Champions Cup

Boost for Ulster Ahead of Clermont Battle

Ulster have the services of some key men for their Champions Cup showdown with Clermont after they have been passed fit to play

Published

3 years ago

January 7, 2020

Joshua Freeman

(Photo By Oliver McVeigh/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Ulster have received a massive boost ahead of their Champions Cup clash with Clermont this weekend with star trio John Cooney, Jordi Murphy and Marcell Coetzee all being passed fit to play.

Star scrum-half Cooney, who has without a doubt been their player of the season to date was taken off late in their 38-17 win over Munster last weekend with a head injury. However, after undergoing the necessary protocols he has been passed fit to be selected.

Meanwhile, Coetzee missed that game entirely due to concussion issues, but like Cooney has successfully passed the return to play protocols to feature this weekend.

On the other hand, Murphy has been out for a bit longer due to illness, and hasn’t featured for the team since their last win in the competition against Harlequins, but he appears fit to play a part this time around.

That means that the northern province are looking at having a potentially full strength squad for the game as they look to make it five wins from five in the pool stages and progress to the knock-outs.

Confidence will be high in the Ulster camp having just had a successful enough Christmas period during which they defeated rivals Munster and Connacht, while a second-string team put up a good fight against Leinster. Sitting second in Conference A of the PRO14 and top of their European pool to date is not a bad place to be for the team and they will be hoping their fine start to the season continues as they try to seal a home quarter-final by topping the pool.

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Champions Cup

Sio poised for Exeter debut

Published

1 month ago

October 28, 2022

Huge Rugby

Australia prop Scott Sio is set to start for his Exeter Chiefs debut as the 2020 Heineken Champions Cup winners visit Gloucester Rugby in the Gallagher Premiership on Friday night.

The 31-year-old, who could get his first taste of EPCR competition when Exeter travel to Castres Olympique in their Heineken Champions Cup Pool A opener on December 10, comes in as one of five changes to the side that started last Saturday’s 22-20 defeat to Saracens.

Captain Jack Yeandle comes in at hooker, with flanker Lewis Pearson the other change in the pack, while fit-again wing Josh Hodge is handed a start along with centre Rory O’Loughlin.

Gloucester, who welcome Union Bordeaux-Bègles in their first Heineken Champions Cup Pool A fixture, also on December 10, have made four alterations to the starting XV for their 22-21 win at London Irish a week ago.

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Prop Harry Elrington and lock Cam Jordan are brought in, with Ben Morgan starting at No.8 as Ruan Ackermann shifts to blindside flanker. Lloyd Evans is also called up at full-back, with Santiago Carreras switching to the wing.

Leinster Rugby are the other Heineken Champions Cup side in action on Friday as they make the trip to Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship.

The Irish province are much-changed from their 27-13 victory over Munster Rugby last Saturday, with flanker Scott Penny the only player to retain his place.

Centre Charlie Ngatai, fly-half Ross Byrne, prop Ed Byrne and lock Ross Molony are all involved for last season’s Heineken Champions Cup runners-up, while Tadgh McElroy, Charlie Tector and Ben Brownlee are all potential debutants from the bench.

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Champions Cup

Racing 92 v Leinster set for Le Havre

Published

2 months ago

October 7, 2022

Huge Rugby

The EPCR have this morning confirmed the full 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup pool stage fixture dates, kick-off times, venues and TV coverage, including the venue for the December clash between Leinster Rugby and Racing 92 in France.

EPCR had already confirmed this week that BT Sport, as well as RTÉ, ITV and S4C, have all agreed multi-year partnerships for the new broadcast cycle in Ireland and the UK.

BT Sport, who have been a partner since 2015, have recommitted as lead broadcaster in Ireland and the UK until the conclusion of the 2023/24 season.

In addition, RTÉ, has come on board in Ireland to provide free-to-air coverage.

RTÉ has already confirmed that it will broadcast both Leinster Rugby home games in the pool stages of the 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup on free-to-air on RTÉ2 television and on RTÉ Player.

The agreements with RTÉ and ITV, which will see each broadcaster cover one Heineken Champions Cup match per round in Ireland and in the UK – including the Final – on a free-to-air basis, also run until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Click HERE for the full 2022/23 Heineken Champions Cup pool stage fixtures.

Leinster Rugby will start their campaign on Saturday, 10 December against three-time finalists, Racing 92, in Pool A and that game will be broadcast on BT Sport. The game will be played at the 25,000-capacity Stade Océane in Le Havre.

On Friday, 16 December 2022, at 8pm, Leinster Rugby will host Gloucester Rugby at the RDS Arena for the Round 2, Pool A encounter (live on RTÉ TV).

After the Christmas break, on Saturday 14 January 2023, it’s the return leg, as Leinster visit Kingsholm Stadium to take on Gloucester with a 1pm kick-off (live on ITV).