Latest news with #JamesLowe
RTÉ News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Leinster confirm Croke Park as venue for Munster derby
Leinster have confirmed that next season's BKT URC derby against Munster will be held at Croke Park. With the RDS under redevelopment, Leinster are using Aviva Stadium and Croke Park as their home grounds. Last season's Leinster-Munster clash was also held at Jones's Road with over 80,000 in attendance at the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association. James Lowe, Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan and RG Snyman all scored in a 26-12 win for the hosts. The fixture will take place in round four on Saturday 18 October at 5.15pm, with tickets on sale to the public on 29 August. Leo Cullen's side, who beat Bulls in last season's finale to win their first silverware since 2021, are away to Stormers and Bulls in their opening two fixtures before hosting Sharks in Aviva Stadium on 11 October, and Clayton McMillan's Munster a week later. Leinster have said that they will return to the RDS for the start of the 2026/27 season. They will play most of their home games this season at the Aviva with some games designated for Croke Park.
Irish Independent
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Leinster to host Munster at Croke Park on October 18
Leinster start the URC 2025/26 season with a two-game assignment in South Africa, with the DHL Stormers first up in Cape Town on Friday, 26 September, followed by a game eight days later against the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday, 4 October 2025. The first home game of the season will be against the Hollywoodbets Sharks at Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 11 October (KO 5.30pm), followed by the visit of Munster Rugby to Jones Road a week later. Leinster play a third game in-a-row at home against Zebre Parma on Saturday, 25 October at Aviva Stadium (KO 5.30pm). After the first five rounds of the URC, there will be a break ahead of the Autumn Series for Ireland against New Zealand, Japan, Australia and South Africa, before the URC resumes for Round 6 and a trip to Rodney Parade against Dragons RFC on Friday, 28 November. The Round 4 interprovincial clash against Munster will be Leinster's first trip back to Croke Park since the URC Grand Final against the Vodacom Bulls in June, which Leinster won 32-7. Leinster also played in Croke Park against Munster last season in a 26-12 win, with James Lowe, Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan and RG Snyman all dotting down in a blistering first half performance, in front of a sold-out stadium of over 80,000 supporters. Leinster are once again playing URC and Champions Cup games outside of the RDS Arena this season, as the RDS Arena is undergoing redevelopment work. As a result, the majority of Leinster's home fixtures in the 2025/26 season will be played at the Aviva Stadium, with a number of games also designated for Croke Park. Leinster Rugby will be back at the RDS Arena for the start of the 2026/27 season. Tickets for the Munster match will go on public sale on Friday, August 29, and before the public sale there will be a window for current Leinster Rugby season ticket holders to upgrade their tickets. This is the same process as would have applied to previous Munster games being hosted at the Aviva Stadium, rather than the RDS. Once Leinster's season ticket holders have had a window to access tickets, the remaining tickets will then go on sale to the public.
Irish Examiner
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Leinster confirm Croke Park to host URC meeting with Munster
Munster and Leinster are set for another Croke Park showdown in 2025, with the provinces to face off at GAA HQ in an October United Rugby Championship fixture. The provinces also went to battle at Croke Park last season - a fixture that ended in a 26-12 win for Leo Cullen's Leinster - in front of a sold-out stadium of over 80,000 supporters. Ireland international trio James Lowe, Caelan Doris, Hugo Keenan - and Springbok RG Snyman, against his old employers - all dotted down inside an impressive first half showing. Leinster confirmed the Jones Road stadium as the venue for the URC Round 4, October 18 clash (kick-off 5.15pm), with the RDS still under redevelopment. The interprovincial meeting will be Leinster's first trip back to the stadium since the BKT URC Grand Final against the Vodacom Bulls in June, which Leinster won 32-7. Both the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park will serve as home venues for Leinster until they return to the RDS for the start of the 2026/27 season. For new Munster boss, Clayton McMillan, it's another big day in the late-2025 calendar, as his side will also welcome Gloucester to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the Champions Cup on Saturday, December 13. Tickets for the match will go on public sale on Friday, August 29.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tommy Freeman revels in Lions selection after mother's injury mishap in Australia
Tommy Freeman has revealed that his selection in the British and Irish Lions team for the first Test came as timely news to cheer up his mother, who was forced into an Australian hospital after breaking her foot out on tour. Freeman has been picked to start on the right wing against the Wallabies in Brisbane, with the Englishman joining Irish pair Hugo Keenan and James Lowe in the back three with Mack Hansen an injury absentee. Suncorp Stadium will be familiar turf to the 24-year-old having made his international debut in the city on England's summer tour of Australia in 2022, and he will now get the chance to run out again at the ground in Lions red. On that tour Down Under, Freeman promised to pay for his parents, Sara and Cliff, to fly business class for this tour if he were to earn a Lions selection that looked a long way off at that time - a vow he regretted after making Andy Farrell 's touring party. But having followed through with his promise, the Freemans suffered a mishap when Sara suffered a Lisfranc injury out on tour, forcing her into hospital in Adelaide. 'I gave them a ring [when I learned of selection], but they are having troubles of their own,' Tommy Freeman revealed. 'Mum has just broken her foot so she has had surgery in Adelaide, so a bit of good news for them was good. They were obviously delighted and all the travelling miles they have put in for me has paid off. 'They were travelling from Canberra to Adelaide and thought they would drive it, so they pulled over, got some photos and she hurt her Lisfranc [joint]. Her only concern was whether she fit enough to fly to get here, and luckily she has touched down here and that [selection] news probably put a smile on her face.' After earning three caps in 2022, Freeman's international career was put on hold after a half-time hooking against South Africa at Twickenham in what proved to be Eddie Jones's final game in charge. The Northampton wing, who can also play at outside centre, had to wait for a chance to appear under Steve Borthwick but forced his way back into the side during last year's Six Nations, and has since been a consistently impressive performer and certain starter. He became the first England men's player to score in every game of a Six Nations campaign earlier this year and has looked good since joining up with the Lions, thriving in a system that affords the wings plenty of opportunities to roam and get touches on the ball. 'That's something Andy goes after us for as wingers,' Freeman said. 'it's not like the olden days with the speed on the wings, and you just kind of stay on your wing. 'For me, I want to find the ball as much as possible and playing in the midfield has probably helped that. I've kind of found cues of where I can pop up in spaces and things like that. 'that's where the game's going at the moment for wingers in general. I kind of just try to focus on myself and making sure I get as many touches as I can in the game and pop up in spaces that aren't expected. Mack [Hansen]'s very good at that and very good at linking as well. It's good competition and it's awesome to learn off each other as well and get each other's ideas.'
The 42
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Farrell includes eight Irish players in Lions team for first Test
LIONS HEAD COACH Andy Farrell has included eight Irish players in his starting XV to face the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday [KO 11am Irish time, Sky Sports]. Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jack Conan, Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, and Dan Sheehan have all been named in the starting team for the opening clash with Australia at Suncorp Stadium. Ireland's Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, and Bundee Aki have been included on the Lions bench. Farrell has opted for England's Tom Curry at openside flanker, with Josh van der Flier missing out on the matchday 23 altogether as Ben Earl provides back row cover from the bench. Beirne has held off competition from Ollie Chessum to start at blindside, with the Englishman included among the replacements, while Conan completes the starting back row. McCarthy will team up with captain Maro Itoje in the second row, as Sheehan and Furlong join Ellis Genge in the front row, meaning Porter has been asked to make an impact off the bench. Gibson-Park and Scotland's Finn Russell are the halfback pairing, while Farrell has opted for the Scottish centre combination of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones. With Garry Ringrose missing out due to a head injury, his Irish midfield partner Aki has to make do with a bench role. Advertisement Lowe is on the left wing, England's Tommy Freeman is on the right, and Keenan claims the number 15 shirt. English halfbacks Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith are included on the bench, with the latter covering fullback and out-half. Mack Hansen and Blair Kinghorn were ruled out of potential involvement after suffering foot and knee injuries, respectively. Joe Schmidt named his Wallabies matchday 23 earlier today, with Tom Lynagh starting at out-half and Rob Valetini and Will Skelton missing out due to injury. Lions (v Australia): 15. Hugo Keenan 14. Tommy Freeman 13. Huw Jones 12. Sione Tuipulotu 11. James Lowe 10. Finn Russell 9. Jamison Gibson-Park 1. Ellis Genge 2. Dan Sheehan 3. Tadhg Furlong 4. Maro Itoje (captain) 5. Joe McCarthy 6. Tadhg Beirne 7. Tom Curry 8. Jack Conan Replacements: 16. Rónan Kelleher 17. Andrew Porter 18. Will Stuart 19. Ollie Chessum 20. Ben Earl 21. Alex Mitchell 22. Marcus Smith 23. Bundee Aki
