Latest news with #RonanO'Gara's
Irish Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
La Rochelle sacking suggests ROG's 2025/26 backlash to be felt by Leinster
Munster have drawn former coach Johan van Graan's Bath Rugby in the pool stages of the 2025/26 European Champions Cup. While Leinster will be looking at another familiar face as Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle have come up in their group!Munster and Bath are in Pool 2 and are also joined by RC Toulon, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh Rugby and Reds will have new coach Clayton McMillan in place by the time they face van Graan's English champions, a match sure to be a sell-out whichever side is at looking to support Munster, however, will be at the pin of their collar if the match is in Bath as The Rec's capacity is just 14, have made some significant signings for the new season including Henry Arundell from Racing 92. He was a front-line England three-quarter at RWC2023 before the collapse of London Irish forced him to move to France at which point he became inlegible to play for such he is expected to be restored by Steve Borthwick for the November series of games, not least as 2025 Six Nations regular, centre Ollie Lawrence, is already at Graan has also signed Argentine full-back/out-half Santiago Carreras from Gloucester and Exeter hooker Dan Frost. Leinster and La Rochelle will also be alongside two-times winners Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, Bayonne and Stormers. The Blues will be using the Aviva for their home games next season as the RDS continues to be financial preference will be for La Rochelle in Dublin as it looks like a potential sell-out while Leo Cullen may be eying up the potential backlash from O'Gara who was not happy with his club's performance last have just sacked South African-born assistant coach Gurthro Steenkamp, first appointed four years ago, and who is credited with building their formidable multi-nation pack from almost removal comes following the 2022 and 2023 European champions losing tamely to Munster in last season's Last 16 and failing to make the Top 14 play-offs, losing to Pau in the final round to miss out on a place.A club statement noted tersely: 'La Rochelle would like to warmly thank Gurthrö for his dedication and hard work over the past four seasons. We wish him the best for the rest of his career, both on and off the pitch.'At the same time La Rochelle have been heavily involved in recruitment with stars such as France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec and Georgia's Davit Niniashvili coming in from Racing 92 and Lyon in terms of trying to get an edge Cullen might prefer the most difficult opponent on paper, his former club Leicster Tigers who were last season's English Premier runners-up, to make the trip to 1 comprises Toulouse, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Sharks, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors and Sale 4 is led by reigning champions Bordeaux Bègles, who will face a rematch of last season's final against Northampton Saints. Scarlets, Bristol Bears, Pau and Bulls complete the the pool stage, each club will play four matches against four different clubs which are not from the same league either home or Connacht and Ulster, both of whom failed to qualify for the Champions Cup will play in Challenge were drawn with Ospreys, US Montauban, who will return to the competition for the first time in 15 years, Zebre Parma, two-times Challenge Cup winners Montpellier and Georgian combination side Black Lion in Pool are in Pool 3 alongside two-time Challenge Cup winners Cardiff, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92, Stade Français Paris and South African club Toyota Cheetahs who received a wildcard invite from 2 features the 2022 winners and last season's runners-up Lyon OU, Perpignan, Dragons, Benetton, Lions, along with the Gallagher Premiership's Newcastle Clubs will play four matches against four different opponents during the pool stage with same league matches kept to a minimum, and only impacting clubs from the URC. 2025/26 INVESTEC CHAMPIONS CUPPool 1: Stade Toulousain, ASM Clermont Auvergne, Hollywoodbets Sharks, Saracens, Glasgow Warriors, Sale SharksPool 2: Bath Rugby, RC Toulon, Munster Rugby, Castres Olympique, Edinburgh Rugby, Gloucester Rugby Pool 3: Leinster Rugby, Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, Stade Rochelais, Aviron Bayonnais, DHL StormersPool 4: Union Bordeaux Bègles, Scarlets, Bristol Bears, Pau, Northampton Saints, Vodacom Bulls 2025/26 EPCR CHALLENGE CUPPool 1: Ospreys, Zebre Parma, Montpellier Hérault Rugby, US Montauban, Black Lion, Connacht RugbyPool 2: Lyon Olympique Universitaire, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons RFC, Benetton Rugby, Lions, USAPPool 3: Toyota Cheetahs, Cardiff Rugby, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92, Stade Français Paris, Ulster Rugby2025/26 weekendsRound 1 – 5/6/7 December 2025Round 2 – 12/13/14 December 2025Round 3 – 9/10/11 January 2026Round 4 – 16/17/18 January 2026 Round of 16 – 3/4/5 April 2026Quarter-finals – 10/11/12 April 2026Semi-finals – 1/2/3 May 2026EPCR Challenge Cup Final – San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao; Friday 22 MayInvestec Champions Cup Final – San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao; Saturday 23 May
RTÉ News
01-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Champions Cup draw: Leinster and La Rochelle meet once more, Munster drawn with Castres again
Leinster have been drawn with familiar foes La Rochelle for the 2025/26 Champions Cup. The Irish province lost to Ronan O'Gara's side in the semi-finals in 2021 and the decider in the following two seasons but have had the upper hand since, winning the last three meetings. Leo Cullen's men, semi-finalists last season, will also face Leicester Tigers, Harlequins and Bayonne in Pool 3, clubs from the same league being kept apart in the pool stages. Two-time winners Munster will meet Bath, Toulon, Castres and Gloucester in Pool 2. They lost 16-14 in Castres in last year's pool stages. First-time champions Bordeaux have been handed a rematch with losing finalists Northampton in Pool 4. Fixtures will be announced later this month. In the second-tier Challenge Cup, Connacht have been matched with Ospreys, Zebre, Montpellier, US Montauban and Black Lion, while Ulster look to face a stiffer test with four games against Cheetahs, Cardiff, Exeter Chiefs, Racing 92 or Stade Francais. 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. 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. Challenge Cup
The Irish Sun
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Leinster set to face old foe as Munster come up against former head coach in Champions Cup pools
THERE will be some familiar faces in the Champions Cup next season following the pool draw. 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
The 42
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Champions Cup draw: Leinster to face Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle
LEINSTER HAVE BEEN paired with Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle following today's Champions Cup draw. Munster will be in Pool 2 along with Bath, Toulon and Castres, Edinburgh and Gloucester. As well as facing La Rochelle, Leo Cullen's side will meet Leicester Tigers, Harlequins, The Stormers and Bayonne in Pool 3. Meanwhile, in the Challenge Cup, Connacht have drawn Ospreys, Zebre, Montpellier, Black Lion and US Montauban in Pool 1. Advertisement In Pool 3, Ulster will meet French sides Racing 92 and Stade Francais, as well as Toyota Chiefs, Cardiff and Exeter Chiefs.
Irish Examiner
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle miss out on Top 14 play-off place
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle missed out on a place in the Top 14 play-offs for the first time since 2017 as they lost 32-15 at Pau to slip down to seventh in the table, one point behind Castres. On a tense final regular season night, in which the lead at Stade du Hameau changed hands more than once, two late tries decided the result in favour of the home side, who claimed the eighth and final Champions Cup place. O'Gara's side were the big losers at the play-off race on a final night when all seven games kicked off at the same time. They were overtaken by Clermont who climbed to fifth with a 23-10 win at Montpellier, while Castres – who had started the night in fifth place – held on to the last play-off place by the skin of their teeth thanks to the result in Pau. Bayonne will host Clermont in the first barrage-round match on Friday night, while Toulon will entertain Castres in the second on Saturday evening. The winners of the first barrage match will face Toulouse at Lyon's Groupama Stadium on June 20. The winners of the second match will take on Bordeaux at the same venue 24 hours later. The Basque side maintained their perfect home record with an 18-10 win over Toulon to claim a first-ever play-off place. It was the visitors' fourth defeat in five run-in matches. At the other end of the table, meanwhile, Vannes' one-season Top 14 adventure ended in a 59-28 loss at Bordeaux. Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Damian Penaud and Nicolas Depoortere all scored twice for the new Champions Cup holders to condemn the Bretons to an immediate return to the ProD2. Vannes' place will be taken next season by Montauban – who return to the French top flight for the first time since 2010, after a surprise 24-19 victory over favourites Grenoble in the ProD2 final at Stade Ernest Wallon. Grenoble – who have now lost three ProD2 finals in a row will now host Perpignan at Stade des Alpes next weekend. The Catalans beat Top 14 leaders Toulouse 42-35 in a thrilling encounter at Stade Aime Giral – but it was in vain as Stade Francais' beat Castres 21-10 in a penalty-ridden encounter at Stade Jean Bouin. Meanwhile, Lyon's season petered out with a fifth defeat in a row – they lost 34-47 at home against Racing 92 in a match that had little impact on the table.
