Irish Rugby

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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy felt his side's opening performance of the United Rugby Championship season was "as you'd expect but probably not as you would like" after a 42-21 win over Dragons on Friday.

The northern province shipped three tries in the win and, despite scoring six of their own, occasionally undermined promising attacking play with errors or breakdown penalties.

Murphy said his side "looked shaky" after conceding just 12 seconds into the game through a score he felt should have been chalked off but was "delighted" to start the campaign with five points in Belfast.

"I thought at times we played some really good rugby [but] probably didn't finish enough. So plenty to work on there and defensively I thought we looked better at times, but disappointed to concede three tries," he said.

"It was kind of as you'd expect, but probably not as you would like. We go, we prepare, we come up with these plans in relation to how we're going to break down the opposition, and you can see a lot of them going right, but then there's one or two that just go wrong and that's always going to happen.

"It's just how you deal with that and how you move on."

With only one pre-season contest under their belts, Murphy felt his side "looked a little tired" in the second half but said the run-out will be "massive" moving forward as they prepare for next week's visit to Edinburgh where they were beaten 47-17 to end their disappointing 2024-25 season.

"We came here looking for five points. We started with a really positive win," he added.

"We go to Edinburgh next week and we have a point to prove over there."

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Stuart Lancaster has named his first Connacht side in the United Rugby Championship (URC) as they get ready to host Benetton Rugby at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (19:45 BST).

Lancaster is without his British and Irish Lions for the opening rounds, while summer signing Sam Gilbert is also not involved in the 23.

Academy back Sean Naughton has been handed his first start in what will also be his first taste of URC action, while Fiachna Barrett is in line to join the Galway man off the bench.

Naughton is named at full-back with Chay Mullins and Irish international Shayne Bolton on the wings, while Cathal Forde and Byron Ralston will start as the centre partnership.

The half-back partnership will see experienced scrum-half Caolan Blade joined by out-half Josh Ione.

Paul Boyle will captain the side on his 117th appearance at blind-side flanker in a back row that also features Shamus Hurley-Langton and number eight Sean Jansen.

In the front row, Dylan Tierney-Martin will start as hooker, joined on either side by props Peter Dooley and Sam Illo, while Niall Murray and Josh Murphy are named in the second row.

Connacht: Naughton; Mullins, Ralston, Forde, Bolton; Ioane, Blade; Dooley, Tierney-Martin, Illo; Murray, Murphy; Boyle (capt), Hurley-Langton (56), Jansen (26)

Replacements: Heffernan, Duggan, Barrett, O'Connor, Joyce, Murphy, Carty, Prendergast

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Ins: Reiko Ioane (Blues)

Outs: Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes), Cian Healy (retired), Ross Byrne, Rob Russell (both Gloucester)

Last season: Champions

First five games: Stormers (A), Bulls (A), Sharks (H), Munster (H), Zebre (H)

Prospects: A three-season gap without a trophy constitutes a silverware drought for a side like Leinster with Leo Cullen's men ending that unwelcome streak with victory over Glasgow in URC final in June.

Defeat by Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup semi-finals, however, again gave the impression that the prize they most desired had proved elusive.

Despite the conclusion of Jordie Barrett's short-term deal, Leinster have been able to replace like for like by bringing in his All Black colleague Reiko Ioane in what was one of the most talked about signings in recent Irish rugby history - a penny for Johnny Sexton's thoughts, anyone?

Cian Healy, the side's most capped player of all time, has retired while another hugely reliable performer, Ross Byrne has departed too.

But perhaps the toll of the British and Irish Lions series is the biggest unknown going into Leinster's season. Twelve of their number were in the original touring panel before Jamie Osborne and Tom Clarkson were added as injury cover later on.

Leinster will be favourites to be crowned champions once again but, with Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan and Joe McCarthy all to miss the start of the season through injury, how will those exertions down under impact their players across another long season for club and country?

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Ins: Juarno Agustus (Northampton Saints), Angus Bell (Waratahs)

Outs: John Cooney (Brive), Kieran Treadwell (Harlequins), Alan O'Connor (retired) Andy Warwick

Last season: 14th

First five games: Dragons (H), Edinburgh (A), Bulls (H), Sharks (A), Lions (A)

Prospects: The 2024-25 campaign is not one that will live long in the memory at Ulster.

The northern province were the lowest finisher among the provinces with only Zebre and Dragons below them in the standings at the end of an injury-riddled season.

That means that this time around Ulster will not play for Champions Cup rugby for the first time in the history of Europe's premier competition.

The top-eight finish required to once again dine at the top table in 2026-27 must surely be the goal this time around.

In signing number eight Juarno Augustus from Northampton, there figures to be some added ballast to the carrying game. The side's other high-profile recruit, loose-head Angus Bell, will arrive only after Australia's November campaign but is no slouch in that department either.

The arrival of Mark Sexton as attack coach, with Willie Faloon now in permanent charge of the defence, means Richie Murphy is now surrounded by his own ticket, and improvement will be expected in what is his second full season in charge.

Luckless with injuries last time around, imperative to their hopes, however, will be key players spending more time on the pitch than the treatment table.

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Luke McGrath will captain Leinster in Friday's United Rugby Championship title defence opener against the Stormers in Cape Town (18:00 BST).

Experienced scrum-half McGrath leads Leinster in the absence of skipper Caelan Doris, who is still recovering from shoulder surgery.

Ireland international Sam Prendergast starts at fly-half, while Robbie Henshaw partners Ciaran Frawley at centre after missing Ireland's summer games through injury.

With Hugo Keenan out injured, Jimmy O'Brien starts at full-back, with Tommy O'Brien - who scored two tries on his Ireland debut over the summer - and Jordan Larmour on the wings.

Ireland internationals Jack Boyle and Gus McCarthy join France prop Rabah Slimani in the front row, with Diarmuid Mangan and Brian Deeny behind.

Ryan Baird, Scott Penny and James Culhane make up the back row, while academy prop Andrew Sparrow is set to make his debut off the bench.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is without his British and Irish Lions contingent.

The Irish province are hoping to win their 10th title this season after reclaiming the trophy for the first time since 2021 last season.

Leinster beat the Stormers 36-12 when the sides met in Dublin in January, their last visit to DHL Stadium resulted in a 42-12 loss in April 2024.

Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Henshaw, Frawley, Larmour; Prendergast, McGrath (capt); Boyle, McCarthy, Slimani, Mangan, Deeny, Baird, Penny, Culhane.

Replacements: McKee, P McCarthy, Sparrow, Deegan, Connors, Gunne, Byrne, Cooney.

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New Ulster signing Juarno Augustus is set to make his debut off the bench in Friday's United Rugby Championship opener against the Dragons in Belfast (20:05 BST).

South African number eight Augustus joined the club after helping Northampton Saints reach last season's Investec Champions Cup final.

With Augustus on the bench, David McCann starts in the back row alongside Cormac Izuchukwu and Nick Timoney.

In a strong starting line-up boasting nine Ireland internationals, James Hume wins his 100th cap in midfield alongside Stuart McCloskey.

Jacob Stockdale, who injured his shoulder during Ireland's Test win over Georgia in July, starts on the left wing with Zac Ward on the right.

Mike Lowry starts at full-back while Jack Murphy and Nathan Doak are paired in the half-backs.

Callum Reid, Rob Herring and Tom O'Toole start in an experienced front row boasting 407 appearances, with captain Iain Henderson joined in the second row by Harry Sheridan.

In addition to Augustus, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton and Sam Crean - who joined Ulster in the summer after a loan spell last season - provide forwards cover on the bench.

Conor McKee, Jake Flannery and Ben Carson are the backline replacements.

Ulster: Lowry; Ward, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale; Murphy, Doak; Reid, Herring, O'Toole, Henderson (capt), Sheridan, Izuchukwu, Timoney, McCann.

Replacements: Stewart, Crean, Wilson, Dalton, Augustus, McKee, Flannery, Carson.

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Head coach Richie Murphy has called on Ulster to turn the Affidea Stadium "back into a fortress" as they prepare to host the Dragons in Friday's United Rugby Championship opener (20:05 BST).

Ulster suffered five home defeats in the URC and Champions Cup last season, including April's reverse to the Sharks - their last competitive outing at home - in which they squandered a 19-0 lead to lose 22-19.

And coming off the back of a difficult 2024-25 campaign, Murphy wants his side to lay down a marker when they welcome the Dragons to Belfast.

"We're at home so one of the things we want to do is turn the Affidea Stadium back into a fortress," said Murphy, who is going into his second full season at the helm.

"Some teams came here and took points too easy last season and that is not something we want to make a habit.

"[The] guys are hungry and very focused, there is a good plan in place and we want to give our fans something to cheer about on Friday night."

While Ulster are without seven injured players for the Dragons game, new signing Juarno Augustus is in line to make his debut after recovering from the back injury that prevented him from featuring for Northampton Saints in last season's Investec Champions Cup final.

Murphy says the South African number eight has been in "full training in the last couple of weeks".

"[He's a] big strong ball carrier, fast and aggressive running style," he added.

"[He] should give us a real focal point in our attack. He has fitted in really well and he's an absolute gent."

Ulster finished 14th in last season's URC to miss out on the Champions Cup, while the Dragons finished bottom of the 16-team league after managing just one win in 18 games.

However, Murphy is not underestimating the Welsh outfit after being impressed by their 14-player recruitment drive over the summer.

"They are going to be a better team than what they probably were and what people give them credit for," said Murphy.

"They won their two pre-season games, beating a strong Scarlets team at home in their last game so it's going to be a tough task."

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Ulster will be without seven injured players for Friday's United Rugby Championship season opener against the Dragons in Belfast (20:05 BST).

In a squad update issued on Wednesday, the club confirmed that Eric O'Sullivan, Ethan McIlroy, Ben Moxham and James McNabney are all unavailable because of knee injuries.

Robert Baloucoune (ankle), Lorcan McLoughlin (elbow) and David Shanahan (calf) are also ruled out.

South African number eight Juarno Augustus is in line to make his debut at Affidea Stadium after joining from Northampton Saints over the summer.

Tight-head prop Rory McGuire could also make his bow after arriving from Leinster.

Ulster have won their past eight games against the Dragons stretching back to a 32-32 draw in December 2017, while they have not lost to the Welsh side at home since 2008.

Both sides are coming off disappointing 2024-25 campaigns. Ulster finished 14th while the Dragons finished bottom of the 16-team league with just one win from 18 games.

Ulster won 34-30 when the sides met at Rodney Parade in March.

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Full-back Hugo Keenan will miss Ireland's November schedule after having hip surgery following the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia.

Keenan, 29, scored the winning try in the second Test that clinched a series victory for Andy Farrell's men over the Wallabies this summer.

The Leinster player had, however, travelled with a pre-existing hip issue and will now miss his side's start to the United Rugby Championship (URC) season, as well as Ireland's November Tests against New Zealand, Japan, Australia and South Africa.

Keenan's injury is not the only absence Leinster will be dealing with in the early part of the season.

Lock Joe McCarthy is also a doubt for Ireland's autumn fixtures because of the foot problem he sustained on that summer tour down under.

Number eight Caelan Doris, who missed the Lions series with a shoulder injury suffered against Northampton Saints in May's Champions Cup semi-final, is expected to return before Christmas.

The remainder of Leinster's Lions contingent returned to training last week.

Leo Cullen's side start their URC title defence against the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday, 26 September.

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Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber has signed a contract extension to remain at the province until the end of the 2026-27 campaign.

The 52-year-old joined Leinster in 2023 after guiding South Africa to back-to-back World Cup wins.

He joins attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal and scrum specialist Robin McBryde - a former Wales hooker and forwards coach - in signing new deals to remain with the URC champions.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen told the club's website: "I think we can all appreciate the work that Robin, Jacques and Tyler have done but also the mark that they have left and are leaving on Leinster in their time here.

"They have all brought tonnes of relevant experience and a different perspective to how we do things, and I think that's hugely important for the development of our group, that we hear other voices and other ways of operating.

"It's not just around the senior team as well, you see it with our academy players and the work that they do visiting the clubs and the schools and giving freely of their time. I'm delighted to have them all on board again."

Nienaber's previous contract tied him to Leinster only until 2026.

Leinster also confirmed their former out-half Emmet Farrell has been appointed to a new role of provincial kicking coach but will remain as kicking coach for the senior side.

Brian Colclough has taken over Farrell's former position as lead performance analyst for Cullen's side.

Leinster begin the defence of their URC title away to the Stormers on 26 September.