Connacht - News, interviews, reports, analysis and opinion

United Rugby Championship

/ 14 hours ago

Connacht swerve TMO’s error

■By SAM JACKSON Zebre ..................15pts Connacht ..........31pts Tries: Garcia 56, Stavile 74 Conversion: Roger 74 Penalty: Roger 26 Tries: Joyce 41,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 14 hours ago

Farrell will need to cover the cracks

IRELAND Brendan Gallagher predicts a testing campaign ahead for the men in green Fluent: Jamison Gibson-Park PICTURE: Alamy TO PLAYER WATCH...

By The Rugby Paper Team

International Rugby

/ 3 days ago

Six Nations: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell faces injury crisis and discipline woes

Ireland’s bid for Grand Slam glory this Six Nations will be impeded two-fold this year as Andy Farrell juggles a brace...

By The Rugby Paper Team

International Rugby

/ 4 days ago

Hugo Keenan out of Six Nations opener as Ireland’s injury list continues to grow

Leinster, Ireland and British & Irish Lions series winner Hugo Keenan has fractured his thumb in training, which excludes him from...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Bundee Aki of Ireland warms up prior to the Autumn Nations Cup match between Ireland and Scotland at Aviva Stadium in 2020

International Rugby

/ 4 days ago

Ireland star Bundee Aki dropped from Six Nations opener

Connacht and Ireland Centre Bundee Aki has been dropped from the Ireland Six Nations squad to face France on Thursday next...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 1 week ago

Newcastle boss Alan Dickens admits uncertainty over his future amid Red Bull rebuild

Newcastle Red Bulls’ blizzard of signings for next season means a number of players will be looking for a new club.

By Paul Rees

United Rugby Championship

/ 1 week ago

Leinster power pays in the end

■By SAM JACKSON Connacht .......23 Leinster ......... 34 LEINSTER maintained their strong momentum with victory over Connacht at a rain-soaked Dexcom...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Harry Byrne of Leinster kicks a game winning penalty with the last play of the game

Champions Cup

/ 2 weeks ago

Leinster late to the party – Leo Cullen’s new plan or still a work in progress?

In previous seasons of the United Rugby Championship and the Champions Cup, we have seen a consistency with Leinster in which,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 weeks ago

11-try Connacht secure home tie

Connacht .......75 Montauban ...14 ■ By MARK WILLIAMS CONNACHT produced a ruthless display to book a home tie in the last...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 3 weeks ago

Zebre vs Ospreys: Home comforts suit Mark Jones’ side

Ospreys head to Parma knowing that victory over Zebre could prove decisive in shaping their route to Challenge Cup glory.

By Ben Jaycock

Challenge Cup

/ 3 weeks ago

Connacht at crossroads

Preview Montpellier v Connacht Today. 1pm By BEN JAYCOCK CONNACHT travel to south of France knowing their meeting with Montpellier could...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 3 weeks ago

Ulster still with work to do

Preview Cheetahs v Ulster Today. 1pm ULSTER head to Amsterdam knowing a return to winning ways in Europe will put them...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 3 weeks ago

DREAM TEAM

JAMES MITCHELL, THE FORMER SALE SHARKS, CHESTER, ROTHERHAM, CONNACHT, NORTHAMPTON SAINTS, DONCASTER KNIGHTS, JERSEY REDS AND ENGLAND AGE-GRADE SCRUM-HALF, CHOOSES THE...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Champions Cup

/ 3 weeks ago

Leinster vs La Rochelle: Europe’s modern rivalry reaches its next chapter

With the return of the Champions Cup, a series of new rivalries will reignite, including the rematch between last season’s finalists...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Leo Cullen reflects on Leinster’s seven-try win over Harlequins, urging perspective on expectations of perfection

Club Rugby

/ 4 weeks ago

Leinster 52-17 Connacht: Leo Cullen’s side turn on the style to dispatch Connacht

Leinster ran in seven tries to destroy Connacht and make it a clean sweep in their festive derbies.

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 4 weeks ago

Augustus ruled out by ankle injury

ULSTER’S Springbok back row Juarno Augustus will be sidelined “for a number of weeks” because of the ankle ligament injury he...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 1 month ago

Murphy on target to deny brave Connacht

■ By BRIAN JONES Connacht ......... 24pts Tries: Treacy 24, Jansen 66, Devine 77 Conversions: Gilbert 25, 67, 77 Penalty: Gilbert...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 1 month ago

Amazon app is helping Ospreys second row Ryan Smith feel at home

Ryan Smith has been busy with his online shopping since arriving in Wales from Australia.

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 1 month ago

Dragons get their act together in battling win

■ By ROGER PANTING Dragons ............ 48pts Tries: Burrows 17, Hope 25, 61; Rosser 32, Penalty 44, Dyer 51 Conversions: O’Brien...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 1 month ago

Crowley on song to give Munster that extra push

■ By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys ............ 10pts Try: Morris 54 Conversion: Edwards 55 Penalty: Edwards 10 Munster ...........26pts Tries: Daly 17,...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 months ago

Walsh on target to put Ospreys on top

■By SIMON THOMAS Montauban .....22pts Tries: Maurouard 35, Tuculet 56, Kanika 84 Conversion: Fortunel 57, Castel 85 Penalty: Fortunel 2 Ospreys...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 months ago

Dragons looking to end poor run

Preview ■ By SAM JACKSON Dragons v Lyon Today. 3.15pm. Rodney Parade DRAGONS believe today’s clash with Lyon can act as...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Challenge Cup

/ 2 months ago

Connacht hit 50 to slay the Lions

■By GEORGE LAWRENCE Connacht .......52 Black Lion ....... 0 A RAMPANT Connacht got their Challenge Cup campaign back on track with...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Joe Maksymiw playing for Leicester Tigers in the Premiership, 2017

Features

/ 2 months ago

My Life in Rugby: Joe Makysymiw – The brilliant, emotional world of French rugby

Former Leicester Tigers, Connacht, Dragons and Agen second row, Joe Makysymiw, reflects on his life in rugby.

By Ben Jaycock

Champions Cup

/ 2 months ago

Toulouse v Sharks: Visitors will fight hard to send John Plumtree off with a victory

Record six-time winners Toulouse launch their Champions Cup title pursuit today with several star players returning to a fixture that will...

By Ben Jaycock

Challenge Cup

/ 2 months ago

Prop star Botha brings up his 150 for Ospreys

■By BEN JAYCOCK PREVIEW... Ospreys v Connacht Today. Kick-off 3.15pm TOM Botha will make his 150th Ospreys appearance today when his...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 2 months ago

Deadeye Sean’s on fire for Connacht

■By BEN JAYCOCK Connacht ...... 44 Sharks .............17 CONNACHT secured a much-needed win to get their season back on track courtesy...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Mack Hansen scored a hat-trick in Ireland’s record breaking victory over Australia

Autumn Internationals

/ 3 months ago

Return of the Mack: Ireland despatch Australia setting up Springbok showdown

Saturday night’s clash between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium was one many were eager to see, with questions over...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Columnists

/ 3 months ago

Nick Cain: Luke Cowan-Dickie’s reprieve smacks of inconsistency

Luke Cowan-Dickie’s exoneration by an RFU disciplinary panel on Tuesday for a potentially dangerous high tackle on Tom Willis in last...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 3 months ago

Munster made to fight all the way

By TOM RICHARDS Munster ..........17 Connacht.........15 JACK O’Donoghue’s late try helped unbeaten Munster see out a hard-fought victory over their Irish...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 3 months ago

Bok Wessels hit with 9-week suspension

SOUTH Africa front rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels has received a nine-match suspension for grabbing Josh Murphy’s genitals in the Bulls’ 28-27 win...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Autumn Internationals

/ 4 months ago

Ireland: Caelan Doris gets the nod but Joe McCarthy misses out

Caelan Doris will lead Ireland into their Autumn Series campaign after recovering from shoulder surgery in early May that ruled him...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 4 months ago

IRELAND SQUAD

FORWARDS (19): Thomas Ahern (Munster), Ryan Baird (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), Jack...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 4 months ago

Prem: Kieran Marmion grabs his main chance at Bristol Bears

Bristol Bears may be overrun by injuries, but Kieran Marmion is among those who have seized the moment.

By Paul Rees

United Rugby Championship

/ 4 months ago

Connacht pipped at post

By SAM JACKSON Connacht.........27 Bulls..................28 CONNACHT were narrowly beaten by the Bulls at the Dexcom Stadium, as a first-half red card...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 4 months ago

Bowen leads the way to calm Cardiff on nervy night

■By ROGER PANTING Cardiff ..............14pts Tries: Bowen 14, 76 Conversions: Sheedy 15, Lloyd 77 Connacht ...........8pts Try: O’Connor 80 Penalty: Forde...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 4 months ago

Lancaster teaching me a lot, says Joe

NEWS EXTRA JOE Joyce says he has had his eyes opened by new Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster over the past...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Club Rugby

/ 4 months ago

Leinster vs Munster history: Ireland‘s Premier Interpro rivalry

Widely regarded as the biggest rugby rivalry in Ireland and to some, the greatest club rivalry of all time, these two...

By The Rugby Paper Team

United Rugby Championship

/ 4 months ago

Lancaster opens up in style

■By JAMES O’CONNELL Connacht.........26 Benetton..........15 CONNACHT began the new era under Stuart Lancaster with a big win over a star-packed Treviso...

By The Rugby Paper Team

Latest News

/ 4 months ago

2025/26 SQUADS

Benetton Forwards: Destiny Aminu, Simone Ferrari, Thomas Gallo, Marcos Gallorini, Ivan Nemer, Tiziano Pasquali, Mirco Spagnolo, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Giosuè Zilocchi,...

By The Rugby Paper Team