Tag Archives: ulster

What a way to get over the calamity that was the Rugby World Cup in Japan by getting stuck back into one of the best tournament’s European sport has to offer.  The Heineken Champions Cup provided Irish rugby fans with the perfect cure for our World Cup hangovers as each province lit up the opening weekend en route to four …

An emotional Alby Mathewson admitted that he has “no plans in the pipeline” as he nervously awaits news on his future with Munster. Mathewson originally joined the province in 2018 on a short-term contract as injury cover for Conor Murray. However, he signed further contract extensions that saw him remain with the province until the end of the World Cup. …

While Japan may continue to hold the focus of rugby fans, there is plenty of action at home as all four provinces feature in the PRO14 this weekend. On Friday evening, Leinster welcome Ospreys to the RDS for their first home game of the season. Meanwhile, both Munster and Ulster are in action in South Africa as they take on …

Summer signings Jack McGrath, Sam Carter and Matt Faddes will all earn their first Ulster caps in Friday’s Guinness PRO14 opener versus Ospreys at Kingspan Stadium. Head coach Dan McFarland has named McGrath in the front row alongside captain Rob Herring and Tom O’Toole, with Carter partnering Kieran Treadwell in the second row. Matthew Rea, Jordi Murphy and Sean Reidy …

The full list of fixtures have been announced for this season’s Heineken Champions Cup with all four Irish provinces involved in the competition. Last year’s beaten finalists Leinster will fancy their chances in a pool containing Lyon, Benetton and Northampton and begin this year’s tournament against the Italian side on Saturday 16th of November at 15:15 in the RDS They …

Connacht duo Jack Carty and Colby Fainga’a are among seven Irish-based players in the PRO14 Dream Team of the Season 2019. The nod at fly-half caps off an impressive year for Carty after winning his first international cap against Italy during the Guinness Six Nations while he also became Connacht’s record point-scorer. In total, 11 clubs are represented in a …

Ulster have named their starting XV ahead of Friday’s PRO14 semi-final against Glasgow Warriors with Jacob Stockdale returning to the side after injury. The Irish international comes back into the XV and starts at fullback while Louis Ludik also returns on the wing for Dan McFarland’s side in the only two changes to the starting lineup. Darren Cave is named …

Six Irish players have been included in French publication Midi Olympique’s Champions Cup team of the tournament. Saracens were the victors in this season’s competition after they denied Leinster the chance to retain the crown beating them in Newcastle by 20-10 on Saturday. Despite finishing as runners up, Leo Cullen’s side managed three inclusions with Tadhg Furlong in at tighthead …

Ulster 21 Connacht 13 Ulster provided a fitting Kingspan Stadium farewell to Rory Best and Darren Cave as they secured a nervy win over Connacht to progress to the Guinness PRO14 semi-final against Glasgow. It was a typically tight affair between the inter-provincial rivals but Ulster were the deserved winners having taken many lessons from their defeats to Connacht earlier …

The final interprovincial derbies of the regular PRO14 season will take place this weekend with Munster welcoming Connacht to Thomond Park while reigning champions, Leinster, travel to Kingspan Stadium to face Ulster.  It is a must-win game for Johann van Graan’s side in Limerick if they are to have any hope of topping PRO14 Conference A and qualifying directly for the …

Ireland and Ulster captain, Rory Best, has confirmed that he will retire from rugby following the World Cup in October.  Best is Ulster’s most-capped international with 116 appearances (10 tries) and has helped Ireland win the Six Nations Championship on four occasions, including two Grand Slam successes (one as captain). He made his competitive debut for Ulster in 2004 and …

Captain, Rory Best, has praised Ulster’s signing of “world class” player, Jack McGrath who will join from Leinster at the end of the season.  The 29-year-old has won 54 caps for Ireland to date and featured in all three Tests on the 2017 British and Irish Lions Tour of New Zealand. Having fallen down the pecking order in Leinster, McGrath …

The IRFU have confirmed that Leinster prop Jack McGrath will be making the switch to Ulster from the start of the 2019/2020 season. McGrath has struggled for form and fitness this season and was left out of the squad for Leinster’s Champions Cup Quarter-Final against Ulster on Saturday – the team he will become a part of next season. The …

The EPCR have finalised the details for the upcoming Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals, that see three of the Irish provinces. Munster will travel to BT Murrayfield for the first of three quarter-finals on Saturday, March 30, following their hard-fought win over Exeter last weekend. Kick off there is 12.45pm and the game will be broadcast live on Channel 4, Virgin Media, BT …

Leinster’s bonus victory over Wasps in their Pool 1 game in Coventry has set up a home clash with Ulster as the Champions Cup quarter-final fixtures are finalised. The reigning champions’ win at the Ricoh Arena and Toulouse’s failure to secure a bonus point victory over Bath means that they will face inter-provincial rivals Ulster in what will be a …

Ulster came back from 13 points down to secure a Champions Cup quarter-final spot and keep their chances of grabbing top spot in Pool 4 alive thanks to a hard-fought 14-13 victory over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road It was a tight first 10 minutes at Welford Road as both sides matched each other, with Ulster looking for a victory …

Racing 92 winger, Simon Zebo, has opened up about how he dealt with racism as a child and the alleged abuse aimed at him during his side’s Champions Cup loss to Ulster last weekend.  The 28-year-old took to social media following the game at the Kingspan Stadium and hinted that he had received verbal abuse from certain supporters, which his …