United Rugby Championship
Cross-border European rugby league.
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Smith backs Murrayfield move to energise Glasgow ahead of URC semi-final against Bulls
Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith says playing their United Rugby Championship semi-final at Murrayfield on 6 June will give his side an energy boost, dismissing any concern over the switch from their usual Scotstoun home.
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Ospreys sign WRU's PRA25 deal, leaving Scarlets as sole unsigned Welsh region
Ospreys have become the third Welsh region to sign the WRU's new Professional Rugby Agreement, joining Dragons RFC and Cardiff Rugby on PRA25. The deal, agreed with owners Y11 Sport & Media, runs until the end of the 2027-28 season and leaves the Scarlets as the only region yet to commit.
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Nienaber's Leinster exit could trigger early Springboks return ahead of World Cup
Rassie Erasmus is monitoring Jacques Nienaber's situation at Leinster after the defence coach said he does not feel valued in Dublin. Sources indicate Nienaber's planned return to the Springboks ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup could be accelerated if he departs this summer.
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Tom Clarkson emerges as Leinster's tighthead future as Furlong faces World Cup fitness race
Thomas Clarkson's breakthrough 2024/25 season — 19 Leinster appearances, a URC title, eight Ireland caps and a Lions call-up — has positioned the 26-year-old as the province's long-term answer at tighthead, with Tadhg Furlong's availability for the Rugby World Cup now in doubt.
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Glasgow Warriors name near-unchanged side for URC semi-final against Bulls
Glasgow Warriors make just one change to their starting XV for Saturday's URC semi-final against the Bulls at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, with Gregor Hiddleston coming in at hooker. Scotland scrum-half Jamie Dobie returns to the bench after recovering from a shoulder injury sustained at the Six Nations in January.
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Baxter on McCall rivalry: Exeter need a draw to reach play-offs against departing Saracens boss
Rob Baxter faces Mark McCall for the final time on Saturday, with Exeter Chiefs needing only a draw at Sandy Park to secure a play-off place for the first time since 2021. McCall is stepping down at the end of the season after a decade defined by Saracens' dominance over the Chiefs.
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Carreras moves to fly-half again as Russell misses Bath's clash with Leicester
Santi Carreras will wear Bath's No.10 jersey for the third time this season as Finn Russell remains sidelined with a tight calf ahead of Saturday's Gallagher Premiership home fixture against Leicester Tigers.
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Perry, Lund and Blackburn to retire as Gloucester Hartpury era ends for trio
Prop Ellena Perry, who represented both England and Ireland across her career, will retire at the end of the 2025/26 Premiership Women's Rugby season alongside club stalwart Rachel Lund and 19-cap England scrum-half Bianca Blackburn.
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Bulls field 11 Springboks against Glasgow Warriors in URC semi-final at Murrayfield
The Bulls have named 11 Springboks in their starting XV for Saturday's URC semi-final against top seeds Glasgow Warriors at Murrayfield, with Marcell Coetzee captaining the side on his 100th Bulls appearance.
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Scarlets appoint St Helens defence coach Eamon O'Carroll to replace departing Jared Payne
Scarlets have hired Eamon O'Carroll, 38, as their new defence coach after the former Ireland RL international impressed at Super League club St Helens. He replaces Jared Payne, who departs after three seasons following a review of the URC side's coaching staff.
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Ospreys sign Exeter Chiefs backline utility Dan John ahead of 2025-26 URC season
The Ospreys have secured the signing of Cardiff-born back Dan John from Exeter Chiefs, where he made 33 appearances over six years. The 24-year-old former Wales U20 international is the club's second recruit ahead of next season, following the arrival of Wales wing Tom Rogers.
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Ellis Genge ruled out of Bristol's final game but fit for England's Nations Championship opener
Bristol Bears prop Ellis Genge has picked up a calf injury against Bath and will miss Saturday's trip to Sale Sharks, but head coach Pat Lam expects the England loosehead to be available for the Nations Championship opener against South Africa on 4 July.
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Sheehan ruled out as Cullen makes three Lions changes for Leinster's URC semi-final
Dan Sheehan misses Leinster's URC semi-final against the Stormers at the Aviva Stadium after sustaining knee and shoulder injuries against the Lions. Ronan Kelleher, Jamison Gibson-Park and Josh van der Flier all come into the starting XV.
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