Irish Rugby

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The quarter-finals of the 2024-25 United Rugby Championship season have yet to be played, but already the fixtures for the 2025-26 campaign have been released.

The Irish provinces learnt their URC schedule for the new term on Wednesday.

The opening round of fixtures will take place on the final weekend of September, with eight-time league winners Leinster taking on DHL Stormers on the opening evening of games on Friday 26 September.

Ulster will host the Dragons on the same day, with Munster travelling to play the Scarlets on Saturday 27 September and Connacht at home to Benetton on the same day.

The second round of matches will include Edinburgh v Ulster on Friday 3 October and Bulls v Leinster, Munster v Cardiff and Connacht v Scarlets on Saturday 4 October.

The festive derby games will see Leinster face Ulster on the run-up to Christmas on Friday 19 December, then on Saturday 27 December Connacht are at home to Ulster and Munster host Leinster.

On Friday 2 January, Ulster face Munster, while Leinster are at home to Connacht the next day.

The competition will follow the same format as recent years, with the top eight teams contesting the quarter-finals on the final weekend of May, followed by semi-finals on Saturday 6 June and the final on Saturday 20 June.

You can view a full list of the fixtures here, external.

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New Zealand-born fly-half Aidan Morgan will leave Ulster this summer "by mutual consent".

Morgan joined Ulster from Super Rugby side Hurricanes on a two-year-deal last year following Billy Burns' departure to Munster.

The 23-year-old, who previously played for the New Zealand Under-20 team, is qualified to represent Ireland through a Belfast-born grandfather.

Morgan made 17 appearances for Ulster, including 12 starts, and scored tries in his first two games.

However, Morgan featured mainly from the bench in the closing stages of the season with Jack Murphy - head coach Richie Murphy's son - preferred in the 10 shirt.

"I want to thank Ulster Rugby fans, the players and staff for the the part they have played in welcoming me in since joining last summer," said Morgan.

"I have enjoyed my time here in Belfast with Ulster, learning and growing as a player and a person.

"Thank you for the great memories and I wish everyone all the best for the future."

Ulster general manager Bryn Cunningham described Morgan as the "consummate professional", but said releasing the player from his contract was "in the best interests of both parties".

"We thank Aidan for all his efforts over the past season and wish him and his partner all the very best for their next chapter," said Cunningham.

"Going into the 2025-26 season, we will have three fully contracted fly-halves -Jack Murphy, Jake Flannery, James Humphreys - between 21 and 26 years of age, all of which we need to continue to develop and get the very best out of in the seasons ahead."

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Ulster forward Cormac Izuchukwu says the Irish province's players were "massively heartbroken" after ending their United Rugby Championship season with a 47-17 defeat away to Edinburgh.

It was a fifth straight loss in all competitions for the visitors and ultimately condemned them to 14th place in the table after the final round of games.

Ulster's hopes of qualification for the quarter-final play-offs and Champions Cup rugby next season had been ended by a defeat to Munster last week.

However head coach Richie Murphy and his players had indicated before their trip to the Scottish capital a desire to give a winning send-off to the squad members who will depart from the club at the end of this season.

Long-serving forwards Kieran Treadwell and Andrew Warwick were handed starting roles for their swansong appearances.

They are two of eight players leaving the northern province, along with John Cooney, Alan O'Connor, Reuben Crothers, Corrie Barrett, Michael McDonald and Matty Rea.

In the event, Edinburgh put Ulster to the sword, scoring seven tries on their way to ensuring their passage to the last eight of the URC.

"We're massively heartbroken. It was a pretty poor performance to give the lads who are leaving. They deserved so much better and not an ideal way to top off a tough season.

"It's hurting massively. There are boys in there who have been playing for us for 10 years and going out and giving them that send-off hurts me too. It's something we've got to live with.

"I thought we had moments in the game when we were good but we found it hard putting those together and the game got away from us."

Izuchukwu hopes a youthful Ulster squad can take lessons into next season.

"The lesson today we take was just a loss. Hopefully next year we can use that to fuel us to kick on.

"I think for us, especially with having a squad that is so young, it's just about having the appetite to turn up and give 110%.

"We don't have massive depth now but hopefully next year we can keep blooding lads, keep building a squad and keep moving forward."

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United Rugby Championship: Munster v Benetton

Munster (10) 30

Tries: Crowley, Barron, Abrahams, Bernasconi Cons: Crowley, Casey Pens: Crowley, Casey

Benetton (14) 21

Tries: Smyth 2, Bernasconi Cons: Umaga 3

Munster moved sixth in the United Rugby Championship and guaranteed their place in the play-off quarter-finals and next season's Champions Cup with a hard-fought 30-21 victory over Benetton at Virgin Media Park.

Benetton led 14-10 at the break but the Irish province responded after half-time to win.

Jack Crowley scored the opening try on 14 minutes when he dashed over from close range to score beside the posts, the Ireland fly-half converting his own touchdown.

Benetton responded with a try from Rhyno Smith as he went on angled run, skipped through an attempted tackle and dived over, Jacob Umaga converting.

Crowley's penalty edged the hosts in front again but the visitors went ahead with a stunning breakaway try.

Craig Casey missed a tackle on fly-half Umaga on halfway and he fed Smith who raced away for his second try.

Four minutes into the second half Lee Barron rumbled over from a maul after a line-out, Crowley off-target with the tee on that occasion.

Thaakir Abrahams then showed a fine turn of pace after accepting an offload for Munster's third try and Casey added a superb conversion from the touchline.

Crowley set up the score with a cross-kick for Diarmuid Kilgallen on the wing and he provided the pass for the South African to race clear.

A Casey penalty extended the lead to 11 but Munster weren't finished and Bautista Bernasconi barged over for their third score. Umaga's kick reduced the deficit to four.

Josh Wycherley powered over to give the home side some breathing space, Casey contributing the additional two points.

Munster: Abrahams; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, Kilgallen; Crowley, Casey; Milne, Scannell, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, J Wycherley, Ryan, F Wycherley, Ahern, Murray, O'Brien, Kendellen.

Benetton: Rhyno Smith, Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Ignacio Brex, Paolo Odogwu, Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi; Thomas Gallo, Siua Maile, Simone Ferrari, Scott Scrafton, Federico Ruzza (CAPT), Riccardo Favretto, Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Mirco Spagnolo, Tiziano Pasquali, Niccolò Cannone, Sebastian Negri, Nicolò Casilio, Tomas Albornoz, Malakai Fekitoa

Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

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Fly-half Billy Burns will leave Munster at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.

The former Gloucester player joined the province last summer after spending six seasons with Ulster.

The 30-year-old has won seven caps for Ireland having made his debut against Wales in 2020.

Munster, who will be under new head coach Clayton McMillan next season, have also confirmed that Scott Buckley, Patrick Campbell, Liam Coombes, Jack Daly and Cian Hurley will depart Thomond Park once the season has concluded.

It had previously been announced that Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, David Kilcoyne and Stephen Archer are also in their last seasons with the side.

Munster face Benetton on Friday evening knowing that victory will secure their spot in the United Rugby Championship play-offs and next season's Champions Cup.

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Iain Henderson says Ulster's slow start and mid-season struggles left them with too much to do to secure a United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off and a Champions Cup spot for next season.

Last Friday's defeat by Munster at Thomond Park meant there will be a premature end to Ulster's campaign as they also dropped into the second-tier European Challenge Cup for next season.

But Henderson says the damage had been done earlier when they lost four of their opening seven URC games.

That included them squandering a 19-0 lead against Cardiff, and the subsequent damaging home defeat by Zebre in January which was followed by a further reverse against Benetton in Italy.

"When you are leaving it to the last game or two of the season, it's probably a bit late," the Ulster captain told BBC Sport NI.

"Although we're feeling incredibly cut up about it [last weekend's defeat by Munster] now, it's probably our mistakes earlier on in the season that have led to us feeling like this."

On the face of it, an Edinburgh side still chasing a play-off spot should have more motivation for Friday's concluding regular season game but Henderson says he and his team-mates must aim to give a winning send-off to the squad members who will depart from the club at the end of this season.

These include Ireland internationals John Cooney and Kieran Treadwell.

"It's only right that the players get another opportunity and try and right some wrongs for the last few weeks, to be able to give the guys leaving a proper send-off and hopefully one they remember fondly," added Henderson, who returned to action in last weekend's Munster contest following a three-month injury lay-off.

Despite the current sense of gloom around the team's fortunes, Henderson believes the emergence of young talents such as James McNabney and Jack Murphy should give Ulster fans hope for the future.

"A lot of young fellows are coming through the ranks very impressively and after an impressive under-age experience, and I think there is definitely a wealth of knowledge and talent in there to hopefully make next season brighter and with more prospects than we've had this year," said Henderson.

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Munster will attempt to secure a spot in the United Rugby Championship top eight with an unchanged team when they host play-off rivals Benetton in Cork on Friday (20:00 BST).

Interim boss Ian Costello has retained the 23-man matchday squad from last week's 38-20 win over Ulster at Thomond Park.

Ireland international Craig Casey will make his 100th appearance for the province at scrum-half while Jean Kleyn earns his 150th cap.

The Irish province will be guaranteed a top-eight finish and passage into next season's Champions Cup with victory on Friday.

Munster are currently eighth, one place below Benetton, with both sides level on 46 points.

If Munster fail to secure a play-off berth, Friday's game will prove the final act of former Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony's career.

Former British and Irish Lion O'Mahony and record Munster cap holder Stephen Archer will retire at the end of the club's campaign.

Defeat would also spell the end of Conor Murray's Munster career with the former Ireland scrum-half set for a move abroad before next season.

Munster: Abrahams; Nash,Farrell, Nankivell, Kilgallen; Crowley, Casey; Milne, Scannell, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne (capt); O'Mahony, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, J Wycherley, Ryan, F Wycherley, Ahern, Murray, O'Brien, Kendellen.

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Ulster boss Richie Murphy has made four changes for the province's final game of the season away to Edinburgh on Friday evening (19:35 BST).

Kieran Treadwell returns to the second row for his final Ulster appearance. Andy Warwick, who is retained in the front row, will also line out for his farewell game.

Treadwell is set to return to Harlequins after nine years at Ulster while 34-year-old Warwick is set for his swansong 11 years on from his debut.

Warwick and Treadwell, who have made a combined 389 Ulster appearances, are two of eight players leaving the club this summer.

Ireland prop Tom O'Toole returns at tight-head prop, replacing Scott Wilson, while David McCann is recalled in the back row. Cormac Izuchukwu shifts from lock to the back row as Matty Rea and James McNabney drop out.

There is one change to the backline that started last week's defeat by Munster as Werner Kok starts on the right wing, replacing Robert Baloucoune.

Last week's 38-20 reverse at Thomond Park ended Ulster's hopes of securing a United Rugby Championship play-off spot and qualifying for next season's Champions Cup.

Edinburgh, however, can still finish in the top eight. They are currently 10th, two points off the top eight.

Ulster: Lowry; Kok, Postlethwaite, McCloskey, Stockdale; Murphy, Doak; Warwick, Herring, O'Toole; Treadwell, Henderson (capt); Izuchukwu, Timoney, McCann.

Replacements: Stewart, Reid, Wilson, Sheridan, McNabney, Shanahan, Morgan, Moore.

Listen to Edinburgh v Ulster live on the BBC Sport website from 19:15 BST on Friday, 16 May

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Nathan Doak says Ulster's players are "devastated" after missing out on the United Rugby Championship play-offs and a place in next season's Investec Champions Cup.

Ulster's hopes of securing a URC play-off spot were ended by last Friday's defeat by Munster at Thomond Park as the Irish province also dropped to the second-tier Challenge Cup competition in Europe for next season.

"There is a lot of hurt in the camp but we know we've got to turn up this week," said scrum-half Doak, 23, who was speaking after the team resumed training for Friday's away contest against a 10th-placed Edinburgh side who need a victory to maintain their play-off hopes.

Doak said that skipper Iain Henderson urged the squad on Tuesday to deliver a performance for the group of Ulster players departing the club at the end of this campaign.

Ireland internationals John Cooney and Kieran Treadwell are among those exiting the Irish province along with Alan O'Connor, Andy Warwick, Matty Rea, Reuben Crothers, Corrie Barrett and Michael McDonald.

"Hendy actually asked us all what it meant to play this week," added Doak.

"There are guys that are leaving who mean an awful lot to us so there is a lot for us to play in terms of personal pride. There is definitely full focus on trying to go over there and win and make it a last special appearance for the boys that are leaving."

Doak added that his fellow scrum-half Cooney had spoken to him at Tuesday's training session.

"He came up to me today and said 'this is our final week together' which is probably the first time it hit me that we'll not be having him running round the place [any more].

"He's a great friend and he'll be sorely missed not just by me but by everyone round here."

Despite a hugely disappointing campaign, Doak appealed to Ulster's fans to continue to back the team.

"We'll be back. I've no doubt about that," he said.

"We'll work as hard as we can to make sure that next year we're not in this position and that we get some play-off rugby again."

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Ulster have signed former England Under-20s prop Sam Crean and Leinster tight-head Rory McGuire.

Twenty-four-year-old Crean, who can also cover the hooker position, joins Ulster from Saracens after having played twice for the Irish province during a short-term loan this season.

McGuire, 22, has made eight senior appearances for Leinster after coming through their academy programme.

The 6ft 4in McGuire played for Ireland's Under-20s Six Nations Grand Slam-winning squad in 2022 when Ulster coach Richie Murphy was in charge of the team.

Ulster general manager Bryn Cunningham described the duo as "talented props at good age profiles".

"Richie knows him [McGuire] well from Ireland U20s and we think he is an exciting prospect who is eager to kick on under Jimmy Duffy," added Cunningham.

"Sam, after a brief stint earlier this season on loan during which he really impressed the coaches, can hopefully hit the ground running and really challenge both Eric [O'Sullivan] and Callum [Reid] for the number one jersey."

Props Andy Warwick and Corrie Barrett are among eight players who will leave the Irish province at the end of this season, with the other departures being Ireland internationals John Cooney and Kieran Treadwell plus Alan O'Connor, Mattie Rea, Reuben Crothers and Michael McDonald.