Connacht Rugby have announce the signings of scrum half Ben Murphy and prop Temi Lasisi from Leinster Rugby, ahead of the 2024/25 season. Murphy has gained experience at both Leinster and Munster, as well as the Ireland Under-20 set-up. He has made 14 appearances for Leinster, including eight this season and three in the Investec Champions Cup. The 23-year-old, who hails from Bray, Co. Wicklow, and is the oldest son of Ulster interim head coach Richie, also had a period at Munster earlier in his career as injury cover. In 2020 he played in all three of Ireland’s fixtures in the Under-20 Six Na ..read more

Experienced number 10 Jack Carty will captain Connacht when they take on third-placed Munster in Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship derby clash at Thomond Park (kick-off 5.15pm). There are three injury-enforced changes to the team that beat the Dragons 34-27 last time out. Peter Dooley and Paul Boyle are restored to the starting pack, while Carty, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, will lead the province from out-half. Denis Buckley and Cian Prendergast are sidelined with thumb and shoulder injuries respectively, and the unfortunate JJ Hanrahan suffered an ACL injury at Rodney Pa ..read more

Ireland out-half Jack Crowley will make his 50th appearance for Munster in Saturday’s BKT United Rugby Championship derby match against Connacht at Thomond Park (kick-off 5.15pm). Over 19,000 tickets have already been snapped up for the eagerly-awaited interprovincial tie in Limerick, with a family pack of four tickets available for just €40. Get your tickets here. The Munstermen bring plenty of momentum into the final rounds of the URC’s regular season, following back-to-back bonus point wins in South Africa. They won 27-22 at the Vodacom Bulls, before wrapping up their short tour with a 33-1 ..read more

Ulster’s interim head coach Richie Murphy has announced the team to play the Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday (kick-off 3.05pm), in round 16 of the BKT United Rugby Championship. Ulster have won their last two fixtures by tight margins, defeating Cardiff (19-17) and Benetton (38-34) both at home, and sit seventh in the table ahead of their final regular season game outside of Ireland. Alan O’Connor, who captains the team again from the second row, is partnered by Kieran Treadwell who returns from the hand injury he sustained against the DHL Stormers at the end of March. There are three more p ..read more

World Rugby has announced further details of a revised red card sanction process trial featuring automatic off-field sanctions for players shown red cards. The revised process will operate within a programme of closed trials across World Rugby-owned 15s competitions this year. Unions and competition owners may also apply to join the trial. It aims to promote outcome consistency and fan understanding by simplifying a disciplinary environment that can be complex. The results of the trials will be considered by the World Rugby Executive Board and Council in November. The closed trial, mandated by ..read more

The largest reimagination of rugby’s entertainment value continues to progress with the World Rugby Council approving a package of law amendments that will come into effect from July 1, 2024. Three new law amendments relating to offside from kicks in open play, the options available from a free-kick, and removal of the practice of ‘crocodile rolling’ a player away from the tackle/ruck area, are aimed at promoting ball in flow and diversity of attacking options, while supporting player welfare. Approval marks the latest phase in the roll-out of the ‘Shape of the Game’ action plan, a transformat ..read more

The IRFU Performance Coach Course is the first of our nationally delivered courses to support our club, school and age grade coaches who work with performance teams. The Performance Coach Course is for Head and Assistant Coaches working with advanced teams, with higher technical competencies and understanding of the game. The course develops the Principles of Play through Functional Role Analysis of the Identities of rugby. At the end of the course the coach is expected to develop individual players’ abilities to undertake and adjust their specific roles in a changing environment within each o ..read more

Irish Rugby Performance Director Designate David Humphreys and Ireland Women’s Head Coach, Scott Bemand were among special guests announcing the awards. Energia, title sponsor of the All-Ireland League, have announced the winners of the Energia AIL awards. The awards follow a stellar season which culminated in attendance at the Energia AIL men’s and women’s double header finals in Aviva Stadium. The Men’s Division 1A Player of the Year, Jack Kelleher starred for his side throughout the campaign which culminated in Cork Constitution’s victory over Terenure College in the final. The Women’s ..read more

Back in March for International Women’s Day, we announced that we would be holding a ‘Women in Rugby’ Conference in September, and today we are delighted to present further information. The conference, the first of its kind to be done by the IRFU, will take place on Sunday, September 8, and will bring together a range of speakers across the game and experts from outside rugby. The conference will examine the 30-year journey taken by some trailblazing women to get us where we are today, but most importantly the speakers will deliver thought-provoking sessions to outline how we can all contribut ..read more

Six Nations Rugby is introducing the first of its kind U20 Six Nations Women’s Summer Series, which will debut this July, in Parma, Italy. Starting on the 4, July 2024, and running until the 14, the inaugural development competition will feature all Six Nations teams, and include three competitive match days, designed to offer a new opportunity for international rugby experience. The Women’s Summer Series is intended to offer players a vital new opportunity to graduate through the rugby development pathway, from the U18 level. For those players who may have missed the U18 entry point onto the ..read more