Munster

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Edwin Edogbo is set to make his first Munster appearance in nearly two years after being named in the matchday squad for Friday's United Rugby Championship game with Edinburgh in Cork (19:45 BST).

The 22-year-old lock has been sidelined since December 2023 with an Achilles injury, but has been included on the bench.

Head coach Clayton McMillan makes 10 changes from last week's win over Cardiff, with Tom Farrell, Calvin Nash, Andrew Smith and Michael Milne handed their seasonal debuts.

Diarmuid Barron, Mike Haley, Sean O'Brien, JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson and Jack O'Donoghue also come into the side.

Munster are still without captain Tadhg Beirne after his involvement in the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia, while Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey will return from his thigh injury in "one to three weeks".

Munster are also without Shane Daly, Tom Ahern (both concussion), Niall Scannell (hand), Diarmuid Kilgallen (ankle), John Hodnett (cheek), Alex Kendellen (ankle) and Conor Bartley (thigh).

In-form fly-half Jack Crowley is rested.

The Irish province are targeting a third straight win after opening their campaign with wins over Scarlets and Cardiff.

Edinburgh lost to Zebre before their home game against Ulster last week was postponed because of Storm Amy.

The Scots have recalled Lions wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe, while Pierre Schoeman, D'arcy Rae and Sam Skinner come into the pack.

Dylan Richardson will make his Edinburgh debut in the back row after joining from the Sharks.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Sean O'Brien, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O'Donoghue, Ruadhan Quinn, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Dan Kelly.

Edinburgh: Wes Goosen; Darcy Graham, Piers O'Conor, James Lang, Duhan van der Merwe; Ben Healy, Ben Vellacott; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D'arcy Rae, Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner, Liam McConnell, Dylan Richardson, Magnus Bradbury (capt).

Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Boan Venter, Paul Hill, Glen Young, Freddy Douglas, Ben Muncaster, Charlie Shiel, Harry Paterson.

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Niall Scannell has been passed fit to lead Munster into their first home game of the United Rugby Championship season when they welcome Cardiff to Thomond Park on Saturday (19:45 BST).

The Munster captain passed a Head Injury Assessment to start at hooker in an unchanged front five, but JJ Hanrahan misses out and will follow return-to-play protocols after picking up a head knock in last week's bonus-point win at Scarlets.

Jack Crowley comes into the side at fly-half as head coach Clayton McMillan has been forced into six changes from their opening win in Wales.

Craig Casey and Alex Kendellen are ruled out through injury with Paddy Patterson replacing Casey at scrum-half, while Ruadhán Quinn is Kendellen's replacement at open-side flanker.

It is all change in the back row with Tom Ahern in for Jack O'Donoghue at blind-side, while Gavin Coombes starts in place of Brian Gleeson at number eight.

Ben O'Connor starts at full back due to a thigh injury picked up by Mike Haley.

Munster: O'Connor; Daly, Kelly, Nankivell, Abrahams; Crowley, Coughlan; Loughman, Scannell (Capt), Jager; Kleyn, Wycherley; Ahern, Quinn, Coombes.

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Foxe, O'Donoghue, Gleeson, Patterson, Butler, O'Brien.

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Ins: JJ Hanrahan (Connacht), Dan Kelly (Leicester Tigers)

Outs: Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Stephen Archer and Dave Kilcoyne (all retired)

Last season: Quarter-finalists

First five games: Scarlets (A), Cardiff (H), Edinburgh (H), Leinster (A), Connacht (H)

Prospects: Perhaps another strange season down at Thomond Park was best epitomised by the side's URC exit, the always bizarre sight of a place-kicks competition against the Sharks bringing the curtain down on their season in Durban.

It had been a tumultuous campaign up to that point with the man who delivered the URC title in 2023, Graham Rowntree, departing in October after a run of two wins from six to start the season.

Head of rugby operations Ian Costello took temporary charge of things and delivered a huge victory away to La Rochelle in the last 16 of the Champions Cup, before the side ultimately confirmed their place in this season's top-tier European competition with a sixth-place finish in the league.

Similar to Stuart Lancaster's arrival in Connacht, the hiring of Clayton McMillan represents something of a coaching coup. The New Zealander arrives after taking the Chiefs to three successive Super Rugby finals and his ticket is boosted by having Alex Codling available to work with the forwards full-time after splitting his time with the women's national side last season.

Dan Kelly, Irish-qualified once again after a solitary England cap in 2021, is an intriguing addition, while JJ Hanrahan returns to back up Jack Crowley for what will be a third spell with his native province.

Quite apart from a new head coach, the retirements of Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray, Stephen Archer and Dave Kilcoyne, as well as the departure of Rory Scannell, give the feeling of a new era in the southern province.

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Craig Casey will captain Munster for the first time when they face Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets in their opening URC fixture on Saturday (17:30 BST).

Scrum-half Casey, who skippered Ireland on their summer tour, will lead the side in the absence of Tadhg Beirne and will form a half-back partnership with the returning JJ Hanrahan as new coach Clayton McMillan names his first side in a competitive fixture since his arrival in the province.

Niall Scannell is in line to make his 200th appearance at hooker, while centre Dan Kelly makes his debut having joined from Leicester Tigers.

Springbok Jean Kleyn is back in the second row having recovered from a knee injury on international duty.

Munster: Haley; Daly, Kelly, Nankivell, Abrahams; Hanrahan, Casey (capt); Loughman, Scannell, Jager; Kleyn, Wycherley; O'Donoghue, Kendellen, Gleeson.

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Bartley, Ahern, Coombes, Patterson, Crowley, O'Brien.

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Former Ireland and British and Irish Lions scrum-half Conor Murray has confirmed his retirement from rugby after opting against a move abroad.

Murray, 36, ended his Test career alongside Peter O'Mahony and Cian Healy at the conclusion of this year's Six Nations.

While initially indicating that he would "pursue a playing opportunity abroad", five-time Six Nations winner Murray has decided to hang up his boots.

"I had left it open-ended," he told The 42, external.

"My body felt really good and in a good place. But it was more for a life experience for my wife Joanna and our little boy Alfie, who's 10 months now, and just if we wanted to go somewhere nice and experience a nice place to live, for them as much as me wanting to play on."

Murray added that he received a "couple of offers" to extend his career.

"There was one in Japan but dragging them [his family] there, putting them in an apartment in Tokyo or something like that just didn't appeal to where we're at at the minute," he added.

"So long story short, nothing of appeal came up and I'm very happy to hang up the boots properly and move into the next chapter."

During his 125-cap Ireland career, Murray won five Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams.

He also made eight Test appearances for the British and Irish Lions across the 2013, 2017 and 2021 tours.

Having made his debut in 2010, Murray played 206 times for Munster, winning two United Rugby Championship titles.

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Irish Women's Interprovincial Championship, Affidea Stadium

Ulster (17) 17

Tries: Sheerin, Fitzsimons 2 Cons: Sheerin

Munster (19) 38

Tries: Pearse, Ugweueru, Finn, Og O'Leary 2, McInerney Con: Finn 4

Munster maintained their perfect start to the Women's Interprovincial Championship with a third consecutive bonus-point win over Ulster in Belfast.

The visitors ran in six tries through the 38-17 victory, taking control of the contest with a dominant second half.

The score had been 19-17 at the turn, but Ulster failed to score after the restart with Munster skipper Maeve Og O'Leary leading the way with a pair of tries.

With two bonus-point wins from two games played, the latter of which was an impressive victory over reigning champions Leinster last weekend, Munster arrived in Belfast as heavy favourites.

That tag looked fully justified in the early stages as, after a dominant scrum in a central position, number eight Chloe Pearse barged over for the opening score after 10 minutes.

Ulster hit back, however, with centre Siobhan Sheerin scoring her third try in as many games after strong work in the carry from her forwards.

Chisom Ugweueru responded with Munster's second in the 17th minute thanks to a great show of pace from deep before O'Leary pass put Caitriona Finn between the posts.

When the Munster centre converted her own score, Matt Brown's side led 19-7 and appeared in complete control.

Two tries in the space of three minutes from debutant Ciara Fitzsimons, however, got Ulster right back into things.

First the Queen's winger scored in the corner off scrum-half Sophie Meeke's pass before an intercept score brought her side back within just two points at the break.

Munster enjoyed a brilliant start to the second half when skipper O'Leary pounced on a loose ball and powered her way over just three minutes after the restart.

But visiting prop Grainne Burke was shown a yellow card for a high tackle just minutes later to give Murray Houston's team a route back into the game.

Despite the numerical disadvantage however, Munster continued to apply the pressure and it took a brilliant tackle from prop Sophie Barrett to save a try.

Munster were not to be denied for long though and, as Ulster pressed for a way back into the game, Alana McInerney scooped up a loose pass and ran in for a try from inside her own half.

O'Leary's second of the afternoon arrived on the hour mark and ended the game as a contest, although Ulster defended well to avoid further concession in the final 20 minutes, especially when Niamh Marley was sent to the sin bin.

Ulster: Kate Farrell McCabe; Ciara Fitzsimons, Siobhan Sheerin, Kelly McCormill, Niamh Marley; Abby Moyles, Sophie Meeke; Aishling O'Connell, India Daley (capt), Sophie Barrett, Ellen Patterson, Brenda Barr, Moya Hill, Rebecca Beacom, Stacey Sloan.

Replacements: Megan Simpson, Bronach Cassidy, Sophie McAlister, Lauren Darley, Ciara O'Donnell, Georgia Boyce, Farrah Cartin McCloskey, Katie Gilmour.

Munster: Aoife Corey; Alana McInerney, Stephanie Nunan, Caitriona Finn, Chisom Ugwueru; Kate Flannery, Abbie Salter-Townshend; Grainne Burke, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Eilis Cahill, Clodagh O'Halloran, Jane Clohessy, Brianna Heylmann, Maeve Og O'Leary (capt), Chloe Pearse.

Replacements: Alisha Flynn, Ciara McLoughlin, Claire Bennett, Emma Dunican, Sally Kelly, Eve Prendergast, Lucia Linn, Meghan Crilly.

Referee: Dermot Blake

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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.

Alex Kendellen deservedly secured his first Ireland call-up at the end of a busy season that saw him make 22 appearances for Munster, scoring four tries including one in the Champions Cup.

Capable of playing across the back row, the Cork-born 24-year-old has made steady progression since his debut for the province in 2021, impressing for the Ireland under-20s in their Six Nations campaign that year before featuring in all 25 of Munster's games in the 2023-24 season.

Having been ruled out of the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour through concussion, Kendellen captained the young squad in their South African trip last autumn.

With 89 games already under his belt for Munster, Kendellen hopes to muscle his way into Ireland's long-term back-row options - and he has been given the chance to impress from the start against Portugal.

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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.

Andrew Porter's Lions commitments could open the door for Ireland's fringe loose-head props to establish themselves.

At 26, Michael Milne is not as young as some of O'Connell's squad, so he will undoubtedly be keen to make an instant impression this summer.

Having only started 12 games for Leinster in the best part of six years, Milne made the move to Munster earlier this year.

He started four games at loose-head, scoring a try against Ulster before putting in a whopping 90-minute shift in the United Rugby Championship play-off thriller against the Sharks, which the South Africans won in a place-kicking competition.

A Grand Slam winner with the Ireland under-20s, Milne has previously trained with the senior squad in multiple international windows, but this summer could be a crucial period in his development.

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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 Tests 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.

Tom Ahern has been recognised by O'Connell after an impressive season with Munster, during which he made 19 appearances including five off the bench in the Champions Cup.

The 25-year-old lock made his Munster debut in 2020, has earned 65 caps and was part of the 2022-23 United Rugby Championship title-winning squad. In 2023-24, he scored eight tries in 23 outings.

Ahern, from County Waterford, featured for the Ireland under-20s during the 2019 World Rugby Under-20 Championship and was part of the 2022 Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa.

At under-20 level, he also helped Ireland win the Triple Crown during the Covid-hit 2020 Six Nations.

While his progress has been hindered by injuries, he has long been on the radar of Ireland's senior coaching staff. Invited to train with the squad during the 2021 autumn Tests and the past couple of Six Nations campaigns, Ahern hopes to finally earn his first senior international cap.

Capable of playing in the second and back rows, the 6ft 9in forward could learn a great deal under O'Connell, another totemic second row to have emerged from Munster.

He was nursing a hamstring injury but was passed fit on Tuesday.

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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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Munster captain Tadhg Beirne said "there was nothing more" he could ask of his team-mates after their United Rugby Championship quarter-final loss to Sharks was decided by a place-kick competition.

The Irish side led 21-10 in the second half but, after the game in Durban finished 24-24 and neither side scored during extra time, the match went into a penalty kick shootout.

Sharks were a perfect six-from-six in their shots at goal, while Rory Scannell was the only one wayward off the tee for Munster.

"They're riddled with internationals, they know what they're doing," said Beirne of the Sharks, who will now face South African rivals Bulls in the semi-finals.

"We knew they were going to keep coming at us, we knew they would be a tough battle, and we fought to the bitter end.

"There's nothing more I could ask of the lads. To go to a penalty shootout or whatever you call that there is gutting for us, but that's the way it goes and that's the way we lost the game."

The defeat represented final Munster appearances for Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer.

"There's no tomorrow for us this season and we have to say goodbye to some pretty special characters within this room," added Beirne, who will tour with the British and Irish Lions for a second time this summer.

"It's going to be a weird place without them, we've spoken about it before.

"They epitomise Munster, they love the club and they put blood, sweat and tears in for the club."

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Munster interim boss Ian Costello has again named an unchanged team for his side's United Rugby Championship quarter-final against the Sharks in Durban (17:30 BST).

Jack Crowley is retained at fly-half having overcome a rib injury in recent weeks.

Peter O'Mahony and Stephen Archer are named in the pack in what could be their final game before retirement.

Centre Rory Scannell is set to make his 200th Munster appearance off the bench. Also named among the replacements is former Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray, who will leave the club this summer.

The Sharks, who beat Munster 41-24 in Durban in October, name a team loaded with South Africa internationals, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche, Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am.

Sharks: Fassi; Hooker, Am, Esterhuizen, Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Nche, Mbonambi, Koch; Etzebeth (capt), Jenkins; Venter, Tshituka, Kolisi.

Replacements: Mbatha, Mchunu, Jacobs, Van Heerden, Buthelezi, Davids, Venter, Penxe.

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

Replacements: Barron, Wycherley, Ryan, Ahern, Kendellen, Murray, Scannell, Haley.