Connacht

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Connacht have recalled their British and Irish Lions for Friday's United Rugby Championship game against the Bulls at Dexcom Stadium (19:45 BST).

Mack Hansen is named at full-back, Bundee Aki starts in the centre and Finlay Bealham returns at tight-head prop.

Scrum-half Caolin Blade and back-row forward Cian Prendergast, who were named in Ireland's autumn squad on Wednesday alongside the Lions trio, also start, with Prendergast switching to open-side flanker.

Shayne Bolton, a training panellist in the Ireland squad, starts on the left wing.

Connacht started the season with a 26-15 win over Benetton, but lost to Cardiff last week after their round two meeting with Scarlets was postponed because of Storm Amy.

"The Bulls are a formidable side, with a strong blend of power up front and pace in the back field," said Connacht head coach Stuart Lancaster.

"They were URC finalists for a reason last year, and we're expecting a response after their defeat in Ulster last week."

The Bulls make 11 changes after a 28-7 defeat by Ulster in Belfast last week, including Keagan Johannes' inclusion at fly-half with South Africa international Handre Pollard having returned home for family reasons.

Connacht: M Hansen; C Mullins, B Ralston, B Aki, S Bolton; J Ioane, C Blade; P Dooley, D Heffernan, F Bealham, D Murray, D O'Connor, J Murphy, S Jansen, C Prendergast (capt).

Replacements: D Tierney-Martin, J Duggan, J Aungier, J Joyce, S O'Brien, M Devine, S Naughton, C Forde.

Bulls: W le Roux; C Moodie, D Kriel, J Serfontein, S de Klerk; K Johannes, P de Wet; A Tshakweni, JH Wessels, W Louw, C Wiese, R Ludwig (capt), N Xaba, JJ Theron, J Rudolph.

Replacements: J Grobbelar, G Steenekamp, F Klopper, N van Rensburg, M Gumede, H Vorster, S Jacobs.

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Connacht winger Mack Hansen could make his return from the injury that wrecked his British and Irish Lions tour this weekend against Cardiff in the United Rugby Championship.

Hansen missed all three Lions Tests against Australia after injuring his foot in the 48-0 win over AUNZ Invitational a week before the series opener with the Wallabies in Brisbane.

In a squad update on Monday, Connacht confirmed that the 27-year-old Ireland star is available for selection against Cardiff on Saturday at Cardiff Arms Park (19:45 BST).

Back Harry West has also returned to full training. Fly-half Josh Ioane and winger Byron Ralston are also back in training but a decision on their availability will be made later in the week.

In less encouraging news, lock Niall Murray has undergone surgery on an ankle he injured in the win over Benetton while second row Oisin Dowling is expected to be sidelined until December after knee surgery.

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Connacht show nine changes for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Scarlets at Dexcom Stadium (13:45 BST).

Head coach Stuart Lancaster has welcomed back four Ireland internationals, but is still without his British and Irish Lions trio for the game against the Welsh club.

Cian Prendergast captains the side at flanker, with Jack Aungier named at prop with Darragh Murray in the second row, while Hugh Gavin is in line to make his bow for the season off the bench.

Denis Buckley starts at prop and Dave Heffernan at hooker in what is an all-new front row from last week's opening win in Galway.

Murray is joined by Joe Joyce at prop, with Paul Boyle moving to open-side flanker and Sean Jansen retaining his place at number eight.

There is a new partnership at half-back with Ben Murphy and Jack Carty selected, while David Hawkshaw gets the nod to start alongside Cathal Forde in the centre.

The back three remain the same with Sean Naughton at full-back and Chay Mullins and Shayne Bolton on the wings.

Connacht: Naughton; Mullins, Hawkshaw, Forde, Bolton; Carty, Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Aungier; Murray, Joyce; Prendergast (capt), Boyle, Jansen.

Replacements: de Buitléar, Duggan, Illo, O'Connor, O'Brien, Devine, Gavin, Treacy

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Stuart Lancaster has named his first Connacht side in the United Rugby Championship (URC) as they get ready to host Benetton Rugby at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (19:45 BST).

Lancaster is without his British and Irish Lions for the opening rounds, while summer signing Sam Gilbert is also not involved in the 23.

Academy back Sean Naughton has been handed his first start in what will also be his first taste of URC action, while Fiachna Barrett is in line to join the Galway man off the bench.

Naughton is named at full-back with Chay Mullins and Irish international Shayne Bolton on the wings, while Cathal Forde and Byron Ralston will start as the centre partnership.

The half-back partnership will see experienced scrum-half Caolan Blade joined by out-half Josh Ione.

Paul Boyle will captain the side on his 117th appearance at blind-side flanker in a back row that also features Shamus Hurley-Langton and number eight Sean Jansen.

In the front row, Dylan Tierney-Martin will start as hooker, joined on either side by props Peter Dooley and Sam Illo, while Niall Murray and Josh Murphy are named in the second row.

Connacht: Naughton; Mullins, Ralston, Forde, Bolton; Ioane, Blade; Dooley, Tierney-Martin, Illo; Murray, Murphy; Boyle (capt), Hurley-Langton (56), Jansen (26)

Replacements: Heffernan, Duggan, Barrett, O'Connor, Joyce, Murphy, Carty, Prendergast

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The fixture details for this year's Investec Champions Cup and Challenge Cup matches involving the four Irish provinces have been revealed.

Ulster will begin their Challenge Cup campaign with a home game against Racing 92 at the newly-named Affidea Stadium in Belfast on Friday 5 December (20:00 GMT).

Richie Murphy's side will then travel to face Cardiff away on Saturday 13 December (20:00), before taking on the Cheetahs at a European venue still to be confirmed on Sunday 11 January (15:15) and concluding with a home match against Stade Francais on Saturday 17 January (13:00).

In the Champions Cup, Leinster host Harlequins on 6 December (17:30), with the venue to be confirmed, with Munster away to Bath on the same day (20:00)

On Friday 12 December, Leinster are on the road to take on Leicester Tigers at Welford Road (20:00), with Munster hosting Gloucester at 17:30 on 13 December.

Leinster entertain La Rochelle on Saturday 10 January (17:30), then Munster are away to Toulon on 11 January (13:00).

In the final round of pool games, Leinster face Bayonne away on Saturday 17 January (15:15) and Munster play Castres at Thomond Park at 17:30 on the same day.

Connacht's Challenge Cup campaign commences with a trip to Ospreys on Sunday 7 December (15:15), followed by games at home to Black Lion (Saturday 13 December, 20:00), away to Montpellier (Sunday 11 January, 13:00) and home to US Montauban (Saturday 17 January, 20:00).

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With 16 players on British and Irish Lions duty this summer, interim Ireland head coach Paul O'Connell's 33-man squad for this summer's matches against Georgia and Portugal features 13 uncapped players. BBC Sport NI takes a closer look at those hoping to feature in green for the first time.

Having once dreamed of representing the Springboks, Shayne Bolton hopes this summer marks the start of a successful Ireland career, four years on from leaving his native South Africa to join Connacht.

The imposing 24-year-old wing caught the eye for the western province during the 2024-25 season, scoring six tries in 13 games and five in his last seven.

Injury robbed him of the chance to impress on the Emerging Ireland's tour of South Africa last autumn, but he was called up as injury cover during the Six Nations and scored a try in Ireland A's defeat by England in February.

Standing 6ft 2ins tall and with pace to burn on the right wing, Bolton provides an intriguing alternative to the more established widemen in O'Connell's squad.

Bolton will have his first chance to impress in an Ireland shirt after being named to start against Portugal on Saturday.

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With 16 players on British and Irish Lions duty this summer, interim Ireland head coach Paul O'Connell's 33-man squad for this summer's matches against Georgia and Portugal features 13 uncapped players. BBC Sport NI takes a closer look at those hoping to feature in green for the first time.

Another new face in the Ireland set-up, Darragh Murray is another youngster who cut his teeth in the Emerging Ireland and Ireland 'A' environments before earning his call-up to the big time.

A 6ft 7in lock from Roscommon, the 23-year-old has firmly established himself in the Connacht second row, starting 11 United Rugby Championship games this season.

Murray, whose older brother Niall is also a Connacht second row, is an effective line-out jumper and ball-carrier.

Having been a talented Gaelic footballer in his youth, Murray looks to have chosen the right sporting path as he closes in on becoming Roscommon's first Ireland international since Jack Carty.

Murray will get an early chance to impress this summer having been selected to start Saturday's Test against Georgia by interim head coach by Paul O'Connell, the inspiration for all emerging Irish locks.

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Leinster and La Rochelle have again been paired together in the draw for the Investec Champions Cup pool stages.

The four-time champions and former Irish fly-half Ronan O'Gara's side have met six times in the past five seasons, including twice in finals won by the French outfit.

The other sides in Pool Three are English pair Leicester Tigers and Harlequins, Top 14 side Bayonne and United Rugby Championship (URC) rivals the Stormers, although Leinster will not play the latter given that they are in the same domestic competition.

Munster have also been handed a familiar opponent and will play Castres of the Top 14 for the 20th time in this competition.

The southern province, who will be under new head coach Clayton McMillan next season, will also play Bath, Toulon and Gloucester with Edinburgh the other URC representative in Pool Two.

Ulster will start the season in the Challenge Cup for the first time in their history and have been paired with Cardiff, Exeter Chiefs, Cheetahs, Racing 92 and Stade Francais.

They faced Exeter in last season's Champions Cup, and Racing the season before that, although have not faced Stade Francais since 2009 or the Cheetahs since they departed what was then the PRO14 in 2020.

The Challenge Cup does not have the same rule against playing teams from your own league so Ulster could face Cardiff given they will play four opponents from their six-team pool.

Former England coach Stuart Lancaster will guide Connacht in the second-tier competition with the western province handed a more varied draw than their Irish rivals.

They are in Pool One along with Montauban, promoted to the Top 14 this season, and Georgian side Black Lion.

URC duo Ospreys and Zebre, as well as French side Montpellier, are also in the group.

Full fixture dates, times, and locations will be confirmed at a later date.

EPCR pools involving Irish sides

Champions Cup Pool 2: Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Munster Rugby, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby

Champions Cup Pool 3: Leinster Rugby, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, La Rochelle, Bayonne, DHL Stormers

Challenge Cup Pool 1: Ospreys, Zebre Parma, Montpellier, US Montauban, Black Lion, Connacht Rugby

Challenge Cup Pool 3: Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92, Stade Francais, Ulster Rugby

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This summer, another door will open for Ben Murphy.

A year ago, he was packing his bags and heading west after agreeing to join Connacht from Leinster.

It has proved a fruitful step. While he admits the province's 2024-25 season was "up and down", his progress was smooth.

He played 16 times and scored nine tries. Earlier this year, he was a training panellist on Ireland's Six Nations squad.

But now, with the country's frontline stars on British and Irish Lions duty, the 24-year-old scrum-half is keen to impress while swapping the green of Connacht for the similarly shaded Test jersey.

"From the outside looking in, it [receiving an Ireland call-up] probably would have been far-fetched," he admits.

"But I kind of felt that with the movements this year, Lions year and all that, that there was going to be an opportunity for a young scrum-half to come into the squad and I just wanted to put my best foot forward to be the one to be in that position.

"Thankfully I got an opportunity earlier with Connacht. I've managed to push forward and get into the squad so [I'm] delighted."

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After Ireland's summer's Tests against Georgia and Portugal, Murphy will return to the winds of change in Galway, with former England boss and Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster having recently taken the reins.

Murphy previously crossed paths with Lancaster while he was coming through the Leinster academy.

"I didn't feel we were too far away from being very good [last season]," added Murphy, who flourished in the latter stages of Pete Wilkins' tenure.

"And I think Stu has the ability to take us to that next step. He's been left a good foundation by the staff that were there last year but were ready to take that next step obviously next year."

With Ben on the cusp of a Test debut and his younger brother Jack establishing himself in the Ulster first-team under dad/head coach Richie, it has been a whirlwind couple of years for the Murphy clan.

"Yeah its been busy for my mum anyway," he smiled.

"She's been up and down the road a lot from Belfast to Galway to wherever. It has been hugely exciting obviously. Ulster have had their ups and downs as well as us.

"We've kind of been on a similar journey I feel. And Jack the same. Young half-back, learning his trade but he's starting to come into his own now. Massively exciting times for everyone."

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

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Stuart Lancaster's appointment as Connacht boss is exactly the kind of statement of intent the club needed after a trying season.

The Galway-based club finished 13th in the United Rugby Championship, winning just six of their 18 games, and were unable to reach the last four of the Challenge Cup.

But after Munster lured the highly-rated Clayton McMillan away from the Chiefs in New Zealand, Connacht have convinced Lancaster to return to Ireland in a head-turning addition to the IRFU's coaching network.

It is indeed a serious coup. While Lancaster endured a difficult time as England boss, his reign ending after a dismal 2015 Rugby World Cup campaign, he built a reputation as one of rugby's most astute coaches during a trophy-laden stint as Leinster senior coach.

Working with head coach Leo Cullen and building on the impressive body of work put together by Joe Schmidt before he took the Ireland job in 2013, Lancaster helped turn Leinster into one of the most exciting teams in Europe, with the great Johnny Sexton describing him as a "special coach" after the club's Champions Cup triumph in 2018.

Speaking of Leinster, the other provinces have a long way to go before bridging the gap in Irish rugby, but Lancaster has already proved adept at developing players within the IRFU system. Under his watch, the likes of Finn Treacy (centre, 20), John Devine (centre, 21) and Harry West (fly-half, 22) - all of whom have just been promoted from the academy - could progress quickly.

His pre-existing connections in Ireland may also help Connacht's ability to attract players to Galway, too, with Santiago Cordero and JJ Hanrahan among the players leaving the club.

With Harlequins director of rugby Billy Millard's recent recruitment as general manager, Lancaster will be able to focus on senior team matters. It may take time, but the 55-year-old Englishman unquestionably has the rugby IQ and tactical acumen to breathe new life into Connacht.

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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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Ireland wing Mack Hansen will miss Connacht's final two United Rugby Championship games because of an ankle injury.

In a squad update issued on Tuesday, Connacht ruled out the Australia-born 27-year-old for "approximately five weeks".

Hansen is hoping to be included in Andy Farrell's British and Irish Lions squad when it is unveiled on Thursday.

He has scored 12 tries in 28 caps for Ireland since being handed his debut by Farrell in February 2022.

If selected, Hansen should have recovered in time for the Lions' pre-tour game against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June.

Another Lions hopeful in Bundee Aki is available again after missing Connacht's URC games in South Africa against the Stormers and Lions with a heel problem.

On Monday, Ireland captain Caelan Doris' Lions hopes were hit as Leinster announced he needs a shoulder operation.

Connacht host Edinburgh in the URC on Saturday evening (19:35 BST). Interim boss Cullie Tucker's side are 14th and have only slim hopes of reaching the end-of-season play-offs.