Irish Rugby

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Leinster's bid for silverware is set to be boosted by the return of several players as the province builds up to the Investec Champions Cup final and United Rugby Championship play-offs.

Ireland loose-head prop Paddy McCarthy has returned to training after a four-month spell on the sidelines with a foot injury.

While 22-year-old McCarthy is not part of the European squad, a decision will be made later this week on his availability for Saturday's URC game against Ospreys.

Jordan Larmour and Tommy O'Brien are available for selection this weekend, while Jack Conan has returned to training after hobbling off in the Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulon on 2 May.

Tadhg Furlong, James Lowe and Alex Usanov are all training, while Josh van der Flier and Robbie Henshaw are continuing to follow graduated return to play protocols.

Lock Brian Deeny is set to be assessed on an injury he sustained in Saturday's bonus-point win over the Lions which virtually assured Leinster of a home URC quarter-final.

Joshua Kenny, who withdrew from the line-up before kick-off, also requires further assessment, while Connacht-bound back row Will Connors is ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up an injury on Saturday.

Leinster host Ospreys on Saturday before travelling to Bilbao for the Champions Cup decider against holders Bordeaux on 23 May.

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Following Ireland's bonus-point 33-12 win over Wales, the Ireland Rugby Social sat down with injured forward Edel McMahon to look back on the impressive display.

Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan both registered two tries in Belfast, while Beibhinn Parsons also crossed to secure the crucial win for Scott Bemand's side.

The victory was Ireland's second of this Six Nations campaign and means they remain unbeaten at home.

"I think there was a part in that game that was very messy, particularly that second half, first 12 minutes, between two yellow cards, plenty of knock-ons and disruptions in scrum and line-out, but overall, I think Ireland will be happy," McMahon told the Ireland Rugby Social.

"They're scoring in every 20 minutes of the game, which is something that probably be aiming for.

"They've been a 60-minute performance team and they're trying to go for that 80, so to score every 20 minutes is probably something they'll be happy about."

Throughout the Six Nations, head coach Bemand has talked about the importance of winning all three home matches.

Now, heading into the final game, Ireland have the opportunity to complete this target when they welcome Scotland in front of what is set to be a record crowd at the Aviva Stadium.

"They [Scotland] haven't had the greatest tournament themselves so far. They're a proud nation. They're going to come and they will want to spoil the party next week," Ireland Social co-host Lindsay Peat added.

"I think it's a beautiful stadium, I finally got to play there with in the AIL [All-Ireland League] finals and there's a lovely freedom. If the girls play with that freedom, I think we will finally get to see this, when I say finally they've put in amazing performances, but just an overall fulfilment of what they can do within 80 minutes.

"It would be lovely to see for themselves, because I think they deserve it. So, it'll be interesting to see, but I think it's going to be a very good day and I think they will bring what they need to this party next week."

Jana McCabe
BBC Sport NI journalist

Ireland back row Aoife Wafer said "there is a lot to be proud of" after the side's 33-12 bonus-point win over Wales in Belfast.

Wafer registered a try in each half in the important win and picked up the Player of the Match award after an impressive overall display.

The result means that Wales are without a win in their last nine Six Nations matches, while Ireland have won both their home games this tournament.

"We knew that Wales would come out firing, they obviously put it up to a big English team two weeks ago," Wafer told BBC Sport.

"There was a lot for us to be stopping and fair dues to them, they really put it up to us in the first half and we weren't entirely happy with the first half.

"We spoke about fast starts and we got that in the second half. There is a lot to be proud of today."

Brittany Hogan also scored two tries in the win, with the timing of the back row's first try particularly crucial after the side were awarded a penalty in the closing stages of the first half and opted to play rather than kick the ball out of touch.

The resulting try gave Ireland a 12-point lead at the break with Scott Bemand's outfit able to push on in the second half and extend their advantage.

"This group is one that doesn't breathe out, we keep chasing things," she continued.

"We spoke about being clinical and why bother kicking it out when we can go after something?

"We have the fitness levels to do that and I back this team."

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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United Rugby Championship

Connacht: (19) 26

Tries: B Murphy, Bolton, Hurley-Langton, Jansen Cons: Gilbert (3)

Munster: (0) 7

Tries: Casey Cons: Hanrahan

Connacht boosted their hopes of sneaking into the United Rugby Championship play-offs with a bonus-point 26-7 win over injury-hit Munster at Dexcom Stadium.

The hosts led 19-0 at half-time courtesy of tries from Ben Murphy, Shayne Bolton and Shamus Hurley-Langton.

Sean Jansen added a fourth in the second half to secure the bonus point that moves Connacht a point behind eight-place Ulster, who occupy the final play-off spot.

Clayton McMillan's side, who were missing Jack Crowley, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Farrell, Oli Jager, Jean Kleyn and Calvin Nash for the interpro, drop to sixth after the defeat.

The hosts started well in Galway and were rewarded with the opening try on 12 minutes as Ben Murphy got over to score between the posts and Sam Gilbert added the extras.

Things went from bad to worse for Munster as Diarmuid Barron was shown a yellow card for a tackle on Dylan Tierney-Martin, which was eventually upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

Connacht took advantage of having an extra man as Bolton crossed in the corner for their second try on 20 minutes.

A third arrived five minutes before the break as Hurley-Langton scored after persistent pressure from the home side with Gilbert accurate from the tee.

Munster's hopes of a quick response in the second half were dashed when replacement Alex Kendall's try was chalked off after a television match official [TMO] review spotted that he had lost control of the ball and touched down before the line and then knocked-on.

They did eventually get their first try on 68 minutes with Craig Casey touching down and JJ Hanrahan adding the two points from the tee.

Connacht hit back soon after and claimed a bonus point as Jansen forced his way over.

Stuart Lancaster's side will face a final day trip to Edinburgh on Friday while Munster are at home to Lions on Saturday.

Connacht: Gilbert; Jennings, West, Aki, Bolton; Ioane, B Murphy; Bohan, Tierney-Martin, Illo; D Murray, J Murphy; Prendergast (c), Hurley-Langton, Jansen.

Replacements: de Buitléar, Dooley, Bealham, Joyce, Boyle, Devine, Carty, Naughton.

Munster: Haley; Abrahams, Nankivell, Kelly, Smith; Hanrahan, Casey (c); Loughman, Barron, Ala'Alatoa; Edogbo, Wycherley; Ahern, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Bartley, O'Donoghue, Gleeson, O'Donovan, O'Brien, Kendellen.

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United Rugby Championship, round 17

Leinster (14) 31

Tries: J Osborne, Clarkson, Keenan, J O'Brien Cons: Prendergast 2, Frawley

Lions (7) 7

Try: Horn Con: Smith

Leinster boosted their hopes of securing home advantage in the United Rugby Championship play-offs with a bonus-point victory the Lions at Aviva Stadium.

Jamie Osborne and Thomas Clarkson crossed for the hosts before Lions captain Francke Horn halved the deficit before half-time.

Having soaked up plenty of pressure from the visitors in the third quarter, Leinster stretched the lead through replacement back Hugo Keenan.

Rieko Ioane clinched the bonus-point score before Jimmy O'Brien added gloss to the scoreline in the final minute.

The result ends the Lions' six-game winning run and moves Leinster from fifth to third in the URC table, with the top four after next weekend's final round of regular-season games enjoying home advantage in the play-offs.

The Lions move down to fifth, a point off the Bulls.

After his frontline stars beat Toulon last week to seal a return to the Champions Cup final, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen made 12 changes, with Ireland utility back Osborne making an immediate mark after being drafted in when he chased down his own kick to get the hosts up and running in the second minute.

And after the Lions lost flanker Ruan Venter to injury, Leinster thought they had scored a second try when Prendergast touched down in the corner, but it was ruled out after Jimmy O'Brien strayed offside in the build-up.

The Lions also had a try disallowed for offside with Erich Cronje deemed offside when he challenged Luke McGrath at the ruck before back rower Sibabalwe Mahashe surged clear and produced a superb solo finish.

And while Leinster got their second through prop Thomas Clarkson, Horn darted through a gap in the home defence to leave seven points in it at the interval.

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After Cullen introduced experienced front rowers Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani and Dan Sheehan, Leinster were pinned back in the early stages of the second half before a momentum-shifting intercept from Diarmuid Mangan.

And having had their patience tested, Leinster finally got their third when Keenan - who replaced Prendergast - sprinted through a tiring Lions defence to score after good work from Jamie Osborne and Ioane.

With the Lions fading, Ioane clinched the bonus score before O'Brien wrapped up proceedings with the home side's fifth try.

Leinster host Ospreys next weekend while the Lions take on Munster.

Leinster: Frawley; A Osborne, Ioane, J Osborne, J O'Brien; Prendergast, McGrath; E Byrne, McKee, Clarkson, Deeny, Ryan (capt), Deegan, Connors, Culhane.

Replacements: Sheehan, Porter, Slimani, Mangan, Penny, Gunne, Cooney, Keenan.

Lions: Q Horn; Cronje, Van Wyk, Kriel, A Davids; Smith, Van den Berg; Kotze, Botha, Ntlabakanye, Oosthuizen, Nothnagel, Mahashe, Venter, F Horn (capt).

Replacements: Marais, E Davids, Lombard, Landsberg, Hlekani, Pretorius, Steyn, Mpeku.

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Ireland hooker Neve Jones accepts that she has "an important role" to play off the bench for Scott Bemand's side in the Six Nations.

The 27-year-old has come off the bench in all three of Ireland's games so far in the campaign and is again amongst the replacements for their home game against Wales at the Affidea Stadium on Saturday [18:30 BST].

It is a change of roles for Jones, who was a regular starter during last year's tournament and the World Cup, but one she is willing to embrace given the competitive nature of the Irish squad.

"It's a different game you play when you come off the bench, you have to bring the energy for the girls that have played 40-50 minutes and it's a important role," she said.

"We're at a point where the competition is so high, any opportunity to pull on a green jersey is very exciting."

After a fallow week, which Jones said was "brilliant" for Ireland, Bemand's side will be looking to bounce back from defeat against France last time out when they host Wales in Belfast.

Jones is hoping that Ireland can build on their previous home win when they thumped Italy 57-20 in Galway.

"You want to play week in, week out, but the fallow week came at a good time. We had three tough games which shows how far the women's game has come these days, all games are really competitive," she added.

"We've played some really good rugby in the first three games, we just need to neaten up. We've missed out on one-two percenters which has been our own doing so we just need to sharpen up on that."

Wales have lost their three games so far in the tournament against Scotland, France and England, but did pick up a losing bonus-point after scoring 26 points against the world champions and Jones is wary of the threat they will pose.

"We're constantly growing as a squad but we know Wales have gone from strength to strength as well.

"They haven't had the results they've wanted, but the rugby they want to play is exciting.

"Sean Lynn has done a great job with them, so bring on Saturday and we'll put on a show I'm sure."

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Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has rung the changes for Saturday's United Rugby Championship [URC] against the Lions at Aviva Stadium [17:30 BST].

Cullen has retained just three players whom started last week's European Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulon with one of those, James Ryan, captaining the side in Dublin tomorrow.

Ryan is joined by Brian Deeny in the second row, while Thomas Clarkson is called upon again at tighthead prop, while Ed Byrne comes in at loosehead and John McKee is named at hooker.

In the back row, Max Deegan and Will Connors come in along with James Culhane at number eight.

A changed half-back partnership will see Sam Prendergast start at out-half with Luke McGrath at scrum-half.

In the backs, Rieko Ioane is named once again, but switches from the wing to centre where he will start alongside Jamie Osborne, while Joshua Kenny and Jimmy O'Brien have been named on the wings with Ciarán Frawley at full-back.

Leinster: Frawley; Kenny, Ioane, Osborne, J O'Brien; Prendergast, McGrath; Byrne, McKee, Clarkson, Deeny, Ryan (capt.), Deegan, Connors, Culhane.

Replacements: Sheehan, Porter, Slimani, Mangan, Penny, Gunne, Cooney, Keenan.

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Ulster prop Eric O'Sullivan said that his side know that two wins in their final United Rugby Championship [URC] games "make our season look a lot different".

Richie Murphy's side have a Challenge Cup final against Montpellier to look forward to but successive defeats by Leinster and Munster have dropped Ulster from third to eighth in the URC with two games left.

Ulster face the top two in Stormers and Glasgow Warriors with O'Sullivan acknowledging that the importance of winning those games and reaching the play-offs is helping players to put their European final at the back of their minds.

"The fact the two games matter is a huge part of it, we know we need two wins," he told BBC Sport NI.

"Two wins makes our season looks a lot different. Knowing each game matters is really important and we have to out and get wins and it will prep us well for the final.

"If you can compete with the two top in the league you can compete with anyone and its two important games coming up before the final."

Stormers have won 12 of their 16 URC games this season and O'Sullivan expects they will come with their full cohort to ensure they secure top seeds and home advantage in the play-offs.

"We're expecting them to come here fully loaded. They have a lot to play for, home advantage would be huge for them," he added.

"You want to go up against the best teams with their full depth and hopefully we can get a good result.

The 30-year-old hopes his side can use the feel-good factor around the club to propel them to a big victory on Friday.

"I'm a confidence player and when things are going well its easy to snowball from that and I'm sure there are guys in the squad that feel the same.

"You have league leaders coming to town, you're going into another big physical match, so you have to be switched on and ready to go.

"Going into the game its good to have the confidence and the European win but you have to park that."

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Australian prop Angus Bell returns in one of five changes made by Richie Murphy for Ulster's United Rugby Championship game against the table-topping Stormers at Affidea Stadium on Friday (19:45 BST).

Bell missed the Challenge Cup semi-final victory over Exeter Chiefs with a foot injury but is passed fit to start on Friday and comes in for Sean Crean.

Jacob Stockdale (facial fracture), Stuart McCloskey (hamstring) and David McCann (knee) suffered injuries in the last four win and are out of the game in Belfast.

Werner Kok is restored to the starting line-up at right wing, with Zac Ward shifting to the left flank.

Jude Postlethwaite moves to inside centre and is partnered by Ethan McIlroy in midfield.

Tom Stewart drops to the bench to be replaced by James McCormick while Charlie Irvine comes into the second row with captain Iain Henderson.

Cormac Izuchukwu moves to blindside flanker as a result and he is joined in the back row by Nick Timoney and Juarno Augustus.

There is an unchanged half-back pairing of Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy while Scott Wilson returns from injury to take his place on the bench.

Ulster sit eighth in the URC table following back-to-back defeats by inter-provincial rivals Leinster and Munster.

Murphy's side will secure Champions Cup rugby for next season with a top-eight URC finish or by winning the Challenge Cup.

Ulster: Lowry; Kok; McIlroy, Postlethwaite; Z Ward; Murphy, Doak; Bell, McCormick, O'Toole, Henderson (capt), Irvine, Izuchukwu; Timoney, Augustus.

Replacements: Stewart, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, B Ward, McKee, Flannery, De Klerk.

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Having beaten Wales by a combined 57 points in the past two Women's Six Nations, Ireland may be favourites for Saturday's game in Belfast, but Aoife Dalton has a good reason for never giving the Welsh anything but her full focus.

Ireland lost 31-5 in Cardiff on Dalton's Six Nations debut in 2023.

Because of games like that, she says there is no chance of her side falling into "the complacency trap".

Now 23 and established as her country's first-choice outside centre, Dalton says she feared for her international career after a difficult 2023 tournament in which Ireland lost all five games.

"I've had a lot of ups and downs. That was a terrible Six Nations, I didn't think I'd play for Ireland again after that," she said.

"The following year I was on the bench but I just tried to push on and develop my game. The coaches and the girls have facilitated that. The position I play, there's a lot of depth there across 12 and 13 so everyone's kept on their toes."

Dalton made her international debut in 2022 and was voted player of the year by her peers at last year's Rugby Players Ireland Awards.

Her influence on the Irish side continues to grow, after making her World Cup debut in the opening win against Japan last year and featuring in all four matches at the tournament.

"People might look from the outside and think it's easy but it's definitely come with its ups and downs.

"I feel like everyone goes through that and it's a different journey for everyone. I don't think anyone's ever safe from being put on the bench or outside the 23.

"I've just learned the best way around it is to focus on yourself and try not to let any outside factors to come in and mess with your head."

With defeats by England and France either side of a victory over Italy, Ireland are aiming to close out the campaign with home wins over Wales and Scotland.

But Dalton insists the Welsh will bring confidence to Belfast after scoring four tries against world champions England last time out.

"I'm sure that gave them a huge lift and once they get their rolling maul going, they're hard to stop.

"But we're just trying to put our performance out there and control what we can control."

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Ethan McIlroy insists Ulster remain confident of securing a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship despite a recent downturn in results in the competition.

Successive defeats by Leinster and Munster have dropped Richie Murphy's side from third to eighth with two games left before the play-offs.

But while winning the European Challenge Cup final against Montpellier later this month would secure the province's return to the Investec Champions Cup, McIlroy says the players still believe they can compete for silverware on the domestic front.

"It's not really in our thoughts right now [not making the top eight]," said the 25-year-old back-three player.

"We all believe and we're all confident we can at least make the top eight if we put good performances out against the Stormers and Glasgow at home."

McIlroy, who missed the first half of this season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury he picked up against Leicester in January 2025, helped Ulster reach their first European final in 14 years after replacing Jacob Stockdale at half-time in the semi-final win over Exeter Chiefs.

And while the former Ireland Under-20 international said there was a great buzz in the dressing room after the Exeter game, he says the squad have their feet back on the ground as they prepare to welcome URC leaders Stormers to Affidea Stadium on Friday (19:45 BST).

"You have to come back right back down to Earth," he said.

"You're told pretty quickly that's where you need to be. You walk in on Monday, there's obviously still an excitement around the place and it's special, but there's no time to be living up in the clouds.

"It's the Stormers, who are top of the table, coming here and it's a pivotal game with where we are in the table, getting top eight is still a massive thing for us."

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On this week's Ireland Rugby Social, Gavin Andrews and Lindsay Peat sit down for a wide-ranging chat with Ireland back row Brittany Hogan.

Hogan began playing rugby at her hometown club Ballynahinch and was soon capped through the age grades by Ulster.

While her international career initially came in the sevens code, she made her senior Ireland XVs debut in the Covid-impacted Women's Six Nations in October 2020.

Since then, she has become a staple in the Irish pack and has started all three Six Nations games this year at blind-side flanker, scoring a try in the 57-20 win over Italy in Galway.

After a rest week, Hogan and her team-mates are hoping to bounce back from a painful defeat by France in Saturday's game against Wales in Belfast (18:30 BST).

"Wales are very good and they have grown into the tournament, built and changed completely," said Hogan.

"Their set-piece and their forward pack, they are very dominant in their maul, scrum strong and their breakdowns are strong.

"This is going to be a good, tough and physical game. We want to make sure we start fast again, like we did against France."

Ireland remain unbeaten at home so far after an impressive 57-20 win over Italy in Galway.

They will also take confidence into the match having won two of their past three Six Nations fixtures at the home of Ulster Rugby.

"I love playing up there, it is great to be back up at Ulster and playing up with the home crowd there," Hogan added.

"There is a great buzz and a lot more of my family can go, it is nice to see everyone and it is a great stadium.

"We want to go away with three home wins. We haven't won three home games in the past few years and it is really important that if people come over to us, that we make it really hard."

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Assistant coach Alan O'Connor admits Ireland must be "more clinical" as they attempt to turn the page on last month's Women's Six Nations loss to France.

Despite a dominant first-half performance, Ireland were level at 7-7 with the French at half-time in Clermont before the hosts surged clear to win 26-7.

And having regrouped during the tournament's fallow week, the Irish aim to get back on track when they welcome Wales to Affidea Stadium on Saturday (18:30 BST, live on BBC One Wales, BBC Two NI & BBC iPlayer).

"We had a good week last week, we trained twice. There was a lot of good from that French game, so we're just trying to build on that," said forwards coach O'Connor.

"The first half was really good. I think we got close to the line around 12 times, but we just weren't clinical enough. Building on that, we just need to be more clinical."

Ireland have lost two of their first three games in this year's tournament, having suffered a 33-12 reverse to England before an emphatic 57-20 victory over Italy.

With an away win over England or France no longer possible, they still have the chance to end the competition with a perfect home record, with Scotland visiting Dublin's Aviva Stadium after the Wales game in Belfast.

"I think we can move the ball maybe a bit more as a forward pack and get more short passes in our game," O'Connor added when asked what improvements were required.

"Wales' strength would probably be the set-piece. They're good at the breakdown so we need to make sure we're on the money there."

O'Connor joined Scott Bemand's backroom team in January as a replacement for Alex Codling, having left Ulster last year following 13 years at the province.

And the 33-year-old says he has loved cutting his coaching teeth with the national side after his playing career failed to yield a Test cap for the men's team.

"The girls are great. There's a lot of passion for the badge and the country," he said.

"Me being involved with Ireland, it's always been a dream of mine so to be back down here wearing the green shirt as a coach is class for me."

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