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Irish provinces set unwanted 10-year record after shocking round of URC fixtures

Irish provinces set unwanted 10-year record after shocking round of URC fixtures

The Irish Sun28-04-2025
LEINSTER'S position at the top of the United Rugby Championship standings remains unchanged following the latest round of fixtures.
Leo Cullen's side suffered
2
Connacht's hope of making the URC playoffs are all but over - as are their hopes of qualifying for the Champions Cup
2
Ulster are in a similar position to Connacht - While Munster have fallen outside the playoff positions
But the three other Irish provinces are in a worrying positions as the season hits crunch-time.
Munster suffered a
Connacht followed with a heavy
Munster have dropped out of the top eight into ninth place.
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Ulster and Connacht's chances of reaching the knockout stages are now slim, with Richie Murphy's Ulster side in 12th and Connacht in 14th.
Connacht has just five wins from 16 matches this season.
It was the first time in ten years that all four Irish provinces lost on the same weekend.
The previous occasion came during round 17 of the 2014/15 Pro12 season, when Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht were all defeated.
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On that weekend, Scarlets beat Leinster, Ospreys overcame Munster, Dragons defeated Ulster, and Cardiff Blues saw off Connacht.
At present, Irish provinces face a more difficult situation.
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With two rounds remaining, Munster must secure positive results against Ulster and Benetton to qualify for the URC playoffs and ensure participation in next season's Champions Cup.
While Ulster and Connacht also remain mathematically in contention but would require favourable results elsewhere in addition to winning their remaining fixtures.
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