Leinster set to face old foe as Munster come up against former head coach in Champions Cup pools
Leinster will face La Rochelle for the sixth time in five-and-a-half years.
Advertisement
2
Leinster have won all three of their last meetings with La Rochelle
2
Munster lost to both Bath and Gloucester in last summer's pre-season
Leo Cullen's men lost the 2021 semi-final and finals in the two following seasons but have since beaten Ronan O'Gara's men three times, but only
They will also face Leicester for the fifth season in a row as well as playing Harlequins, who avenged their 2024 semi-final defeat by turning the tables at the same stage of the competition this season.
Bayonne and Stormer complete Pool Three.
In Pool Two, Munster will come up against their
Advertisement
Read more on irish sport
They will also face Toulon, Castres, Gloucester and Edinburgh.
On paper, Connacht look to have fared slightly better than Ulster in the draw for the Challenge Cup.
Champions Cup:
Pool 1: Toulouse, Clermont Auvergne, Sharks, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Sale
Pool 2: Bath Rugby, RC Toulon,
Munster Rugby
, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby
Advertisement
Most read in Rugby Union
Pool 3:
Leinster Rugby
, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, La Rochelle, Aviron Bayonnais, DHL Stormers
Pool 4: Bordeaux Bègles, Scarlets, Bristol Bears, Section Paloise, Northampton Saints, Bulls
'Big weekend' - Peter O'Mahony embarking on hectic gardening project as he aims to add '300 plants'
Challenge Cup:
Pool 1: Ospreys, Zebre Parma, Montpellier, Benetton Rugby, Racing 92,
Connacht Rugby
Pool 2: Lyon, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons RFC, US Montauban, Lions, USAP
Advertisement
Pool 3: Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Black Lion, Stade Francais,
Ulster Rugby
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Magical few days' – Inside Peter O'Mahony's fun-filled Disneyland holiday despite ‘bananas crowds'
PETER O'Mahony and his family enjoyed a "magical few days" visiting Disneyland despite the crowds being "bananas". Wife Jessica had previously shared how Advertisement 8 Apparently 'Thunder Mountain' is the best rollercoaster on offer Credit: @jeskaomahony 8 Peter and their sons loved this Spiderman simulation Credit: @jeskaomahony 8 Jessica labelled it a 'magical few days' Credit: @jeskaomahony 8 They arrived in the middle of a heatwave that's gripping swathes of mainland Europe Credit: @jeskaomahony And despite this meaning it turned out to be a more physically draining few days than was anticipated, they still had a blast overall. While reflecting on the holiday as a whole Jessica reckoned that if they were to visit again, they'd aim to do so in either April/May or September/October to avoid such roasting temps. She also recommended a Marvel and Spiderman section which Peter loved due to his "very competitive" nature. Perhaps her most important tip, however, was to purchase as many fast pass tickets for rides as possible given that crowds are "bananas" in the height of peak season. Advertisement Read More On Irish Sport All in all, a few days frolicking around Disneyland seems to have been an ideal way for Peter to ease into retirement after For Irish rugby en masse, the bulk of supporters' focus is on how the Irish contingent fare as And speaking of France and Irish rugby titans, Ronan O'Gara happened to The La Rochelle head coach livened up a forgettable second half by slipping into French while making one point. Advertisement Most read in Rugby Union The 48-year-old has spoken before about the And his latest language faux pas unfortunately came in front of a far bigger audience Peter O'Mahony shares gardening update 'I've been planning for years' on Instagram He tweeted: "ROG accidentally speaking French on comms the highlight of the second-half!" Advertisement Similarly, Gavan Casey of the 42 added: "Ronan O'Gara is going to add so much to this Lions tour as a co-commentator. "A lovely blend of coaching insight, self-deprecation, Tony Romo-esque premonitions, and accidental French. Dan Biggar top-class also, as always." 8 Jessica laid out a thorough list of helpful takeaways she had from it Credit: @jeskaomahony 8 She warned anyone planning on visiting to 'expect bananas crowds' Credit: @jeskaomahony Advertisement 8 It's easy to see why the castle is such an attraction Credit: @jeskaomahony 8 The hot temperatures do at least make for extra aesthetic pics Credit: @jeskaomahony Overall the Carl hailed: "Dan Biggar and Ronan O'Gara on co-comms is the perfect blend of experience and knowledge. A pleasure to listen to them." Advertisement Lastly, Jim praised: "Really liking Ronan O'Gara on commentary so far."
The 42
an hour ago
- The 42
Tadhg Beirne to captain Lions against Waratahs
TADHG BEIRNE WILL captain the British and Irish Lions for Saturday's meeting with the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney [KO 11am Irish time, Sky Sports]. The Munster player is among six Irish players in the starting XV. Hugo Keenan, who missed Wednesday's defeat of the Reds through illness, is named to make his Lions debut at fullback. Advertisement Connacht's Mack Hansen and Scotland's Blair Kinghorn complete the back three, with Toulon's Kinghorn also lining out for the Lions for the first time. Andy Farrell has opted for an all-Scotland centre pairing of Huw Jones and Sione Tuipulotu, while Fin Smith returns at out-half and Alex Mitchell starts at scrum-half. Pierre Schoeman, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Connacht's Finlay Bealham pack down in the front row. Beirne captains the side from the second row alongside his Ireland teammate James Ryan, who makes a Lions starting team for the first time having debuted off the bench against the Reds. A new-look back row sees Northampton's Henry Pollock shift to blindside flanker, with Josh van der Flier at openside and Ben Earl at number eight. Farrell has opted for a 6:2 bench split, with Dan Sheehan, Ellis Genge, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Scott Cummings and Jac Morgan the forward replacements, while Ben White and Marcus Smith cover the backline. Farrell has also confirmed that Saracens and England back Elliot Daly has been ruled out of the rest of the tour with a fractured forearm, having sustained the injury in the win over the Reds. Owen Farrell, who recently rejoined Saracens following a season with French side Racing 92, has been called up as Daly's replacement and is due to join the squad in Sydney on Friday. Andy Farrell said: 'It is heartbreaking for the group that Elliot's tour is over. He is a Lions legend who has added so much to the group on and off the field over the past few weeks and over the course of three tours. 'Owen will now come in and add to our options and bring his own Lions experience to the group.' British & Irish Lions: 15. Hugo Keenan 14. Mack Hansen 13. Huw Jones 12. Sione Tuipulotu 11. Blair Kinghorn 10. Fin Smith 9. Alex Mitchell 1. Pierre Schoeman 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 3. Finlay Bealham 4. Tadhg Beirne (capt) 5. James Ryan 6. Henry Pollock 7. Josh van der Flier 8. Ben Earl Replacements: 16. Dan Sheehan 17. Ellis Genge 18. Tadhg Furlong 19. Joe McCarthy 20. Scott Cummings 21. Jac Morgan 22. Ben White 23. Marcus Smith
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
The Obstacle Course Racing world champs are coming to Limerick
In a massive boost for anybody who has ever arranged the deckchairs into a fiendish circuit on the lawn, Limerick is to host the 2026 Obstacle Course Racing World Championships, just two years before the sport makes its Olympics debut in Los Angeles 2028. The Fédération Internationale de Sports d'Obstacles (FISO) has confirmed the event will take place at Limerick Racecourse from August 7-9, 2026. More than 4,000 athletes from over 60 countries are expected to compete, with the University of Limerick serving as the official Athlete Village. Those numbers make it one of the largest international sporting events staged in the region, with organisers predicting a €2.8 million boost to the Mid-West economy. The sport has long evolved beyond its humble origins out the back of every house in the world. And Obstacle Course Racing is now one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, blending speed, strength, and strategy over a range of natural and man-made obstacles — including walls, rigs, rope climbs, carries, and crawls. Obstacle Course Racing is one of the fastest-growing sports globally and has now been elevated to Olympic status for Los Angeles 2028. Credit Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau. The World Championships in Limerick will feature a range of formats, from short and explosive 100m and 400m sprints to 2–3km technical courses, a 15km endurance race, and high-energy team relays. Sergej Dikun, President of OCRA Ireland, described the announcement as a landmark moment for Irish sport, 'Hosting the World Championships just two years before the sport's Olympic debut is a huge moment for Ireland. We're honoured to bring the global OCR community to Limerick — and to showcase the passion, people, and places that make the Mid-West Region so special.' Michael Lynch, CEO of Limerick Racecourse, looks forward to the repurposing of his arena. 'We are delighted to be working with the event stakeholders towards delivery of this prestigious event. This is a proud moment for us. Limerick Racecourse offers a potentially spectacular setting for OCR, and we can't wait to see it transformed into a world championship arena.'
