#La Rochelle

Returning Wales coach Warren Gatland will have been thrilled at how the regions fared, winning four from four across the Heineken Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup, while players old and new staked a claim to new England boss Steve Borthwick. England and Wales, as well as Scotland, will all be naming their squads for the Championship next week,…

Ulster: Lowry, Lyttle, Moore, Marshall, Stockdale, Madigan, Doak; Rory Sutherland, Herring, Toomaga-Allen, Alan O'Connor, Treadwell, Henderson (capt), Timoney, Vermeulen. Replacements: Andrew, O'Sullivan, Warwick, Sheridan, McCann, McDonald, Burns, McIlroy. La Rochelle: Paiva, Lagrange, Colombe Reazel, Dillane, Picquette, Bourdeau, Boudehent;…

So is ex-All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow a realistic chance to play for the Wallabies? The short answer is no: it's theoretically possible, but long odds of happening. The 27-Test halfback made waves this week by telling a French news outlet he was willing to pull on the gold jersey, and Dave Rennie revealed they'd spoken earlier this year.…

French Top14 league leaders Toulouse travel to Manchester England to tackle a high-flying Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium. Sale will be looking to exact revenge on their visitors following a rather humbling 45 - 19 loss in round two at the Stade Ernest-Wallon. Having open their campaign with a 39 - 0 drubbing of Irish side Ulster, Sale's loss in…

Dan McFarland insists he still has full belief in his processes as Ulster head coach despite the club's poor form. Ulster travel to reigning champions La Rochelle in the Heineken Champions Cup after five defeats in six matches. The province's recent form has seen them drop to fourth in the United Rugby Championship table and leaves them in a…

Josh van der Flier is a regular try scorer for Leinster in the Champions Cup Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Friday's Heineken Champions Cup Pool A clash between Leinster and Gloucester at the RDS Arena. BT Sport 1, 8pm Friday Josh van der Flier to score a try 1pt 7-5 bet365 Leinster justified their status as Champions Cup favourites…

All 16 of the United Rugby Championships teams to the pitch this weekend for round 12 of the 2022/23 season. Ahead of next weekend's Heineken Champions Cup there were several notable results as well as a whole host of intriguing subplots as the tussle for play-off berths heats up. Here are five of the major takeaways from this weekend's…

The new Gallagher Premiership Rugby season kicks off on Friday with an enthralling encounter that sees Saracens begin life back in the top-flight against Bristol Bears following their promotion at the end of last term. Bristol Bears against Saracens gets underway at 7:45pm at Ashton Gate before an action-packed weekend of Premiership…

Kiwi youngster Lewis Gjaltema will start for Harlequins Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Northampton v Harlequins in the Premiership BT Sport 1, 3pm Sunday Harlequins+6 1pt 10-11 BoyleSports Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers and all you need is an account. Sign up here Sky Bet are offering new customers…

Of the 26 titles handed out over the course of the Heineken Champions Cup, 13 of them sit in the bottom half of this season's quarter-final draw. The last eight of this years competition is interestingly split. One one side of the draw you have Racing 92, Sale Sharks, La Rochelle and Montpellier - new money and new challengers. On the bottom half…

Leinster reached their first Heineken Champions Cup final in three years after dethroning Toulouse in a sure-footed 40-17 win at the Aviva Stadium. The defending champions struggled to cope with the pace of the hosts' attack, with James Lowe, the tournament's top-scorer this season, claiming two of their four tries. Leinster recovered from Antoine…

Lineen played for the Scots from 1989 and 1992, sharing in their 1990 Five Nations grand slam. There has since been a continuous Kiwi influence in the Five Nations/Six Nations since 1994. This year's tournament kicks off this weekend, with seven New Zealand-born players and two Kiwi head coaches involved. Some - notably French prop Uini Atonio -…

Welcome, G&GRs, to this week's Monday News. What an entertaining finish to the Super Rugby Pacific Round Robins! Up until the final few minutes places in the finals were still up for grabs. The weekend saw some upsets and some bloody great rugby. As a famous Roman general once exclaimed, "are you not entertained?". We'll catch up on the Sevens in…

We're down to the last eight in the Heineken Champions Cup as the great and good of European rugby do battle for a place in the May 28 showpiece in Marseille. With another intoxicating weekend of knockout drama in store, we preview every game from the quarter-finals, with all four matches available to watch exclusively live on BT Sport. Read on for…

They have been called the best team in the world after beating New Zealand and Ireland in recent months and they were completely untroubled in putting away Scotland last time out. For France's class of 2022, a Six Nations Grand Slam is very much on as they head into round four. It's an interesting one, though. In a straight man-for-man comparison…

Ireland has a long history with betting with many people in the country loving to have a bet. Various sports have been popular to bet on in Ireland over the years. While relatively new inventions like esports have their fans, plenty of people prefer more traditional sports. Here are the five most popular sports among people browsing betting sites…

Harlequins captain Alex Dombrandt Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Sunday's European Champions Cup games Northampton+5 2pts 8-11 Boyles Sale+14 1pt 10-11 Boyles Alex Dombrandt to score a try 1pt 10-3 Coral, Ladbrokes Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers, and all you need is an account. . Sky Bet are…

Leinster will look to start putting their heartbreaking Champions Cup final defeat to La Rochelle behind then with a URC quarter-final at home to Glasgow this weekend. Here's all you need to know about the game. Where and when is it on? The match takes place at the RDS in Dublin and kicks off at 3.15pm on Saturday. What's the team news? Leinster…

Kurtley Beale (right) forms part of a star-studded Racing lineup Rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for the European Champions Cup, which starts on Friday. Racing 92 to lift trophy 1pt each-way 9-1 Betfred, BoyleSports French clubs were the dominant force in last season's European Champions Cup, providing three of the four semi-finalists, and…

The grandest stage in European club rugby has begun its shows for another year. With a new, faraway country in the mix to try their hand at the European Rugby Champions Cup, things got spicy quickly. South Africa's proud rugby history was injected into the Champions Cup for the very first time in the competition's existence this past weekend, and…

Your rugby headlines on Sunday December 11. Eddie Jones is being linked with what is being dubbed a'sensational' rugby return for the World Cup which would see him lock horns with Wales. The axed England boss is being eyed up by Australia to join their coaching team for the tournament next autumn as the Wallabies look to'weaponise' what has just…

Things don't get any easier for Ulster in the Heineken Champions Cup this weekend as they try to bounce back from a whitewashing at the hands of Sale with a visit from Ronan O'Gara's European champions La Rochelle. Here's all you need to know about the game. Where and when is it on? The match takes place at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast with a…

Stuart Hogg is chasing more European success with Exeter Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday's European Champions Cup games. Racing 92+3 1pm Saturday 2pts 10-11 Hills Lyon+8.5 5.30pm Saturday 1pt 10-11 bet365 Exeter to win by one to 12 points 8pm Saturday 1pt 7-4 Coral, Ladbrokes BT Sport 1, 1pm Saturday European Champions Cup…

La Rochelle will look for Gregory Alldritt to batter his way through Racing's lines Free rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for Racing 92 v La Rochelle in the European Champions Cup semi-finals at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday. Channel 4 & BT Sport 2, 3pm Sunday La Rochelle 1pt 11-10 general La Rochelle came agonisingly close to a…

Some of the best clubs in world rugby have had their chance to warm up and work out the kinks. Now, it's time for the real tests. The Heineken Champions Cup - Europe's top yearly club rugby competition - returns for another go-round this weekend with Round 1. Throughout the course of this year's schedule, FloRugby will provide a weekly look at the…

Leinster march into Marseille for this weekend's Champions Cup final with a fifth European star in reach. They face a difficult task. Ronan O'Gara, who will be the focal point of many a media angle pitting him against his old rivals Leinster, and his former fly-half foe Jonathan Sexton, plan to stop them. His La Rochelle side are equipped with a…

Toulouse won the Champions Cup in 2021 Rugby tips, best bets and tournament preview for the European Champions Cup, which starts on Friday, December 9. Toulouse 2pts 13-2 Hills Lyon 1pt each-way 50-1 general The European Champions Cup has long required teams to be able to adapt to all conditions and styles of play, with matches staged at venues…

Bath Rugby may have had a favourable Heineken Champions Cup draw but it has cut very little ice with the bookmakers. The Blue, Black and White avoided all three league champions in the top pot of seeds - Saracens, Leinster and Toulouse. They also avoided the highest ranked team in pot two - Glasgow Warriors. As well as some attractive away trips…

Ulster have learned their opponents for the 2022/23 Challenge Cup and Heineken Champions Cup and been handed the toughest possible assignment at the group stage. Teams were split into four tiers for the tournament with tier one playing two opponents in tier four while tier two opponents played teams in tier four. Connacht were first up in the…

Leinster will be backed by over 30000 fans at the Aviva Stadium for their Heineken Champions Cup showdown with reigning champions Toulouse. The URC top dogs won three of their Pool A clashes before progressing to the knockout rounds where they comfortably swept aside Connacht and Gallagher Premiership table-toppers Leicester. The Irish unit are…

LEINSTER will be looking to bounce back from their last-gasp loss in the Champions Cup final when they take on Glasgow in the URC. Here's everything you need to know ahead of their quarter-final clash: The match kicks-off at 3.15 pm on Saturday June 4 at the RDS in Dublin. Premier Sports are showing the game live - with their coverage kicking off…

Leinster's Jonathan Sexton is back and has his sights sets on Champions Cup glory Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for the start of the knockout stage of the European Champions Cup. Connacht v Leinster BT Sport 2, 8pm Leinster to win by 11 to 20 points 1pt 9-4 bet365 Racing to lift the trophy 1pt each-way 9-1 December 10 A new-look knockout…

When is Leinster vs Munster taking place? Leinster vs Munster will take place on Saturday 21st May, 2022 at 19:15 (UK) Where is Leinster vs Munster taking place? Leinster vs Munster will take place at Aviva Stadium in Dublin Where can I get tickets for Leinster vs Munster? Ticket information for Leinster vs Munster can be found on each side's…

The port city of Marseille is no stranger to debate. Each election cycle this ancient place is used by the governing and the challenger to prove a point. Ask a hundred French what they think of Marseille and at least seventy will mention crime, with a generous dose of'code words.' To critique Marseille as a seething hotbed of vice, contraband, turf…

When is Lyon vs La Rochelle taking place? Lyon vs La Rochelle will take place on Sunday 5th June, 2022 at 20:05 (UK) Where is Lyon vs La Rochelle taking place? Lyon vs La Rochelle will take place at Stade de Gerland in Lyon Where can I get tickets for Lyon vs La Rochelle? Ticket information for Lyon vs La Rochelle can be found on each side's…

The Champions Cup gets under way this weekend, with the competition continuing with the format it adopted last year due to Covid. In this format, there are 24 teams in the competition split into two pools. Each team plays two sides, home and away, from their side of the draw. The top 16 sides, eight from each pool, will progress into the round of…

It has been a strangely subdued start to the season for the four Irish provinces. While Ireland enjoyed a November to remember, beating the All Blacks as part of a three-Test cleansweep, all was quiet on the domestic front. But now provincial duty takes precedence once again, and this weekend sees the return of Europe and the Champions…

Saturday, May 28th. Kick-off is at 4.45pm Irish time (5.45pm local) at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille. Can I watch? You can indeed. BT Sport as usual has the rights to European matches, but both Virgin Media 2 and Channel 4 always get one free-to-air game a week, and the final is no exception. You can also follow on our liveblog which will get…

Head coach: Marco Bortolami Captain: Dewalt Duverago/Michele Lamaro Last year: 13th Betting: 150-1 Players In: S Hildago-Klyne (Exeter Chiefs), T Menoncello (promoted academy), A Garbisi (Mogliano), G Nicotera (Rovigo), G Da Rae (Rovigo), F Drago (Mogliano), M Drudi (Mogliano), S Scrafton (Hurricanes), O Ratave (Fijian Drua), M Zanon (Pau), M…

La Rochelle were of course crowned as European champions, as they defeated Leinster thanks to a last-gasp try at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. Much of the discussion after the final has been based around La Rochelle's director of rugby Ronan O'Gara, although their maiden European title certainly wouldn't have been possible without some…

BEFORE Covid hit, Leinster Rugby was already concerned about ticketing revenue. Not that there was any problem with the approximately €9m it earns the organisation each season, rather just how dependent the brand had become on match day income above all other streams. In 2019, the last full year of normal sports attendances before the pandemic,…

The new season is nearly upon us and it's a big year for Welsh rugby. There's the second year of the United Rugby Championship, the usual autumn internationals and Six Nations fixtures, the small matter of a World Cup in France around the corner - and then the general turmoil that surrounds the Welsh game from week to week. With all that in mind,…

After the logistical omnishambles of the pool stage foreshadowed the intriguing introduction of two-legged ties in the last 16, we have a compelling line-up of Champions Cup quarter-finals. Headlining it is a meeting between Leicester Tigers and Leinster. For a number of reasons, this clash already feels like a European classic in the making. Given…