, but we haven't been that compelling with anything that we have done.

"We have a good group and we will bounce back, but you would like to have a bit more consistency and not have to go through performances like that to get a response."