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.

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Domachowski has his eye on top spot

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Corey Domachowski is a man on a mission to be Wales’ number one No.1. The Cardiff prop now has 10 caps to […]

Envious eyes fall on Leinster’s recruits

21 April 2024 0 comments

Leinster’s ability to cherry-pick two of the 2023 World Cup final’s biggest stars, signing All Black centre Jordie Barrett to augment the arrival of Springbok […]

Robertson will cash in on Barrett move

21 April 2024 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT THINKING ALLOWED LOOKING at it from Leinster’s point of view, the signing of the world’s best inside centre is a proper coup. Jordie […]

Long wait for away win goes on for Dragons

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Benetton………..36pts Tries: Smith 7, Lucchesi 30, Uren 35, Ratave 45, Iachizzi 71, Lamaro 75 Conversions: Albornoz 8, 36, Umaga 76 Dragons………….19pts Tries: […]

Goosen red card is game changer

21 April 2024 0 comments

By BRIAN FINN Bulls …………….22 Munster ……….27 GRAHAM Rowntree was pleased with the way his men came from behind to carve out victory at Loftus […]

Faletau injured again in gutting defeat to Ulster

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Ulster ……………..19pts Try: McCann 58 Conversion: Cooney 59 Penalties: Doak 28, 35, Cooney 65, 79 Tries: Cabango 11, 42 Conversions: De Beer […]

Leinster seconds suffer a mauling

21 April 2024 0 comments

By JIM COUCH Lions …………… 44 Leinster ……….12 LEINSTER crashed to a heavy defeat at Emirates Airline Park. Leo Cullen’s side had won 11 of […]

Warriors miss out on bonus point

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Glasgow ………21 Sharks ………… 10 GLASGOW kept themselves firmly in the playoff hunt with a convincing win at Scotstoun to stay second […]

Morgan at the double for Ospreys history boys

21 April 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Stormers………..21pts Try: Du Plessis 13, Roos 43, Penalty 80 Conversions: Libbok 14, 44 Ospreys………….27pts Tries: Morgan 8, 40; Parry 25, Deaves 63 […]

Livewire Devine the star of show

21 April 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON @therugbypaper Connacht …… 54 Zebre …………..16 CONNACHT skipper Dave Heffernan said they need to build on this easy win to keep their […]

Barrett, the man for every occasion

21 April 2024 0 comments

As a centre-three-quarter par excellence, there is nothing Jordie Barrett cannot do. Nobody in his position can truck it up the way he does, make […]

The Sheriff will be sorely missed

21 April 2024 0 comments

PETER JACKSON The gods played a dirty trick in denying Ken Owens a farewell appearance for his beloved Wales and equally beloved Scarlets but […]

Wales legend Owens retires at 37

17 April 2024 0 comments

Former Wales captain Ken Owens has retired from professional rugby aged 37. The ‘Sheriff’ was the oldest ever-player to hold the role, as he played […]

Leinster sign Barrett for 2024/25 season

15 April 2024 0 comments

Leinster have confirmed the signing of experienced All Black utility back Jordie Barrett on a short-term deal from December to the end of next season. […]

Another year for O’Mahony

14 April 2024 0 comments

Ireland skipper Peter O’Mahony has signed a new one-year contract at Munster after speculation he was set to retire. The 34-year-old has won two league […]

Leicester ace adds power to Ospreys midfield

7 April 2024 0 comments

By SAM JACKSON Ospreys have signed Phil Cokanasiga from Leicester Tigers for the 2024-25 season. Cokanasiga, the younger brother of England and Bath wing Joe, […]

Loader still has England in sight

7 April 2024 0 comments

Ben Loader still dreams of playing for England and is hoping his performances in Cape Town for the Stormers will one day offer a route […]

Montpellier lead chase for Munster ace Frisch

7 April 2024 0 comments

Montpellier are leading the chase for Munster centre Antoine Frisch, who has declared his allegiance to France over Ireland. Born in Fontainebleau, France, Frisch qualifies […]

Kitshoff set for return to Stormers

7 April 2024 0 comments

After weeks of speculation South Africa’s two-time World Cup winning prop Steven Kitshoff has decided to leave Ulster at the end of his first season […]

Hill looking forward to Edinburgh challenge

7 April 2024 0 comments

England prop Paul Hill will leave Northampton in the summer to join Edinburgh. The tighthead has made 187 appearances for Saints, having joined in 2015 […]

Scarlets prop star Thomas set for Ospreys

7 April 2024 0 comments

PROP Steffan Thomas will leave Scarlets at the end of the season to join Ospreys. Thomas, 26, will join his cousin and fellow loosehead Gareth […]

I’ve loved my time at Bath – Gallagher

31 March 2024 0 comments

By PAUL REES Matt Gallagher admits it will be a wrench to leave Bath at the end of the season and is doing so to […]

This is a dream come true, says Winnett

31 March 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Cam Winnett admits he is still pinching himself after his “unbelievable” Six Nations experience with Wales. The young full-back had started just […]

Craig enjoying new lease of life at Scarlets

31 March 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Alex Craig is an “old school” rugby player enjoying a new lease of life. The second row’s move to the Scarlets has […]

Cardiff fall just short as Crowley hits winner

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By JOHN FALLON Munster ………… 20pts Tries: Beirne 48, Crowley 64 Conversions: Crowley 49, 65 Penalties: Crowley 38, 75 Cardiff …………… 15pts Tries: Thomas 55, […]

Morris finds his form to help Ospreys see off Lions

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By SIMON THOMAS Ospreys …………36pts Tries: Botha 5, Parry 17, Morris 49, Lloyd 58, K Williams 80 Conversions: O Williams 18, 50, 59, Walsh 80 […]

Rowe’s the destroyer as Glasgow take charge

31 March 2024 0 comments

■By ROGER PANTING Scarlets ………………………….3pts Penalties: Lloyd 16 Glasgow……………………….. 45pts Tries: Rowe 6, 69, 80; Hiddleston 25, Cummings 41, Penalty 54, Matthews 64 Conversions: Weir […]

Dragons come good in basement battle

31 March 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Scarlets on his 100th apchief beneficiary Dragons…………. 20pts Tries: Owen 17, Rosser 23, Dee 42 Conversions: Evans 42 Zebre……………… 13pts Penalties: Evans […]

Stormers …… 13 Ulster ………….. 7

31 March 2024 0 comments

A LATE Evan Roos try helped Stormers seal a hard-fought win over Ulster. Nick Timoney’s converted score gave Ulster a 7-0 half-time lead but the […]

Sharks ……….23 Edinbrugh …. 13

31 March 2024 0 comments

EDINBURGH suffered back-to-back defeats in South Africa as the Sharks – who had begun the day bottom of the table with two wins from 12 […]

Big guns fire for Leinster

31 March 2024 0 comments

Leinster ………. 47 Bulls …………….. 14 By JOHN FALLON LEINSTER brought most of their big guns back for this one and head coach Leo Cullen […]

Benetton snatch it in final play of game

31 March 2024 0 comments

Benetton ……… 18 Connacht ……..14 By KEVIN FALLON BENETTON captain Eli Snyman said this is a huge win for the Treviso side as they struck […]

Wales can’t afford four

31 March 2024 0 comments

The Scarlets’ proud proclamation welcoming fans to ‘Heart and Soul Rugby Country’ looks even more threadbare this weekend. A loss of almost £3m last season […]

Ulster have little to offer

31 March 2024 0 comments

Shortly after Dan McFarland’s abrupt exit as Ulster’s head coach, chief executive Jonny Petrie dismissed any questions over his future at Ravenhill. “I’m committed to […]

Swart’s on message to grab it for Scarlets

24 March 2024 0 comments

By SIMON THOMAS Scarlets ………………………..16pts Tries: Swart 80+4 Conversion: Costelow 80+5 Penalties: Costelow 3, 51, 55 Benetton Treviso…………13pts Tries: Ratave 12 Conversion: Umaga 13 Penalties: […]

Cardiff hope to win Grady tug-of-war

24 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE By SIMON THOMAS The future location of Mason Grady is one of the biggest talking points in Welsh rugby – in more […]

Munster too hot in the red zone for Ospreys

24 March 2024 0 comments

By ROGER PANTING Ospreys …………. 17pts Tries: Giles 33, Parry 54, Cuthbert 74 Conversions: O Williams 54 Munster …………27pts Tries: Daly 3, O’Brien 5, 17; […]

Dempsey in control to lead Glasgow fightback

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By SIMON THOMAS Glasgow……….. 17pts Tries: Williamson 43, Sordoni 51 Conversion: Weir 44, 52 Penalty: Weir 67 Cardiff ………….. 13pts Try: Thomas 31 Conversion: De […]

Dragons show some style but fade away

24 March 2024 0 comments

■By ROGER PANTING Dragons…………. 10pts Tries: Baldwin 79 Conversions: Red 79 Penalties: Evans 20 Bulls ………………. 31pts Tries: Arendse 27, Gumede 44, Papier 76, Grobelaar […]

Sharks ……….22 Ulster ………… 12

24 March 2024 0 comments

THE Sharks recorded their first league win since November to climb off the URC basement as Ulster’s play-off bid took a knock. Sharks scored tries […]

Zebre …………… 7 Leinster …….. 31

24 March 2024 0 comments

LEADERS Leinster secured a bonus-point victory at Lanfranchi Stadium. First-half tries by Rob Russell and debutant Andrew Osborne, and further scores in the second by […]

Stormers overwhelm makeshift Edinburgh

24 March 2024 0 comments

By BRYN PALMER Stormers …….. 43 Edinburgh ……. 21 EDINBURGH’S URC play-off hopes suffered a major dent as Stor mers leapfrogged them in the table […]

Connacht left at the gate by proud Lions

24 March 2024 0 comments

By JOHN FALLON Connacht ……..14 Lions …………….38 MAN of the match JC Pretorious said a first ever win in Ireland could now propel them into […]

Five-star Bath run URC leaders ragged

17 March 2024 0 comments

Bath ………………..35pts Tries: Cokanasiga 9, du Toit 34, Spencer 50, Muir 66, 75 Conversions: Bailey 10, 35, 51, 67; Worboys 76 Leinster…………… 7pts Tries: Connors […]

Carre back at Saracens

10 March 2024 0 comments

Saracens have re-signed Wales loosehead Rhys Carre from Cardiff. The 26-year-old previously played for Saracens in 2019-20, moving back to Cardiff after one season. He […]

Party time as Stormers win 12-try thriller

10 March 2024 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Northampton…29pts Tries: Glister 3, 29, Odendaal 40, Garside 63, Graham 77 Conversions: Salava 4, 40 Stormers………. 45pts Tries: Simelane 10, Morabe 14, […]

Wasps better off with URC – Sharp

3 March 2024 0 comments

By JON NEWCOMBE Coventry chairman Jon Sharp is convinced that Wasps’ future, if it has one, lies in the United Rugby Championship, not the RFU […]

‘Big Mac’ has his eye on the prize

3 March 2024 0 comments

By ROB COLE The extent of the impact Wales newbie Mackenzie Martin is making this season can be judged in many ways. His club, Cardiff […]

McNicholl on his way

3 March 2024 0 comments

ON THE BLINDSIDE Wales wing Johnny McNicholl has left the Scarlets with immediate effect to take up a playing opportunity in New Zealand. McNicholl, 33, […]