Irish Rugby

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy says there is a "great buzz" around the northern province this season.

Friday night's 28-3 interpro triumph over Munster lifted the side into second place in the United Rugby Championship and they have won six of eight games played in the league this season.

Having finished 14th last season, above only Zebre and Dragons in the table, it has been a dramatic turnaround at the Affidea Stadium so far in 2025-26.

"There's a great buzz down in the changing room," said the head coach in his second full season in the job.

"There's confidence growing. There's a real belief. There's a real hunger. The atmosphere on a daily basis is great.

"The lads are turning up and they're hungry for work."

Murphy has been impressed by the contributions of 21-year-old pair Bryn Ward and Joe Hopes in recent weeks and feels it was important to increase the depth of his panel this season after a host of experienced departures in recent summers.

"There's a few others that we want to try and get in over these next couple of weeks to try and build out our squad because that's one of the things that is going to be really important come the back end of the tournament.

"The challenge in training is a lot better now because, one, we've a healthier squad than we did last year and those young guys are learning from the experience.

"Our older guys, the Iain Hendersons, the Rob Herrings, the Jacob Stockdales, Nick Timoneys, they're really driving the place forward.

"The young lads are really hungry as well, so it's great."

In their latest victory, Ulster had led only 6-3 at half-time in snowy conditions but made their dominance count in the second half with three tries and 22 unanswered points to ensure they would leapfrog Munster in the table despite not picking up the four-try bonus point in the final minutes.

"Just early on in the game, we couldn't quite break them down and we didn't look after the ball quite well enough, but we put them under a hell of a lot of pressure and I suppose that told in the second half," Murphy added.

"I still think we tried and we tried hard to play [in the first half].

"We were the team that were trying to move the ball to space and get our big ball carrying wingers into the game and I thought we'd done that really well, just probably a little bit disappointed that we couldn't get that final try."

Image source, Inpho

Leinster have made nine changes to their starting team from Saturday's United Rugby Championship win over Munster for the interpro against Connacht at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (17:30 GMT).

Backs Hugh Cooney, Charlie Tector and Joshua Kenny are drafted in, along with fly-half Sam Prendergast.

Among the forwards, Dan Sheehan is back in to captain the team, Brian Deeny partners Joe McCarthy in the second row and there is an entirely new back row in the form of Diarmuid Mangan, Will Connors and Jack Conan.

Connors returns to the team for the first time since October.

Among those making way are Ireland internationals Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe, Ronan Kelleher and James Ryan, with Max Deegan and Josh van der Flier among the replacements.

Connacht make five changes from the side which lost 29-24 to Ulster last Saturday.

Dave Heffernan and Jack Carty miss out through injury, so Dylan Tierney-Martin starts at hooker and Josh Ioane comes in at fly-half to form a new half-back partnership with Matthew Devine.

David Henshaw is drafted in at outside centre, while Chay Mullins plays on the right wing after returning to full fitness.

Leinster have won six matches in a row, four of those having come in the United Rugby Championship, while Connacht have lost five of their past six URC outings.

Leo Cullen's side sit sixth in the table going into the weekend's action, with Connacht four places worse off in 10th.

Leinster: Frawley; O'Brien, Cooney, Tector, Kenny; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan (capt), Clarkson; McCarthy, Deeny; Mangan, Connors, Conan.

Replacements: McCarthy, Boyle, Slimani, O'Tighearnaigh, Deegan, van der Flier, McGrath, Byrne.

Connacht: Gilbert; Mullins, Hawkshaw, Aki, Treacy; Ioane, Devine; Buckley, Tierney-Martin, Bealham; Joyce, O'Connor; Murphy, Prendergast, Jansen.

Replacements: de Buitlear, Bohan, Barrett, Murray, Boyle, Murphy, West, Forde.

Image source, Inpho

Ireland international Erin King will return from a lengthy period out through injury when she starts for the Wolfhounds in Saturday's Celtic Challenge Irish derby against the Clovers at Creggs RFC on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The back-row, who was named as World Rugby Women's XV Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2024, will make her first appearance since sustaining a knee injury in last season's Women's Six Nations, which ruled her out of the remainder of the tournament and the subsequent Rugby World Cup.

The 22-year-old suffered the problem in Ireland's defeat by England and had to undergo surgery, before starting rehabilitation.

King's inclusion in the Wolfhounds starting line-up is one of three changes from the side which began the 34-7 bonus-point win over Edinburgh in December.

Fellow Irish players Linda Djougang and Stacey Flood both start after being introduced off the bench in the Wolfhounds' opening game.

The Clovers also make three alterations to their starting XV which took to the field for the 35-31 success over Gwalia Lightning, with Emily Foley being drafted in on the left wing and Siobhan McCarthy and Beth Buttimer coming into the front row.

The sides took a win apiece from the two meetings between the teams in last year's competition.

The Wolfhounds won 33-7 in the first round of fixtures, with the Clovers triumphing 31-10 in their second encounter in the following round.

Clovers: Aoife Corey; Beibhinn Parsons, Anna McGann, Niamh Murphy, Emily Foley; Caitriona Finn, Emily Lane; Siobhan McCarthy, Beth Buttimer, Sadhbh McGrath; Aoibhe Flynn, Jane Clohessy; Rosie Searle, Faith Oviawe, Jemima Adams Verling.

Replacements: Emma Dunican, Orlaith Morrissey, Ella Burns, Aoibheann McGrath, Caoimhe Murphy, Grainne Moran, Meabh Deely, Lucia Linn.

Wolfhounds: Stacey Flood; Robyn O'Connor, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Maggie Boylan; Dannah O'Brien, Aoibheann Reilly; Linda Djougang, India Daley, Sophie Barrett; Naoise Smyth, Kate Jordan; Claire Boles, Maeve Og O'Leary, Erin King.

Replacements: Maebh Cleneghan, Cara McLean, Caoimhe Molloy, Fiona Tuite, Poppy Garvey, Moya Hill, Katie Whelan, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.

Image source, Inpho

Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak has signed a new contract that runs until the summer of 2028.

Doak, 24, has established himself as a key player for Ulster after making his debut as a teenager in 2021.

He has played a key role in Ulster's impressive season under head coach Richie Murphy, and he has the most successful conversions in the United Rugby Championship, with 19, and is second for most kicking metres made.

Doak, whose father Neil also played for Ulster as a scrum-half, was called up to the Ireland squad for the summer tour and has been involved in two Ireland 'A' matches.

He was also part of the Emerging Ireland squad which toured South Africa in 2022.

Doak said that playing for Ulster "means everything" and discussions with Ulster's new general manager Rory Best played a key role in him committing his future to the province.

"I understand the responsibility and significance of wearing this shirt, it means everything to me," Doak said.

"From my discussions with Rory, he made it clear to me the direction in which he sees Ulster going and that is something I wanted to be a part of and believe we can reach.

"I want to help the team keep moving forward while also improving my own game, and I feel Ulster is the best place for me to do that."

Former Ireland and Ulster captain Best said he felt Doak's "best years are ahead of him" and he has the potential to play for Ireland.

"It's clear that Nathan's performances this season have been rightly praised, and we are aware of interest from other top clubs in signing him.

"Nathan has a lot of experience for someone who has just turned 24 years of age, and I know that Richie and the coaching staff have been impressed by his maturity and development."

Image source, Inpho

Former Ireland prop Lindsay Peat has told BBC Sport NI's Ireland Rugby Social podcast that she found the transition to playing rugby union difficult after previously excelling at other sports.

Peat only took up rugby at 35 years of age, having played for the Republic of Ireland under-18 football team, captained the Ireland women's national basketball team and played senior Ladies' Gaelic football for Dublin.

She was a member of the Dublin team that won the All-Ireland title in 2010 and scored two goals in the 2014 final.

Within months of taking up women's rugby, Peat was fast-tracked into the Ireland team by then coach Tom Tierney and made her international debut in November 2015 when she came on as a replacement in an 8-3 defeat by England in an autumn fixture. It was just the eighth game of rugby she had ever played.

She went on to play for Ireland in every Women's Six Nations from 2016 to 2021 and was part of the team which hosted the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup.

Peat won 38 caps before retiring from international duty when she was 41.

"It was such a regret that I didn't start rugby earlier but at the same time, before that, I had fabulous memories with basketball and GAA," explained Peat.

"Tom [Tierney] said he'd like to invite me to camp and it was after that first Six Nations, when I had not a clue what I was doing, that Tom said, 'I threw you in at the deep end there' and I was like, 'yeah, you did'.

"I was coming into a team that had won Grand Slams and been to a semi-final [of a World Cup against England], but it was them who motivated me.

"I had to make so many mistakes with egg on my face. It was tough but they had standards and I had come in and if I was going to take the jersey I understood that."

Peat now coaches at Railway Union Rugby Club and says she draws on her own experiences to help develop the young players she is helping to develop.

"I had to make mistakes to learn, it was tough learnings. I'm all for the arm round the shoulder but if we're not honest in our feedback then how do we have the growth mindset?

"I say to the girls, 'make mistakes, I'd rather you make a mistake trying rather than not make a mistake not trying at all because you're so scared'.

"The female game, no matter what sport we're talking about, women are getting exposed to a lot better coaching and early exposure at underage, so their skill set is through the roof."

Image source, Inpho

Ulster back row Juarno Augustus will be sidelined "for a number of weeks" because of the ankle ligament injury he sustained in the United Rugby Championship win over Connacht in Galway.

Augustus left the field midway through the second half of his team's 29-24 success at Dexcom Stadium and Ulster say the damage is "significant".

The former Northampton Saints number eight has initially been ruled out of Friday's URC match with Munster in Belfast.

"He's going to see someone about it on Friday," head coach Richie Murphy told BBC Sport NI.

"We're not sure exactly on the timeline, but yeah we won't be seeing him over the next couple of weeks. It gives him an opportunity then to retrain himself and get himself nice and fit and come back fighting bigger and stronger hopefully."

Meanwhile Ethan McIlroy's injury woe has continued as he faces a further spell out of action after picking up a rib injury in Ballynahinch's Senior Cup Final victory over Instonians.

Eric O'Sullivan (hamstring), Matthew Dalton (knee), Iain Henderson (back) and Rob Herring (knee) have all resumed team training and their availability for selection will be assessed through training this week.

"It's a big boost for the squad," Murphy added when asked about the return of experienced Ireland internationals Herring and Henderson.

"Their experience and work in the early part of the season was really valuable for us. I think if you look at the likes of Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine and even Izzy [Cormac Izuchukwu], some of these younger guys, having a guy like Hendy in there is really valuable for them."

Ulster sit fifth in the URC table, three points below second-placed Munster, so have the opportunity to leapfrog their Irish interprovincial rivals in the table with a win at Affidea Stadium.

Image source, Inpho

Ireland utility back Ciaran Frawley will join Connacht from Leinster in a two-year deal next summer, the provinces have confirmed.

Frawley has made over 100 appearances for Leinster since making his debut in February 2018, helping the club win five Pro12/United Rugby Championship titles.

The 28-year-old, who can play at fly-half, centre or full-back, has won nine Ireland caps and memorably nailed two late drop-goals to help seal a dramatic Test victory over South Africa in Durban in 2024.

"I'm really excited to have the opportunity to represent Connacht on and off the field from next season. On my visits to the province with Leinster I've always been struck by the passion of the supporters there, and the positive brand of rugby the team play."

He added: "I've loved my time at Leinster and I'm really appreciative for all the support from the fans, coaches and teammates over the last seven years.

"There's still a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to finishing the season strongly before the move to Galway in the summer."

Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster described Frawley's capture as a "real statement of intent".

"I know him well from my time in Leinster and I saw him grow from an academy prospect into a key member of the senior squad and play for Ireland also," said Lancaster.

"He's still only 28 so I firmly believe his best days are still ahead of him, and I'm delighted that the club have been able to secure a player of his calibre.

"He will be a big asset in the years ahead and personally I am really excited about working with him again."

Image source, Inpho

Ulster forward Cormac Izuchukwu says he is not getting ahead of himself with regards to potential Six Nations selection after making his first start in nearly three months.

Izuchukwu impressed on his return to the Ulster line-up for the first time since 11 October in Saturday's United Rugby Championship win over Connacht in Galway, winning the player of the match award.

The 25-year-old has started just three games in a season interrupted by injury and illness and he says he cannot afford to focus too much on Ireland selection having only just returned for his province.

"I've missed so many camps with injuries that I've learned that you can get down on yourself if you're planning two months out to go to a camp and then you get injured, it can be quite a tough thing to live with," said the Offaly-born lock, who has three Ireland caps.

"If I just focus on staying fit, playing each week and then if it comes it comes, I can enjoy it then, but I'm not trying to put it up on a pedestal where if it doesn't go my way, it'll be a massive loss for me."

Saturday's 29-24 victory over Connacht was Ulster's fifth in seven URC games this season.

"If these games are lost, it amps up the pressure in the backend of the season," he added.

"We had that last year. We were kind of struggling coming into the backend of the season and then the Edinburgh game [the final game last season], it kind of fell apart.

"That's the lesson we've learned - can we win these games to make it easier to play in the later part of the season."

Image source, Getty

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy says he was happy that his side "ground out" a 29-24 victory over Connacht in their United Rugby Championship interprovincial in Galway on Saturday but added that things got "a little too close for comfort" as a late surge saw the westerners move to within two points.

Ulster had to come from behind to claim a fifth bonus-point win of their URC campaign, scoring two tries in each half.

Zac Ward scored twice for the northern province, with a Werner Kok touchdown and penalty try also contributing to the win.

Connacht, who had led 10-0 in the first-half, scored late tries through Sean Jansen and Matthew Devine to cut the deficit to a couple of points, but Jack Murphy's late penalty made the game safe.

"It was a little disappointing [conceding two late tries] but you're always aware that you are in Connacht and Connacht are never going to give up without a fight," reflected Murphy.

"A lot of credit has to go to them for how they finished the game and at the end we're hanging on there.

"We'll look at how we get better in those final 20 minutes and really we just have to keep doing the things we were doing earlier in the half. We just kind of went into our shell a little bit. It's really important we keep going after the game."

The Ulster coach thought his side was deserving of their victory after some enterprising play.

"It was a cagey first 10 minutes or so, then Connacht got their try, but I thought we played some really good rugby in the second period of that first half when we started moving the ball and bringing some of our big outside backs into the game and they're a handful for any team.

"We started to move the ball into space and we were much more effective with ball in hand.

"We brought on two international standard props [Angus Bell and Tom O'Toole] at half-time. That's what we were thinking about, getting them involved early, try to sort out the scrum a little bit and also give us a little bit of carry power.

"Both of them were pretty effective and did quite well for us in that second half."

Back row Juarno Augustus was forced off the pitch through injury in the second half, with "an ankle sprain", with Murphy revealing that the initial impression post-match was that it was "not as serious as it first looked".

Ulster remain fifth in the URC table and host Munster in Belfast next week.

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster centre Stuart McCloskey believes the side have "still got loads to work on" despite a largely strong start to their season.

The northern province go into Saturday's United Rugby Championship (URC) game against Connacht at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (17:30 GMT) fifth in the table on 22 points having played a game fewer than those above them.

Even after surrendering a lead to Leinster last weekend, no side in the league has scored more than Ulster's 29 tries during the 2025-26 campaign.

"I think we probably know from the weekend where we are, I think we're close enough," said the Irish international.

"To give Leinster a good run on the weekend, we probably should have come on top if we'd done a few things differently in the second half.

"So, we know where we are. I think our attack has been brilliant, our defence has moved in the right direction."

It is all a marked improvement from last season when Ulster finished outside of the URC play-offs, as the fourth of the Irish provinces and failed to qualify for top-tier European competition for the first time in their history.

"Listen, it wasn't great last year," said McCloskey.

"It's nice to come in here saying we've scored the most tries in the league and we've still got loads to work on.

"I think there's so much growth in the team and we look back after most games and go, how much better we could have been?"

The Leinster loss last time out, in a game Ulster led by 10 points at half-time, came after losing a 14-point advantage during the final quarter against Cardiff in the Challenge Cup.

Heading to Galway off the back of their first back-to-back losses, McCloskey believes Ulster have to continue what they have done well to this point in the season rather than change approach for an interprovincial derby.

"I think we just want to go out and make sure we play the game we've been playing for the first eight games of the season this week and not try to do anything different just because it's Connacht."

Image source, Inpho

Leinster have named fit-again Andrew Porter and captain Caelan Doris in their starting team to face Munster in Saturday's United Rugby Championship interprovincial derby at Thomond Park (19:45 GMT).

Prop Porter is included in a Leinster starting XV for the first time since October after recovering from an arm injury.

Ireland internationals Robbie Henshaw, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ronan Kelleher, Joe McCarthy, Max Deegan and Josh van der Flier are among the other players drafted in by Leo Cullen, who makes 11 personnel changes in total.

Leinster began their series of Irish interpros by defeating Ulster 24-20 at the Aviva Stadium on Friday to make it four wins from seven outings in the competition so far.

Munster meanwhile make seven changes from the side that started Saturday's bonus-point win over Ospreys in Wales on Saturday, a result which saw them climb to second in the table.

Captain Tadhg Beirne, Thaakir Abrahams, Craig Casey, Michael Milne, Lee Barron, Edwin Edogbo and Tom Ahern all come into the starting XV.

There are two positional changes as Shane Daly moves to full-back and Jack O'Donoghue switches from blind-side to open-side flanker.

John Ryan is set to make his 250th appearance for Munster off the replacements' bench, becoming only the third player after Donncha O'Callaghan and Stephen Archer to hit the milestone for the province.

He is joined among the replacements by Diarmuid Barron and Dan Kelly who both return from injury.

Munster: Daly; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Abrahams; Crowley, Casey; Milne, Barron, Ala'alatoa; Edogbo, Ahern; Beirne, O'Donoghue, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Loughman, Ryan, Kleyn, Wycherley, Patterson, Kelly, Hodnett.

Leinster: Frawley; O'Brien, Ioane, Henshaw, Lowe; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Clarkson; McCarthy, Ryan; Deegan, van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: McKee, P McCarthy, Furlong, Mangan, Penny, Gunne, Tector, Osborne.

Image source, Inpho

Cormac Izuchuku is included in the Ulster starting line-up for the first time since October as the Irish province make six changes to the starting XV which took to the field for the 24-20 defeat by Leinster for Saturday's interprovincial against Connacht in Galway (17:30 GMT).

The second row has overcome injury and illness and this week committed his future to Ulster by agreeing a two-year contract extension.

Izuchukwu replaces Charlie Irvine in the second row for the Dexcom Stadium encounter and will partner Harry Sheridan, who will make his 50th appearance for the province.

Sam Crean and Scott Wilson come in at loose-head and tight-head prop respectively, with Tom Stewart retaining his position at hooker.

In the half-backs, scrum-half Conor McKee makes his first interprovincial derby start alongside fly-half Jack Murphy.

The two changes in the back division see Zac Ward start on the left wing and James Hume return to join Stuart McCloskey in the midfield after he missed out last week through illness.

In-form Werner Kok starts on the right wing after scoring two tries against Leinster, as Jacob Stockdale is retained at full-back.

David McCann, Nick Timoney and Juarno Augustus make up the back row.

The back-line replacements are Nathan Doak, Jake Flannery and Jude Postlethwaite, while the forward options on the bench are John Andrew, Angus Bell, Tom O'Toole, Joe Hopes and Bryn Ward.

Ulster go into the Christmas period in fifth position in the table after winning four and losing two of their URC matches to date.

Richie Murphy's side will complete a trio of Irish interprovincial derbies when they host Munster in Belfast on 2 January.

Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster will give academy wing Daniel Ryan his senior debut as the western province look to bounce back from a dispiriting defeat by Dragons last time out.

Prop Denis Buckley will become Connacht's second most capped player when he represents the side for the 270th time, behind only John Muldoon's 327 outings for the side.

Lock David O'Connor will start in the second row against his former side, while scrum-half Ben Murphy, will feature against an Ulster side coached by his father Richie and featuring his brother Jack.

Connacht: Gilbert; Ryan, Forde, Aki, Treacy; Carty, B Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham; Joyce, O'Connor; J Murphy, Prendergast, Jansen.

Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Duggan, Barrett, Murray, O'Brien, Devine, Ioane, Gavin.

Ulster: Stockdale; Kok, Hume, McCloskey, Z Ward; Crean, Stewart, Wilson; Sheridan, Izuchukwu; McCann, Timoney, Augustus.

Replacements: Andrew, Bell, O'Toole, Hopes, B Ward, Doak, Flannery, Postlethwaite.