Irish Rugby

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The Irish Rugby Football Union has named the Clovers and Wolfhounds squads for the cross-border Celtic Challenge competition which will start when they face each other in back-to-back fixtures on 22 and 28 December.

The expanded format of this year's competition will see teams play 10 fixtures - five at home and five away.

Ulster duo Sadhbh McGrath and Sophie Barrett have been named in the Clovers squad while the Wolfhounds panel includes Rugby Writers of Ireland player of the year Aoife Wafer.

The Clovers will train at University of Limerick while the Wolfhounds, who won last season's competition, will be based at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Dublin and Belfast's Kingspan Stadium.

The IRFU say more players will be added following the opening rounds of the SVNS Series, which began in Dubai last weekend.

You can find the full Celtic Challenge fixtures here, external.

Clovers squad

Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC), Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere RFC), Eabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC), Ella Burns (Tuam Oughterard), Emily Gavin (Railway Union RFC), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC), Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC), Grace Brown Moran (Galwegians RFC), Grainne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Grainne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Neill (Old Belvedere RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC), Meabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC), Shirley Bailey (Ballincollig RFC), Siobhan McCarthy (Railway Union RFC) Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC).

Wolfhounds squad

Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC), Anna Doyle (Blackrock College RFC), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC), Caoimhe Molloy (Wicklow RFC), Cara Martin (Blackrock College RFC), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC), Ciara Short (Wicklow RFC), Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC), Cliondhna Ni Choncobhair (Blackrock College RFC), Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC), Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC), Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC), Erin McConnell (Wicklow RFC), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC), Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC), Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC), Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC), Tricia Boyle (Railway Union RFC).

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Ulster open their Investec Champions Cup campaign with a daunting trip to holders and six-time champions Toulouse on Sunday (15:15 GMT).

On Tuesday, Ulster head coach Richie Murphy spoke to reporters. Here's a breakdown of some of what he spoke about.

On Ulster's progress against his expectations:

"It's probably slightly below where we wanted to be. We've had a tough run of games as well, we've played the top three teams in the league at the moment and been in South Africa in the Highveld.

"Between the Cardiff and Leinster games, we probably should be at least one better but we're a young side and we're going to have ups and downs."

On facing a star-studded Toulouse:

"Excitement? Maybe. Fear? Probably a little bit. You look at their team, they're two or three deep international wise in nearly every position.

"But there are things in their team that you look at and think there are opportunities. It's whether you can be good enough to take that."

On Zac Ward's fitness and future:

"Zac is back fit. He has passed all the return to play protocols for this weekend. Zac is progressing well, obviously he had never played on the wing before coming in with us. Coming in from the Sevens he has shown some really good growth over the last number of weeks.

"Zac is on an IRFU contract at the moment. We are in conversations with him about going forward from here."

"We're positive about his progress and over the next number of weeks we might see him out there in a white jersey."

On whether Ulster need a 'medical joker' to solve back-three injury problems:

"No, not at the moment. We've brought Rob Lyttle [former Ulster wing] back in for a couple of weeks. We'll see how that progresses. We also have a few academy players who we want to try and bring through. Between them, we're actually OK.

"If someone else were to get injured, that could become an issue then."

On Ulster's Irish internationals being in the mix for Sunday:

"The internationals all returned to training yesterday (Monday). They obviously haven't been with us for five weeks. Cormac Izuchukwu, Iain Henderson, Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole and Stuart McCloskey have all returned from international camp.

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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy says the club do not want to see Jacob Stockdale and John Cooney leave, but added the "group will move on without" any player who departs.

Reports in France have linked Ireland wing Stockdale and scrum-half John Cooney, both of whom are out of contract at the end of the season, with moves to the Top 14.

Stockdale, 28, has worked his way back into the Ireland set-up recently, starting the November Test win over Fiji.

Cooney, 34, has been a key player for Ulster since joining the club from Connacht in 2017. However, he won the last of his 11 Ireland caps in the 2020 Six Nations.

"They've both been brilliant players," said Murphy in a news conference ahead of Ulster's Investec Champions Cup trip to Toulouse on Sunday (15:15 GMT).

"At this time of year, with players off contract, there's always going to be conversations about those things.

"We don't want to see them go. It's like anything, if people decide to move on, well the group here will move on without them.

"We're trying to build something here going forward over the next number of years, hopefully the guys might want to be a part of that."

Both Cooney and Stockdale are injured and will play no part in Ulster's game at Champions Cup holders Toulouse.

Listen to Toulouse v Ulster on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster from 15:00 GMT on Sunday

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Ulster scrum-half John Cooney has been ruled out of the team's opening Investec Champions Cup game at holders Toulouse on Sunday (15:15 GMT).

The 34-year-old was forced off during last week's loss to Leinster in Belfast with a hamstring injury, which head coach Richie Murphy says "is not as bad as first feared".

Wing Ben Moxham is set for an extended spell on the sidelines. The 23-year-old was also injured in the Leinster game and will see a knee surgeon this week.

However, Murphy confirmed Werner Kok has been passed fit for the Toulouse game while, in an injury bulletin released earlier on Tuesday, Ulster said they hoped Zac Ward will return to training in time to make the game following concussion.

The club are short of fit wingers at the moment. Jacob Stockdale suffered a "significant" hamstring injury on Ireland duty last month, Robert Baloucoune is yet to play this season, and Aaron Sexton has departed to seek a career in the NFL.

On Stockdale, Murphy said: "He will miss a good number of weeks. It's not clarified how long that will be but weren't expecting to see him anytime soon."

Ulster confirmed their players who were involved in Ireland duty during the November Tests are available for selection.

Richie Murphy's side will continue their European campaign after the Toulouse trip with games against Bordeaux, Leicester and Exeter.

Ulster lost 48-24 to Toulouse in Belfast when the sides met in last season's Champions Cup.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Leinster boss Leo Cullen says the province want "to make sure" they set up All Black Jordie Barrett to succeed during his short stay in Dublin.

The utility back arrived at the RDS this week and acted as water carrier for his new team-mates as they beat Ulster 27-20 in Belfast on Friday night to make it seven wins from seven games in the United Rugby Championship this season.

The 27-year-old, who is on a deal that runs until the end of the season, picked up a slight knock on international duty this month but Cullen said he looks "OK" as Leinster turn their attention to their Champions Cup opener away to Bristol on December 8.

"Jordie only arrived in on Wednesday. So he had a knock and he came off in the French game so he looks like he is OK," said Cullen.

"We will try to get him up and running through training first and make some calls as to when he starts.

"It’s unusual that you have a player coming in halfway through the season, so we want to make sure we set him up as well as possible to help him succeed. We will go about that process over the next while."

Having been bulk suppliers to Andy Farrell's Ireland squad through four November Tests, Cullen is looking forward to getting other key men back too.

"We are lucky in that these are guys that have been playing at the top end of the game," he added.

"We will watch [Saturday's Ireland versus Australia] game with great interest to see how everybody comes through.

"The international guys, they are coming back in next week as well, but we will try to keep them fresh to have them firing in the new year."

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy admitted his side will need "to come up with a solution" to select a back-three for their Champions Cup opener against holders Toulouse next week.

Jacob Stockdale suffered a "significant" hamstring injury on Ireland duty last weekend, Robert Baloucoune is yet to play this season, and Aaron Sexton has departed to seek a career in the NFL.

Then, in their 27-20 loss to Leinster on Friday night, the northern province were forced into playing four different players on the left wing over the course of 80 minutes.

South African Werner Kok started in the number 11 jersey but failed a head injury assessment [HIA], while his replacement Ben Moxham left the field looking in some distress with a knee injury.

That saw scrum-half John Cooney pressed into emergency action on the wing and, after he hobbled off late on, back-row Nick Timoney filled in to finish the game.

Travelling to the Stade Ernest-Wallon next week, Murphy is short of options.

"Disappointing obviously and the problem now is we've got a shortage around our back-three," said the head coach of the injuries.

"We're going to have to come up with a solution and see what that looks like next week."

On Stockdale's injury sustained against Fiji last week, Murphy said the winger would be out for a "good few weeks".

"Don't know how long he's going to be out for at the moment but it's not a short-term thing," he added.

"I don't know how long it is, but I know it's not a case of getting him back in a week or two.

"He's had a significant hamstring injury and it's a matter probably of a good few weeks but I haven't heard an actual time on that yet."

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Ulster coach Richie Murphy says he believes Ireland head coach Andy Farrell and his Australia counterpart Joe Schmidt "would like to get one up on each other" when their teams meet at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

Schmidt coached Ireland for six years from 2013, with Farrell occupying the role of his assistant for the final three years of the New Zealander's tenure before taking over the top job following the 2019 World Cup.

Murphy has worked closely with both in his previous roles as Ireland's skills and kicking coach, then Ireland Under-20s coach, and holds them in high regard.

"They’re two amazing coaches. Over the course of the last week I’ve been on the phone texting both of them," Murphy told BBC Sport NI.

"I think Joe Schmidt was the catalyst and the start of a lot of good things in Irish rugby and Andy has taken it on from there and done an extremely good job.

"He has brought his own personality onto it. In phase attack he’s really driven Ireland on."

Australia lost 27-13 to Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday, having previously defeated England and Wales in their autumn internationals.

Schmidt has been at the helm with the Wallabies since January this year after being a selector and assistant coach with the All Blacks.

"Joe’s attention to detail is second to none. You can still see elements of his coaching from when he was in Ireland in that Australian team. They have become much more disciplined, they have much more pattern to what they’re doing," observed Murphy.

"They were beaten at the weekend but they’ve been pretty good over this period."

The fact that Farrell and Schmidt will again lock horns as coaches of the British and Irish Lions and Australia respectively in the summer adds more spice to the Dublin encounter.

"The two of them get on very well. Well they always did when I was there but I’d say deep down both would like to get one up on each other. It’ll be very interesting to see how it goes," added the Ulster coach.