United Rugby Championship

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s United Rugby Championship news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

stdClass Object ( [id] => 2 [league_id] => 2 [season_name] => United Rugby Championship Regular Season [season_slug] => united-rugby-championship-regular-season [season_start] => 2021 [season_end] => 2022 [wp_league_id] => 3836 [status] => 1 )

Tougher than it looks for Munster

30 January 2022 0 comments

By RONAN O’NEILL Zebre …………….17 Munster ……….34 MUNSTER scrum-half Neil Cronin said they were flattered by the margin of their bonus point. It’s their 18th […]

Poor return for Peel as Ulster finish in fine style

30 January 2022 0 comments

By JIM SHORT Ulster …………….27pts Tries: Curtis 34, Carter 52, Milasinovich 65, Gilroy 67 Conversions: Doak 35, 66 Penalty: Doak 3 Scarlets …………15pts Tries: Lee […]

Wales fans don’t care about clubs

30 January 2022 1 comment

COLIN BOAG Packed out: A full Principality Stadium but where are crowds for regions? PICTURE: Getty Imagesr At last the Welsh regions are starting to […]

Scarlets sign All Black Vaea Fifita from Wasps

26 January 2022 0 comments

Scarlets have signed All Black Vaea Fifita from Premiership side Wasps. The 29-year-old, who can play in the second row and back row, will join […]

Wales hooker Bradley Roberts signs for Dragons

25 January 2022 0 comments

Wales hooker Bradley Roberts has signed for the Dragons. Currently part of Wales’ Six Nations squad, the 26-year-old has signed a long-term contract and will […]

It’s time to rethink a British and Irish League

23 January 2022 1 comment

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST The best we can say for the United Rugby Championship is that the revamped tournament is having a near-life experience: eyes […]

Leinster rout can devalue Euro Cup

23 January 2022 1 comment

COLIN BOAG Thrashing: Josh van der Flier evades the tackle of Josua Vici on his way to scoring Leinster’s ninth try I know there’s a […]

Zebo’s red can’t stop Munster momentum

9 January 2022 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Munster …………18pts Tries: Haley 60, Kendellen 76 Conversions: Healy 77 Penalties: Crowley 33, 39 Ulster………………13pts Tries: Herring 8 Conversions: Cooney 8 Penalties: […]

Marksman Anscombe trumped by Tuipulotu

9 January 2022 1 comment

By BRYN PALMER Glasgow …………38pts Tries: Forbes 22, Tuipulotu 27, 62; McKay 48, Brown 73 Conversions: Thompson 23, 28, 49, 63; Weir 74 Penalties: Thompson […]

Edinburgh too strong for wretched Cardiff

9 January 2022 1 comment

By BRYN PALMER Edinburgh ……..34pts Tries: Moyano 5, Boffelli 9, Bennett 30, 73; Lang 39 Conversions: Boffelli 6, 31; Van der Walt 74 Penalty: Boffelli […]

Elias eager to shake off the rust after Covid break

9 January 2022 0 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS RYAN Elias has lived in the shadow of Ken Owens since breaking into the senior Scarlets squad in 2014 but took a […]

Munster job not for me yet says O’Connell

9 January 2022 0 comments

NEWS EXTRA By SAM JACKSON FORMER Ireland captain Paul O’Connell has ruled himself out of the running for the Munster head coach job after saying […]

Cardiff sign Wales full-back Liam Williams from Scarlets

6 January 2022 0 comments

Wales full-back Liam Williams is the latest big name to join Cardiff for the start of the 2022-23 season after announcing he will be leaving […]

Connacht come out on top in feisty Irish derby

2 January 2022 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht ……….10pts Tries: Aki 58 Conversions: Fitzgerald 59 Penalties: Carty 15 Munster …………..8pts Tries: Conway 23 Penalties: Healy 17 PROMISING flanker […]

McNicholl double downs Ospreys

2 January 2022 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets …………22pts Tries: Davies 9, S Evans 52, McNicholl 65, 77 Conversions: Jones 10 Ospreys …………..19pts Tries: Webb 19, 56; L Morgan […]

Ryan hopes derby integrity remains

2 January 2022 1 comment

DRAGONS director of rugby Dean Ryan hopes the “integrity of derby games will remain” as league organisers face the challenge of rescheduling. Three of four […]

Scarlets concede Champions Cup opener with Bristol Bears

7 December 2021 0 comments

Scarlets have been forced to concede their opening Heineken Champions Cup Pool game vs Bristol Bears on Saturday. The decision was made due to concerns […]

Bristol say No to plea by Scarlets to postpone

5 December 2021 2 comments

By PETER JACKSON BRISTOL Bears have turned down a request from the Covid-marooned Scarlets to postpone next Saturday’s Champions’ Cup tie at Ashton Gate. It […]

Blair: Win’s a win but fans need more entertainment

5 December 2021 1 comment

By GARY HEATLY Edinburgh ……..24pts Tries: Graham 13, Bofelli 21, Kinghorn 45, McInally 67 Conversions: Kinghorn 45, 67 Benetton ……….10pts Tries: Zuliani 59 Conversions: Marin […]

Big tackle count sees Ospreys win wrestle

5 December 2021 1 comment

By ROGER POANTING Ospreys …………..19pts Tries: Morris 32 Conversions: Myler 35 Penalties: Myler 17, 35, 58, 65 Ulster ………………13pts Tries: Penalty 14 Penalties: Cooney 19, […]

Dempsey stars as Warriors prepare for France

5 December 2021 0 comments

By GARY HEATLY Glasgow …………33pts Tries: Tuipulotu 1, Steyn 31, Dempsey 39, Price 59, Matthews 70 Conversions: Thompson 17, 39, 59, 70 Dragons …………14pts Tries: […]

Boks big guns get Sharks sparking

5 December 2021 0 comments

By SUFIAN ALAM Sharks …………30 Bulls …………….16 THE Sharks, boosted by a host of Springboks returning to club action, claimed a decisive victory against Bulls […]

Super-sub Porter sets up second-half stampede

5 December 2021 1 comment

By JOHN FALLON Leinster …………47pts Tries: Ruddock 23, Ringrose 32, Sheehan 39, Larmour 41, Doris 49, Baird 58, Deegan 74 Conversions: H Byrne 24, 33, […]

Lions end long wait for victory

5 December 2021 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Stormers ……..19 Lions …………….37 THE Lions picked up their first win since the opening round, as they comfortably saw off South African […]

The cooped-up players deserve our sympathy

5 December 2021 0 comments

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND WALES’ four regions begin their European campaigns this weekend and they will head into the Champions Cup and Challenge […]

Cardiff and Munster are homeward bound from South Africa

1 December 2021 0 comments

Cardiff have announced that the majority of their playing and background staff will leave South Africa on Thursday morning following a week of coronavirus mayhem. […]

Nine new coronavirus cases in Munster camp

30 November 2021 1 comment

PA Rugby Union Munster have reported nine positive coronavirus cases among their players and staff following the latest round of PCR testing in Cape Town. […]

Cricket shrine is ‘ruined’ by Ospreys

28 November 2021 0 comments

Bounce back: Rob Simmons, centre, is mobbed after scoring for London Irish PICTURE: Getty Images THE Ospreys have been accused of ‘ruining’ one of cricket’s […]

Roberts likely to bid Ulster farewell for Wales future

28 November 2021 0 comments

By ALEX BYWATER Big impact: Bradley Roberts tackles Vincent Koch NEW Wales hooker Bradley Roberts admits his shock Test bow this autumn has complicated his […]

Dragons are blown away in the wind

28 November 2021 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Dragons …………14pts Tries: S Davies 22, Holmes 32 Conversions: S Davies 22, 32 Edinburgh ……..30pts Tries: Boffelli 3, Moyano 19, 36; Hoyland […]

Ospreys fail to find lift off as Friend’s men plunder seven

28 November 2021 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht ……….46pts Tries: Hansen 2, Bolton 13, McNulty 23, Arnold 43, Penalty 58, Blade 70, Fitzgerald 78 Conversions: Carty 44, 71, 79 […]

URC must be transparent on what happens next

28 November 2021 0 comments

SHANE WILLIAMS WALES AND LIONS LEGEND In limbo: Cardiff and Scarlets players do not know when they can return to Wales FOR the Scarlets and […]

JP du Preez could quit Sale Sharks for Glasgow Warriors

10 October 2021 0 comments

SALE Sharks have four players called Du Preez on their books but could have one fewer from the start of next season with lock JP […]

Let Hallam Amos fill the void at 15 for Wales, says Dai Young

10 October 2021 2 comments

HALLAM Amos has been tipped to fill the full-back void left by Liam Williams and Leigh Halfpenny for Wales’ daunting autumn campaign. It leaves head […]

Opportunity knocks for Adam Beard after Hill and Ball departures from Wales scene

10 October 2021 1 comment

ADAM Beard plans on making the most of the departure of Cory Hill and Jake Ball from Welsh rugby. Ospreys second row Beard had a […]

Pressure is on South African sides says Jaque Fourie

26 September 2021 3 comments

WHEN South African rugby sent the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings to contest in the Pro14 against the Irish, Scots, Welsh and Italians, there was […]

Dai is ready to bring son Thomas Young home to Wales

19 September 2021 1 comment

WASPS are bracing themselves for a raid by former boss Dai Young who is eying up a family reunion with son Thomas at Cardiff Rugby […]

Exclusive: Ex-Scarlets head coach Glenn Delaney gets job in Japan

19 September 2021 0 comments

GLENN Delaney has landed a job in Japan, four months after leaving his position as head coach of Scarlets. The 47-year-old New Zealander is currently […]

Scarlets 55-21 Nottingham: Nine-try Scarlets wow the crowd to kick-off Peel era

5 September 2021 0 comments

DWAYNE Peel’s first game as Scarlets head coach ended in a romp against Championship side Nottingham as 22-year-old winger Ryan Conbeer stated an early claim […]

Premiership clubs like look of Ospreys lock Rhys Davies

29 August 2021 0 comments

‘Several’ Premiership clubs are interested in young Ospreys lock Rhys Davies

Munster coach Stephen Larkham is wanted back by Brumbies

29 August 2021 2 comments

Larkham is under contract at Thomond Park until the end of the coming season

URC fixtures 2021-22: Leinster face Bulls first up

27 August 2021 0 comments

CHAMPIONS Leinster welcome the Bulls in Round 1 of the new United Rugby Champiosnhip which kicks off on September 24. Dates for the final eight […]

The Scarlets rebuild under Dwayne Peel and Sean Fitzpatrick

22 August 2021 0 comments

By STEFFAN THOMAS SEAN Fitzpatrick is confident the Scarlets can turn their fortunes around under new head coach Dwayne Peel, but has warned it won’t […]