United Rugby Championship

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s United Rugby Championship news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

URC fixtures open up with Welsh derby

31 July 2022 1 comment

The fixtures for the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship have been confirmed as the Scarlets and Ospreys meet on the opening weekend in a Welsh derby […]

Italians not playing ball with Warriors in Franco battle

31 July 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE BY NEIL FISSLER Wanted: Franco Smith Glasgow Warriors are battling to name Franco Smith as their new head after the Italian Rugby […]

Why Wales should let Reffell stay at Leicester

24 July 2022 1 comment

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW As a Welshman thriving in the English Premiership, Tommy Reffell knows that a time will come when […]

Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixture lists: Premiership sides set to head to South Africa

21 July 2022 0 comments

The round-by-round fixtures for the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup tournament have been announced. Teams were split into four tiers for […]

Wales Sevens call for Ospreys silver star Cross

17 July 2022 0 comments

Olympic silver medallist Sam Cross has been included in Wales Sevens’ 13-man squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. The Sevens will be staged at Coventry […]

Roberts calls it a day

17 July 2022 0 comments

Wales and British and Irish Lions centre Jamie Roberts has retired at the age of 35. Roberts won 94 Wales caps and played three Tests […]

Now Racing 92 turn attention to Lancaster

10 July 2022 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE In demand: Leinster coach Stuart Lancaster FORMER England coach Stuart Lancaster is on the radar of French giants Racing 92, who are […]

Welsh resurgence all about mindset

10 July 2022 0 comments

RUGBY MATTERS BRENDAN GALLAGHER My experience over many decades is that Welsh rugby is rarely in as bad a state as the doomsayers insist or, […]

Chief Kirsten relishing his return to Pretoria

3 July 2022 2 comments

■By PAUL REES When Jannes Kirsten left the Bulls five years ago, he never imagined he would be facing his former team in the Champions […]

We must protect this jewel in club rugby

3 July 2022 2 comments

NICK CAIN READ HIS EXPERT OPINION EVERY WEEK If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is common-sense wisdom that should apply to the European Cup. […]

‘New era’ dawns for re-named Dragons RFC

27 June 2022 4 comments

Newport-based Dragons are to rebrand as “Dragons RFC”, in a move to designed to build the identity of the club. Dragons, who finished second-from bottom […]

Four Irishmen join the South African all-stars

26 June 2022 2 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK THE Stormers lifted the inaugural United Rugby Championship as they saw off the Bulls 18-13 in an all-South African final. The champions […]

European sides need to rise to the SA challenge

26 June 2022 0 comments

BY NEIL DE KOCK If you had said after the first six weeks of the competition that the Stormers would be playing the Bulls in […]

Thompson hoping Scottish summer can re-ignite form after Warriors woes

22 June 2022 0 comments

Glasgow Warriors fly-half Ross Thompson is hoping that Scotland’s tour to South America can re-ignite his early season form, after a disappointing end to his […]

Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy comes out as gay

20 June 2022 25 comments

Leinster scrum-half Nick McCarthy has come out as gay in an interview with the club’s official website. Former Ireland U20 international McCarthy, has made 46 […]

All-South African final is a turn-off for Celtic fans

19 June 2022 0 comments

COLIN BOAG When the PRO14 organisers, desperately trying to breathe some life into things, decided to change its name to the United Rugby Championship, and […]

Stormers secure fightback victory

19 June 2022 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Stormers…………18pts Tries: Roos 45, Venter 57 Conversions: Libbok 46 Penalties: Libbok 43 Drop goals: Libbok 74 Bulls ………………13pts Tries: Vorster 3 Conversions: […]

Ulster and Ireland flyer misses New Zealand tour

14 June 2022 0 comments

Ulster winger Robert Baloucoune has been ruled out of Ireland’s tour of New Zealand through injury as Andy Farrell reveals his squad for their summer […]

Boks have raised the bar -Cullen

12 June 2022 2 comments

By JOHN FALLON Leinster …………26pts Tries: Sheehan 9, Henshaw 33, O’Loughlin 72, Healy 82 Conversions: Byrne 10, 33, Sexton 82 Bulls………………..27pts Tries: Grobbelaar 20, Coetzee […]

Omitted Conbeer can yet kick on, says Peel

12 June 2022 2 comments

NEWS EXTRA By STEFFAN THOMAS DWAYNE Peel believes inform Scarlets wing Ryan Conbeer was unlucky to miss out on Wales’ summer squad, but is confident […]

Glasgow Warriors sack head coach Danny Wilson

7 June 2022 0 comments

Glasgow Warriors have sacked head coach Danny Wilson in the wake of their 76-14 United Rugby Championship quarter-final defeat to Leinster. The hammering capped a […]

Van Graan’s time ends with five-try defeat in Ulster

5 June 2022 1 comment

By JOHN FALLON Ulster ………………….36 Munster ………………17 JOHANN van Graan said this was a bitterly disappointing way to end his four and a half years […]

Dreadful Warriors collapse in Dublin

5 June 2022 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Leinster …………76pts Tries: Sheehan 15, 39; Larmour 19, 64, McCarthy 29, Doris 43, Ala’atoa 49, Gibson-Park 54, Ringrose 56, Frawley 69, McGrath […]

Wales flanker Dan Lydiate signs Ospreys contract extension

25 May 2022 1 comment

Ospreys flanker Dan Lydiate has agreed a new deal to stay at the Welsh region for another season. The Wales flanker returned to action towards […]

Dragons hunt for new head coach

22 May 2022 2 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS THE DRAGONS are pondering a shake-up of their backroom team with a new head coach set to be appointed. TRP understands they […]

Luke’s late show is silver lining for the Ospreys

22 May 2022 0 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS Ospreys …………31pts Tries: J Morgan 38, L Morgan 57, 79, Parry 78 Conversions: Anscombe 38, 58, 78, 80 Penalties: Anscombe 33 Bulls […]

Stormers edge it but Peel hails his troops

22 May 2022 2 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS Scarlets ……….21pts Tries: J Williams 7, Conbeer 71 Conversions: Costelow 8 Penalties: Costelow 4, 17, 28 Stormers ……..26pts Tries: Zas 14, Roos […]

Out-of-puff Dragons fail to find home comfort

22 May 2022 0 comments

By DELME PARFITT Dragons …………..11pts Tries: Dyer 25 Penalties: Reed 37, 40 Lions ………………21pts Tries: Van der Merwe 34, Venter 45, Dreyer 53 Conversions: […]

George North surprised but ‘chuffed’ to get Wales call after long injury lay-off

19 May 2022 0 comments

George North says he was surprised by his Wales call-up after playing just two hours of rugby following a 12-month injury lay-off. The 30-year-old centre […]

Wales prop Rob Evans to swap Scarlets for Dragons

19 May 2022 1 comment

Wales prop Rob Evans will move to Dragons from Scarlets at the end of the season. The 30-year-old has made over 150 appearances at Scarlets […]

Newcastle Falcons sign Josh Thomas

19 May 2022 0 comments

Newcastle Falcons have signed Ospreys fly-half Josh Thomas for next season on a two-year contract. The 21-year-old can also play at full-back and has made […]

Scotland centre Huw Jones to rejoin Glasgow in the summer

18 May 2022 0 comments

Scotland centre Huw Jones will rejoin Glasgow at the end of the season. Last summer, the 28-year-old joined Harlequins from Glasgow but will return this […]

Cardiff scrape home in fiery Welsh derby

15 May 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Dragons…………..18pts Tries: Griffiths 39, Dixon 63 Conversions: S Davies 39 Penalties: Reed 24, 74 Cardiff …………….19pts Tries: Williams 31 Conversions: Priestland 31 […]

The Sharks strengthen with signing of powerful prop Carlu Sadie

12 May 2022 0 comments

Lately, the Sharks have been actively signing contracts. They announced on social media pages that Janse van Rensburg has joined them, and they have also […]

Welsh rugby ‘laughing stock’ and should reduce to three teams – says former WRU chief David Moffett

11 May 2022 0 comments

Former Welsh Rugby Union chief executive David Moffett feels that Wales‘ four professional teams should be replaced by three teams. Last week, a report into […]

Stephen Myler signs Ospreys contract extension to take him into his twentieth professional season

5 May 2022 0 comments

Ospreys fly-half Stephen Myler has signed a one-year contract extension at Ospreys. Myler was Head coach Toby Booth’s first player signing in 2020 and has […]

Angus O’Brien to return to Dragons

4 May 2022 1 comment

Scarlets back Angus O’Brien will return home to Dragons Rugby at the end of the season. Caerleon-born O’Brien came through the Dragons Academy system and […]

Sale Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg

Van Rensburg trades Sharks

4 May 2022 1 comment

Springbok centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg will be heading back to South Africa as he signs for URC side the Sharks. The 27-year-old, who has […]

Ospreys sign Exeter fly-half Jack Walsh

4 May 2022 0 comments

The Ospreys have completed a deal to sign talented fly-half Jack Walsh from Exeter Chiefs. America-born, the 22-year-old has penned a two-year contract with the […]

Good news for Wales as George roars back

1 May 2022 0 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS Ospreys …………54pts Tries: Smith 16, Morris 27, Lake 49, 54; Collins 59, Watkin 69, Parry 79 Conversions: Anscombe 18, 28, 47, 55, […]

Jonathan Davies signs new contract at Scarlets

28 April 2022 0 comments

Scarlets captain Jonathan Davies has signed a new contract with the URC side. The Wales and British and Irish Lions centre has made 180 appearances […]

Tyro back row Kendellen leads Munster charge

24 April 2022 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Ulster ………………….17 Munster …………….24 ACADEMY back rower Alex Kendellen led the way as Munster powered to their first win in Belfast in […]

250 up! AWJ gets it right this time

24 April 2022 1 comment

By ROB COLE Cardiff ………………6pts Tries: Priestland 28, 44 Ospreys …………22pts Tries: Lake 54, Webb 61, Parry 66 Conversions: Anscombe 55, Webb 61 Penalties: Anscombe […]

Lousi stars as Scarlets hit Dragons for six

24 April 2022 1 comment

By STEFFAN THOMAS Dragons…………..19pts Tries: Dixon 35, J Williams 50, Warren 61 Conversions: S Davies 35, 62 Scarlets …………38pts Tries: Lousi 12, O’Brien 15, 80; […]

Dragons announce signing of versatile New Zealand back Sio Tomkinson

21 April 2022 0 comments

Dragons have announced the signing of versatile New Zealand back Sio Tomkinson. Known for his hard-tackling and range of skills, Tomkinson will move to Wales […]

Ospreys prop Tom Botha signs two-year contract extension

21 April 2022 0 comments

Ospreys prop Tom Botha has signed a two-year contract extension at the region. The South African-born tighthead prop joined the Ospreys in 2018 and has […]

Keelan Giles signs contract extension at Ospreys

19 April 2022 1 comment

Ospreys winger Keelan Giles has signed a new two-year contract to stay with the club. The 24-year-old has made 58 Ospreys appearances and scored 20 […]

Dixon fires Dragons to Scarlets success

17 April 2022 0 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS Scarlets …………27pts Tries: Kalamafoni 26, Williams 40, Williams 54, Hardy 60 Conversions: Costelow 27, O’Brien 55, Penalties: Costelow 17 Dragons …………38pts Tries: […]

Rhodri Williams signs new contract at Dragons

14 April 2022 0 comments

Scrum-half Rhodri Williams has signed a new undisclosed contract to remain with Dragons. The former Llandovery and Scarlets player joined Dragons from Bristol Bears in […]

Rowntree takes the step up to head coach at Munster

12 April 2022 0 comments

Munster have promoted forwards coach Graham Rowntree to the role of head coach starting from next season. The former England prop will commence his new […]

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