Rugby enters new phase as Premier Sports gains blanket coverage of Irish provinces
Channel will offer live coverage of all Champions Cup games involving Leinster, Munster and Ulster, plus Connacht’s Challenge Cup matches
Challenge Cup
Leinster and Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle meet once again in Champions Cup pool stages
Munster get Northampton and Bulls, Ulster drawn against Toulouse and Leicester
Connacht exit Challenge Cup as they are undone by Benetton’s first-half blitz
Pete Wilkins’s side scored the opening try before home side hit them with four of their own before half-time
Ulster capitulate in the second half as Clermont Auvergne run up half century
Richie Murphy’s side were no match physically for the France Top 14 outfit
Iain Henderson and Steven Kitshoff fit to start as Ulster eye up Challenge Cup semi-final spot
Uplifted Ulster aim to continue their mini-revival under new coach Richie Murphy with a trip to take on Clermont
Jarrad Butler and Shayne Bolton to miss Connacht’s Challenge Cup quarter-final through injury
Butler is undergoing return to play protocols after a head injury while a thigh issue will keep Bolton out of the trip to Benetton
Connacht fight back in Pau to set up Italian job
Pete Wilkins’s side trailed at the break but finished strongly to earn a last-eight date with Benetton
Ulster produce rare result in Europe after Montpellier implosion in second half
Paul Willemse’s red card saw French side reduced to 12 players at one point
Champions Cup and Challenge Cup last 16: TV details, kick-off times, team news and more
Everything you need to know about the Irish provinces and their routes to the finals
Connacht fully locked and loaded for Pau clash
Connacht coach Peter Wilkins adds internationals Bundee Aki and Finlay Bealham to an already vastly experienced starting XV for Challenge Cup clash away to Pau
Challenge Cup team news: Aki and Bealham back for Connacht, Henderson fit for Ulster
Connacht line out against Pau while Ulster also travel to France to take on Montpellier in the round of 16
Ulster’s Iain Henderson says Kitshoff ‘speculation’ will not be a distraction against Montpellier
Ulster prop is set to return to South Africa at the end of the season
‘We have to score tries’ - Connacht to come out firing in Challenge Cup knockouts
Pete Wilkins’ side travels to France to take on Pau who currently sit seventh on the Top 14 table
Gerry Thornley: Repeats and reprises also bring chance for revenge in Champions Cup
The Irish provinces have had a mixed campaign but Leinster and Connacht carry more momentum with them than Munster and Ulster
The Offload: Ultan Dillane plays his part as La Rochelle tear Tigers to shreds
Leinster’s Luke McGrath has racked up 200 caps for Leinster, a milestone he reached when coming on in the 43-7 victory over Stade Francais
Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Q&A: The competition formats explained
European rugby: Your guide to what has changed and what has stayed the same in Europe’s top two club competitions
Leinster hoping for a favour from La Rochelle as new European format unveiled
Champions Cup will consist of four groups of six teams but will still have just four rounds of pool games
Toulon end their Challenge Cup drought in fine style as Glasgow blown away
Three-time Champions Cup winners earn a first Challenge Cup at the fifth time of asking
Toulon hoping it’s third time lucky in Challenge Cup decider against Glasgow Warriors
French side have suffered final defeats in 2020 and last year but have happy memories of the Aviva Stadium
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to host 2024 Champions Cup final
The London venue will also host the final of the Challenge Cup
Connacht boosted for season-defining URC clash with Cardiff as Carty, Bealham and Buckley return
Victory over Welsh side will almost certainly seal place in play-offs for Champions Cup
Connacht make disappointingly tame exit from Challenge Cup as they are thrashed by Benetton
From start to finish the Italians have never delivered such a complete victory over the Irish province
Connacht take no risks in team selection as they head to Italy
Benetton have traditionally made life difficult for Connacht at their home venue
Connacht look to frank Challenge Cup credentials against wounded Newcastle Falcons
Although qualified, province keen to take top-two spot and secure best possible draw for round of 16
Connacht not bothered about Bundee Aki as they prepare for Newcastle
Coaching director Andy Friend says all is going to plan for Ireland centre, who is ‘probably going to be sensational in the Six Nations’
Connacht coach Pete Wilkins insists Bundee Aki ‘absolutely available’ for selection
Coach admits there’s a ‘fair amount of competition’ among talented group of centres
Champions Cup: Leinster on course to be top seeds with possible Munster or Ulster clash in last-16
Distinct possibility exists of Leinster hosting Munster or Ulster in last 16 tie
Connacht overwhelm Brive to ease into last 16
Alex Wootton tops scoring honours with a hat-trick as rampant home side run in nine tries against brittle French outfit
Alex Wootton grabs hat-trick as Connacht score nine tries in Brive bashing
Third straight win puts Connacht on top of Pool A of the Challenge Cup
Connacht hoping to maintain their winning ways as Brive come to town
French side arrive in the Sportsground having lost their first two Challenge Cup matches
Pete Wilkins ready and waiting to take over from Andy Friend in Connacht top job
Head coach has yet to be interviewed by province as Friend announces departure: ‘I definitely want to have that conversation with the club’
Connacht must be wary of a cornered animal
French side Brive are coming off the back of an embarrassing 41-0 defeat in Cardiff, a result which is likely to galvanise a strong response
Andy Friend warns Connacht that Brive will be a different beast on home turf
French side are bottom of the Top 14 and suffered 41-0 loss away to Cardiff in Challenge Cup opener
Champions Cup may yet deliver vintage tournament despite its perplexing, spectator-unfriendly format
EPCR have managed the curious trick of both curtailing and expanding the tournament at the same time
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