United Rugby Championship

Tries aplenty as Connacht secure bonus-point win over Zebre

Irish province showed lots of attacking flair, but defensive vulnerabilities will be a concern

‘When they get going, they’re hard to stop’: Ulster chase opening URC win against Bulls

Richie Murphy’s side need to find heroic effort to weather power surge in Pretoria

Connacht aim to maintain high standards for Zebre clash

After brilliant Champions Cup victory over Saracens, Connacht must follow up with victory over Italian side in URC

Sitting 10th in the league, Leinster have ‘hell of a lot of work to do’, Leo Cullen admits

Time is right for Dan Sheehan experiment as Blues prepare to welcome Munster at Aviva

‘There could be carnage in Dublin’: Ian Madigan and Alan Quinlan on Leinster v Munster

Former Ireland pair also hail ‘outstanding’ Dan Sheehan, named as Leo Cullen’s number eight for Saturday

Leinster’s Sam Prendergast injured for Munster clash as Dan Sheehan starts at number eight

Joey Carbery will line up against his old team, marking his first run out in the 10 shirt since rejoining Leinster

Leinster and Munster face the same choice ahead of Aviva Stadium clash

Clayton McMillan and Leo Cullen must chose between tried and trusted or twist towards youth on Saturday

Gordon D’Arcy: The season has properly started now – let’s see who can keep momentum going

Four games in, you can see shape emerging in how the provinces want to play

‘We don’t want a repeat of that’: Leinster fuelled by memory of Croke Park loss to Munster

Both provinces go into Saturday’s URC derby on the back of morale-boosting wins

Ulster ‘understand the challenge’ that awaits in South Africa

Winless in the URC this season, Ulster’s Challenge Cup victory over Zebre came at the right time

‘If we do that, we’ll win’: Connacht backs coach clear on what’s needed to beat Zebre

Gerard Mullen says the team has much to improve on despite thrilling nature of win against Saracens

Ulster target first win of season in European Challenge Cup opener against Zebre

Stuart McCloskey and Nick Timoney absent as Richie Murphy rings the changes for Ulster

‘The dark arts are slowly going out of the game’: Tadhg Beirne adapting to law tweaks

Munster captain says changes to mauls can ‘clean up the game’

First interpro excites while Leinster return to winning ways at the RDS

The Counter Ruck Podcast

How are Munster, Leinster and Connacht looking ahead of Champions Cup openers?

Leo Cullen says Leinster need to improve attacking cohesion, although the form of Sam Prendergast is a bright spark

Leo Cullen relieved to see Leinster ‘up and running’ with returning frontliners

Nine Leinster players made their first appearance of the season against Cardiff in the province’s triumphant RDS return

Leinster live up to the occasion of long-awaited homecoming to blow Cardiff away

Sam Prendergast in fine form with man-of-the-match display at redeveloped Laya Arena

‘We’re playing matches like they’re training sessions’: Richie Murphy frustrated by Ulster’s lack of intensity

Head coach urges consistency after Ulster fight back for second week running

Ulster overcome slow start to claw back draw against Munster

Jacob Stockdale with a brace of tries on his 150th appearance for Ulster

Leinster look to restore their home fortress against Cardiff

Province return to competitive action at the redeveloped Laya Arena

Improving Ulster can claim home win against revitalised Munster

But visitors hope return of captain Tadhg Beirne could tilt game in Clayton McMillan’s side’s favour

Poor discipline costly for Connacht in Glasgow defeat

High penalty count and two yellow cards spell destruction for Connacht at Scotstoun

‘Cool, quirky, lots of character’: Leo Cullen wants Laya Arena to be special place to play

After absence of more than two years, Leinster host Cardiff on return to redeveloped home ground

‘Massive challenge’ for Connacht as they look to upset the odds against Glasgow

Bundee Aki will start as all Irish internationals return to starting lineup for URC clash

‘It’s a proper club ground’: Captain Dan Sheehan relishing Leinster’s return home

Blues’ opener at revamped Laya Arena against Cardiff is getting players and fans excited

‘I’m a young buck still’: Joe McCarthy on becoming a senior figure at Leinster

Second row taking on more leadership as part of his continuing development in dressingroom

Clayton McMillan not interested in a revenge motif ahead of Ulster clash

Munster head coach said last fixture in Belfast was ‘one of those games you remember in detail, but not for the right reasons’

Depleted Connacht need to iron out wrinkles against Glasgow, says Woodman

Province aiming to build on victory over Benetton, but must do it without several key players

‘He’s still young and learning’: Sam Prendergast’s development coming along nicely at Leinster

Leinster kicking coach Emmet Farrell says outhalf has ‘learned a lot over the last couple of years’

Irish 10s steal the limelight on an encouraging URC weekend

The Counter Ruck Podcast

‘I didn’t even dream of it’: Ciarán Frawley enjoys a madcap Connacht debut

Outhalf loving life out west as he renews partnership with ‘mentor’ Stuart Lancaster

Munster have been digging this hole for years as they slide into tortured mediocrity

Change of leadership at the top of the organisation is desperately needed but there are no miracle cures

Charlie O’Shea shines for Munster on encouraging weekend for Irish provinces

Ciarán Frawley enjoys dream debut as Connacht beat Benetton in Treviso

Charlie O’Shea produces dream display and guides Munster to important win over Bulls

Outhalf making his first start for the province scores two tries in URC victory at Thomond Park

Young Leinster side outmuscled by physical Sharks in Durban

Exposing young players to high-level rugby will be arguably more valuable as the season unfurls despite defeat

Ulster draw with Glasgow in high-scoring URC thriller

Terrific game saw both sides reduced to 13 men at different points in Scotstoun Stadium

Why has rugby largely avoided gambling sponsorship?

Other sports are awash with money from betting companies, but rugby is a different story – for reasons that could change

Ciarán Frawley’s stunning debut try helps Connacht pull off away win over Benetton

Irish province had the kitchen sink thrown at them against a stacked Benetton team

Much-changed Munster hope new faces push them to victory at end of difficult week

Jack Aungier in for his debut while Marnus van der Merwe to make first start in home URC clash

Front-footed Ulster can cause an upset in Glasgow

Last half-hour against Edinburgh last weekend was Ulster at their dazzling best

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