Rugby Union

Munster: Daly; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Abrahams; Crowley, Casey; Bleuler, Barron (capt), J Ryan; O’Connell, Wycherley; O’Mahony, Kendellen, Coombes. Replacements: Scannell, K Ryan, Archer, Beirne, Hodnett, Patterson, Burns, O’Donoghue. Stade Francais: Jonas; Laloi, Marchant, Boudehent, Ezeala; Henry, Motassi; Castets, Peyresblanques, Kodela; Azagoh, Pesenti; Huguet, Chapuis (capt), Tanga. Replacements: Petriashvili, M Alo-Emile, …

Saracens claimed a comfortable 38-5 win at Leicester Tigers to maintain the pressure on league leaders Exeter Chiefs in Premiership Women’s Rugby. Sarries took the early advantage and scored three tries inside 12 minutes through Kelsey Clifford, Lotte Sharp and Gabrielle Senft. It went from bad to worse for Tigers …

Newcastle Falcons head into the European Challenge Cup with morale lifted on the back of five wins in their last six games. Source link

Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey admits he preferred the Investec Champions Cup’s previous format, adding the current structure can leave teams with an “absolutely terrible draw”. Teams previously played their pool opponents home and away, but this season Ulster’s four pool games are away to holders Toulouse and Leicester and at home …

Toulouse: Ramos; Capuozzo, Barassi, Chocobares, Lebel; R Ntamack, Dupont (capt); Ainu’u, Mauvaka, Aldeheri; Flament, Meafou, Willis, Banos, Roumat Replacements: Marchand, Neti, Merkler, T Ntamack, Graou, Costes, Mallia Ulster: Moore; Kok, Carson, McCloskey, Lowry, Morgan, Doak; Warwick, McCormick, Wilson; O’Connor (capt), Sheridan; Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, McNabney Replacements: Herring, O’Sullivan, O’Toole, …

Three former Rugby Football Union chairmen have called for the resignations of the governing body’s senior leadership in the wake of the controversy over record financial losses and executive bonuses. In an open letter – which has been seen by the BBC – Martyn Thomas, Graeme Cattermole and Brian Baister …

Gloucester: Carreras; Wade, Harris, Llewellyn, Hathaway; Anscombe, Englefield; Rapava-Ruskin, Blake, Gotovtsev; Clark, Alemanno, Thomas, Ludlow (c), Ackermann. Replacements: Singleton, Knight, Fasogbon, Taylor, Tuisue, Chapman, Butler, Barton. Edinburgh: Goosen; McCann, Currie, Tuipulotu, Sweeney; Thompson, Shiel; Venter, Harrison, Hill, Sykes, Skinner, Dodd, Douglas, Bradbury (c). Replacements: Cherry, Jones, Rae, Carmichael, McConnell, McAlpine, …

Evan O’Connell is set to make his first Investec Champions Cup appearance in Saturday’s Pool 3 opener against Stade Francais at Thomond Park. The 20-year-old, who is the nephew of former Munster, Ireland and Lions captain Paul O’Connell, will start at lock in Limerick. The Irish hosts have made five …

Sharks: Fassi; Keyter, Hooker, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Williams; Nche, Mbonambi, Nyakane, Etzebeth (capt), Van Heerden, J Venter, Tshituka, Kolisi. Replacements: Richardson, Mchunu, Jacobs, Jenkins, Buthelezi, Jaden Hendrikse, Masuku, F Venter. Exeter: Hodge; Feyi-Waboso, Hammersley, Tua, Wyatt; Haydon-Wood, Townsend; Sio, Frost, Street, Molina, Capstick, E Roots, Vermeulen (capt), Fisilau. Replacements: …

Bristol: Lane; Bates, Van Rensburg, Ravouvou, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Randall; Genge, Thacker, Lahiff, Dun, Owen, Grondona, Harding (capt), Mata. Replacements: Oghre, Woolmore, Chawatama, Luatua, Grondona, Marmion, Jenkins, Elizalde. Leinster: Frawley; Larmour, Ringrose, Henshaw, O’Brien; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Boyle, Kelleher, Slimani, J McCarthy, Ryan, Deegan, Van der Flier, Conan (capt). Replacements: G McCarthy, …

Bordeaux Begles: Bielle-Biarrey; Penaud, Depoortere, Moefana, Retiere; Jalibert, Lucu (capt); Poirot, Lamothe, Tameifuna, Petti, Gray, Diaby, Vergnes-Taillefer, Samu. Replacements: Sa, Boniface, Sadie, Coleman, Swinton, Tatafu, Tapuai, Carbery. Leicester Tigers: Steward; Bassett, Perese, Kata, Hassell-Collins; Shillcock, Van Poortvliet (capt); Cronin, Clare, Heyes, Wells, Joussain, Liebenberg, Ilione, Cracknell. Replacements: Theobald-Thomas, Whitcombe, Hurd, …

Glasgow: McKay; Cancelliere, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Rowe; Jordan, Horne; Bhatti, Hiddleston, Fagerson, Oguntibeju, Cummings, Fagerson, Darge, Venter. Replacements: Matthews, Sutherland, Talakai, Samuel, Miller, Mann, Dobie, Weir. Sale: Carpenter; Addison, James, Bedlow, Reed; Du Preez (capt), Warr; Rodd, McElroy, Opoku-Fordjour, Van Rhyn, Andrews, Du Preez, T Curry, D du Preez. Replacements: …

Racing 92: Spring; Habosi, Fickou (capt), Tuisova, Naituvi; Gibert, Le Garrec; Gogichashvili, Tarrit, Mazibuko, Palu, Sanconnie, Woki, Diallo, Joseph. Replacements: Chat, Julien, Kharaishvili, Baudonne, Zinzen, Le Bail, Lancaster, Tedder. Harlequins: Halfpenny; Murley, Northmore, Anyanwu, David; Smith, Porter; Jones, Walker, Kerrod, Lamb, Lewies, Cunningham-South, Kenningham, Dombrandt (capt). Replacements: Riley, Els, Lamositele, …

England lock Maro Itoje returns to captain Saracens in their Investec Champions Cup opener against South African side Bulls on Saturday. The 30-year-old is joined in the second row by Nick Isiekwe after both featured in all four of England’s Autumn Nations Series games. The pair are two of five …

Northampton: Ramm; Freeman, Litchfield, Dingwall (capt), Sleightholme; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Millar-Mills, Mayanavanua, Lockett, Scott-Young, Pollock, Augustus. Replacements: Wright, West, Green, Munga, Coles, Mapu, McParland, Hutchinson. Castres: Chabouni, Raisuqe, Seguret, Dupont, Hulleu; Le Brun, Arata (capt), Guerois-Galisson, Zarantonello, Azar, Ducat, Nakarawa, Peysson, Ardron, Tukino Replacements: Colonna, De Benedittis, Corato, Babillot, …

Pollock joined Northampton’s senior academy in 2023, having first played for the club’s under-13s. Fast forward to December 2024, and the back row is one of the rising stars of English rugby. In a whirlwind 18 months, as well as games for Saints, he has won back-to-back Six Nations and …

The 2025 World Cup final is set to be a world-record attendance for a one-day women’s rugby event, with demand outstripping the supply of tickets for the Twickenham showpiece. While the exact capacity of the 82,000-seater Allianz Stadium for the fixture has not yet confirmed, the attendance is expected to …

On the pitch, it will be a learning curve for Maher. She last played 15-a-side rugby in 2021, having concentrated on sevens which, with Olympic status, is better funded in the United States. But some of her team-mates will be learning from her too. Maher, who has a master’s degree …

Premiership table-toppers Bath take on La Rochelle, who won the tournament in 2022 and 2023, in Friday evening’s tantalising opener for the 30th edition of the Investec Champions Cup. Toulouse, who lifted the first title in 1996, also won the most recent edition, beating Leinster in extra-time at Tottenham Stadium …

Sara heads to Bristol to track down American rugby sensation Ilona Maher. Source link