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.

Though Connacht progressed to the quarter-finals in the Challenge Cup, this will be the first time in 17 years that Ireland are not represented in the top tier of European club rugby.

And Kiss insists the changed landscape is due to external, and not internal forces.