World Rugby’s Latest Innovation: T1 Rugby – A Game for Everyone

In an exciting move, World Rugby has introduced T1 Rugby, a groundbreaking non-contact sport that preserves the essence of traditional rugby, featuring elements such as scrums, lineouts, and breakdowns. This innovative step aims to boost engagement and accessibility for young people worldwide.

T1 Rugby is positioned as “a game for everyone, played by anyone,” with a strong focus on enjoyment, fitness, inclusivity, and efficient use of time. This format promises a welcoming and safe environment for individuals of all ages and backgrounds, aligning with World Rugby’s global sport-for-all mission.

What sets T1 Rugby apart is its ability to mirror the key characteristics of rugby, including lineouts, scrums, kicking, and the essence of a rugby match, all while maintaining a non-contact nature. This unique approach retains the attacking and defending aspects of rugby, requiring players to make strategic decisions.

Remarkably, participants have reported understanding the rules in under 20 minutes, highlighting the game’s simplicity and its authentic rugby feel. Players have expressed a strong desire to play T1 Rugby regularly if given the opportunity.

World Rugby is set to launch T1 Rugby globally through its national member unions. The format was previewed during the Rugby World Cup 2023 media match in Paris on October 17. Member unions, spanning from England and New Zealand to Laos and Vietnam, have contributed to T1 Rugby’s development, as it offers a flexible format to expand rugby’s reach worldwide.

As global participation rates, especially among young people in emerging rugby markets, have seen an 11% increase in the past year, T1 Rugby is poised to become the cornerstone of World Rugby’s Get Into Rugby program. This new non-contact sport is expected to gain traction in clubs and schools worldwide.

Alan Gilpin, World Rugby’s Chief Executive, expressed enthusiasm for the introduction of T1 Rugby, emphasizing the sport’s accessibility to a diverse and younger audience. With its potential to expand beyond traditional nations and demographics, T1 Rugby is set to play a pivotal role in the growth of rugby, especially with the forthcoming men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in the USA.

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Expanded to 24 Teams

One of the most significant alterations to the Rugby World Cup format will be the expansion to 24 teams. This expansion is a bold move that aims to make the tournament more inclusive and bring rugby to new corners of the world. The increased number of teams will undoubtedly lead to a more diverse and competitive tournament.

Introducing the Round of 16

In a move that mirrors the format of other major international sports tournaments, the Rugby World Cup will now feature a Round of 16. This means that the top two teams from each pool, along with the best four third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage. This change adds an extra layer of excitement to the competition and ensures that more teams have a chance to progress deeper into the tournament.

Reduced Window and Pool Phase

To streamline the tournament and ensure it remains a logistical triumph, the Rugby World Cup in 2027 will reduce its duration. Previously, the competition spanned six weeks (or seven weekends), but now it will take place in a shorter five-week period. This change is designed to minimize player fatigue and maintain the high level of intensity that fans have come to expect from the Rugby World Cup.

Late Pool Draw

Another intriguing change is the decision to conduct the pool draw in January 2026 This move is aimed at maximizing the suspense and intrigue surrounding the tournament. It means that teams and fans will have a shorter wait to discover their opponents but it will avoid the 2021 debacle of the top five teams on one side of the draw.

Six Pools of Four Teams

The new format will see the teams divided into six pools, each consisting of four teams. This setup ensures a balanced and competitive group stage, with each team having an equal opportunity to advance to the Round of 16. The pool phase is shortened from four to five weeks, maintaining a rapid pace and keeping fans engaged throughout.

Possible pools for Rugby World Cup 2027 according to current World Rankings 

South Africa, Argentina, Portugal, Spain

New Zealand, Wales, Georgia, Romania

Ireland, Australia, Samoa, Namibia

France, Fiji, Tonga, Chile

England, Italy, Uruguay, Canada

Scotland, Japan, USA, Hong Kong

Other possible teams : Brazil, Netherlands, Switzerland, Korea, Zimbabwe.

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Enhancing Rugby Player Safety through Cutting-Edge Data Collection

In a pioneering move, the BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) has teamed up with Marker Diagnostics to implement an innovative data collection initiative, specifically designed to elevate elite player safety and build upon prior concussion research.

Comprehensive Research Involving All 16 Teams

After successful small-scale trials with Marker during the 2022/23 season, all 16 teams in the BKT URC have enthusiastically enrolled in this research for the 2023/24 season. This extensive collaboration with Marker involves leveraging their patented and CE marked salivary diagnostic concussion test, which stands as the sole approved biological diagnostic for mild traumatic brain injury in adult male athletes.

Marker’s Saliva Testing: A Game-Changer in Concussion Diagnosis

Marker’s revolutionary approach utilizes saliva testing for players entering the Head Injury Assessment protocols. By analyzing non-coding RNA biomarkers in saliva, this diagnostic test holds the potential to become a crucial component in accurately identifying concussions and monitoring the safe return to play.

Strategic Data Collection Process

Marker will commence the initiative by collecting baseline saliva samples from BKT URC players at the beginning of the season. Subsequent suspected and confirmed concussion incident samples will be collected during various stages of the mandatory Head Injury Assessment (HIA) evaluation process. This includes on-pitch assessment during HIA 1, post-game (HIA 2), 36-48 hours after the game (HIA 3), and when the player is set to return to play (HIA 4).

Advancing Research for Safer Return to Play

The collaborative effort aims to provide additional research data, expanding the test’s prognostic application within the HIA process. Dr. Mike Dunlop, United Rugby Championship Medical Advisor, expresses the league’s commitment to accelerating research related to player safety.

Endorsement from Thought Leaders

David Cohen, Chairman of Marker, acknowledges the visionary support received from thought leaders in rugby. The collaboration with BKT URC and Union medical teams signifies a meaningful expansion of Marker’s technology application, aiming to protect the brain health of players across genders and age groups.

URC starts Rugby Player Head Safety Initiative

Dr. Dunlop highlights the simplicity of Marker’s saliva testing approach and anticipates that extending this initiative across all teams during the season will yield a valuable dataset for researchers and the URC to consider.

This strategic collaboration represents a significant leap forward in advancing brain health and safety standards in the realm of rugby, showcasing the commitment of BKT URC and Marker Diagnostics to pioneering research for the well-being of athletes at every level of the game.

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Despite the origins of the game dating back over 164 years and the governing body the  IRB being formed in Dublin in 1886, we had to wait until 1987 for the first formally organised Rugby World Cup to take place. 

There are many political and sporting reasons why the event took one hundred and one years to organise. 

The Origins

Allegedly, the origins of the sport began in the town of Rugby in the English Midlands in 1823, when a certain young gentleman by the name of William Webb Ellis decided to pick up the ball and run with it. The rest, as they say, is history. The trophy that the twenty best teams in the world will compete for in France over the next two months bears his moniker as a testament to his legacy.

Before 1885 the laws of the game were still somewhat up for dispute. After a contentious try in a game between England and Scotland, the English claimed that as they founded the game they should be the final arbitrator of any disputes. Unsurprisingly this was not acceptable to the home unions of Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The trio met in Dublin in 1886 to formalise the rules and set up the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB), the English RFU eventually relented and joined in 1890.

The Split

During the next decade, the game underwent a form of civil war as the ruling bodies of the game wished to remain amateur, while a large portion of the players in working-class regions wished to be compensated for loss of earnings due to matches clashing with their normal working hours. This led to a split within the game which became known as ‘the great schism and led to the creation of two separate codes, Rugby League and Rugby Union. 

Global Spread

The spread of the game internationally was due largely to the British Army and British Navy. Teams were established in British colonial outposts. The spread to other countries by ex-pats was somewhat slower. In the commonwealth countries of Australia, South Africa and particularly New Zealand the game spread quickly, while in tropical areas such as India and the West Indies, the slower tempo of Cricket was more suited to the climate.

Rugby at the Olympics

In 1900 Rugby was introduced at the second running of the modern Olympics. This was thanks in no small part to the lobbying by the father of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. It helped that the Baron was a huge rugby fan. De Coubertain himself refereed the first-ever game in the domestic French Club Championships in 1892. Only three countries sent teams to the games held in Paris. 

France, Germany and Great Britain contested the games and the French went home with the Gold medal. 

Rugby wasn’t part of the 1904 games in St.Louis, but returned for the 1908 games in London. There were also only two teams this time around Australia and Great Britain. The Wallabies lifted the title. It was 1920 before Rugby was included again and an American side made up of players from Stanford, Berkeley and Santa Clara Universities lifted the crown in Antwerp, Belguim. The 1924 Olympics games was, to date, the last time rugby was included as a 15 a-side game. The US defeated the hosts France in the final in front of 21,00 in Colombes and the disgruntled locals invaded the pitch on the final whistle. 

 In 1925 Baron Pierre de Coubertin stepped down as head of the Olympic movement, the IRB had never encouraged their members to participate in the games and the lack of support led to the end of the sports involvement with the Olympics until the sevens version of the game was reintroduced in Brazil in 2016. 

The ‘Originals’

Around the same time as the Olympic Games was being revived, rugby-playing countries began to send representative sides on ‘tours’ to other rugby nations. The most famous of these sides was the 1905 ‘Original All-Blacks’ led by Donegal man Dave Gallaher. Born in Ramelton, as David  Gallagher he moved to New Zealand with his parents while still a child. In 1895 he joined Ponsonby Rugby club and went on to play in New Zealand’s first-ever test match, against Australia in Sydney in 1903. 

The ‘Originals’ played 35 games in the British Isles, France and the USA during a span of six months from September 1905 to January 1906. They lost only one of these (0-3 against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park) and scored 976 points while conceding only 59. Their 15-0 win over England at Crystal Palace drew a then record crowd estimated to be 100,000. It was during this tour that they picked up the All-Blacks tag. 

Disputed governance globally

The logistics of long-distance travel in the early part of the century were slow and costly. Touring teams went from one hemisphere to another for long spells. They needed to play multiple games to justify the travel. The success of both the Olympics and FIFA’s football World Cups had shown that the public interest was there for major sporting events. However, the politics of the governing bodies and the fact that Rugby was played at different times of the year in the two different hemispheres delayed the development of a Rugby equivalent.

The ‘Home Unions’ of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales had been slow to include other countries in the governance of the game. They felt that they were the guardians of the amateur principles upon which the game was founded. 

Despite the success of various southern hemisphere touring sides, it wasn’t until 1948 that the Australian Rugby Union, New Zealand Rugby Football Union and South Africa Rugby Board joined the IRFB. The French Federation joined in 1978 and it wasn’t until after they had already held the first World Cup in 1987  that Italy, Argentina, Canada and Japan were invited to join in 1991. 

Plans for a World Cup

Harold Tolhurst, a former Australian winger and a test match referee, was among the first to formally propose a  Rugby World Cup. In the early 1960’s he suggested that Australia host a month long tournament to find a world champion between the four sides from Great Britain, France, South Africa, New Zealand and the hosts. But in 1968 the IRFB stated that they forbade their member countries from participating in any such tournament. As recently as 1983 the IRB (International Rugby Board) stated that ‘the concept found no support’. Among the principal objections was the fact that the IRB did not want such a tournament to be run by commercial operators as they feared this would encroach on their ‘amateur ethos’.

But as Bob Dylan might have said, the times they were a-changin’. The 1981 Springboks tour to New Zealand saw riots outside the grounds as the Apartheid regime came under the spotlight. Isolation from the rest of the rugby world led the South African board (SARB) to propose a professional game. Meanwhile, there was a dispute in Australia as nine members of their squad to play New Zealand refused to travel. They argued that the daily allowance offered was too small. In 1983 David Lord, an Australian entrepreneur, proposed a professional league along the same lines as Kerry Packer’s successful Cricket league.

The increasing commercialisation and popularity of other sports in traditional rugby areas as well as the advent of sports television and the associated earning potential led the power brokers of the game into a rethink. At a meeting in 1984 it was agreed to conduct a feasibility study into holding a Rugby World Cup. The feedback this time was positive and at a meeting held in Paris in 1985 a vote was taken. The ‘Home Nations’ were still initially opposed, with the southern hemisphere powers and France in favour of a global tournament.  After an initial tied vote, John Kendall-Carpenter of England was won over and changed his vote as did his Welsh counterpart on hearing of the change, so it was now a 10-6 vote in favour of a World Cup. The tournament was to be held jointly by Australia and New Zealand from 22 May – 20 June 1987.

In part two of the story I’ll take a look at Ireland’s record in the first World Cup in Australia in 1987.

For further reading on the history of the Rugby World Cup and the origins of the game take look at the following links:

https://web.archive.org/web/20060414193531/http://www.worldcupweb.com/WCrugby/history.asp

https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/1987-rugby-world-cup/the-world-cup-is-born

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gallaher-s-great-legacy-brought-home-at-last-1.547030

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_World_Cup

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The highly anticipated Interpro will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 1st, with the winner advancing to the quarter-finals against either Leicester Tigers or Edinburgh.

The game will be broadcast live and free on RTÉ.

With a potential sellout crowd of 50,000 expected, this match is sure to be one of the tournament’s highlights.

Munster will also be in action on April 1st, when they take on the Cell C Sharks in Durban, with the possibility of facing Toulouse or the Vodacom Bulls in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Connacht’s last-16 Challenge Cup match against Benneton has been scheduled for 3 p.m. on April 1st at Stadio di Monigo. in Treviso. The stage is set for an unforgettable weekend of European Rugby action

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Tries from Chay Mullins, Matthew Devine and Mark Morrissey during the first 40 minutes, while five-pointers from Reuben Crothers, James McNabney, Mullins again, James McCormick and Ben Brownlee in the second half ensured the Welsh suffered a heavy defeat in this Six Nations U20 opener.

Three tries in opening half

Early pressure from Ireland saw the visitors concede three penalties. The final in a series of penalties gave Lansdowne’s Charlie Tector a relatively straightforward kick at the posts, which he duly scored, for an early 3-0 lead.

The strength and power of the Irish scrum was soon rewarded as it set up the speedsters from the back. Munster’s Patrick Campbell cut like a scythe through the Welsh defence and as he drew in men in red, he freed up winger Chay Mullins who touched down in the corner for the opening try of the game.

TRY IRELAND – A superb attacking Irish move is finished off by winger Chay Mullins #rterugby

Live updates – https://t.co/5LitGcuDJw #U20SixNations pic.twitter.com/LVhnydmtUc

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) February 4, 2022

Tector’s conversion attempt, from a difficult position on the touchline, just drifted left of the posts and wide, leaving Ireland with an 8-0 advantage after 16 minutes.

Wales down to 14 players

On 22 minutes the Wales side was reduced to 14 men when winger Ollie Andrew was sent to the sin bin. The player’s outstretched arm led to a deliberate knock on as Ireland attacked. The team of officials took little time in deciding the young Welsh player’s fate.

Matthew Devine soon made the visitors pay as he burst through the Welsh defensive line to touch down in a central position, allowing Tector an easy kick for the conversion. Ireland U20s were comfortably in control at this stage and had a 20-0 on the score board with only 25 minutes on the clock.

TRY IRELAND – Scrum-half Matthew Devine crosses with Wales down to 14 men #rterugby

Live updates https://t.co/T5i3yxuYDp pic.twitter.com/XzvnILGrCp

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) February 4, 2022

Mullins thought he had bought up a brace of five-pointers just after the half hour as he again touched down in the corner. On review of the TV footage the try was ruled out for obstruction earlier in the move.

Lock Mark Morrissey of Leinster soon made up for the cancellation of Mullins’ try as he scored his side’s third try of the evening within ten minutes of the half time whistle. With Tector adding the conversion, Richie Murphy’s side has a 22 point advantage at the break.

TRY IRELAND – Lock Mark Morrissey gets in on the scoring act after James McCormick was stopped short of the line #rtesport

Live updates https://t.co/T5i3yxuYDp pic.twitter.com/kFYB83yj4e

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) February 4, 2022

Half time: Ireland U20 22  Wales U20 0

Plenty more Irish tries in second half

It didn’t take lone for the hosts to extend their lead at the beginning of the second half. Ireland U20s showed ambition when awarded a penalty and opted to kick to the slide line. A win from the resultant lineout and a strong drive from the boys in green saw captain Reuben Crothers claimed the score, which kicker Tector converted successfully.

The points had barely registered on the scoreboard when Ballymena’s James McNabney  got in on the scoring action with a try. Though Tector’s conversion effort went left of the posts this time, Ireland were up to 34 points.

That didn’t remain the situation for long, however, as they claimed their sixth try of the game through Chay Mullins, who was claiming a brace of tries on the night. Tector’s last piece of action before his substitution was to add the extras for 41-0.

Another try, this time from hooker James McCormick extended the lead to 46-0 while the  conversion attempt that followed went astray.

TRY IRELAND – Relentless stuff from the hosts and it’s really turning into a rout as flanker James McNabney dots down to extend the Irish advantage

Live updates https://t.co/T5i3yxuYDp pic.twitter.com/pG8ooixQvT

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) February 4, 2022

Wales U20 finally got on the score board when Oli Andrew breached the Irish defence to claim his side’s only score of the game with a try five minutes from the end, but Ireland had the final say as Ben Brownlee scored a try which was converted by Aitzol King.

Final score: Ireland U20 53 Wales U20 5

Ireland U20 Team:

15. Patrick Campbell (Young Munster RFC/Munster), 14. Chay Mullins (Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby), 13. Fionn Gibbons (UCD RFC/Leinster), 12. Ben Brownlee (Blackrock College/Leinster), 11. Shane Mallon (UCD RFC/Leinster), 10. Charlie Tector (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), 9. Matthew Devine (Corinthians RFC/Connacht).

1. Jack Boyle (UCD/Leinster), 2. James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), 3. Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster), 4. Conor Ó Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), 5. Mark Morrissey (UCD RFC/Leinster), 6. James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), 7. Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch FC/Ulster)(Captain), 8. James Culhane (UCD RFC/Leinster).

Ireland U20 Replacements:

16. Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster), 17. Oisín Michel (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), 18. Rory McGuire (UCD/Leinster), 19. Adam McNamee (Malone RFC/Ulster), 20. Ronan O’Sullivan (Highfield RFC/Munster), 21. Ethan Coughlan (Shannon RFC/Munster), 22. Tony Butler (Garryowen FC/Munster), 23. Aitzol King (Clontarf FC/Leinster).

Wales U20 Team:

15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby), 14. Harri Houston (Ospreys), 13. Bryn Bradley (Harlequins), 12. Eddie James (Scarlets), 11. Oli Andrew (Dragons), 10. Daniel Edwards (Ospreys), 9. Harri Williams (Scarlets).

1. Joe Cowell (Cardiff Metropolitan University), 2. Efan Daniel (Cardiff Rugby), 3. Nathan Evans (Cardiff Rugby), 4. Joe Peard (Dragons), 5. Lewis Jones (Ospreys), 6. Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby), 7. Ethan Fackrell (Cardiff Rugby), 8. Ben Moa (Dragons).

Wales U20 Replacements:

16. Morgan Veness (Ealing Trailfinders), 17. Rhys Barratt (Cardiff Rugby), 18. Ellis Fackrell (Ospreys), 19. Benji Williams (Ospreys), 20. Tom Cowan (Bath Rugby), 21. Morgan Lloyd (Dragons), 22. Jac Lloyd (Bristol Bears), 23. Joe Hawkins (Ospreys).

Ireland
Try: Mullins (2), Devine, Morrissey, Crothers, McNabney, McCormick, Brownlee.
Conversion: Tector (4), King.
Penalty: Tector

Wales
Try: Andrew
Conversion:
Penalty:

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Bonus Point Wins for Top 3

The top flight’s leading three clubs also recorded bonus point victories, the largest of them coming at Lakelands Park where in-form Terenure College hammered UCD 60-8.

Terenure scored six first half tries – and nine in all – with their slick skills out wide creating scores for Colm de Buitléar, captain Stephen O’Neill and Craig Adams, who ran in his ninth of the campaign.

Bottom side UCC put it up to Clontarf, with an excellent intercept try from Timothy Duggan, but the league leaders prevailed 26-13 at Castle Avenue.

‘Tarf hooker Dylan Donnellan’s 11th try of the season keeps him at the top of the scoring charts. Returning lock Cormac Daly, Adrian D’Arcy and Cian O’Donoghue also crossed.

Out-half Peter Hastie scored 16 points in Lansdowne’s 46-5 dismissal of Garryowen, while Leinster Academy hooker Lee Barron scored two tries in Dublin University’s impressive 27-8 away defeat of Young Munster.

Division 1B

St Mary’s College were the only team to win on the road, as two tries each from captain Richie Halpin and Myles Carey guided them past Navan on a 36-28 scoreline.

Winger Paul Stack weighed in with a brace in Highfield’s 19-8 victory over Banbridge, and Naas overcame Shannon 38-29, their skipper Peter Osborne contributing 13 points to take his season’s haul to a mammoth 133.

Hooker Ben Burns’ 79th-minute maul try clinched a 22-7 triumph for table toppers Old Wesley against Old Belvedere.

ENERGIA MEN’S ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE – ROUND 12 RESULTS:

DIVISION 1A

Clontarf 26 UCC 13
Cork Constitution 26 Ballynahinch 15
Lansdowne 46 Garryowen 5
Terenure College 60 UCD 8
Young Munster 8 Dublin University 27

Division 1B

Highfield 19 Banbridge 8
Malone v City Of Armagh (Covid-19-affected match cancelled – 0-0. Both teams are awarded two points)
Naas 38 Shannon 29
Navan 28 St. Mary’s College 36
Old Wesley 22 Old Belvedere 7

Division 2A

Cashel 22 Old Crescent 19
MU Barnhall 50 Dolphin 24
Nenagh Ormond 41 Ballymena 7
Rainey Old Boys 3 Buccaneers 60
UL Bohemians 5 Queen’s University 58

Division 2B

Ballina 19 Dungannon 28
Belfast Harlequins 32 Sligo 22
Blackrock College 31 Wanderers 26
Galway Corinthians 17 Malahide 37
Greystones 59 Galwegians 7

Division 2C

City of Derry 19 Midleton 20
Enniscorthy 29 Bangor 25
Omagh Academicals 6 Clonmel 8
Sunday’s Well 14 Skerries 9
Tullamore 28 Bruff 7

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Division 1B

Division 1B pacesetters Old Wesley edged out Banbridge 21-16, aided by tries from captain Iain McGann and Josh Pim.

A terrific 27-point first half saw a Neil Faloon-inspired City of Armagh upset Highfield by six points, while Conall Bird’s debut try proved vital in Old Belvedere’s 37-30 win at Navan.

Munster’s Jake Flannery converted all six tries – including one from his brother Alan – in Shannon’s 42-24 dismissal of Malone, and St. Mary’s College are up to third after Conor Dean kicked 17 points in their 27-17 victory over Naas.

WEEKEND RESULTS:

DIVISION 1A:

BALLYNAHINCH 23 TERENURE COLLEGE 27, Ballymacarn Park
Scorers: Ballynahinch: Tries: Rory Butler 2; Cons: Greg Hutley 2; Pens: Greg Hutley 3
Terenure College: Tries: Colm de Buitléar 3, Craig Adams; Cons: Jake Swaine 2; Pen: Jake Swaine
HT: Ballynahinch 9 Terenure College 8

BALLYNAHINCH: Conor Rankin; Ronan Patterson, Tagen Strydom, Ryan Wilson, Aaron Cairns; Greg Hutley, Conor McAuley; Nacho Cladera Crespo, Diego Vidal Souza, Kyle McCall, Thomas Donnan, John Donnan, Bradley Luney, Oli Loughead, Callum Irvine.

Replacements: David Cooper, John Dickson, Tom Martin, Rory Butler, Chris Gibson, Connor Phillips.

TERENURE COLLEGE: Jake Swaine; Sam Coghlan Murray, Colm de Buitléar, Peter Sylvester, Craig Adams; Cathal Marsh, Alan Bennie; Campbell Classon, Levi Vaughan, Andy Keating, Matthew Caffrey, Michael Melia, Harrison Brewer (capt), Conall Boomer, Jordan Coghlan.

Replacements: Dewald Barnard, Adam Tuite, Mike Murphy, Adam Melia, James Thornton, Stephen O’Neill.

CORK CONSTITUTION 24 UCC 7, Temple Hill
Scorers: Cork Constitution: Tries: SeÁn French, Max Abbott, David Hyland; Cons: Aidan Moynihan 3; Pen: Aidan Moynihan
UCC: Try: Jack Kelleher; Con: Cian Whooley
HT: Cork Constitution 10 UCC 0

CORK CONSTITUTION: TomÁs Quinlan; JJ O’Neill, Greg Higgins, Niall Kenneally, SeAn French; Aidan Moynihan (capt), Gerry Hurley; Liam O’Connor, Max Abbott, Paddy Casey, Cian Barry, Eoin Quilter, John Forde, Luke Cahill, David Hyland.

Replacements: Luke McAuliffe, Shane O’Hanlon, Dylan Murphy, Michael Casey, Gary Bradley, Johnny Murphy.

UCC: George Coomber; Louis Bruce, Killian Coghlan, Daniel Squires, Joe O’Leary; Cian Whooley, Andrew O’Mahony; Alessandro Heaney, Tadgh McCarthy, James French, Richard Thompson, Mark Bissessar, Jack Kelleher (capt), Jack O’Sullivan, Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements: Billy Kingston, Corey Hanlon, Peter Hyland, Sam O’Sullivan, Eoin Monahan, Timothy Duggan.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY 9 CLONTARF 23, College Park
Scorers: Dublin University: Pens: Aran Egan 3
Clontarf: Tries: Matt D’Arcy, Cian O’Donoghue, Ivan Soroka; Con: David Hawkshaw; Pens: David Hawkshaw 2
HT: Dublin University 3 Clontarf 12

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: Rob Russell; Ronan Quinn, Liam Turner, Gavin Jones, Hugh Twomey; Aran Egan, Louis O’Reilly (capt); Giuseppe Coyne, Lee Barron, Thomas Clarkson, Jack Dunne, Joe McCarthy, Harry Sheridan, Alan Francis, Diarmuid McCormack.

Replacements: Cole Kelly, Mark Nicholson, Thomas Connelly, Anthony Ryan, Ted Walsh, Louis McDonough.

CLONTARF: Conor Kearns; Tadhg Bird, Michael Courtney, Matt D’Arcy (capt), Cian O’Donoghue; David Hawkshaw, Angus Lloyd; Ivan Soroka, Dylan Donnellan, JP Phelan, Alex Soroka, Fionn Gilbert, Martin Moloney, Adrian D’Arcy, Tony Ryan.

Replacements: Cathal O’Flynn, Ben Griffin, Darragh Bolger, Andrew Feeney, Aitzol Arenzana-King, Ed Kelly.

GARRYOWEN 31 YOUNG MUNSTER 24, Dooradoyle
Scorers: Garryowen: Tries: Colm Quilligan 2, Neil Cronin, Bryan Fitzgerald; Cons: Tony Butler 4; Pen: Tony Butler
Young Munster: Tries: Dan Walsh 2; Con: Evan Cusack; Pens: Evan Cusack 4
HT: Garryowen 10 Young Munster 13

GARRYOWEN: Liam Coombes; Colm Quilligan, Bryan Fitzgerald, Jack Delaney, Tommy O’Hora; Tony Butler, Neil Cronin; Mark Donnelly, Dylan Murphy, Jack Mullany, Tim Ferguson, Kevin Seymour (capt), Roy Whelan, Jack Daly, SeÁn Rennison.

Replacements: Kieran McCarthy, James Kendrick, Dan Feasey, Alan Fitzgerald, Evan Maher, Dave McCarthy.

YOUNG MUNSTER: Patrick Campbell; Conor Hayes, Pa Ryan, Dan Goggin, Jack Harrington; Evan Cusack, Adam Maher; David Begley, Aaron Hennessy, Conor Bartley, Tom Goggin, SeÁn Rigney, Conor Moloney, John Foley, Dan Walsh (capt).

Replacements: Mark O’Mara, Colm Skehan, Eoin O’Connor, Bailey Faloon, Jack Lyons, Evan O’Gorman.

UCD 32 LANSDOWNE 27, UCD Bowl
Scorers: UCD: Tries: Paddy Patterson 2, Bobby Sheehan, David Ryan; Cons: James Tarrant 3; Pens: James Tarrant 2
Lansdowne: Tries: Peter Sullivan, Dan Murphy, Ruairi Clarke; Cons: Charlie Tector 3; Pens: Charlie Tector 2
HT: UCD 17 Lansdowne 7

UCD: Dylan O’Grady; David Ryan, Ben Brownlee, Tommy O’Brien, Jack Ringrose (capt); James Tarrant, Paddy Patterson; Rory Mulvihill, Bobby Sheehan, Evin Coyle, Jonathan Fish, Mark Morrissey, SeÁn O’Brien, Scott Penny, James Culhane.

Replacements: Charlie O’Carroll, Chris Hennessy, Robert Byrne, Gerard Hill, Richie Fahy, Tim Corkery.

LANSDOWNE: Stephen Madigan; Liam O’Sullivan, Andy Marks, Corey Reid, Peter Sullivan; Charlie Tector, Jack Matthews; Ben Popplewell, Luke Thompson, Conan Dunne, Dan Murphy, Jack Dwan, Clive Ross, Jack O’Sullivan (capt), Mark Boyle.

Replacements: Jamie Kavanagh, Temi Lasisi, Ruairi Clarke, James Kenny, Paul Kiernan, James Reynolds.

DIVISION 1B:

BANBRIDGE 16 OLD WESLEY 21, Rifle Park
Scorers: Banbridge: Try: Penalty try; Con: Pen try con; Pens: Adam Doherty 3
Old Wesley: Tries: Iain McGann, Josh Pim; Con: Ian Cassidy; Pens: Ian Cassidy 3
HT: Banbridge 10 Old Wesley 13

BANBRIDGE: Adam Doherty; Conor Field, Andrew Morrison, Joe Finnegan, Andrew Denver; Harry Bird, Neil Kilpatrick; Callum Reid, Jonny Murphy, Stuart Cromie, Brendan McSorley, Matthew Laird, Alex Weir, Peter Cromie (capt), Max Lyttle.

Replacements: Timothy Savage, Josh Chambers, Martin Vorster, Ryan Hughes, Aaron Kennedy, Dean Hayes.

OLD WESLEY: Alex Molloy; Tommy O’Callaghan, Eoin Deegan, James O’Donovan, David Poff; Ian Cassidy, Ben Murphy; Harry Noonan, Ben Burns, Cronan Gleeson, JJ O’Dea, Iain McGann (capt), Alastair Hoban, Josh Pim, Reuben Pim.

Replacements: Howard Noonan, Jacob Barrett, Sam Pim, Conor Gaston, Paddy McKenzie, Charlie O’Regan.

CITY OF ARMAGH 27 HIGHFIELD 21, Palace Grounds
Scorers: City of Armagh: Tries: Jack Treanor, Ross Taylor, Matthew Hooks; Cons: Harry Boyd 3; Pens: Harry Boyd 2
Highfield: Tries: 2 Penalty tries, Mark Dorgan; Cons: James Taylor, 2 Pen try cons
HT: City of Armagh 27 Highfield 0

CITY OF ARMAGH: Kyle Faloon; Andrew Willis, Tim McNiece (capt), Ross Taylor, Shea O’Brien; Harry Boyd, Gerard Treanor; Peter Lamb, Jack Treanor, Paul Mullen, Josh McKinley, John Glasgow, Nigel Simpson, Ryan O’Neill, Neil Faloon.

Replacements: Jonny Morton, Philip Fletcher, James Crummie, James Morton, Chris Colvin, Matthew Hooks.

HIGHFIELD: Shane O’Riordan; Ben Murphy, Paddy O’Toole, Mark Dorgan, Paul Stack; James Taylor, Chris Banon (capt); James Rochford, Travis Coomey, Daragh Fitzgerald, Eoin Keating, Fintan O’Sullivan, Dave O’Connell, Ronan O’Sullivan, Miah Cronin.

Replacements: Robert Murphy, Callum Mackintosh, Ryan Murphy, Cathal Gallagher, David O’Sullivan, Sam Burns.

NAVAN 30 OLD BELVEDERE 37, Balreask Old
Scorers: Navan: Tries: Ben McEntagart, Evan Dixon, David Clarke; Cons: Mark Farrell 3; Pens: Mark Farrell 3
Old Belvedere: Tries: Ryan McMahon, Will McDonald, David Wilkinson, Fionn McWey, Conall Bird; Cons: Justin Leonard 3; Pens: Justin Leonard 2
HT: Navan 13 Old Belvedere 22

NAVAN: Ben Daly; Paddy Fox, Seán McEntagart, Evan Dixon, Ben McEntagart; Colm O’Reilly, Mark Farrell; Liam Carroll, Jack Nelson, Niall Farrelly, Colm Carpenter, Conor Hand, Shane Faulkner, Conor Farrell (capt), Hardus van Eeden.

Replacements: David Clarke, Leigh Jackson, Eoghan Noonan, Conor Ryan, Harry Hester, Keith Kavanagh.

OLD BELVEDERE: Colm Hogan; Jack Keating, David Butler, Justin Leonard, Ariel Robles; David Wilkinson, Peter O’Beirne; James Bollard, John McKee, Ryan McMahon, Will McDonald, Connor Owende (capt), Fionn McWey, Calum Dowling, Tom Ryan.

Replacements: Joe Horan, Hugh Flood, Dean Moore, Tommy Whittle, Conall Bird, Jamie McAleese.

SHANNON 42 MALONE 24, Thomond Park back pitch
Scorers: Shannon: Tries: Kieran Ryan, Lee Nicholas 2, Killian Dineen, Alan Flannery, Declan Moore; Cons: Jake Flannery 6
Malone: Tries: Dave Cave, Aaron Sexton, Daryl Maxwell; Cons: Andy Bryans 3; Pen: Andy Bryans
HT: Shannon 21 Malone 17

SHANNON: Jake Flannery; Aran Hehir, Killian Dineen, Alan Flannery, Josh Costello; John O’Sullivan, Ian Leonard; Kieran Ryan, Jordan Prenderville, Luke Rigney, Ronan Coffey, Jade Kriel, Lee Nicholas (capt), Kelvin Brown, Colm Heffernan.

Replacements: Declan Moore, Roman Salanoa, Conor Glynn, Ikem Ugwueru, Ethan Coughlan, Daniel Okeke.

MALONE: Aaron Sexton; Andy Bryans, David McMaster, Ben McCaughey, Rory Campbell; Callum Smith, Shane Kelly; Aidan McSwiggan, Claytan Milligan, Ricky Greenwood, Adam McNamee, Stewart McKendrick, James McAlister, Daryl Maxwell, Dave Cave (capt).

Replacements: Dan Kerr, Jonathan Caskey, Zach Devine, Thomas Leitch, Nick Andress, Connor Kelly.

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE 27 NAAS 17, Templeville Road
Scorers: St. Mary’s College: Tries: Craig Kennedy, Myles Carey; Con: Conor Dean; Pens: Conor Dean 5
Naas: Tries: Gary Kavanagh, Craig Ronaldson, Jamie Osborne; Con: Peter Osborne
HT: St. Mary’s College 12 Naas 5

ST. MARY’S COLLEGE: Dave Fanagan; Tim MacMahon, Myles Carey, Mick O’Gara, Craig Kennedy; Conor Dean, Adam McEvoy; Daniel Lyons, Richie Halpin (capt), Mick McCormack, Peter Starrett, Liam Corcoran, David Aspil, Niall Hurley, Ronan Watters.

Replacements: Niall McEniff, Padraig Dundon, Daniel Leane, Joe Nolan, Mark Fogarty, Matt Timmons.

NAAS: Peter Osborne (capt); Donal Conroy; Jamie Osborne, Craig Ronaldson, Gary Kavanagh; Bryan Croke, Tim Murphy; Jack Barry, John Sutton, Adam Coyle, Paul Monahan, David Benn, Cillian Dempsey, Will O’Brien, Ryan Casey.

Replacements: Connor Johnson, Jack Coyle, Phillip Jordan, Patrick Corrigan, Connor Halpenny, Matt Stapleton.

DIVISION 2A:

Ballymena 42 UL Bohemians 17, Eaton Park
Dolphin 24 Cashel 36, Musgrave Park
MU Barnhall 20 Buccaneers 20, Parsonstown
Old Crescent 21 Nenagh Ormond 20, Takumi Park
Queen’s University 38 Rainey Old Boys 14, Dub Lane

DIVISION 2B:

Galway Corinthians 43 Galwegians 15, Corinthian Park (played on Friday)
Dungannon 20 Blackrock College 22, Stevenson Park
Malahide 35 Ballina 25, Estuary Road
Sligo 19 Greystones 20, Hamilton Park
Wanderers 45 Belfast Harlequins 8, Merrion Road

DIVISION 2C:

Bangor 24 Sunday’s Well 10, Upritchard Park
Bruff 27 Enniscorthy 38, Kilballyowen Park
City of Derry 14 Skerries 23, Judge’s Road
Clonmel 6 Tullamore 15, Spafield
Midleton 14 Omagh Academicals 21, Towns Park

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TOP FOUR – ROUND 2:

RAILWAY UNION 13 BLACKROCK COLLEGE 16, Park Avenue
Scorers: Railway Union: Tries: Tess Feury 2; Pen: Nikki Caughey
Blackrock College: Try: Meabh Deely; Con: Hannah O’Connor; Pens: Hannah O’Connor 3
HT: Railway Union 13 Blackrock College 6

RAILWAY UNION: Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Tess Feury, Niamh Byrne (capt), Aoife O’Shaughnessy, Ava Ryder; Nikki Caughey, Ailsa Hughes; Lindsay Peat, Chloe Blackmore, Katie O’Dwyer, Sonia McDermott, Siobhan McCarthy, Keelin Brady, Emma Murphy, Molly Boyne.

Replacements: Lisa Callan, Amanda McQuade, Megan Collis, Kate McCarthy, Deirdre Roberts, Hazel Simmons, Emer O’Mahony.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: Meabh Deely; Natasja Behan, Michelle Claffey (capt), Katie Fitzhenry, Kate Cullen; Lisa Mullen, Aoibheann Reilly; Laura Feely, Emma Hooban, Christy Haney, Anna Potterton, Eimear Corri, Dorothy Wall, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Hannah O’Connor.

Replacements: Niamh Tester, Casey O’Brien, Aoife Moore, Aoife Wafer, Ali Coleman, Jackie Shiels, Maggie Boylan.

UL BOHEMIANS 41 OLD BELVEDERE 7, UL Arena
Scorers: UL Bohemians: Tries: Nicole Cronin, Chloe Pearse 2, Sarah Quin, Clodagh O’Halloran, Enya Breen 2; Cons: Nicole Cronin 3
Old Belvedere: Try: Vic Dabanovich O’Mahony; Con: Jemma Farrell
HT: UL Bohemians 22 Old Belvedere 0

UL BOHEMIANS: Aoife Corey; Alana McInerney, Rachel Allen, Enya Breen, Eimear Considine; Nicole Cronin, Muirne Wall; Chloe Pearse (capt), Kate Sheehan, Fiona Reidy, Claire Bennett, Ciara O’Halloran, Sarah Garrett, Lily Brady, Sarah Quin.

Replacements: Geena Behan, Eilis Cahill, Caoimhe O’Neill, Clodagh O’Halloran, Louise Costello, Abbie Salter-Townshend, Aoibhinn O’Loughlin.

OLD BELVEDERE: Fiona Tuite; Laura Carty, Elise O’Byrne-White, Sene Naoupu, Clare Gorman; Aine Donnelly, Jemma Farrell; Alice O’Dowd, Vic Dabanovich O’Mahony, Katie Layde, Clodagh Dunne, Elaine Anthony, Jennie Finlay, Rachel Winters, Jenny Murphy (capt).

Replacements: Melissa Hayden, Rachel Murphy, Ciara O’Dwyer, Niamh O’Dowd, Amber Redmond, Hannah Heskin, Vanessa Hullon.

CONFERENCE – ROUND 2:

GALWEGIANS 27 COOKE 7, Crowley Park
Scorers: Galwegians: Tries: Orla Dixon, Dearbhla Canty, Rhiann Heery 2, Faith Oviawe; Con: Emma Keane
Cooke: Try: Hannah Downey; Con: Amanda Morton
HT: Galwegians 17 Cooke 7

GALWEGIANS: Mairéad Coyne (capt); Saskia Morrissey, Ursula Sammon, Orla Dixon, Rhiann Heery; Emma Keane, Olivia Haverty; Ellen Connolly, Nolwenn Dubois, Jessica Loftus, Fiona Scally, Faith Oviawe, Katelyn Bourke, Lisa-Marie Murphy, Dearbhla Canty.

Replacements: Ruby Lynch, Hannah Coen, Ann Marie Herward, Celia Killilea, Ina Butler, Megan Walsh, Emma Clery.

COOKE: Teah Maguire; Georgia Boyce, Lucy Thompson, Kelly McCormill, Tamzin Boyce; Amanda Morton, Hannah Downey; Fiona McCaughan, Megan Simpson, Aishling O’Connell (capt), Caolinn McCormack, Sorcha Mac Laimhin, Naomi McCord, India Daley, Helen McGhee.

Replacements: Alanagh van Staden, Eimear McQuillan, Dolores Hughes, Coral Lapsley, Ashleigh Orchard.

SUTTONIANS 46 MALONE 5, JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds
Scorers: Suttonians: Tries: Molly Fitzgerald, Lauren Farrell McCabe, Lena Kibler, Catherine Martin, Mary Healy 3, Aifric O’Brien; Cons: Nicole Carroll 3
Malone: Try: Holly Brannigan
HT: Suttonians 22 Malone 5

SUTTONIANS: Soneva Scott; Molly Fitzgerald, Catherine Martin, Meabh Donohoe, Jools Aungier; Nicole Carroll, Lauren Farrell McCabe (capt); Katie Grant Duggan, Carrie O’Keeffe, Katie Reel, Grainne Tummon, Aislinn Layde, Lena Kibler, Louise Catinot, Aifric O’Brien.

Replacements: Megan Cullen, Julia O’Connor, Mary Healy, Ciara Farrell, Aoife Brennan, Shannon Touhey, Emily McKeown.

MALONE: Holly Brannigan; Nicole Rafferty, Jill Stephens, Emma Jordan, Sophie Armstrong; Alexa Grudgings, Shirelle Wilson; Sarah Murphy, Ashleigh Currie, Chrissie McKee, Hannah Beattie, Jasmine Ward, Erin Jones, Peita McAlister (capt), Lauren Maginnes.

Replacements: Cara O’Neill, Rachael McIlroy, Anna Stanfield, Fern Wilson.

WICKLOW 14 BALLINCOLLIG 17, Ashtown Lane
Scorers: Wicklow: Tries: Sarah Gleeson, Ella Roberts; Cons: Beth Roberts 2
Ballincollig: Tries: Clare Coombes, Sarah O’Donovan; Cons: Denise Redmond 2; Pen: Denise Redmond
HT: Wicklow 7 Ballincollig 7

WICKLOW: Ella Roberts; Megan McConnell, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Tammy Breen, Meagan Parkinson; Beth Roberts, Erin McConnell (capt); Kathy Byrne, Robyn Mullen, Lauren Barry, Jessica Schmidt, Caitlin Griffey, Emma Curran, Emily Ryan, Niamh Ni Dhroma.

Replacements: Noelle Ward, Eimear Douglas, Laura Newsome, Shauna Soady, Nicole Humby, Sue Brady, Sarah Gleeson.

BALLINCOLLIG: Lauren Fahey; Heather Kennedy, Jayne Pennefather, Mona Fehily, Alison Kelly; Kelly Griffin, Gemma Lane; Alix Cunneen, Clodagh Walsh (capt), Roisin Ormond, Sarah O’Donovan, Denise Redmond, Katelyn Fleming, Niamh O’Regan, Kira Fitzgerald.

Replacements: Aoife Flynn, Olivia Hay Mulvihill, Clare Coombes, Gillian Coombes, Eimear Perryman, Valerie Heffernan, Sinead O’Reilly.

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The New Zealander previously managed Ulster for a season in 2017-18 – the last year in which Ulster missed the Pro14 playoffs.

He returned to New Zealand to coach Waikato instead of seeing out his contract after an underwhelming season.

Gibbes took the Clermont job after spending time with Ronan O’Gara at La Rochelle, leading them to the Champions Cup final last season.

However, his start to life in France has been a mixed bag with impressive wins and poor losses galore.

Dan McFarland’s Ulster have been a far more consistent outfit as a whole but their form in recent weeks has failed to back that up.

The provincial outfit will be hoping to bounce back from defeat to Ospreys with a victory over the three-time Challenge Cup champions.

Their strength as a team grows every year and they are expected to get better with the arrival of new signing Duane Vermuelen.

The World Cup-winning Springbok will make his debut for the Ulstermen this weekend after recovering from Covid-19 following the end of his international duty for the year.

Former Munster fly-half JJ Hanrahan will wear the number 10 shirt for the French outfit hosting the Irish province.

The likes Peceli Yato and Damian Penaud also appear in the starting XV but four players miss out due to Covid – one confirmed case, one close contact and two unvaccinated players.

Teams

Clermont Auvergne

Ulster

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Kieran Treadwell, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen;

Replacements: John Andrew, Jack McGrath, Ross Kane, Sam Carter, Greg Jones, Sean Reidy, Nathan Doak, Stewart Moore.

Odds

Clermont Auvergne 4/9

Draw 17/1

Ulster 9/5

Where To Watch

The game kicks off at 5:300 pm and will be shown live on BT Sport 3 – coverage starts at 5:15 pm.

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