JoeNa Connacht, Author at SportsNewsIreland

Benetton v Connacht: Can Lancaster’s Side Bounce Back in Treviso?

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 12:32:02 +0000

URC ROUND 2 • MATCH PREVIEW

Benetton v Connacht: Lancaster’s side face a major test in Treviso

Connacht need a response after their opening defeat to the Stormers, but returning internationals, a difficult recent record at Stadio Monigo and an unforgiving October schedule make Friday night’s trip to Treviso a significant early test.

SPORTSNEWSIRELAND MATCH CENTRE

BENETTON

CONNACHT

Friday 2 October • 19:45 Irish/UK
Stadio Monigo, Treviso
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TG4 • Premier Sports • Sky Italia • SuperSport • URC.tv • FloRugby

TEAM NEWS • THURSDAY 3PM

This preview will be updated from 3pm on Thursday when Benetton and Connacht announce their teams, with both starting XVs, replacements and the latest selection analysis.

HANDICAP WATCH

CONNACHT +3

→

CONNACHT +2

The early handicap has moved one point towards Connacht

Connacht travel to Treviso already looking for an important response after opening their United Rugby Championship campaign with a 29-15 home defeat to the Stormers.

Benetton are also searching for their first victory after being held at home by the Dragons, but this is a considerably more difficult assignment for Connacht than that opening result might suggest.

Benetton are welcoming back Italian internationals, while Stadio Monigo has become a particularly difficult venue for Connacht. The Westerners haven’t won there since April 2022.

The handicap has moved from Connacht +3 to +2, suggesting relatively little separates the teams in the early market.

But the biggest question surrounding Connacht isn’t simply whether they can win in Italy. It is whether they can fix the problems that saw a competitive performance against the Stormers unravel during the final half-hour.

Connacht competed for 52 minutes – then the game changed

The 29-15 final score doesn’t completely explain how Connacht’s opening game unfolded.

They recovered from 10-0 down to lead 12-10 at half-time. Mack Hansen scored on his first Connacht appearance in 11 months before Josh Ioane crossed with the clock in the red.

Sam Gilbert’s penalty then extended Connacht’s advantage to 15-10 after 52 minutes.

At that stage Lancaster’s side were not merely hanging on. They were in position to win the match.

What followed is the major concern heading into Treviso.

The Stormers scored 19 unanswered points as Connacht became increasingly starved of possession and territory.

“I can’t remember many sequences of play where we were in their 22 in the second half.”

STUART LANCASTER

243

TACKLES MADE BY CONNACHT

The Stormers made just 158

WATCH

Connacht v Stormers: Match Video

The Stormers stats tell the story

Connacht finished with only 39% possession. More significantly, they were forced to make 243 tackles as the Stormers repeatedly asked them to defend.

The difference in attacking output was equally stark. Connacht made just two clean breaks, compared with seven from the visitors.

MATCH STAT	CON	STO
Possession	39%	61%
Passes	172	202
Carries	111	180
Line breaks	2	7
Tackles made	243	158
Tackles missed	26	14
Turnovers lost	16	11
Turnovers won	4	3
Kicks	10	19
Lineout success	100%	93%
Penalties conceded	11	8
Yellow cards	1	0

CONNACHT’S ROUND 1 NUMBERS

39%
POSSESSION

243
TACKLES

16
TURNOVERS LOST

2
LINE BREAKS

There were positives. Connacht’s lineout operated at 100%, while their defensive commitment cannot be questioned.

But making 243 tackles isn’t a statistic Connacht will want to reproduce. It is evidence of a team spending far too much time without the ball.

The biggest problem: Connacht fed Stormers’ strengths

Lancaster’s post-match analysis was particularly revealing.

Connacht’s mistakes didn’t simply surrender possession. Against a side with a powerful scrum, lineout and maul, those errors repeatedly handed the Stormers exactly the type of platform they wanted.

THE CHAIN REACTION

ERROR
→
SCRUM
→
PENALTY
→
LINEOUT
→
MAUL

John Muldoon made much the same point this week, highlighting Connacht’s turnover count and how those mistakes allowed the Stormers to create scrums, field position and maul opportunities.

That is one of the clearest areas for improvement against Benetton: Connacht simply have to look after the ball better.

Did the bench provide enough impact?

Connacht’s replacements entered a game in which the starting side had already absorbed an enormous defensive workload, so it would be far too simplistic to blame the defeat entirely on the bench.

But there is a legitimate question about whether the replacements changed the direction of the contest.

CONNACHT BENCH TIMELINE v STORMERS

48′ — Caolin Blade replaces Ben Murphy

56′ — Matthew Victory, Jordan Duggan, Fiachna Barrett and David O’Connor introduced

66′ — Max Flynn and Shayne Bolton introduced

72′ — Seán Naughton introduced

The key front-row changes were made around the 56-minute mark, almost immediately after the Stormers had moved back in front.

Yet the territorial pattern remained largely unchanged.

More significantly, the Stormers got tangible impact from their own replacements. Replacement prop Sazi Sandi scored their second try, Vernon Paulo added another late on and replacement scrum-half Ezekiel Ngobeni scored the bonus-point try with the final play.

That is why Connacht’s bench for Treviso could be every bit as important as the starting XV.

Ireland reinforcements could change the 23

This is where Connacht should look considerably stronger.

Five forwards who were involved with Ireland during the summer are in contention to make their first Connacht appearances of the season in Treviso.

Cian Prendergast

Billy Bohan

Sam Illo

Seán Jansen

Darragh Murray

Ciarán Frawley

Muldoon has indicated that some of the returning players could start and others could be used from the bench.

That potentially gives Lancaster a very different final 30-minute hand to play.

There is, however, an important qualification. The returning internationals are short of match minutes, so Connacht have to balance the quality they bring with their readiness to immediately play significant minutes.

SELECTION WATCH

What happens with Ciarán Frawley?

Frawley was one of Connacht’s seven players involved with Ireland during the summer and missed the Stormers game. If he is cleared to return in Treviso, Lancaster has an intriguing decision after Josh Ioane scored against the Stormers. Frawley’s availability would add another experienced option at out-half and across the backline.

SCRUM-HALF UPDATE:

Ben Murphy is expected to miss a number of weeks with an ankle ligament injury. Caolin Blade trained fully on Monday, while Colm O’Reilly has also returned to full training.

Muldoon’s warning: this is effectively Italy

“Basically we’re playing the Italy team. It’s an international match without the jersey really.”

JOHN MULDOON

That quote gets to the heart of why this shouldn’t be viewed as a routine opportunity for Connacht to put four points on the board.

Benetton’s international contingent gives them a level of quality that their league position last season doesn’t fully capture, particularly when they are close to full strength at home.

And Connacht’s recent record at Stadio Monigo offers another warning.

TREVISO WARNING

APRIL 2022

Connacht’s last victory at Stadio Monigo

The recent pattern in this fixture has heavily favoured home advantage, making Friday a much more difficult assignment than simply comparing last season’s final standings.

Last season: Connacht finished well ahead

CONNACHT

8th

54 points

BENETTON

13th

33 points

2025/26	CON	BEN
Wins	10	6
Draws	0	2
Defeats	8	10
Points For	442	327
Points Against	395	493
Points Difference	+47	-166
League Points	54	33

Across the entire 2025/26 campaign, Connacht finished 21 league points ahead of Benetton.

They won four more matches, scored 115 more points and finished with a vastly superior points difference.

But there is another number from last season that matters much more to Lancaster this week.

CONNACHT’S 2025/26 TURNAROUND

16
POINTS
FIRST 9 GAMES

→

38
POINTS
FINAL 9 GAMES

Connacht lost seven of their opening nine URC matches last season and collected only 16 league points during that half of the campaign.

Then everything changed.

They collected 38 points from a possible 45 across their final nine regular-season games, winning eight of them and recovering sufficiently to finish eighth and qualify for the Champions Cup.

“We’ll have to go to Treviso now and roll up our sleeves and get a win, because every point counts in this league.”

STUART LANCASTER

Why Friday already matters

It is only Round 2. Nobody should be describing a game in early October as a must-win.

But Connacht’s upcoming schedule explains why there is considerably more value in getting points on the board now than spending another autumn playing catch-up.

CONNACHT’S NEXT FOUR

2 OCT Benetton v Connacht

URC • STADIO MONIGO

9 OCT Glasgow Warriors v Connacht

URC • SCOTSTOUN

17 OCT Connacht v Saracens

CHAMPIONS CUP • DEXCOM STADIUM

23 OCT Connacht v Zebre

URC • DEXCOM STADIUM

THE DANGER FOR CONNACHT

Lose in Treviso and their next URC assignment is one of the hardest away trips in the competition: Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun.

If Connacht don’t win in Treviso and can’t produce a result in Glasgow, they then switch competitions for the Champions Cup meeting with Saracens.

That would leave Zebre at home on 23 October as their next URC fixture – and potentially their next major opportunity to put a league victory on the board.

Lancaster knows better than anyone how damaging that kind of slow start can be after spending the second half of last season trying to repair the first.

What Connacht need to change in Treviso

01 • PROTECT THE BALL
Connacht cannot afford another turnover count like Round 1. Errors against a powerful pack become territory and set-piece opportunities.

02 • REDUCE THE DEFENSIVE LOAD
243 tackles is not sustainable. Connacht need longer periods with possession and far more time in the opposition half.

03 • CREATE MORE
Two line breaks is too little attacking threat. Connacht need to turn possession into genuine opportunities rather than simply phases.

04 • WIN THE BENCH BATTLE
The returning forwards could significantly strengthen Connacht’s final half-hour. They need that impact to show on the scoreboard and in territory.

05 • KEEP THE LINEOUT WORKING
A 100% lineout return was one of the clearest positives against the Stormers and provides Connacht with a platform to build from.

Handicap watch: Connacht +2

The early line has moved from Connacht +3 to +2.

There are legitimate reasons for Connacht supporters to be more optimistic than the 29-15 Stormers scoreline might suggest.

Connacht led 15-10 after 52 minutes, their lineout operated perfectly, Hansen made an encouraging return and the arrival of the Ireland contingent should produce a considerably stronger matchday 23.

But winning at Stadio Monigo remains a serious challenge.

Benetton will also be strengthened by returning internationals, Connacht haven’t won at the venue since 2022 and some of Lancaster’s own returning players have yet to play a minute of competitive club rugby this season.

SPORTSNEWSIRELAND ANALYSIS

THE BOTTOM LINE

The most important thing about Connacht’s defeat to the Stormers is that they were competitive for more than 50 minutes.

They turned a 10-0 deficit into a 15-10 lead and had an opportunity to win the game.

The problem was sustaining it.

243 tackles, 39% possession, 16 turnovers lost and only two line breaks eventually caught up with them.

The bench couldn’t change the momentum, while the Stormers’ replacements helped finish the job.

That makes Treviso a fascinating early examination of Lancaster’s squad.

Connacht should have more forward power available. They should have a stronger bench. Ciarán Frawley could add another major selection option if cleared to return. Hansen has a game under his belt. And there were enough positives in the opening 52 minutes against the Stormers to provide something to build on.

But Benetton are getting their own internationals back and Connacht haven’t won at Stadio Monigo since April 2022.

So this isn’t simply about expecting Connacht to bounce back because they finished higher than Benetton last season.

They have to show that they have actually solved the problems exposed in Round 1.

And with Glasgow away next in the URC, followed by Saracens in Europe, Friday represents an important opportunity to avoid another season beginning with Connacht immediately chasing the pack.

TEAM NEWS UPDATE — THURSDAY 3PM

SportsNewsIRELAND will update this preview when the teams are announced with the confirmed starting XVs, full benches, returning internationals and updated match analysis.

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GAA Handball Sets Out Ambitious Four-Year Plan for Growth

JoeNa Connacht — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:28:43 +0000

GAA HANDBALL | STRATEGY 2027–2030

GAA Handball Sets Out Ambitious Four-Year Plan for Growth

Membership growth, 350 referees, an independent competition review, stronger clubs and greater integration with the wider GAA are at the heart of an impressive new strategy for GAA Handball.

GAA Handball has unveiled an ambitious strategy for 2027–2030, setting measurable targets for membership, referees, participation, communications and club development as it seeks to establish the sport more firmly within communities and the wider GAA.

The scale and detail of the plan are impressive.

Rather than simply stating an ambition to grow, GAA Handball has established where the organisation currently stands, where it wants to be by 2030 and, importantly, how it intends to get there.

“Visible in every community, a game for everyone, for life.”

Behind that vision is a substantial programme of work covering everything from refereeing and competition structures to communications, schools, facilities and governance.

Handball Sets Out the Numbers

GAA Handball’s starting point in 2026 provides a useful snapshot of the current size of the sport.

7,053

Members

156

Handball Clubs

GAA Clubs With Handball

134

Silver-Level Referees

The important difference with this strategy is that Handball has also published measurable targets for where it wants to be by the end of 2030.

2030 TARGETS

✓ Membership growth of 20%

✓ Develop and support 350 Silver-level referees

✓ Double participation programmes with the GAA — +100%

✓ Increase GAA clubs incorporating Handball by 10%

✓ Grow social-media followers by 10% annually

✓ Increase social-media reach and views by 10% annually

Three Pillars for Growth

The entire strategy is built around three major pillars, giving the organisation a simple structure beneath a much wider programme of development.

Visibility & Promotion

Raise the profile of the sport and dramatically increase its reach.

Participation & Pathways

More players, more opportunities and clearer development pathways.

Clubs & Structures

Stronger clubs, better governance and improved organisational structures.

A Bigger Communications Operation

Under visibility and promotion, Handball intends to deliver two national awareness campaigns annually, produce high-quality player profiles, highlights and storytelling videos, proactively pitch stories to the media and establish consistent branding throughout the organisation.

Perhaps more significantly, the strategy calls for dedicated and appropriate communications expertise and resources within the broader GAA communications structure.

There are plans for an annual communications programme, a media contact database, a regular content schedule, media partnerships and additional support and training for PROs.

Handball also wants greater exposure through the wider Association, including regular inclusion across GAA media channels, matchday programmes and social platforms, along with showcasing GAA Handball at a major event in Croke Park.

Independent Review of Competitions

MAJOR COMMITMENT

A full independent review of Handball’s existing competition structures.

The review will examine the calendar, formats, structures and grades, with the strategy committing to implementing its recommendations.

Handball also intends to pilot more flexible competitions at local and regional level, including short-form games, team events and festival formats.

Clear development pathways are proposed for players, coaches and officials, while refereeing has been given a particularly significant measurable target.

134 → 350

Silver-Level Referees by 2030

Taking Handball Into Schools and Communities

Growth will not be confined to the established club network. The strategy includes targeted participation campaigns covering youth, adults, women, social participation and inclusion programmes.

GAA Handball will explore introducing Street Handball in urban areas and public parks while also promoting Social Handball as a recreational and non-competitive version of the game.

Schools are another significant part of the strategy. Handball wants greater integration within GAA Coaching and Games Development programmes, inclusion in GAA school initiatives and stronger links between schools and local Handball clubs.

More Handball Within Existing GAA Clubs

One of the clearest signs of closer integration with the wider GAA is the objective of introducing Handball into more existing GAA clubs.

GAA Handball intends to identify clubs where the game could be developed, partner with GAA County Boards and encourage the shared use of existing GAA facilities.

Existing clubs are also promised greater assistance with planning, governance, operations, facilities, member engagement and recruitment.

Clubs with lower membership — and clubs which have become inactive — are specifically identified for additional support.

Governance Gets Serious Attention

The strategy isn’t solely concerned with attracting more players.

GAA Handball proposes a full review of organisational structures at provincial, county and club levels.

The intention is to clarify administrative roles, responsibilities and decision-making processes while aligning governance with recognised best-practice standards.

Improved reporting, accountability, data collection and communication systems are also included.

Volunteers receive considerable attention, with clearer roles and role descriptions, online and in-person training, recognition programmes and assistance for clubs attempting to recruit and retain volunteers.

Funding and Support Behind the Strategy

An important part of the wider picture is that GAA Handball is not attempting to develop the sport entirely from its own resources.

€130,000

Sport Ireland NGB Core Funding in 2024

Core investment helps National Governing Bodies with their day-to-day operation and development.

It is important to distinguish that funding from money coming directly from Croke Park. Sport Ireland’s NGB investment is state funding.

At the same time, Handball’s strategy makes clear just how closely it intends to work within the wider GAA structure — through communications, GAA media, County Boards, Coaching and Games Development and the use of existing GAA facilities.

The publicly available information does not provide a simple figure representing the total annual financial value of all support provided to GAA Handball by Croke Park, so it would be misleading to present one as a confirmed annual GAA grant.

The Most Important Part: Accountability

Perhaps the most significant section of the entire document comes towards the end of the strategy.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Actions. Owners. Targets.

Annual operational plans will turn the strategic priorities into clear actions, responsibilities and measurable targets, with quarterly reporting to Ard Chomhairle.

The overall strategy will also be reviewed annually, allowing progress to be measured and priorities adjusted where necessary.

That means that by 2030 it should be possible to return to this document and establish whether membership increased by 20%, whether the target of 350 Silver-level referees was reached and whether participation programmes actually doubled.

That is ultimately what separates a meaningful strategic plan from an aspirational document that disappears into a drawer.

THE WIDER GAA

Could GAA Rounders Be Next?

The publication should also be of considerable interest to those involved in another of the Association’s developing codes — GAA Rounders.

There is an obvious opportunity to develop a similarly detailed long-term strategy for Rounders. That does not mean simply copying Handball’s targets: the sports have different structures, histories and requirements.

But the model is compelling — establish exactly where the sport is today, consult clubs and players, decide where it should be in four years, establish measurable targets and then provide the people and resources required to deliver them.

You would hope to see Croke Park provide GAA Rounders with the backing required to undertake a similarly ambitious strategic planning process, particularly around club development, refereeing, competitions, communications, schools and governance.

Handball’s plan demonstrates the value of giving a developing GAA sport a clear direction and then putting structures around its delivery.

GAA Handball can now point to where it is in 2026, where it intends to be in 2030 and the steps it believes will get it there. For any growing sport, that’s a very good place to start.

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Connacht v Stormers Preview: Teams, Stats & Prediction

JoeNa Connacht — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:19:04 +0000

BKT URC • ROUND 1

CONNACHT v STORMERS

THE SEASON STARTS HERE

Missing internationals, Mack Hansen’s return, a dramatic handicap move from Connacht -1 to -8 and two of last season’s play-off sides going head-to-head in Galway.

CONNACHT

V

DHL STORMERS

Kick-Off

19:45

Date

25 Sept

Venue

Dexcom

Live

TG4

There probably isn’t a stranger game to open Connacht’s season. Two of last season’s URC play-off teams meet at Dexcom Stadium, but the sides actually taking the field are very different to the full-strength versions of Connacht and the Stormers.

Connacht finished eighth in the 2025/26 URC before losing away to Glasgow in the quarter-finals, while the Stormers finished third and reached the semi-finals.

International commitments have ripped through both squads, particularly the visitors, and the impact can be seen clearly in the betting market.

THE MARKET HAS MOVED

CONNACHT -1

→

-8

Connacht opened at around -1 on the handicap. By match day that had moved all the way to approximately -8 as the scale of the Stormers’ absences became clear.

1. The Missing Internationals

Both teams are significantly below full strength, although the Stormers have been particularly badly hit by Springbok duty.

CONNACHT MISSING

International / summer involvement:
Bundee Aki, Ciarán Frawley, Cian Prendergast, Sean Jansen, Darragh Murray, Sam Illo and Billy Bohan.

Also unavailable:
Will Connors, Hugh Gavin, Dylan Tierney-Martin, Dave Heffernan and Harry West.

STORMERS MISSING

Springbok duty:
Siya Kolisi, Wilco Louw, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Paul de Villiers, Deon Fourie, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen and Cobus Reinach.

Injured:
Cheslin Kolbe – broken jaw.

2. Connacht By The Numbers

There was plenty to like about Connacht’s underlying numbers during the 2025/26 season. They wanted the ball, played at a high tempo and generated plenty of attacking opportunities.

2025/26 URC PERFORMANCE

53.6%

Possession

38:41

Ball In Play

24.4

Points / Game

3.4

Tries / Game

178.9

Passes / Game

134.3

Carries / Game

111.5

Rucks / Game

3.5s

Ruck Speed

197.2

Tackles / Game

89.7%

Tackle Success

93.4%

Scrum Success

85.6%

Lineout Success

8.5

22 Entries / Game

9:03

Time In Opp. 22

Connacht averaged 53.6% possession, the highest figure of the four Irish provinces, while their average ball-in-play time of 38 minutes 41 seconds was also the highest.

They averaged 178.9 passes, 134.3 carries and 111.5 rucks per game, with an average ruck speed of just 3.5 seconds.

Their defensive workload was enormous too. Connacht averaged 197.2 tackles per game while maintaining an excellent 89.7% tackle success rate.

The scrum operated at 93.4%, although an 85.6% lineout success rate leaves obvious room for improvement.

44.8%

THE NUMBER CONNACHT MUST IMPROVE

Connacht averaged 8.5 entries into the opposition 22 and spent 9:03 per game there, but successfully converted only 44.8% of those opportunities.

Against a depleted Stormers side, Connacht cannot afford to dominate possession and territory without turning that pressure into points.

3. Why Galway Matters

Straight Home Wins

1/5

Stormers Wins On Last 5 Irish Visits

33–24

Connacht Win In Cape Town

4–2

URC H2H To Stormers

Connacht enter Round 1 having won their last five home matches in all competitions, while the Stormers have won just once on their last five visits to Ireland.

The overall URC head-to-head favours the Stormers by four victories to two, but the most recent meeting went Connacht’s way.

18 APRIL 2026 • CAPE TOWN

DHL STORMERS

24 – 33

CONNACHT

Connacht ended the Stormers’ four-match winning run in the series.

4. Mack Hansen Is Back

CONNACHT • NUMBER 14

MACK HANSEN RETURNS

One of the biggest positives for Connacht is the return of Mack Hansen on the right wing, giving the backline an established international attacking threat.

There is also a Connacht debut for loosehead Francois van Wyk, while Academy back-rower Max Flynn is in line to make his senior debut from the bench.

With Ciarán Frawley unavailable, Josh Ioane starts at out-half alongside Ben Murphy, while Cathal Forde’s return gives Connacht another powerful option in midfield.

5. Connacht Starting XV

CONNACHT RUGBY

BACKS

15 Sam Gilbert
14 Mack Hansen
13 John Devine
12 Cathal Forde
11 Finn Treacy
10 Josh Ioane
9 Ben Murphy

FORWARDS

1 Francois van Wyk
2 Eoin de Buitléar
3 Finlay Bealham
4 Niall Murray
5 Josh Murphy
6 Sean O’Brien
7 Shamus Hurley-Langton
8 Paul Boyle (C)

REPLACEMENTS

16 Matthew Victory
17 Jordan Duggan
18 Fiachna Barrett
19 David O’Connor
20 Max Flynn
21 Caolin Blade
22 Seán Naughton
23 Shayne Bolton

6. DHL Stormers Starting XV

DHL STORMERS

BACKS

15 Warrick Gelant
14 Seabelo Senatla
13 Ruhan Nel (C)
12 Jonathan Roche
11 Leolin Zas
10 Jurie Matthee
9 Andre Warner

FORWARDS

1 Vernon Matongo
2 André-Hugo Venter
3 Neethling Fouché
4 Riley Norton
5 JD Schickerling
6 Evan Roos
7 Louw Nel
8 Hacjivah Dayimani

REPLACEMENTS

16 Vernon Paulo
17 Olly Reid
18 Sazi Sandi
19 Connor Evans
20 Adré Smith
21 Marcel Theunissen
22 Ezekiel Ngobeni
23 Yaqeen Ahmed

7. Three Areas That Could Decide It

KEY BATTLE 01

The Connacht Scrum

A 93.4% scrum success rate last season gives Connacht a platform they should look to exploit against a Stormers pack missing several Springboks.

KEY BATTLE 02

Tempo & Breakdown

Connacht averaged 111.5 rucks per game at 3.5 seconds. If Ben Murphy and Josh Ioane can generate that sort of tempo, the reshuffled Stormers defence could face an enormous workload.

KEY BATTLE 03

Take The Chances

The 44.8% successful 22-entry figure is the obvious area for improvement. Connacht cannot spend long periods on top and allow the Stormers to escape without conceding points.

Don’t Mistake This For A Weak Stormers XV

Warrick Gelant, Seabelo Senatla, Leolin Zas, Ruhan Nel, Evan Roos, Hacjivah Dayimani and JD Schickerling give the visitors plenty of experience and attacking quality.

Roos is a particularly obvious danger after scoring 12 URC tries last season.

8. Match Officials

REFEREE

Sam Grove-White

AR1

Eoghan Cross

AR2

Tomas O’Sullivan

TMO

Dave Sutherland

SPORTSNEWSIRELAND PREDICTION

CONNACHT TO MAKE HOME ADVANTAGE COUNT

The move from Connacht -1 to -8 tells its own story. Once the actual teams are considered rather than the overall strength of the two squads, Connacht have a significant opportunity.

The Stormers still have enough individual quality to make this uncomfortable, particularly through Gelant, Senatla, Zas, Roos and Dayimani.

But Connacht have won five straight at home, beat the Stormers 33-24 in Cape Town in April and welcome Mack Hansen back into a starting XV containing plenty of experience.

Connacht to start the new URC season with a win.

CONNACHT 29–20 STORMERS

HANDICAP: CONNACHT -8 ✓

Broadcast: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, URC.tv and FloRugby. Betting markets can move before kick-off. Gamble responsibly.

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Christina Desmond v Louise Creaven: Historic Irish Women’s Title Fight

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:25:05 +0000

Christina Desmond and Louise Creaven to Make Irish Boxing History in Cork

Irish boxing will make history in Cork on Friday, October 9, when Christina Desmond and Louise Creaven meet in the first-ever Irish women’s professional title fight – with Galway Bay FM sports broadcaster John Mulligan set to be on commentary for the landmark occasion.

The historic contest takes place at the Parochial Hall Arena in Cork City, bringing together two Irish fighters whose careers have taken very different routes to this groundbreaking night.

Desmond will have home advantage, while Galway’s Creaven will return from Australia for what will be her first professional fight on Irish soil.

Christina Desmond Brings Outstanding Amateur Pedigree

Christina Desmond has made an impressive transition to professional boxing and brings a wealth of international experience into the historic contest.

The Macroom fighter has won her opening five professional contests and enters the showdown with an unbeaten 5-0 record.

Her latest victory came in Spain, where she stopped England’s Sherie Barnes in the second round as she continued her rapid progress through the professional ranks.

Desmond’s professional success follows an outstanding amateur career in which she won six Irish Elite titles, claimed a European Championship silver medal and also secured European bronze.

She represented Ireland internationally for more than a decade and competed at the Youth Olympic Games before eventually making the move into professional boxing.

The possibility of Desmond competing in an historic Irish title fight had previously been discussed in connection with the proposed Katie Taylor Croke Park event. Instead, Desmond will now get the opportunity to make history in front of a home Cork crowd.

Louise Creaven Returns Home From Australia

Standing in Desmond’s way will be Killimordaly’s Louise Creaven, who has established her professional career thousands of miles away in Australia.

Creaven enters the contest with a 6-2 professional record and returns to Ireland following another important victory in Australia.

In August, the Galway fighter defeated Thailand’s experienced Thanchanok Phanan at the Gold Coast Convention Centre, forcing a stoppage in the third round of their scheduled six-round contest.

That victory came during a significant year for Creaven, who also challenged for an Australian title in 2026.

She will now swap Australia for Cork and, remarkably, the October 9 contest is set to be Creaven’s first professional fight in Ireland.

That makes an already historic night even more significant for the Galway boxer, who has spent much of her professional career building her reputation on the other side of the world.

John Mulligan to Call Historic Fight

There will be another strong Galway connection at ringside, with Galway Bay FM sports broadcaster John Mulligan set to provide commentary on the historic contest.

Mulligan has followed Creaven’s progress closely, including speaking with the Killimordaly boxer following her recent victory in Australia.

Confirming that he will be heading to Cork for the fight, Mulligan spoke of his excitement at being involved in such a significant occasion for Irish boxing.

“SO EXCITED to be going to this fight and more importantly to have the honour and privilege of commentating on two LEGENDS going toe to toe who are making history! Well done to all for making it happen.”

For Mulligan, it will be the opportunity to call the action as a new chapter in Irish professional boxing is written.

A Landmark Night for Irish Women’s Boxing

Ireland has produced some of the greatest female boxers in the history of the sport, with Katie Taylor’s achievements helping transform the profile of women’s boxing both in Ireland and internationally.

However, despite that extraordinary success, an Irish professional women’s title had never previously been contested.

The possibility of crowning an Irish women’s professional champion has been discussed for a number of years, but Desmond and Creaven are now set to finally make it happen.

When they step through the ropes in Cork, they will become the first two women to contest an Irish professional boxing title.

Desmond v Creaven – An Intriguing Match-Up

Beyond the historical significance, the fight itself provides an intriguing clash between two boxers with very different backgrounds.

Desmond possesses enormous amateur experience, having represented Ireland at major international championships before beginning her unbeaten professional career.

Creaven, meanwhile, has gained valuable professional experience in Australia, experiencing both championship boxing and the demands of building a career away from home.

It leaves an intriguing contest between Desmond’s extensive international amateur pedigree and unbeaten 5-0 professional record against Creaven’s 6-2 record and greater experience in the professional ranks.

But whatever happens when the bell rings, both women will already have secured their places in the history of Irish boxing.

Christina Desmond v Louise Creaven – Fight Details

Fight: Christina Desmond v Louise Creaven
Date: Friday, October 9, 2026
Venue: Parochial Hall Arena, Cork City
Occasion: First Irish women’s professional title fight
Christina Desmond record: 5-0
Louise Creaven record: 6-2
General Admission: €60
Gold Front Rows: €90
Commentary: John Mulligan

October 9 will therefore be about much more than another professional boxing show in Cork.

For Christina Desmond and Louise Creaven, it is an opportunity to become the first winner of an Irish women’s professional title.

For those inside the Parochial Hall Arena – and for John Mulligan behind the microphone – it will be the chance to witness and document a genuine piece of Irish sporting history.

SEO Title: Christina Desmond v Louise Creaven: Historic Irish Women’s Title Fight

Meta Description: Christina Desmond faces Louise Creaven in Cork on October 9 in the first Irish women’s professional boxing title fight, with John Mulligan on commentary.

Focus Keyphrase: Christina Desmond v Louise Creaven

Suggested URL Slug: christina-desmond-louise-creaven-irish-womens-boxing-title

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Simon Zebo Makes BKT URC Title Prediction as He Names Team to Beat

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:07:28 +0000

Simon Zebo Makes BKT URC Title Prediction as He Names Team to Beat

Former Ireland and Munster star Simon Zebo believes the BKT United Rugby Championship has improved “ten-fold” and has named Leinster as the team to beat heading into the new season.

The 35-cap Ireland international says the variety of playing styles and growing number of international players across the competition have helped transform the URC into one of rugby’s most entertaining leagues.

Zebo, who retired from professional rugby in 2024 and is now part of the Premier Sports punditry team, believes defending champions Leinster remain the benchmark as the new campaign gets underway.

Simon Zebo: URC standard has gone up ‘ten-fold’

Now entering its sixth season in its current format, the BKT URC brings together teams from Ireland, South Africa, Scotland, Wales and Italy.

Zebo believes that mix has become one of the competition’s biggest strengths.

“How it’s evolved is how attractive it is to watch on the eye. I think the standard of the league across the board and the style we are being treated to, there’s a lot of quality on the pitch.

“That’s why there’s such a good connection with a lot of the supporters who are mad keen to go to the stadiums and watch live matches.

“It all boils down to the quality of the product. We are being treated to some amazing games, great cross culture matches.”

The former Munster and Racing 92 star believes the contrasting approaches across the competition provide both entertainment for supporters and an important test for players.

“There are loads of different styles that we are able to watch on view instead of just one country specifically. You’ve got the South African style versus the Irish style, the Italians, Scots and Welsh.

“It’s a great crossover and the difference in styles naturally prepares you for international rugby.”

Why the BKT URC is so difficult to win

Zebo believes the variety teams encounter from one weekend to the next is a major reason why winning the United Rugby Championship is such a difficult challenge.

“I think the difficulty in the league is that it’s so hard to win. That’s connected to the crossover in styles, the different cultures and different tests that come at you from week to week.

“It’s preparing for a Scottish team like Glasgow who can run at you from everywhere and then the following week playing the Bulls who are going to scrum you off the pitch to then maybe playing Munster or Leinster who can bring the aerial game into it.

“There are just so many different styles and lots of crossover and so many international players who are on display in the BKT URC now.

“They are nearly like smaller international matches with the quality of player on the field.”

Zebo feels the overall standard of the competition has increased dramatically.

“The competition is continuing to grow. The standard of rugby we are being treated to has gone up ten fold. That’s why I think it’s continuing to drive engagement, get people talking and there is a lot of excitement around now for the new season.”

Simon Zebo names Leinster as the URC team to beat

When it comes to the title race, Zebo believes Leinster remain the side everyone else has to catch.

Leinster enter the campaign as defending champions and will be looking to add another URC crown during Leo Cullen’s final season as head coach.

“I would say that Leinster are still the team to beat,” said Zebo while speaking at a BKT URC Round Table.

“Yes, there’s a lot of quality in South Africa in particular. The size and tactics of their teams can be a bit of an Achilles heel for the Irish sides at times.

“But given what Leinster have done to the Bulls in previous finals, their squad is so deep, they have so much quality.

“There’s a confidence there as well when you are champions. It’s tough to knock over the current champs.

“With the South African sides, Glasgow and Munster, there are plenty of teams in the mix.

“But, as of now, Leinster are probably still favourites going in by the bookies. It’s hard to begrudge them that.

“I think they are still very much the team to beat.”

Why a fast start matters in the URC

Zebo believes the opening rounds can have a major influence on a team’s title challenge, particularly in a competition where the battle for the play-off positions can quickly become congested.

“Finding a rhythm early on is probably the hardest part,” he said.

“Getting an early start breeds confidence for the rest of the season.

“Then other factors come into play about squad health, fatigue and all other things.

“But if you can get out early ahead of the pack, avoid that mosh pit and stay top three, top four, it just has a massive bearing on the rest of your season.

“You are not chasing points as heavily in the later rounds. The knock-on effect is huge.

“You are far better off getting a good early start and getting that confidence in your game plan early doors.”

Simon Zebo enjoying life after rugby

The 36-year-old has moved into broadcasting since calling time on his playing career in 2024.

Having represented Ireland 35 times along with spells at Munster and Racing 92, Zebo says remaining close to rugby has helped with the transition from playing.

“I love it. I’m incredibly fortunate to work with Premier Sports and get to stay up close with the action and remain in contact with the current players and past buddies that you played with.

“It’s nice to give insight and have a bit of fun at the same time. It comes back to the rugby we are being treated to. The product is so good at the moment.

“It’s always a joy. I wouldn’t call it work to be honest. It’s a privilege to be involved in the game still. It’s a nice transition out of playing the game.”

Munster v Glasgow Warriors

Zebo will be part of the Premier Sports team at Thomond Park on Saturday for Munster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors.

He will be joined by Ross Harries, Ryan Wilson, Darren Cave, Ryle Nugent and Paul Marshall.

Premier Sports will show every BKT United Rugby Championship game live throughout the season.

Simon Zebo was speaking as part of a BKT United Rugby Championship Round Table.

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NFL Week 3 Preview: Eight Unbeaten Teams Chase 3-0 Starts

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:24:41 +0000

The NFL season moves into Week 3 with eight teams still holding perfect 2-0 records and a packed schedule featuring major milestones, record pursuits and several intriguing match-ups.

Four unbeaten teams remain in each conference, with Buffalo, Kansas City, Cincinnati and Las Vegas leading the way in the AFC, while Seattle, Minnesota, San Francisco and Philadelphia are all 2-0 in the NFC.

Bills and Allen chasing NFL history

Los Angeles Chargers (0-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-0) – Sunday, 6pm Irish time

Buffalo have made an explosive start and can become just the fourth team in NFL history to score at least 35 points while producing 400 or more yards of offence in each of their opening three games.

The previous teams to achieve the feat were the 2013 Denver Broncos, 2007 New England Patriots and 2000 St. Louis Rams.

Josh Allen has been at the centre of Buffalo’s start. The Bills quarterback is the first player in NFL history to record five touchdown passes and four rushing touchdowns across the opening two games of a season.

Allen could make further history against the Chargers by becoming the first quarterback to record multiple rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games.

Chiefs offence setting the pace

Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) at Miami Dolphins (0-2) – Sunday, 6pm Irish time

Kansas City enter Week 3 leading the NFL in total offence at 457.5 yards per game.

Running back Kenneth Walker has been one of the biggest stories of the opening fortnight, leading the NFL with 369 scrimmage yards.

That is the most scrimmage yardage ever recorded by a non-rookie in his first two games with a new team.

Walker has produced at least 175 scrimmage yards in both games, becoming only the fifth player in NFL history to open a season that way.

Kansas City can improve to 3-0 for the sixth time in the past 10 seasons.

Bengals eye first 3-0 start since 2015

Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) – Sunday, 6pm Irish time

Cincinnati can win their opening three games for the first time since 2015, with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase continuing to establish themselves among the NFL’s most productive quarterback-receiver combinations.

Burrow and Chase have now connected for 50 touchdowns.

They are one of only four combinations in NFL history to reach 50 touchdown connections while both quarterback and receiver were under the age of 30.

Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers also has history within reach.

Rodgers has 164 regular-season victories and another would move him level with former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on 165, fifth on the NFL’s all-time list.

Cousins has Raiders dreaming of 3-0

Las Vegas Raiders (2-0) at New Orleans Saints (1-1) – Sunday, 9.25pm Irish time

Las Vegas can begin a season 3-0 for the first time since 2021.

Kirk Cousins leads the AFC with six touchdown passes and has thrown at least three in each of the Raiders’ opening two games.

At 38, Cousins joined Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks aged 38 or older to throw three or more touchdown passes in each of their team’s opening two games.

New Orleans quarterback Tyler Shough has also made a remarkable start statistically, leading the NFL with 62 completions and 662 passing yards.

Super Bowl champions Seattle remain perfect

Seattle Seahawks (2-0) at Washington Commanders (0-2) – Sunday, 6pm Irish time

The reigning Super Bowl champions are attempting to become the third consecutive champions to begin their title defence 3-0.

Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald has compiled a 29-10 record, including the playoffs, since taking charge in 2024. Victory in Washington would make him only the sixth head coach since 1970 to win at least 30 of his first 40 games.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has carried his outstanding 2025 form into the new campaign.

After leading the NFL with 1,793 receiving yards last season, Smith-Njigba again tops the league with 277 yards through two games.

McCaffrey joins NFL’s 100-touchdown club

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-0) – Sunday, 9.05pm Irish time

San Francisco can begin 3-0 for the third time in four seasons.

Brock Purdy produced a remarkable performance in Week 2, completing 20 of 22 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score.

He became the first player in NFL history to complete at least 90 per cent of his passes while throwing for at least 285 yards and two touchdowns and adding a rushing touchdown in the same game.

Christian McCaffrey also reached a significant milestone.

His two rushing touchdowns took him to 100 career scrimmage touchdowns in just 114 games, making him the fourth-fastest player to reach the landmark during the Super Bowl era.

Jefferson continues historic pace

Minnesota Vikings (2-0) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) – Sunday, 9.05pm Irish time

Minnesota’s defence has made a huge impact through two weeks.

Linebacker Dallas Turner has three sacks while leading the NFL with 20 quarterback pressures and 11 quarterback hits, according to Next Gen Stats.

The Vikings have eight sacks as a team, tied for the NFL lead with Cincinnati and Las Vegas.

Justin Jefferson, meanwhile, continues to climb the record books.

Jefferson now has 8,627 career receiving yards, the second-most ever accumulated by a player before turning 28. Only Randy Moss, with 9,142, recorded more.

Eagles head to Chicago for Monday Night Football

Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at Chicago Bears (1-1) – Tuesday, 1.15am Irish time

Philadelphia produced one of the dramatic finishes of Week 2 when Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper for the winning touchdown with just nine seconds remaining in a 24-20 victory over Tennessee.

Hurts has now engineered eight fourth-quarter comebacks since 2023.

Saquon Barkley has another opportunity to extend an impressive Monday Night Football run. The Eagles running back has recorded at least 100 scrimmage yards in five consecutive Monday night appearances.

Philadelphia can now win their opening three games for the fourth time in five seasons.

Stafford and Nix meet on Sunday Night Football

Los Angeles Rams (1-1) at Denver Broncos (1-1) – Monday, 1.20am Irish time

Two of last season’s four Championship Game participants meet in Denver after both recorded their first victories of the campaign in Week 2.

The Rams are set to become the first NFL team since 1970 to begin a season with three consecutive primetime games.

Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes in Week 2, moving to 427 regular-season touchdown passes for his career and overtaking Philip Rivers for sixth on the NFL’s all-time list.

Denver quarterback Bo Nix has also compiled an impressive record since entering the league in 2024.

Nix has 25 victories over the past three seasons, placing him alongside Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Jared Goff and Jalen Hurts among starting quarterbacks with at least 25 wins during that period.

Eight teams chasing perfection

Week 3 could significantly reshape the early NFL standings.

Buffalo and Kansas City are attempting to continue their recent tradition of fast starts, Cincinnati are chasing their first 3-0 opening in more than a decade and Las Vegas are looking for their first since 2021.

In the NFC, reigning champions Seattle are joined by Minnesota, San Francisco and Philadelphia in trying to preserve perfect records.

With Josh Allen chasing unprecedented quarterback numbers, Aaron Rodgers closing in on another career milestone and several of the league’s leading offensive players already producing historic statistics, Week 3 has no shortage of storylines.

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The URC Has a Problem: Why Are We Starting a Professional League Without So Many of Its Best Players?

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:30:02 +0000

The URC Has a Problem: Why Are We Starting a Professional League Without So Many of Its Best Players?

The United Rugby Championship finally gets underway this weekend, but instead of excitement about the return of competitive rugby, one question keeps coming back: where are all the players?

There was a time when the old Celtic League season was getting underway in August. In 2026, we are now at the final weekend of September before a ball is kicked in the URC.

You might think that starting the competition later would ensure clubs were able to put something close to their strongest sides on the field.

Instead, the opposite appears to be happening.

Across Ireland, Scotland and South Africa, some clubs are heading into Round 1 without huge numbers of their leading players.

Round 1 – But It Doesn’t Feel Like Round 1

The issue isn’t simply that the URC starts late.

There are reasonable arguments for a late-September start given the increasingly congested rugby calendar. The problem is that even after waiting until September 25 and 26, the competition still cannot guarantee that many of its biggest names will be available.

That creates a very strange situation.

These aren’t pre-season friendlies. These are competitive fixtures carrying four league points, bonus points and potentially enormous consequences when the playoff positions are decided next May.

Yet look around the competition and some of the squads available for the opening weekend bear little resemblance to the strongest teams these clubs could field.

Connacht Already Counting the Absentees

Connacht’s situation ahead of Friday night’s opener against the Stormers is a perfect example.

Seven players involved in Ireland’s summer fixtures – Bundee Aki, Billy Bohan, Ciarán Frawley, Sam Illo, Sean Jansen, Darragh Murray and Cian Prendergast – are unavailable for Round 1.

That’s before injuries are considered.

Will Connors and Hugh Gavin are continuing their respective recoveries, Dylan Tierney-Martin will miss the opening block after ankle surgery, while Dave Heffernan and Harry West have also been ruled out of the Stormers game.

So Connacht are opening their competitive season with a substantial chunk of their squad unavailable.

And they’re far from alone.

Glasgow Highlight the Scale of the Problem

Glasgow Warriors are another particularly interesting example.

They travel to Thomond Park to face Munster on Saturday, September 26, just eight days after completing their pre-season programme against Bath.

That final warm-up showed just how stretched Glasgow’s resources have been, with a youthful Warriors side beaten 53-5 by Bath at Old Anniesland.

The problem for Glasgow – and several other clubs – is that the transition from a heavily disrupted pre-season into competitive rugby happens almost immediately.

International commitments and player-management requirements mean the club game is being asked to begin without access to a significant number of the players around whom these teams are built.

South African Teams Face the Same Problem

The South African franchises have their own version of the problem.

The Springboks’ international programme overlaps with the beginning of the URC season, leaving their franchises having to negotiate the opening rounds without a number of frontline internationals. South Africa play Australia on Sunday.

And that’s where the structure of the competition becomes increasingly difficult to understand from a supporter’s point of view.

The URC wants to be viewed as one of the leading professional rugby competitions in the world.

It has major broadcasters, sponsors, international stars and clubs representing some of the biggest rugby markets on the planet.

But its opening weekend can arrive while many of those international stars are unavailable.

What About the Supporters?

This is the part of the discussion that sometimes gets forgotten.

Supporters are paying full price.

They buy season tickets. They buy individual match tickets. They pay for television subscriptions. Families travel considerable distances to games and can spend significant amounts on transport, accommodation, food and everything else that comes with following a professional sports team.

Yet the fixture they attend in Round 1 carries exactly the same league points as a fixture later in the season when both clubs could have significantly stronger squads available.

That doesn’t seem particularly satisfactory for supporters.

Nobody expects every player to be available every week. Injuries are part of professional sport. Player welfare has to be protected and international rugby is enormously important.

But when large numbers of leading players are unavailable across several teams before the domestic season has even started, it becomes reasonable to question the structure rather than individual selection decisions.

When Exactly Is the Club Season Supposed to Start?

And this brings us to perhaps the biggest question of all.

If August is too early because players need a break…

If September is affected by international rugby and mandatory rest periods…

If November is dominated by another international window…

If February and March are disrupted by the Six Nations…

And if European competition also has to be accommodated…

when exactly is professional club rugby supposed to have its best players available?

That is becoming one of rugby’s biggest structural problems.

The sport has created an international calendar, domestic calendar and European calendar that are all competing for the same players.

Something eventually has to give.

Increasingly, it feels like the domestic league is the competition being asked to compromise.

Round 1 Should Feel Important

The opening weekend of a league should be one of its biggest promotional opportunities.

It should feel like an event.

After months without competitive club rugby, supporters should be looking forward to seeing new signings, returning internationals and the strongest possible versions of their teams.

Instead, we’re discussing who’s missing.

That can’t be the ideal way to launch a major professional competition.

The URC itself has developed enormously in recent seasons. The competition is more competitive, the South African franchises have added another dimension and the playoff race has produced excellent rugby.

This isn’t an argument against the URC.

It’s an argument that a competition of this quality deserves a calendar that gives it the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Because if rugby can wait until the final weekend of September to begin its league season and still can’t get many of its best players onto the field, the sport has a much bigger calendar problem than simply deciding when Round 1 should be played.

And the people who ultimately lose out are the supporters being asked to pay full price to watch it.

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URC Round 1 Fixtures 2026: Kick-Off Times, TV Coverage, Referees & Latest Handicaps

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 09:46:06 +0000

URC Round 1 Fixtures 2026: Kick-Off Times, TV Coverage, Referees & Latest Handicaps

The 2026/27 BKT United Rugby Championship gets underway this weekend, with eight matches across Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Wales as all 16 teams begin their new campaign.

The opening round starts on Friday, September 25, with Connacht and Ulster both at home, before five Saturday fixtures including Leinster’s trip to Johannesburg and a heavyweight meeting between Munster and Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park.

Here are the URC Round 1 fixtures, Irish/UK kick-off times, TV details, match officials and current bookmaker handicaps.

Friday, September 25

Benetton v Dragons RFC – 7.45pm

Venue: Stadio Monigo, Treviso
Handicap: Benetton -10
TV: Premier Sports, Sky Italia
Referee: Christopher Allison (SARU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Benetton begin their campaign at home against Dragons and are 10-point favourites with the bookmakers.

Connacht v DHL Stormers – 7.45pm

Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Handicap: Connacht -4
TV: TG4, Premier Sports
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: David Sutherland (SRU)

One of the most interesting handicap lines of the opening weekend sees Connacht installed as four-point favourites against the Stormers in Galway.

The Stormers finished third in the 2025/26 regular season before reaching the semi-finals, while Connacht finished outside the play-offs. The South Africans also begin the URC campaign with a number of their leading internationals involved with the Springboks.

Ulster v Edinburgh – 7.45pm

Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
Handicap: Ulster -11
TV: Premier Sports
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)
TMO: Vincenzo Schipani (FIR)

Ulster carry one of the biggest handicaps of the opening weekend, starting as 11-point favourites against Edinburgh in Belfast.

Saturday, September 26

Lions v Leinster – 12.30pm

Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Handicap: Leinster -7
TV: TG4, Premier Sports
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Craig Evans (WRU)

Leinster begin their campaign in South Africa and have been made seven-point favourites for the trip to Ellis Park.

Johannesburg has provided some difficult afternoons for Leinster in recent seasons, making this one of the more intriguing fixtures of the opening round.

Sharks v Ospreys – 3.00pm

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Handicap: Sharks -13
TV: Premier Sports
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Filippo Russo (FIR)

The largest handicap of Round 1 sees the Sharks giving Ospreys a 13-point start in Durban.

Munster v Glasgow Warriors – 5.30pm

Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Handicap: Glasgow -1
TV: Premier Sports
Referee: Morné Ferreira (SARU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

This is perhaps the most eye-catching bookmaker line of the weekend.

Despite playing at Thomond Park, Munster are slight underdogs, with Glasgow installed as one-point favourites.

There is very little between the teams according to the opening market, setting up what could be one of the games of Round 1.

Zebre Parma v Bulls – 5.30pm

Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Handicap: Bulls -10
TV: Premier Sports, Sky Italia
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

The Bulls begin their season on the road and are 10-point favourites against Zebre in Parma.

Scarlets v Cardiff – 7.45pm

Venue: Parc y Scarlets
Handicap: Scarlets -1
TV: S4C, Premier Sports
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)

Round 1 concludes with a Welsh derby that the bookmakers can barely separate.

Scarlets have been made one-point favourites over Cardiff in what is effectively a pick’em contest.

URC Round 1 Handicaps

Fixture	Handicap
Benetton v Dragons	Benetton -10
Connacht v Stormers	Connacht -4
Ulster v Edinburgh	Ulster -11
Lions v Leinster	Leinster -7
Sharks v Ospreys	Sharks -13
Munster v Glasgow	Glasgow -1
Zebre v Bulls	Bulls -10
Scarlets v Cardiff	Scarlets -1

What Do The Round 1 Handicaps Tell Us?

From an Irish perspective, the opening lines provide an interesting snapshot of expectations heading into the new season.

Ulster are strong favourites at home, Leinster are backed to win on the road in Johannesburg and Connacht are four-point favourites against the Stormers.

Munster’s position is particularly interesting. Home advantage at Thomond Park would normally count heavily in their favour, but the bookmakers have Glasgow starting as narrow one-point favourites.

At the other end of the scale, the Sharks have the biggest handicap of the weekend at -13 against Ospreys, while Scarlets v Cardiff is the closest market at just one point.

Handicaps correct at time of publication and subject to change.

SportsNewsIRELAND will have rugby news, team updates, analysis and coverage throughout the 2026/27 United Rugby Championship season.

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Live Sport on TV This Weekend in Ireland: Full Guide

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:12:37 +0000

Irish sports fans have a packed weekend of live action from Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September, with Premier League football, live Club GAA, rugby, AFL preliminary finals, the BMW PGA Championship, European boxing and NFL all on the schedule.

SportsNewsIRELAND has picked out the main events available to viewers in Ireland across Sky Sports, TG4, Virgin Media, TNT Sports, Premier Sports, Eurosport, RTÉ Player, RugbyPass TV, LOITV and Clubber.

Friday 18 September – AFL, Golf, Boxing and Premier League

The weekend begins early with the BMW PGA Championship on Sky Sports Golf before attention switches to Australia for the first AFL Preliminary Final, with Sydney Swans taking on Fremantle at 10:40am Irish time.

7:30am – BMW PGA Championship, Round 2 – Sky Sports Golf
10:40am – Sydney Swans v Fremantle, AFL Preliminary Final – TNT Sports
From 10:30am – European Elite Boxing Championships – Eurosport / RTÉ Player
1:30pm – York Ebor Festival – Virgin Media One
5:00pm – Killarney Races – TG4
7:30pm – Sligo Rovers v Waterford, League of Ireland – Virgin Media Two
8:00pm – Bohemians v Drogheda United – Virgin Media Two
8:00pm – Brentford v Chelsea, Premier League – Sky Sports

Saturday 19 September – Huge Day of Live Sport

Saturday starts with another AFL blockbuster as Hawthorn face Brisbane Lions at 8:15am Irish time. Golf and boxing continue throughout the day before the football and rugby schedules take over.

8:15am – Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions, AFL Preliminary Final – TNT Sports
From 9:00am – BMW PGA Championship, Round 3 – Sky Sports Golf
From 10:30am – European Elite Boxing Championships – Eurosport / RTÉ Player
12:30pm – Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa, Premier League – TNT Sports
3:35pm – La Rochelle v Racing 92, Top 14 – Premier Sports
5:30pm – Nottingham Forest v Coventry City, Premier League – Sky Sports
7:30pm – Sligo Rovers v St Patrick’s Athletic, League of Ireland – LOITV

Live Club GAA on Saturday

There is also a massive programme of Club GAA available live on Clubber, with football and hurling championship action from around the country throughout Saturday.

Among the games featured are Maynooth v Sarsfields, Eadestown v Moorefield, Clogherinkoe v Naas, Kilcullen v St Mogue’s, Slane v Moylagh, Donaghmore/Ashbourne v Trim, St Patrick’s v Moynalvey, Castleblayney v Colt Shanahoe and a host of other county championship fixtures.

Sunday 20 September – GAA, Ireland Rugby, Premier League and NFL

Sunday could be the busiest day of the weekend. The final round of the BMW PGA Championship begins the sporting programme, while another extensive Club GAA schedule runs alongside live inter-county and international sport.

From 9:00am – BMW PGA Championship, Final Round – Sky Sports Golf
From 12:00pm – European Elite Boxing Championships – Eurosport / RTÉ Player
1:30pm – Charleville v Glen Rovers, Cork SHC Quarter-Final – TG4
1:45pm – Ireland v USA, Women’s Rugby – RugbyPass TV / TG4 online
2:00pm – Bournemouth v Liverpool, Premier League – Sky Sports
2:00pm – Man City v Sunderland, Premier League – Sky Sports
3:30pm – Dr Crokes v Rathmore, Kerry Club Football Final – TG4
4:30pm – Fulham v Manchester United, Premier League – Sky Sports
From 6:00pm – NFL RedZone – Sky Sports
9:25pm – Washington Commanders v Dallas Cowboys – Virgin Media Two

Club GAA Takes Centre Stage

For GAA supporters, Sunday brings another enormous selection of live club championship games.

The schedule includes Fr O’Neills v Douglas, Ballinhassig v Watergrasshill, Kanturk v Sarsfields, Imokilly v St Finbarr’s, An Rinn v Kilrossanty, Rathgormack v Abbeyside, Moyle Rovers v Aherlow, Cahir v Fethard, Clonmel Commercials v Moycarkey Borris, Templemore v St Patrick’s and several more fixtures.

More than 50 live Club GAA matches are available across Saturday and Sunday on Clubber.

What to Watch This Weekend

There is very little downtime for sports fans. The two AFL Preliminary Finals provide early-morning action, while the BMW PGA Championship and European Elite Boxing Championships run across the weekend.

Saturday brings Premier League and Top 14 rugby alongside the huge Club GAA programme, before Sunday delivers Ireland women’s rugby, televised club championship action on TG4, Premier League football and an evening of NFL.

Keep up with the latest Irish and international sports news, fixtures and live TV information throughout the weekend on SportsNewsIRELAND.

The post Live Sport on TV This Weekend in Ireland: Full Guide appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

List of live GAA matches on Sky Sports, TG4, GAA+ & RTE

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:02:16 +0000

We have the list of live GAA matches that will be broadcast live on Online, GAAGO, Clubber, Sky Sports & RTE, here are the fixtures Hurling and Gaelic Football league and championships.

CLICK FOR LIVE GAA SCORES

CLICK FOR List of Live GAA Matches on Clubber Here’s a full list of this week’s fixtures from the image, grouped by county: