Connacht

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

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.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Inpho

Stormers (26) 34

Tries: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3, Roos, Hartzenberg Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu 3 Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Connacht (24) 29

Tries: Jennings 2, Oliver, Tierney-Martin, Murphy Cons: Carty 2

Santiago Cordero had a last-gasp try ruled out as Connacht fell to a 34-29 defeat by the Stormers in Cape Town in the United Rugby Championship.

After Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who had earlier scored a hat-trick of tries, sent the Stormers five points clear with a late penalty, Cordero thought he had levelled the game with the clock in the red.

However, a TMO intervention ruled that hooker Dave Heffernan had impeded a tackle earlier in the play and the Stromers held on to win a pulsating fixture.

The win moves the Stormers into the top eight, which would secure a play-off, while Connacht jump into 11th with their try-scoring and losing bonus points.

A week after their 43-40 Challenge Cup defeat by Racing 92, which led to head coach Pete Wilkins leaving his role, Connacht were involved in another high-scoring thriller in Cape Town.

After Feinberg-Mngomezulu scored a superb opening try inside 60 seconds after darting through a gap, Connacht responded as Shane Jennings crossed out wide after good hands from the Irish backline.

The Stormers hit the front when Evan Roos crashed over off the back of a scrum, but Connacht drew level when Conor Oliver bundled over after more pressure in the 16th minute.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu had a stunning opening 40 minutes and grabbed his second try when he made a break and found back row Paul de Villiers, who returned the pass back inside which allowed the sprinting fly-half to score unchallenged.

The best try of the half came moments later when Feinberg-Mngomezulu again found himself in space. He chipped the ball over Piers O'Conor, collected his own kick and scored to complete his hat-trick and secure the bonus point for the Stormers.

However, Connacht refused to go away and Dylan Tierney-Martin rounded off a maul to pull a score back, and Jennings grabbed his second try of the game with the final play of the half, but Carty could only push his conversion wide as the Stormers held a two-point lead at the break.

The scintillating rugby by the Stormers continued after the restart when the South Africans powered into the 22 after a big break by Seablo Senatla, moved it quickly through the hands and Feinberg-Mngomezulu produced a ridiculous no-look pass out the back for Suleiman Hartzenberg to touch down in the corner.

The Stomers pressed for a sixth score but repeated infringements by Connacht near their own line saw centre Cathal Forde sent to the sin-bin.

However, Connacht held firm and it was soon 14 against 14 as Warrick Gelant was shown a yellow card as his attempted intercept went forward.

Connacht's resilience was rewarded when Josh Murphy powered over but Carty could only strike the post with his conversion, and the Stormers led by two points with 13 minutes to play.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu landed a long-distance penalty to move the Stormers five clear, but there was late drama as Connacht came up just short of the line through Sean Jansen and Jack Auinger dropped the ball with the tryline gaping.

That was followed by the final play of the game when replacement Cordero danced over to level the game with a conversion to come, but the TMO ruled that Heffernan had stopped Roos from tackling Carty earlier in the play and the score was chalked off, much to the frustration of the visitors.

Stormers: W Gelant; S Hartzenberg; D Du Plessis, D Willemse; S Senalta, S Feinberg-Mngomzullu; S Ungerer; A Vermaak, AH Venter, S Sandi; S Moerat, R van Heerden; P de Villiers, M Theunissen, E Roos.

Replacements: JJ Kotze, V Matongo, B Harris, JD Schikerling, L Nel, D Fourie, P de Wet, B Loader.

Connacht: P O'Conor; C Mullins; D Hawkshaw, C Forde; S Jennings; J Carty; B Murphy; P Dooley; D Tierney-Martin; F Bealham; O Dowling, D Murray; C Prendergast, C Oliver, P Boyle.

Replacements: D Heffernan, J Duggan, J Augnier, J Murphy, J Joyce, M Devine, S Cordero, S Jansen.

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Wednesday morning served up a startling reminder of the different worlds Leinster and the other Irish provinces currently inhabit.

Merely an hour after All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane announced his shock move to Leinster for the 2025-26 season, Connacht confirmed the departure of head coach Pete Wilkins.

Leinster are living under a cloudless, blue sky. They are top of the United Rugby Championship, are favourites to win the Investec Champions Cup and have an enviable squad that already includes an All Blacks star in Jordie Barrett - who will be gone by the time Ioane arrives - and a two-time World Cup winner in RG Snyman.

The reality for Munster, Ulster and Connacht is quite different. In the past 12 months, all three have parted ways with their head coach mid-season. While Leinster target the biggest prizes, their Irish rivals are scrapping to even qualify for Europe's top competition next season.

Even without the Wilkins news - which comes four days after Connacht's European Challenge Cup exit - the timing of the Ioane announcement is striking.

On Tuesday, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) revealed another significant tweak to their central contract model: from August 2026, provinces must contribute 40% to central deals. Given that the union fully funded these deals up until a 30% requirement was introduced last year, it is significant.

It was said that the IRFU "intends" that the funds generated by the change will be invested into the player pathways of Connacht, Munster and Ulster.

The new model will certainly hit Leinster the hardest. As of next season, Leinster have 11 centrally contracted players, Connacht have two, Munster have one and Ulster none.

Leinster will be contributing a healthy chunk of budget to those 11 Ireland internationals, but with Ioane taking Barrett's place next season, the anticipated increase to their wage bill has clearly not hampered their ability to recruit in the short-term.

As well as Snyman, Leinster already have French prop Rabah Slimani on the books.

With Ioane replacing Barrett next season, Leo Cullen will again be able to name a matchday 23 where reserve scrum-half is the only position not occupied by a current international from one of the game's four highest ranked Test teams.

After losing three Champions Cup finals in three years, it is true that Leinster's change in approach to non-Irish qualified (NIQ) signings has been brought about their quest to win European rugby's biggest prize for a first time since 2018.

But while the moves will draw envious glances from those in other countries trying to compete for the same trophies, there can be little doubt there will be a similar response much closer to home too.

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Pete Wilkins has stepped down as head coach of Connacht with "a heavy heart" after Saturday's Challenge Cup defeat by Racing 92.

The French side came out on top in a 43-40 thriller in Galway to book their place in the semi-finals.

Wilkins spent eight years at Connacht, who are 13th in the United Rugby Championship table, and became head coach in 2023.

"During this season, I have been having some very open and honest discussions about my future at the club.," Wilkins said in a statement.

"Although incredibly privileged to have been given the responsibility of leading the rugby programme here, the longer I have spent in the role, the further away I have found myself from the aspects of coaching not only that I most enjoy, but also that allow me to contribute most effectively to the team."

Wilkins joined Conacht in 2017 as defence coach and he moved into the role of senior coach in the 2021-22 campaign.

The following year he became head coach under director of rugby Andy Friend as Connacht reached the semi-finals of the United Rugby Championship and in 2023 he took full control after the departure of Friend.

Connacht say Cullie Tucker will remain as interim head coach for the remainder of the season and the province will begin the process of recruiting a new head coach for next season.

David Humphreys, director of performance at the Irish Rugby Football Union said Wilkins had "contributed an enormous amount of growth of the game" in Connacht.

"Irish Rugby owes him a debt of gratitude for his dedication and commitment to the province," added Humphreys.

"A quality coach and respected figure in Irish rugby, Pete can remember his time in Connacht with pride, and I hope that he will continue to progress his coaching career in the years to come."

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Connacht have made five changes for their European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Racing 92 in Galway on Saturday.

The province got the better of fellow United Rugby Championship side Cardiff in the last 16 last weekend without captain Cian Prendergast.

The blind-side flanker returns to the six jersey for the visit from the Top 14 outfit, with Josh Murphy moving back into the second row for the tie (20:00 BST).

He will be partnered by former Bristol Bears lock Joe Joyce, who also missed the game against Cardiff.

Prop Denis Buckley starts at loose-head prop, while scrum-half Ben Murphy is fit again after finger surgery.

Shayne Bolton will miss out because of a quad strain with his place on the wing to be taken by Shane Jennings.

The visitors, who are 10th in the Top 14, have named former England captain Owen Farrell on the bench.

The ex-Saracens fly-half started against Perpignan last weekend but England Under-20s playmaker Dan Lancaster - the son of former England coach Stuart - has been handed the number 10 shirt.

Connacht: Hansen; Jennings, Gavin, Aki, Treacy; Hanrahan, B Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, J Murphy, Joyce, Prendergast (capt), Hurley-Langton, Jansen.

Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Dooley, Aungier, Dowling, Boyle, Devine, Ioane, Forde.

Racing 92: James; Naituvi, Habosi, Tuisova, Spring (capt); Lancaster, Le Garrec; Ben Arous, Escobar, Bamba, Palu, Rowlands, Baudonne, Kpoku, Joseph.

Replacements: Couly, Gogichashvili, Leota, R Taofifenua, Manyarara, D Taofifenua, Farrell, Chavancy.

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Connacht and Munster welcome back Irish internationals for the United Rugby Championship interprovincial showdown at MacHale Park on Saturday (14:30 GMT).

The hosts bring in Mack Hansen, Bundee Aki, Finlay Bealham and captain Cian Prendergast for what will be the first time a professional Connacht game is held in County Mayo, and the first time rugby is played at the Castlebar venue in its 95-year history.

The Ireland quartet are among seven Connacht changes from the 43-40 defeat by Ospreys in Wales.

Chay Mullins, Jordan Duggan and Sean Jansen also come into the starting XV.

Munster have three Irish internationals back in their side as Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley and Calvin Nash return.

The visitors are also boosted by the return of Oli Jager and Craig Casey from injury as they make five changes from the 28-25 defeat by Glasgow Warriors last weekend.

Munster sit sixth in the standings and three points above 12th-placed Connacht.

Connacht: Hansen; Mullins, Gavin, Aki, Treacy; Ioane, Blade; Duggan, Heffernan, Bealham; Joyce, Murray, Prendergast (capt), Hurley-Langton, Jansen.

Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Buckley, Aungier, Murphy, Boyle, Devine, Hanrahan, Cordero.

Munster: O'Connor; Nash, Farrell, Nankivell, O'Brien; Crowley, Casey; Loughman, Barron, Jager; Wycherley, Beirne (capt); Ahern, Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: N Scannell, Wycherley, Archer, Kleyn, Quinn, Murray, R Scannell, Kendellen.

Image source, Inpho

United Rugby Championship

Connacht (19) 38

Tries: Treacy, Bolton 2, Boyle, Hurley-Langton, Devine Cons: Ioane 3, Hanrahan

Benetton (27) 30

Tries: Mendy, Uren, Zanon Cons: Albornoz 3 Pens: Albornoz 3

Connacht recovered from an eight-point half-time deficit to see off Benetton 38-30 in a nine-try United Rugby Championship thriller at the Sportsground in Galway.

Finn Treacy, Shayne Bolton and Paul Boyle crossed for the Irish province in the first half, but touchdowns from Ignacio Mendy, Andy Uren and Marco Zanon helped the visitors to a 27-19 advantage at the break.

Shamus Hurley-Langton and Matthew Devine were Connacht's try-scorers in the second 40 minutes as they secured a bonus point, while fly-half Josh Ioane contributed three conversions and JJ Hanrahan one for the hosts.

Tomas Albornoz kicked three conversions and three penalties for the Italian side, his third penalty providing Benetton's sole points of the second half.

Connacht's fifth URC victory of the season sees them move into the top half of the table in eighth, while Benetton drop to 13th, level on points with Lions, Scarlets, Ospreys and Stormers above them in the congested standings.

Connacht: O'Conor, Bolton, Gavin, Forde, Treacy, Ioane, Blade, Dooley, Heffernan, Aungier, D. Murray, D O'Connor, Prendergast, Hurley-Langton, Boyle.

Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Buckley, Illo, J. Murphy, Dowling, Devine, Hanrahan, Hawkshaw.

Benetton Treviso: Smith, Mendy, Zanon, Fekitoa, Gallagher, Albornoz, Uren, Gallo, Bernasconi, Zilocchi, Marini, Snyman, Izekor, Kingi, Halafihi.

Replacements: Creevy, Tetaz Chaparro, Pasquali, Favretto, Koroiyadi, Garbisi, Umaga, Zanandrea.

Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)