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.
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Club Rugby
/ 1 week agoWRU: It’s either Ospreys or Scarlets
Scarlets insist they remain committed to being “at the heart of west Wales” after the WRU confirmed either they or Ospreys...
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Club Rugby
/ 1 week agoGareth Anscombe says competition will bring the best out of Scarlets
Gareth Anscombe says he still has “a huge desire to compete”, while Nigel Davies explains the mentality Scarlets want to build.
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Club Rugby
/ 1 week agoURC Ins and Outs – Cardiff leading the Welsh challenge
Ben Jaycock looks ahead to the URC season with Jarrod Evans returning to the Blue and Blacks as Corniel van Zyl...
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Club Rugby
/ 1 week agoJoe Schmidt signs up for new Ulster role after Australia head coach exit
The former Ireland boss will help shape the next generation of coaches at Ulster, with his arrival offering the province a...
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Club Rugby
/ 1 week agoYatte Minahare! James Lowe excited for Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath move following Leinster exit
James Lowe says he is excited to begin a “new chapter” in Japan after joining Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath.
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Club Rugby
/ 3 weeks agoNigel Davies: Tom Allen is hungry to improve at Scarlets
Scarlets have bolstered their pack with the signing of New Zealand lock Tom Allen from Super Rugby Pacific champions the Hurricanes.
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeo Cullen’s Leinster legacy ‘unmatchable’ as end of era approaches
Chris Collyer on Leo Cullen’s unmatchable Leinster legacy as the Champions Cup-winning coach prepares to depart after a trophy-laden reign.
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeinster 36-7 Bulls: Sam Prendergast stars as the Dubliners retain their URC crown
Sam Prendergast shone as Leinster retained their URC crown in emphatic fashion with a dominant victory over the Bulls at Croke...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeinster vs Bulls preview: Evenly poised matchup takes Grand Final stage
Once again, the home of the GAA opens its doors to the Grand Final of the United Rugby Championship as the...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeinster vs Bulls: James Lowe leaves with parting tribute to club
James Lowe aims to sign off in style by helping Leinster defend their URC crown before he departs after nine years...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeinster vs Bulls: Handre Pollard – It’ll be all right on the night this time from the tee
Handre Pollard admits he was ‘terrible’ off the tee against Glasgow Warriors last weekend but backs himself to respond in Friday’s...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoIreland wing James Lowe departs Leinster without “fairytale ending” in emotional farewell
James Lowe reflected his time with Leinster and Ireland in an emotional farewell as he prepares for a new chapter in...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoSouth Africa star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu picked as best in the URC
Stormers fly-half Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been crowned the URC’s players’ player of the season in a poll of the captains and...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeinster 20-11 Stormers: Tempers flare as Leo Cullen’s side battle to get over the line
Leinster booked their place in a second successive United Rugby Championship final after edging out the Stormers in a tense, fiery...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoGlasgow Warriors 21-22 Bulls: Warriors are broken by Bulls fightback
The Bulls produced a stirring comeback to stun Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield and book their place in a fourth United Rugby...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoNew Rugby Paper Roundup: Play off chaos! Exeter Chiefs v Saracens Prem shootout + URC semi finals
In this week’s episode of The Rugby Paper Roundup, Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock is joined by TRP writer Chris Collyer to...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoStormers 44-21 Cardiff: South African giants too good for brave Blue & Blacks
Cardiff were left “gutted” as their historic season came to an end despite a brave effort in this URC quarter-final clash...
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Club Rugby
/ 2 months agoLeinster 59-10 Lions: Leo Cullen’s side get straight back to winning ways
Defending champions Leinster bounced back from their Champions Cup final thrashing by Bordeaux with a comfortable win in Dublin over Lions.
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United Rugby Championship
/ 2 months agoBulls book semi-final spot as Munster fade
■By SIMON CASEY MUNSTER’S title challenge came to a bruising end as last season’s finalists Bulls powered to victory in Pretoria....
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United Rugby Championship
/ 2 months agoSteyn grabs try double as Warriors march on
■By SAM JACKSON GLASGOW booked their place in the semi-finals after holding off a spirited Connacht at Scotstoun with Kyke Steyn...
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Champions Cup
/ 3 months agoLeinster’s focus turns to the URC after Champions Cup heartbreak
Despite being significantly higher in the attack statistics Leinster once again came out on the wrong side of the Champions Cup...
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Club Rugby
/ 3 months agoCardiff flanker Dan Thomas insists 6,000-mile trip won’t bother the Welsh side
The URC reaches knock-out phase next weekend with Cardiff facing the journey to Cape Town to take on the Stormers.
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Challenge Cup
/ 3 months agoSouth African Rugby Union could withdraw its sides from Europe
South African Rugby will hold a strategic planning session with its member unions and directors of rugby to review the current...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoCardiff 22-16 Stormers: Cardiff forwards muscle up to seal play-off spot
Cardiff saved their best for their last home game by qualifying for the URC play-offs for the first time in a...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoMunster 24-17 Lions: Munster’s hard-fought victory secures play-off spot
■By HOLLY DAISY Munster secured their place in the play-offs with a hard-fought victory at Thomond Park despite spending six first-half...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoBulls 45- Benetton: Bulls power pack proves the difference
By SAM JACKSON The Bulls produced a powerful second-half display to strengthen their URC play-off position. Despite the scoreline, it wasn’t...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoUlster 22-26 Glasgow: Glasgow finish top of the table as Ulster bow out
Glasgow secured top spot in the table after a pulsating encounter in Belfast which left Ulster sweating on their playoff fate
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Club Rugby
/ 3 months agoScarlets 35-35 Dragons: Thrilling derby day finale ends all square
Joe Hawkins missed a penalty from halfway in the final minute to prevent Scarlets from winning a game against all the...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoEdinburgh 5-26 Connacht: Connacht grab bonus to keep season alive
Connacht booked their place in the play-offs with an impressive victory at Hive Stadium which lifts them into sixth place while...
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Club Rugby
/ 3 months agoLeinster 68-14 Ospreys: Leo Cullen’s side get set for Euro final with 10-try rout
Leinster warmed up for the Champions Cup final with a 10-try romp to finish second in the URC and book home...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoSiya signs off with double for Sharks
■By SAMANTHA EMMA S Hurley-Langton - Connacht Sharks ........... 54 Zebre ...............19 THE Sharks ran in eight tries as they overwhelmed...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoFit-again Van der Merwe is quickly back in his old routine
■By GEORGE LAWRENCE Dragons .............15pts Tries: Lewis 28, Keddie 45 Conversion: O’Brien 29 Penalty: O’Brien 7 Edinburgh ........ 24pts Tries: Ashman...
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Club Rugby
/ 3 months agoOspreys 27-20 Scarlets: Jac Morgan takes his leave in fine style
Jac Morgan marked his final home appearance for the Ospreys with a late match-winning try against Scarlets as they secured the...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoRampant Warriors in command at the top
■By BEN JAYCOCK Glasgow ............40pts Tries: Dempsey 19, Steyn 24, Matthews 32, 54; Schickerling 65, Rowe 74 Conversions: Horne 20, 26,...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoSharks ……….46 Benetton …….. 7
JURENZO Julius scored a hat-trick of tries as part of a ruthless Sharks display which ensured Benetton were hammered at Kings...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoBulls …………..56 Zebre …………. 19
JOHAN Ackermann’s Bulls ran in eight tries in the Loftus sun to push their play-off claims with Willie le Roux pulling...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoOsborne sparks Leinster charge
nBy JAMES STEPHENS Leinster ...........31 Lions................... 7 LEINSTER strengthened their push for a top-two finish with a bonus-point victory over at...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoKok hat-trick has Ulster in the fight
nBy SAM JACKSON Ulster ...............38 Stormers..........38 STORMERS fought back for a share of the spoils at Kingspan in a match defined...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 3 months agoConnacht cash in on Barron’s red
nBy DAVID LYONS Connacht ........26 Munster............. 7 CONNACHT dominated the first half at Dexcom Stadium, taking a commanding 19-0 lead into...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoDavid Richards is in the right place to steal the Challenge Cup for Dragons
Zebre:18pts Tries: Di Bartolomeo 43, Locatelli 71 Conversion: Da Re 71 Penalties: Da Re 14, 53 Dragons: 19pts Tries: Rosser 24,...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoHandre Pollard keeps his nerve to sneak past Scarlets securing Bulls a home quarter-final
By Roger Panting Handre Pollard’s immaculate goal-kicking prevented Scarlets from taking a notable scalp as his 18-point haul proved just enough...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoLeinster fall to Jacob Umaga strike in fight for Champions Cup semi-final spot
Leinster: 26 Benetton: 29 By Peter Clarke Leinster went down to a late Jacob Umaga penalty but will be pleased their...
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Club Rugby
/ 4 months agoCardiff 24-21 Ospreys: Blue and Blacks’ play-off chances boosted
Cardiff beat Ospreys at the Arms Park for the first time since 2007 to keep their hopes of an end-of-season play-off...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoEdinburgh coach Sean Everitt proud of effort in clash against Sale Sharks
Edinburgh: 33 Sharks: 28 Edinburgh produced a spirited comeback to end the Sharks’ hopes of reaching the play-offs. For Edinburgh, already...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoJosh Hodnett sparks Munster into life with 41-14 victory over Ulster
Munster: 41 Ulster: 14 By Alex Woods Josh Hodnett and Alex Kendellen combined to score seven tries as Munster boosted their...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoThere’s no need to panic – Steyn
Stormers ....... 48 Glasgow ..........12 By MAX GLASGOW crashed to a second heavy defeat in South Africa but captain Kyle Steyn...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoConnacht lose winning feeling
■By PAUL MATTHEWS Lions ................33 Connacht ........21 LIONS boosted their hopes of making the play-offs with a five tries to three...
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Club Rugby
/ 4 months agoSam Prendergast makes his Leinster fly-half case harder to ignore after MOTM display against Ulster
In Irish rugby, no role comes with more pressure and criticism than the role of the fly-half.
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoBulls turn on the power to halt Dragons momentum
■By ROGER PANTING Dragons ..............7pts Try: Inisi 22 Conversion: Evans 22 Bulls ................. 47pts Tries: Papier 10, Grobbelaar 37, Coetze 43,...
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United Rugby Championship
/ 4 months agoOspreys hold their nerve to keep the pressure up
■By JOHN CLEMENCE Ospreys .............21pts Tries: Edwards 11, J Morgan 33, Phillips 55 Conversions: Edwards 12, 33, 55 Sharks ...............17pts Tries:...
International Rugby
George Kruis backs Courtney Lawes for England’s 2027 World Cup push
International Rugby
Jonathan Davies: England should pair up Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade at centre
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