Organisation: Oyonnax

Adeolokun’s early hat-trick sees Connacht finish Pool 5 in style

Niyi Adeolokun scored a first-half hat-trick as Challenge Cup Pool Five leaders Connacht ended the group campaign with a win over Oyonnax.

Sat, 20 Jan, 2018

Connacht eyeing home advantage

Connacht will hope that a home win over a 15th different French club at the Sportsground today will not only confirm a home quarter-final in the Challenge Cup but might also be enough to ensure a potential semi-final would also be back in Galway.

Sat, 20 Jan, 2018

Connacht's Conor Carey wants to make his mark

Connacht prop Conor Carey is hoping to push on this spring and start emulating some of the achievements enjoyed by the tightheads he came through with on an exceptional Irish U20 squad.

Fri, 19 Jan, 2018

Keane: Draw a bit like kissing your sister

Challenge Cup Pool 5

Mon, 15 Jan, 2018

James Cannon ruled out of Connacht's battle with Worcester Warriors

Connacht can seal a spot in the quarter-final of the Challenge Cup this weekend by beating Worcester Warriors, but they will have to do it without lock James Cannon.

Wed, 10 Jan, 2018

Connacht’s love affair with France goes on

Their PRO14 form is dodgy to say the least, but Connacht’s pedigree in the European Challenge Cup is obvious and on Saturday night they took a big step not only towards securing a quarter-final spot, but ensuring that they will enjoy home advantage in the last eight.

Mon, 11 Dec, 2017

Kieran Keane: Derbies are a springboard to Ireland call

New Connacht coach Kieran Keane is looking forward to his first home derby of his reign tomorrow night against Munster, and knows his players use these games as a platform for international recognition.

Thu, 26 Oct, 2017

John Muldoon praises Zebo’s brave call

Connacht captain John Muldoon said that Simon Zebo has probably put his international career ‘on the back burner’ by going to France, but the veteran star can understand why he has made the move.

Wed, 25 Oct, 2017

Connacht v Worcester Warriors - European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 5 Round 2

Connacht make heavy weather of win

Connacht 15 Worcester Warriors 8: You suspect the more Kieran Keane settles into life in Galway the more he appreciates exactly what his predecessor Pat Lam achieved, not just with limited resources but the manner in which he got them to play in the difficult climatic conditions.

Mon, 23 Oct, 2017

Connacht aim to buck trend against English clubs

Connacht’s record against English clubs in the European Challenge Cup is fairly dismal but they have a great chance to start rectifying that this afternoon when they take on a Worcester Warriors side who are bottom of the Premiership.

Sat, 21 Oct, 2017

Change of scenery can lift Connacht spirits

There is nearly always a ‘group of death’ each time the draw is made for any competition but whatever term is used to sum up the exact opposite of that scenario probably applies to Pool 5 of the European Challenge Cup. 

Sat, 14 Oct, 2017

Castres buck trend as urban game swallows up towns

If you drive up from Spain the first three towns you hit in France along the A9 are three big rugby strongholds … Perpignan, Narbonne and Beziers.

Sat, 14 Oct, 2017

Castres expect return of star duo for Munster game

Brive 27 Castres 22: Veteran captain Rodrigo Capo Ortega and experienced scrum-half Rory Kockott are expected to return for Castres for Sunday’s Champions Cup open clash with Munster after missing this surprise loss at Stade Amedee Domenech on Saturday evening.

Mon, 09 Oct, 2017

Donnacha Ryan set for quick Thomond return

Donnacha Ryan will join Ronan O’Gara as part of Racing 92’s contingent bidding to conquer fortress Thomond Park in Munster’s first home European fixture of the season, which was announced yesterday.

Wed, 23 Aug, 2017

Champions Cup draw: Munster drawn against O'Gara's Racing 92

Rassie Erasmus' Munster have been drawn against their old mate Ronan O'Gara and his Racing 92 outfit in the Champions Cup 2017/18 group stages.

Thu, 08 Jun, 2017

Munster ‘firepower’ to decide it

Grenoble interim head coach Mike Prendergast believes that Munster hold too much firepower for Toulouse in Saturday’s Champions Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park.

Wed, 29 Mar, 2017

Bigger the giant, harder the fall is fiery Pat Lam’s motto

It’s a measure of how far Connacht have progressed in recent years that it will not be a major shock this evening should they beat the only side to win Europe’s premier competition four times.

Sat, 15 Oct, 2016

Silvere Tian left enraged by Roman Poite decision

Paul O’Connell and Roman Poite have never been far apart where controversial refereeing decisions are concerned and as the former Irish captain’s week in Grenoble concluded, the French official was again centre stage.

Tue, 05 Apr, 2016

Chris Henry hoping return for Ulster will alert Ireland boss Joe Schmidt

Ulster’s international flanker Chris Henry will be making a last-ditch effort to be included in Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad for the remainder of the Six Nations Championship .

Thu, 18 Feb, 2016

Duncan Casey seals new deal at Munster

Hooker Duncan Casey has become the latest homegrown player to commit to Munster, signing a two-year contract as the province captured teenage centre Sam Arnold from Ulster for next season and saw former lock Ian Nagle rejoin the professional ranks with London Irish.

Fri, 05 Feb, 2016

Les Kiss rallies Ulster for crucial six weeks

Veteran fly-half Ian Humphreys will earn a rare start when sixth-placed Ulster travel to Benetton Treviso for Saturday’s Pro12 clash looking to get rid of their frustration of missing out on European progression by a single point.

Wed, 27 Jan, 2016

Peter Jackson: Six Irish ‘ambassadors’ remain in Champions Cup as Pro12 teams are creamed

House-to-house inquiries across the rugby centres of Europe have revealed a disturbing fact. As of late last night, only six Irish survivors were left in the Champions’ Cup.

Mon, 25 Jan, 2016

Ulster v Oyonnax - European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 1 Round 6

Les Kiss confident Irish provinces not in regression

Ulster Director of Rugby Les Kiss doesn’t believe the failure of the Irish sides to make the last eight of the Champions Cup represents a backward step for the provinces.

Mon, 25 Jan, 2016

Rory Best on bench as Ulster battle for bonus point

Newly-appointed Ireland skipper Rory Best will sit out the Champions Cup lunch-time date with Oyonnax as Ulster attempt to claim a bonus-point win at the Kingspan Stadium as they bid to keep their quarter-final hopes alive. Also absent are influential scrum-half Ruan Pienaar and flanker Chris Henry. Pienaar is sidelined with a virus while Henry is still suffering from the shoulder problem which ruled him out of Ireland’s Six Nations squad.

Sun, 24 Jan, 2016

Saracens v Ulster Rugby - European Champions Cup - Pool One - Allianz Park

Saracens keep stars under wraps

CHAMPIONS CUP: YOUR TEAM-BY-TEAM WEEKEND GUIDE

Sat, 23 Jan, 2016

Darren Cave: Rory Best will become ‘fantastic’ Irish captain

Fit-again Ireland Darren Cave says that his club skipper Rory Best will make a superb captain for the national team.

Fri, 22 Jan, 2016

Saracens v Ulster - European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 1 Round 5

Ulster won’t be sidetracked by Champions Cup permutations

Ulster coach Neil Doak insists his side will not be sidetracked by permutations ahead of their final Champions Cup pool game.

Wed, 20 Jan, 2016

Luke Marshall: ‘Against Saracens, you’re on the money or else...’

Ireland centre Jared Payne returns to the Ulster starting line-up for this afternoon’s date with runaway Pool 1 leaders Saracens at Allianz Park. 

Sat, 16 Jan, 2016

Ricky Lutton: Ulster focused on fixing scrum worries

Tight-head Ricky Lutton says Ulster will be focused on resolving their scrummaging worries when they take on Saracens tomorrow at Allianz Park, with Champions Cup qualification hopes on the line.

Fri, 15 Jan, 2016

Niall Malone says Rory Best should be ‘shoe-in’ for captaincy

Ulster’s analyst and skills coach Niall Malone is in no doubt that Rory Best should be the next Ireland captain.

Thu, 14 Jan, 2016

Oyonnax v Ulster - European Rugby Champions Cup - Pool 1 Round 1 Refixture

Kyle McCall jubilant as gutsy Ulster pull off great escape

Oyonnax 23 Ulster 24: Kyle McCall thanked his team-mates for paving the way for his first Ulster try as the Ireland Under 20 loosehead prop picked up the plaudits for playing his part in an amazing second-half fightback.

Mon, 11 Jan, 2016

Ian Humphreys ready to take chance as Ulster visit Oyonnax

Veteran Ian Humphreys has been rugby’s forgotten man recently, but it doesn’t stop the fly-half having goals as he looks ahead to Ulster’s trip to Oyonnax this weekend.

Fri, 08 Jan, 2016

Ulster star Iain Henderson ruled out for season

Ulster’s young international star Iain Henderson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring tear.

Wed, 06 Jan, 2016

Eddie Jones seeks ‘new thoughts and ideas’ after England backroom clearout

Eddie Jones has declared it a time for “new thoughts and new ideas” after making the first major move of his England coaching reign.

Tue, 15 Dec, 2015

Munster v Leicester Tigers - European Rugby Champions Cup - Pool 4 Round 3

Anthony Foley must find way to make Munster click again

For Munster supporters there is every reason to feel like the Grinch coming up to Christmas. Last Saturday’s Thomond Park defeat to Leicester Tigers made sure of that, writes Simon Lewis.

Tue, 15 Dec, 2015

Who has the most carries in the European Champions Cup?

Ten standout facts after Round 3 of the pool stages.

Mon, 14 Dec, 2015

Racing 92 v Northampton Saints - European Rugby Champions Cup

Peter Jackson: Dan Carter winning at numbers game

Even allowing for his status as the Michelangelo of fly halves, Dan Carter will be very pleasantly surprised at the numbers behind his first gallop with Racing, writes Peter Jackson.

Mon, 14 Dec, 2015

Iain Henderson a major doubt for Six Nations, says Ulster chief Les Kiss

Ulster director of rugby fears Ireland star Iain Henderson could miss the Six Nations after suffering a hamstring injury against Edinburgh.

Wed, 09 Dec, 2015

Munster set for three tough Champions Cup weekends

Munster face three consecutive weekends of European action in January as the bid to secure qualification to the knock-out stages from Pool Four of the Champions Cup.

Sat, 28 Nov, 2015

Postponed European clashes won’t have a midweek date

European Championship and Challenge Cup ties postponed over the past fortnight are unlikely to be played in midweek following discussions between clubs involved in all three participating leagues, the Aviva Premiership, Guinness Pro12 and French Top 14, and a favoured date would now appear to be the weekend of January 2/3.

Tue, 24 Nov, 2015

Champions Cup in limbo as leagues attempt to solve fixtures furore