Connacht Rugby and the IRFU have confirmed the appointment of Allan Temple Jones as the province’s new Head of Athletic Performance.

Temple Jones brings a wealth of experience across a wide range of rugby codes, with an impressive CV built on elite-level roles in Ireland, South Africa, and the international Sevens scene. He joins a new-look backroom team at Connacht this season, led by Stuart Lancaster and supported by Rob Seib.

Proven Success on the Global Stage

Temple Jones most recently served as head coach of the Ireland Women’s Sevens team, a role in which he guided the side to their first-ever title on the SVNS Series, with a standout victory in Perth in 2024. His leadership also saw the team qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

His latest stint with the Irish Sevens ran for two years, but it was actually his second spell with the programme, having worked as Head of Athletic Performance for the men’s and women’s Sevens teams from 2017 to 2021.

South African Roots, World-Class Pedigree

Between 2021 and 2023, Temple Jones worked with The Sharks in his native South Africa, where he held the position of Athletic Performance Manager. A Durban native, he spent a decade as Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Springbok Sevens, gaining a reputation as one of the best in the business during South Africa’s most successful period at Sevens level.

His achievements include:
– Olympic Bronze Medal
– Commonwealth Gold
– Two World Series Titles

Taking Over from Michael Kiely

Temple Jones replaces Michael Kiely, who departs after three years in the role. Connacht Rugby and the IRFU thanked Kiely for his commitment and contributions, wishing him every success in his next chapter.

A Forward-Focused Appointment

This high-profile appointment signals a serious intent from Connacht and the IRFU to drive elite performance standards heading into the next cycle of domestic and international rugby. With Stuart Lancaster at the helm and Rob Seib also part of the coaching ticket, Temple Jones joins a team determined to bring silverware west of the Shannon.

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THIS WEEK’S TV SPORT

⸻

RUGBY

Wednesday
• Brumbies v Lions – 11am – Sky Sports
• New Zealand U20s v Ireland U20s – 5pm – RugbyPass

Saturday
• New Zealand v France – 8pm – Sky Sports
• ANZAC XV v Lions – 11am – Sky Sports
• South Africa XV v Italy– 4:10pm – Sky Sports
• Portugal v Ireland – 7pm – Virgin Media One
• Argentina v England – 8:40pm – Sky Sports

⸻

GAA – Football

Saturday
• Limerick v Kildare – 2:30pm – RTÉ2
• Kerry v Tyrone – 5pm – RTÉ2

Sunday
• Meath v Donegal – 4pm – RTÉ2

⸻

FOOTBALL

Wednesday
• Champions League Qualifier – Shelbourne v Linfield – 7:45pm – RTÉ2

⸻

HORSE RACING

Newmarket Festival
• Thursday, Friday, Saturday – Virgin Media One

⸻

OTHER SPORTS

• Wimbledon – All week – BBC One / BBC Two
• Tour de France – All week – TNT Sports & TG4
• Diamond League Athletics – Friday, 7pm – Virgin Media Two

#WeekendSport #Rugby #GAA #Wimbledon #TourDeFrance #LeagueOfIreland #IrishSport

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The Ireland team to face Georgia this weekend has been named — and there’s a notable mix of youth, form, and provincial pride across the 23. With several players away on British & Irish Lions duty and others out through injury, this is a chance for fresh talent to shine.

Here’s how the squad breaks down by province:

Connacht – 4 Players

• 5. Darragh Murray (Buccaneers) – Uncapped
• 18. Jack Aungier (Clontarf) – Uncapped
• 20. Cian Prendergast (UCD) – 4 caps
• 21. Ben Murphy (Clontarf) – Uncapped

Munster – 5 Players

• 9. Craig Casey (Shannon) – 18 caps (Captain)
• 8. Gavin Coombes (Young Munster) – 2 caps
• 19. Tom Ahern (Shannon) – Uncapped
• 22. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution) – 24 caps
• 23. Calvin Nash (Young Munster) – 10 caps

Ulster – 5 Players

• 4. Cormac Izuchukwu (Ballynahinch) – Uncapped
• 7. Nick Timoney (Banbridge) – 3 caps
• 11. Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan) – 38 caps
• 12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor) – 19 caps
• 16. Tom Stewart (Ballynahinch) – 2 caps

Leinster – 9 Players

• 1. Jack Boyle (UCD) – 2 caps
• 2. Gus McCarthy (UCD) – 4 caps
• 3. Thomas Clarkson (Dublin University) – 6 caps
• 6. Ryan Baird (Dublin University) – 27 caps
• 10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne) – 8 caps
• 13. Jamie Osborne (Naas) – 7 caps
• 14. Tommy O’Brien (UCD) – Uncapped
• 15. Jimmy O’Brien (Naas) – 8 caps
• 17. Michael Milne (UCD) – Uncapped

Total Breakdown

• Leinster – 9 players
• Ulster – 5 players
• Munster – 5 players
• Connacht – 4 players

Commentary

Absolutely delighted to see Darragh Murray make his first start for Ireland.

Only one Connacht player in the starting XV is a little disappointing, especially given how many front-liners are unavailable. Still, with three more Connacht men on the bench, there’s every chance they’ll get decent game time.

The bookies have Ireland as 16-point favourites, which feels like a stretch. With a squad full of new caps, any sort of win would be a bonus. What matters most is the experience this group gains at international level.

Ireland Team Named for Summer Tour Opener in Tbilisi

Paul O’Connell, interim Head Coach of the Ireland Men’s team, has named his matchday 23 to face Georgia in the opening game of the two-Test Summer Series this Saturday evening at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi (kick-off 9pm local time / 6pm Irish time).

There are two debutants in the starting XV and a further four uncapped players on the bench, as Ireland looks to build depth during this developmental tour.

Captain Casey Makes History

Craig Casey will captain Ireland for the first time, becoming the 112th Test captain in the nation’s history. The Munster scrum-half also becomes just the third 9 to lead Ireland in the professional era, following Niall Hogan (3 times) and Eoin Reddan (once).

He’ll form a half-back partnership with exciting young out-half Sam Prendergast, while the midfield pairing sees Stuart McCloskey and Jamie Osborne link up.

Tommy O’Brien will make his international debut on the wing, joining Jimmy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale in the back three.

Milestone in Sight for Stockdale

Jacob Stockdale is set to win his 39th cap. One more try would see him become the 21st Irish player to reach 100+ points for the national side. It would also move him into outright 6th on Ireland’s all-time try-scoring list, ahead of Girvan Dempsey and Geordan Murphy.

New Faces in the Pack

Darragh Murray (Connacht) earns his first cap in the second row alongside Cormac Izuchukwu. The front row features Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, and Thomas Clarkson, while the back row sees Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, and Gavin Coombes complete the starting pack.

Four More Uncapped Players on the Bench

The replacements bench includes four potential debutants: Munster duo Michael Milne and Tom Ahern, and Connacht pair Jack Aungier and Ben Murphy.

They are joined by Tom Stewart, Cian Prendergast, and Calvin Nash — all of whom will be expected to make an impact off the bench.

Coach’s View – Paul O’Connell

“I’ve been really impressed with the application of this group in the build-up to the tour. Saturday presents a fantastic opportunity for these players to represent their country and show what they can do on the international stage.

To Craig — I’d like to congratulate him on his first game as captain. He’s taken to the role superbly and I know how much he’s looking forward to leading the team.”

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Ireland U20 Team Named for World Rugby U20 Championship Opener vs Georgia – Sunday 29 June

Head Coach Neil Doak has named his Ireland Men’s U20s Match Day Squad, proudly sponsored by PwC, for the opening game of the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.

Venue: Calvisano, Italy
Kick-off: 17:00 Irish time, Sunday 29 June
Live stream: Free on RugbyPass TV

Connacht’s Éanna McCarthy will lead the side as captain, having impressed during the recent U20 Six Nations campaign. It’s probably the weakest Irish U20s team in many years and top three finish in their group would be a positive outcome. In Pool C we have six-time champions New Zealand up against 2023 runners-up Ireland, hosts Italy, and Georgia.

Starting XV

• 15. Charlie Molony (UCD RFC/Leinster)
• 14. Paidi Farrell (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
• 13. Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
• 12. Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
• 11. Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
• 10. Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster)
• 9. Clark Logan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
• 1. Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
• 2. Henry Walker (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
• 3. Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
• 4. Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
• 5. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
• 6. Michael Foy (UCC RFC/Munster)
• 7. Éanna McCarthy (captain) (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
• 8. Luke Murphy (Young Munster RFC/Munster)

Replacements

• 16. Mikey Yarr (UCD RFC/Leinster)
• 17. Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
• 18. Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
• 19. Conor Kennelly (Highfield RFC/Munster)
• 20. Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
• 21. Will Wootton (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
• 22. Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
• 23. Daniel Green (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

Best of luck to the Ireland U20s as they kick off their Championship campaign!

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British & Irish Lions v Western Force – Saturday 28 June, 10:45am Irish Time

Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth
Kick-off: 5:45pm local / 10:45am Irish
TV: Sky Sports

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Although we’re already down half the year, there’s still a lot of fun, nail-biting action to expect from the world of scrums and tackles. This means there’s still more action for rugby betting enthusiasts to bet on. Below, we look at five places where this action will be for the rest of 2025.

2025 Asia Rugby Championship

The 9th season of the Asia Rugby tournament is scheduled for June 13th to July 5th 2025. Bringing together the UAE, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, and South Korea, the event will dominate rugby betting platforms in Asia for at least 2 weeks. You can access the betting markets outside of Asia when you download Betway or other international sportsbook apps. And although all eyes are on five-time winners Hong Kong, anything can happen in the Asia Rugby tournament.

2025 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup

The PNC launched a new tournament format in 2024, and this will be exciting to see. This year, the finale is being held in the US, which means you can take advantage of sports betting’s legality there to join the action through platforms like Betway. The teams competing are Fiji, Canada, Samoa, Japan, Tonga, and the US. If that wasn’t exciting enough, this year’s edition is also the World Cup qualifier event for the Pacific region. All teams except Japan and Fiji, who have already secured their spot, will be battling for a seat at the 2027 international event.

2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup

Everyone is betting on women’s sports right now, including rugby bettors. In 2025, you can wager on the biggest international tournament in women’s rugby, the World Cup. The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup is scheduled for 22nd to 27th August and takes place in England. It features 16 teams, up 4 from the normal 12, and is the first tournament to be branded the Women’s Rugby World Cup. If you like favorites, all eyes are on defending champions New Zealand.

2025 World Rugby U20 Championship  

The U20 Championship is back for its 15th edition, and this time, it’s called Italia 2025. From June 29th to July 19th, 12 teams will battle it out in cities across Italy to dethrone England and win the cup. These teams include Argentina, South Africa, Australia, Ireland, Wales, and 2024 U20 Trophy champions, Scotland, among others.

2025 British & Irish Lions Australia Tour

Lastly, starting June 28th, the British and Irish Lions team tours Australia as part of their 2025 international rugby union schedule. The most exciting part of this series of matches is that the British & Irish Lions feature a host of the best players from Britain, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. This makes it a great game to test out your player knowledge and predict how the team performs away from home against the best Australia has to offer.

Wrapping up

And there you have it. Over the next six months, the best teams and players rugby has to offer will deliver enough games and events to keep you glued to your screen in 2025. Top betting providers like Betway will also broadcast the action, offering live betting options among other rugby betting markets. As you wait, update your rugby betting strategy and set up a betting account with a trusted sportsbook in your country.

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Stuart Lancaster Appointed Connacht Head Coach in Biggest Signing in Club’s History

— A New Era Dawns as Lancaster Also Takes Over Defence Portfolio

Connacht Rugby and the IRFU have pulled off a seismic coaching coup with the appointment of Stuart Lancaster as Head Coach of Connacht Rugby on a two-year deal. The move, which sees Lancaster replace Pete Wilkins, is being heralded as the biggest signing in Connacht’s history — and a genuine statement of ambition from both the province and Irish Rugby’s governing body.

The former England boss and Leinster architect arrives in Galway with a glowing résumé, having most recently led Racing 92 in France following a transformational seven-year stint with Leinster. There, he played a pivotal role in four consecutive PRO14 titles and four Champions Cup finals, including the 2018 triumph.

He also takes over as the province’s new defence coach, completing a refreshed and highly experienced coaching ticket for the 2025/26 season.

Speaking about the appointment, Lancaster said:

“I’m hugely excited to be joining Connacht Rugby and begin this new chapter of my life in the West of Ireland with my wife Nina. Connacht is a club with a proud identity, a passionate supporter base, and enormous potential both on and off the field, so I’m honoured and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the Professional Men’s team programme.”

“I’m a firm believer in creating an environment that enables players to thrive and realise their potential, while playing a brand of rugby that inspires the community of which they represent. Ever since my initial conversations with Willie, David and the rest of the selection committee, it’s clear that same belief exists here in Connacht, and that’s why I’m so excited by this opportunity.”

“There’s also the fantastic new facilities here at the new High-Performance Centre and Dexcom Stadium, which will further enable us to realise those goals. I’m looking forward to working closely with all of the staff and players, and I can’t wait to get to know the supporters and wider community over the coming weeks and months.”

Lancaster’s appointment completes Connacht’s coaching ticket for the new campaign, with Rod Seib (attack), Colm Tucker (scrum & contact), and John Muldoon (lineout & maul) also on board, as well as Billy Millard recently named as General Manager of Performance.

Connacht CEO Willie Ruane commented:

“Stuart is one of the most respected coaches in world rugby and we are absolutely thrilled to appoint someone of his calibre. He has a proven track record in developing young talent, building a high-performance environment, and most importantly, delivering success and helping teams realise their ambitions.”

“His coaching philosophy and his vision for how the game should be played, perfectly matches our own values and our own ambition. The coming year promises to be among the most historic in the club’s history, as we mark our 140th anniversary and the completion of the Dexcom Stadium redevelopment.”

IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys added:

“Stuart is a hugely talented coach with a proven track record in developing young talent and in delivering high performing and successful teams. It was clear in the recruitment process of his knowledge and enthusiasm for Irish Rugby and this appointment will be a huge boost to the game in Ireland.”

“With plans accelerating off the pitch around their new facilities it is a significant coup and a real statement of intent for Connacht Rugby.”

Pre-season begins in July, with Lancaster set to be formally introduced to the media and fans next month. For Connacht supporters, hope is rising fast — the players are there, the facilities are ready, and now the province has landed a coach of the highest calibre.

Let’s hope he brings the mindset and structure to truly change the environment around Connacht Rugby. It’s a new chapter — and the most exciting one yet.

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URC Quarter-Final Betting Preview: Leinster to Run Riot, Sharks to Sink Munster

Leinster v Scarlets – Aviva Stadium, 3:00pm

Betting Tip:

Prediction:

Sharks v Munster – Kings Park, 5:30pm (Irish time)

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