Irish Rugby

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Winless Leinster have named five of their British and Irish Lions to start Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against the Sharks at Aviva Stadium (17:30 BST).

Forwards Josh van der Flier, Tadhg Furlong and Ronan Kelleher and backs James Lowe and Jamie Osborne all return to domestic action after featuring in the Lions' Australian tour over the summer.

Flanker Van der Flier captains Leinster for the first time, while Harry Byrne starts at fly-half with Ireland international Sam Prendergast not included in the matchday squad.

Former Ireland sevens player Joshua Kenny is poised to make his Leinster debut after being named on the bench.

The 22-year-old trained with the URC champions over the summer, featured in September's pre-season game against Cardiff and travelled with the squad to South Africa for the defeats by the Stormers and Bulls.

Leinster boss Leo Cullen makes eight changes from the 39-31 loss to the Bulls, with Fintan Gunne making his first start of the season at scrum-half.

Lowe and Osborne's returns mean Jimmy O'Brien shifts to the wing while Robbie Henshaw moves to outside centre to partner Ciaran Frawley.

The Sharks lost to Glasgow in their opener before a 17-17 draw with the Dragons last week.

Leinster: Jamie Osborne; Jimmy O'Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Ciaran Frawley, James Lowe; Harry Byrne, Fintan Gunne: Paddy McCarthy, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Brian Deeny, Ryan Baird, Alex Soroka, Josh van der Flier (capt), Max Deegan.

Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Diarmuid Mangan, James Culhane, Luke McGrath, Hugh Cooney, Joshua Kenny.

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Edwin Edogbo is set to make his first Munster appearance in nearly two years after being named in the matchday squad for Friday's United Rugby Championship game with Edinburgh in Cork (19:45 BST).

The 22-year-old lock has been sidelined since December 2023 with an Achilles injury, but has been included on the bench.

Head coach Clayton McMillan makes 10 changes from last week's win over Cardiff, with Tom Farrell, Calvin Nash, Andrew Smith and Michael Milne handed their seasonal debuts.

Diarmuid Barron, Mike Haley, Sean O'Brien, JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson and Jack O'Donoghue also come into the side.

Munster are still without captain Tadhg Beirne after his involvement in the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, while Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey will return from his thigh injury in "one to three weeks".

Munster are also without Shane Daly, Tom Ahern (both concussion), Niall Scannell (hand), Diarmuid Kilgallen (ankle), John Hodnett (cheek), Alex Kendellen (ankle) and Conor Bartley (thigh).

In-form fly-half Jack Crowley is rested.

The Irish province are targeting a third straight win after opening their campaign with wins over Scarlets and Cardiff.

Edinburgh lost to Zebre before their home game against Ulster last week was postponed because of Storm Amy.

The Scots have recalled Lions wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe, while Pierre Schoeman, D'arcy Rae and Sam Skinner come into the pack.

Dylan Richardson will make his Edinburgh debut in the back row after joining from the Sharks.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Sean O'Brien, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O'Donoghue, Ruadhan Quinn, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Dan Kelly.

Edinburgh: Wes Goosen; Darcy Graham, Piers O'Conor, James Lang, Duhan van der Merwe; Ben Healy, Ben Vellacott; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D'arcy Rae, Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner, Liam McConnell, Dylan Richardson, Magnus Bradbury (capt).

Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Boan Venter, Paul Hill, Glen Young, Freddy Douglas, Ben Muncaster, Charlie Shiel, Harry Paterson.

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Ulster wing Zac Ward insists he is "not really thinking about" a potential Ireland call-up as he prepares to face a Bulls side loaded with Springboks in Belfast on Saturday (19:45 BST).

Former Ireland Sevens star Ward started his first full season in the 15s code in style with a try in Ulster's opening United Rugby Championship win over the Dragons a fortnight ago.

The 26-year-old was a training panellist in Paul O'Connell's Ireland squad over the summer, and while returning head coach Andy Farrell names his autumn panel next week, Ward says he is not looking beyond the URC leaders' visit to Affidea Stadium.

"I'm just worried about this game this weekend," he told BBC Sport NI.

"I'm not really thinking about that. It's always a goal for every player, but I just want to try and cement my place in the starting 15 here and then see what happens after that."

Having initially joined Ulster on a trial basis after last year's autumn international window, Ward admits he endured a "baptism of fire" in his debut against Bordeaux in the Investec Champions Cup.

But with four tries in 10 appearances since then, he believes his confidence has "grown massively".

"That's definitely down to the coaching staff having belief in me and not putting too much pressure on me and the guys around me galvanising me," added the 2024 Olympian.

The Bulls, who have started the season with wins over Ospreys and Leinster, have included 13 South African internationals for their European tour that also includes fixtures against Connacht and Glasgow.

Ward may come up against Canan Moodie, who is fresh off winning the Rugby Championship with the Springboks, but the Ballynahinch man is confident Ulster can overcome last season's URC finalists if they execute their gameplan.

"South African teams are always going to be massively physical, we know that.

"We can't give them too much loose ball because they have some nippy guys out wide as well, but we're confident if we stick to our gameplan and do what we set out to do, we can put on a good show and a good performance for the crowd."

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI senior journalist

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The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has confirmed that Ireland's men's and women's players who join the breakaway R360 competition will be ineligible for international selection.

R360 - fronted by former England international Mike Tindall - plans to launch in October 2026 with lucrative contracts and a reduced fixture schedule for players.

Organisers for the tournament, which is seeking World Rugby ratification, claims to have agreements in place with close to 200 men's players, while they have reportedly targeted, external members of England's Women's Rugby World Cup-winning squad.

However, in a joint-statement issued on Tuesday, the national unions of Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, Scotland, France and Italy said the R360 model appears designed to "generate profits and return them to a very small elite".

It added that the rebel circuit has not met with unions to discuss its proposals.

"We all welcome new investment and innovation in rugby; and support ideas that can help the game evolve and reach new audiences; but any new competition must strengthen the sport as a whole, not fragment or weaken it," read the statement.

"Among our roles as national unions, we must take a wider view on new propositions and assess their impact on a range of areas, including whether they add to rugby's global ecosystem, for which we are all responsible, or whether they are a net negative to the game.

"R360 has given us no indication as to how it plans to manage player welfare; how players would fulfil their aspirations of representing their countries, and how the competition would coexist with the international and domestic calendars so painstakingly negotiated in recent years for both our men's and women's games.

"The R360 model, as outlined publicly, rather appears designed to generate profits and return them to a very small elite, potentially hollowing out the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development, and participation pathways."

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The statement added that "international rugby and our major competitions remain the financial and cultural engine that sustains every level of the game — from grassroots participation to elite performance".

"Undermining that ecosystem could be enormously harmful to the health of our sport," it continued.

"These are all issues that would have been much better discussed collaboratively, but those behind the proposed competition have not engaged with or met all unions to explain and better understand their business and operating model.

"Each of the national unions will therefore be advising men's and women's players that participation in R360 would make them ineligible for international selection."

In response to the statement, R360 said it wants to "work collaboratively as part of the global rugby calendar".

"So many players love what R360 can do for them and the game, and we can't wait to kick-off next year," it added.

"Player welfare is one of the key reasons for creating our global series, which will greatly reduce player load and capture the attention of a new generation of fans globally."

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Ulster are relishing the chance to take on a Bulls side loaded with South African internationals after parking the disappointment of an unexpected weekend off, says forwards coach Jimmy Duffy.

Having beaten Dragons in their United Rugby Championship opener, Ulster had hoped to maintain early-season momentum away to Edinburgh last weekend before Storm Amy forced the game's postponement hours before kick-off.

While Ulster will meet Edinburgh at a still-to-be-confirmed later date, focus has switched to Saturday's home encounter with the Bulls (19:45 BST), who have recalled 13 Springboks after opening their campaign with wins over Ospreys and Leinster.

"It certainly wasn't easy, to be honest," Duffy said of last week's postponement.

"We're trying to build momentum, we had a good pre-season, had a good game against the Dragons and it would have been nice to back it up with another game. Both Edinburgh and ourselves felt we'd prepared pretty well, we had two strong sides out.

"We're over the mental hurdle, once the disappointment of the game was parked, we got everyone home and refreshed ahead of another massive challenge this weekend."

Ulster are set to welcome back wing Robert Baloucoune and prop Eric O'Sullivan from injury, but backs Michael Lowry (abdominal strain) and Jacob Stockdale (foot) are doubts for Saturday's game at Affidea Stadium.

While the inclusion of frontline South Africa players such as Handre Pollard and Canan Moodie bolsters the Bulls ranks, last season's URC finalists are without former Ulster forward Marcell Coetzee because of concussion.

"Irrespective of what team they put out, they're going to be a handful," added Duffy.

"They've been finalists on a number of occasions. We must make sure we're mentally switched on. Physically you have to be there, but mentally you've got to be right up for the challenge."

Following the Bulls encounter, Ulster travel to South Africa to face the Sharks and Lions before the autumn break. Richie Murphy's side lost three of their four URC games against South Africa opposition last season, including a 47-21 loss to the Bulls in Pretoria.

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Ulster wing Robert Baloucoune has been passed fit and is available for selection for the province's United Rugby Championship encounter with the Bulls at the Affidea Stadium on Saturday (19:45 BST).

Baloucoune suffered an injury-ravaged 2024-25 campaign as he made just two appearances for Ulster.

He was ruled out of the opening URC match of the new season against the Dragons with an ankle injury but returned to action playing for Ballynahinch in an All-Ireland League game on Saturday.

Meanwhile Richie Murphy's side have received a further boost with the news that prop Eric O'Sullivan has also returned to training after a knee injury.

Backs Michael Lowry (abdominal strain) and Jacob Stockdale (foot) are injury concerns for Saturday's game in Belfast and their fitness will be monitored during the week.

Prop Callum Reid is expected to be available for the game away to the Sharks on 18 October after concussion.

Ben Moxham, Lorcan McLoughlin and Ethan McIlroy are expected to be sidelined until December, with James McNabney's anticipated return date from a knee injury as yet unknown.

Ulster defeated Dragons at home in their opening fixture while their scheduled second game of the season away to Edinburgh was postponed in light of Storm Amy.

The Bulls have started the season positively, securing home wins over the Ospreys and defending champions Leinster.

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Connacht winger Mack Hansen could make his return from the injury that wrecked his British and Irish Lions tour this weekend against Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship.

Hansen missed all three Lions Tests against Australia after injuring his foot in the 48-0 win over AUNZ Invitational a week before the series opener with the Wallabies in Brisbane.

In a squad update on Monday, Connacht confirmed that the 27-year-old Ireland star is available for selection against Cardiff on Saturday at Cardiff Arms Park (19:45 BST).

Back Harry West has also returned to full training. Fly-half Josh Ioane and winger Byron Ralston are also back in training but a decision on their availability will be made later in the week.

In less encouraging news, lock Niall Murray has undergone surgery on an ankle he injured in the win over Benetton while second row Oisin Dowling is expected to be sidelined until December after knee surgery.

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Ireland back Jamie Osborne has returned to training ahead of Leinster's United Rugby Championship game against the Sharks at Aviva Stadium on Saturday (17:30 BST).

Osborne did not feature in the URC holders' defeats by the Stormers and Bulls in South Africa over the past two weekends because of a minor hamstring issue.

The 23-year-old, who can play at full-back, in the centre or on the wing, started at 13 in Ireland's summer Test win over Georgia before being called up to the British and Irish Lions squad as injury cover for Blair Kinghorn, scoring two tries in his only appearance against First Nations & Pasifika XV.

Leinster have been without their Lions tourists during the 2025-26 season's first two weekends.

While some are expected to feature against the Sharks, Leo Cullen is still without Lions Joe McCarthy (foot) and Hugo Keenan (hip).

In the province's injury bulletin on Monday, there were also no further updates on Ireland captain Caelan Doris, Jordan Larmour or Cormac Foley.

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Connacht show nine changes for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Scarlets at Dexcom Stadium (13:45 BST).

Head coach Stuart Lancaster has welcomed back four Ireland internationals, but is still without his British and Irish Lions trio for the game against the Welsh club.

Cian Prendergast captains the side at flanker, with Jack Aungier named at prop with Darragh Murray in the second row, while Hugh Gavin is in line to make his bow for the season off the bench.

Denis Buckley starts at prop and Dave Heffernan at hooker in what is an all-new front row from last week's opening win in Galway.

Murray is joined by Joe Joyce at prop, with Paul Boyle moving to open-side flanker and Sean Jansen retaining his place at number eight.

There is a new partnership at half-back with Ben Murphy and Jack Carty selected, while David Hawkshaw gets the nod to start alongside Cathal Forde in the centre.

The back three remain the same with Sean Naughton at full-back and Chay Mullins and Shayne Bolton on the wings.

Connacht: Naughton; Mullins, Hawkshaw, Forde, Bolton; Carty, Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Aungier; Murray, Joyce; Prendergast (capt), Boyle, Jansen.

Replacements: de Buitléar, Duggan, Illo, O'Connor, O'Brien, Devine, Gavin, Treacy

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Leo Cullen has made seven changes to his Leinster team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld (17:30 BST).

The Leinster head coach is without Jordan Larmour who picked up a foot injury in last week's defeat to the Stormers with Andrew Osborne replacing him on the wing, with Tommy O'Brien retaining his place on the opposite flank and Jimmy O'Brien again starting at full-back.

Ciaran Frawley drops to the bench with Hugh Cooney selected at centre alongside Robbie Henshaw, while captain Luke McGrath and Sam Prendergast remain the half-back partnership.

In the front row, British and Irish Lion Thomas Clarkson makes his first start of the season with Paddy McCarthy who is set for his first Leinster start, with Gus McCarthy remaining as hooker.

Ryan Baird starts in the second row where he will partner Brian Deeny, while it's all change in the back row where Alex Soroka and Will Connors start on the flanks with Max Deegan at number eight.

Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Cooney, Henshaw, Osborne; Prendergast, McGrath (capt); P McCarthy, G McCarthy, Clarkson; Deeny, Baird; Soroka, Connors, Deegan.

Replacements: McKee, Boyle, Slimani, Mangan, Penny, Culhane, Gunne, Frawley

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Friday's planned United Rugby Championship (URC) fixture between Edinburgh and Ulster has been postponed due to adverse conditions.

The sides were due to meet at Hive Stadium with the initial kick-off time of 20:05 BST brought forward to 19:00 BST to avoid the worst of Storm Amy.

However, worsening conditions in Scotland has prompted the URC to postpone the game with forecast storm winds making it unsafe to move the game to another venue.

Edinburgh managing director Douglas Struth said: "We were set to welcome a capacity crowd for tonight's game.

"However, the safety of supporters, players, partners, and everyone associated with this weekend's fixture is of the utmost importance so, while disappointing, it is absolutely the right decision to postpone tonight's game considering the escalating weather reports overnight.

"This decision has not been taken lightly. We have worked closely with the URC, Scottish Rugby, the Met Office and local authorities to ensure it is the best-informed choice."

The URC said it will now consider available dates with broadcasters and both clubs to reschedule the game.

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Niall Scannell has been passed fit to lead Munster into their first home game of the United Rugby Championship season when they welcome Cardiff to Thomond Park on Saturday (19:45 BST).

The Munster captain passed a Head Injury Assessment to start at hooker in an unchanged front five, but JJ Hanrahan misses out and will follow return-to-play protocols after picking up a head knock in last week's bonus-point win at Scarlets.

Jack Crowley comes into the side at fly-half as head coach Clayton McMillan has been forced into six changes from their opening win in Wales.

Craig Casey and Alex Kendellen are ruled out through injury with Paddy Patterson replacing Casey at scrum-half, while Ruadhán Quinn is Kendellen's replacement at open-side flanker.

It is all change in the back row with Tom Ahern in for Jack O'Donoghue at blind-side, while Gavin Coombes starts in place of Brian Gleeson at number eight.

Ben O'Connor starts at full back due to a thigh injury picked up by Mike Haley.

Munster: O'Connor; Daly, Kelly, Nankivell, Abrahams; Crowley, Coughlan; Loughman, Scannell (Capt), Jager; Kleyn, Wycherley; Ahern, Quinn, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Foxe, O'Donoghue, Gleeson, Patterson, Butler, O'Brien.

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Werner Kok will make his first appearance of the season with Jacob Stockdale missing through injury for Ulster's trip to face Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship on Friday.

Stockdale picked up a foot injury during last week's 42-21 win against the Dragons in Belfast and has not recovered in time for the game which now has an earlier kick-off time of 19:00 BST due to the expected arrival of Storm Amy.

Kok will start on the right win with Zac Ward filling in for Stockdale on the opposite flank following his try-scoring performance against the Welsh club last week.

Michael Lowry also misses out this week with a hip injury as Stewart Moore takes his pace at full-back.

In total, head coach Richie Murphy makes four changes from the side that began last week as Tom Stewart gets the nod at hooker, with Callum Reid and Tom O'Toole either side of him in the front row.

Sean Reffell has been handed his first start of the season at open-side flanker, joining try-scorers from last week Cormac Izuchukwu and Nick Timoney in the back row.

The team is captained by Iain Henderson who partners Harry Sheridan in the second row.

Murphy has opted to retain the half-back partnership of Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy, while Stuart McCloskey and James Hume are again preferred as centres.

Jude Postlethwaite is one of three backs named among the replacements, joined by Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, while Rob Herring, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, David McCann and Juarno Augustus provide the forwards cover.

Ulster: Moore; Kok, Hume, McCloskey, Ward; Murphy, Doak; Reid, Stewart, O'Toole; Henderson (capt), Sheridan; Izuchukwu, Reffell, Timoney.

Replacements: Herring, Crean, Wilson, McCann, Augustus, McKee, Flannery, Postlethwaite

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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy says that any of his players who have aspirations to play for Ireland should focus on their club form, and that will lead to international opportunities.

Ireland face New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Australia in four autumn internationals in November.

There were only three Ulster players named in Simon Easterby's initial Six Nations squad in February, compared to 23 from Leinster and five each from Munster and Connacht.

That was reflective of Ulster's poor season, in which they would go on to finish in 14th place in the United Rugby Championship.

"It's off the back of performances. If our boys want to play for Ireland they have to take that white shirt and play really well," Murphy told BBC Sport NI about those who are aiming for Ireland selection in the autumn.

"That's the message that we're driving within our group, don't be looking for something else. Look at us and make us play really well.

"People will recognise that and you will get acknowledgement off the back of that.

"To get into a green jersey, the vehicle is a successful Ulster team and the more successful we are, then the more numbers we get into that squad."

After a disappointing last season, Ulster opened their United Rugby Championship campaign with a 42-21 win over Dragons in Belfast.

Murphy said scoring six tries was a "good return" but knows his side can improve in Friday's second game in Edinburgh, who claimed a 47-17 win over Ulster in May.

"Six tries in any game is a good return. When we looked at it we could see loads of other opportunities where we can get better.

"That's the way we are trying to approach it this year. We were happy to get the win and getting five points from our first game was massive, but how can we improve and get better?

"We see different things in our game that we weren't overly happy with, but we'll try and rectify them in training and bring that into the game."

Murphy also said there were injury concerns over backs Jacob Stockdale and Mike Lowry, who picked up knocks in the win over the Dragons and would be assessed later in the week.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

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Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak says the side want to give Edinburgh a "right performance" on Friday night after their heavy defeat at the Hive Stadium last season.

The northern province were beaten 47-17 by their United Rugby Championship rivals in May to bring their disappointing 2024-25 campaign to a bruising close.

Richie Murphy's side began the new season in better shape with a six-try win over Dragons at home on Friday but Doak said attention quickly turned to the trip to the Scottish capital.

"Edinburgh are a very different side. What they did to us last year, we haven't forgotten that either," he said.

"That was said in the changing room after the game there, so we'll all be dusting ourselves down.

"We want to go over there and we want to give them a right performance and we'll take it to them."

Doak started the season opener against Dragons and was impressive with the boot as he went five-from-five off the tee in the 42-21 win.

After John Cooney departed for Brive in the summer, the 23-year-old will be expected to be Ulster's first-choice in the number nine jersey this season but says he is expecting competition from the likes of David Shanahan and Conor McKee.

"We all want to push each other, even with John gone," he added.

"John set a really good precedent of trying to get the best out of ourselves at scrum-half. That's definitely stayed on, even though he's left.

"Nothing's changed in that department. We're all pushing each other to try and make each other better."