Irish Rugby

Richard Petrie
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster will be without backs Michael Lowry, Aitzol Arenzana-King and Robert Baloucoune for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Glasgow at Scotstoun (17:30 BST).

Full-back Lowry and wing Baloucoune suffered concussions in the Irish province's 34-29 defeat by Edinburgh in their opening URC game of the 2026-27 campaign.

Winger Arenzana-King picked up a knee injury during the game in Belfast, from which Ulster emerged with two bonus points.

All three players started last weekend's fixture, with Lowry captaining the side and scoring the first of Ulster's four tries in a match which Richie Murphy's side's comeback fall short after they bounced back from a 34-5 deficit.

Glasgow began their season with an impressive 26-20 victory on the road at Munster.

"Everyone was really disappointed with how we played at the weekend but I think the glimpse of 20 minutes of really good rugby was what we were expecting to bring," Ulster head coach Richie Murphy told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom.

"Yesterday we started our review and the things that we got wrong. We know we are a lot better than that we produced at the weekend.

"This week we have a really tough assignment away to Glasgow but it's really important that we turn the page here and try and right some of the wrongs that were in that game.

"Starting with getting our breakdown right, getting our defensive line coming forward and making sure we're connected. You've got to be at your best to get anything over there."

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland captain Erin King said her side "showed what we're all about" after they bounced back to earn their first WXV Global Series win with a 31-24 victory over Japan.

Having surrendered a 19-point lead to lose to the USA last week, Ireland scored five tries to see off a spirited Japan at Galway's Dexcom Stadium.

Beibhinn Parsons crossed twice to become Ireland women's all-time record try scorer, with Brittany Hogan (2) and Aoife Dalton also touching down.

"[I'm] definitely very proud of the girls, they stuck in there until the end and showed what we're all about," King told TG4.

"Last week asked questions of us and I think we answered them today

"It was really important for us. We definitely had some frustrations. It was tough, we learned a lot, we had a really good training week and we showed out there in parts what we can do.

"But fair play to Japan, they really brought it to us and it was no easy feat."

While pleased that his side navigated their way through "adversity" in the second half as Japan clawed their way back into the game in breezy conditions, Ireland head coach Scott Bemand felt his players should have been further ahead than 19-5 at the break.

"I'm delighted for the girls because they had a bit of adversity in the second half," said Bemand.

"[They were] playing into a strong Galway breeze and they've had to work out how to unlock the edges with possessions through the middle, you couldn't just rely on the kicking game to gain territory.

"I think we've worked our way through a game there. I think we'll look back and say we left three out there in the first half and that scoreboard should have looked a little bit more favourable for us."

Ireland face Japan again next week in a non-WXV match in Cork before travelling to South Africa for two Global Series games against the Springboks.

Image source, Inpho

Ulster have handed starts to five of their summer signings for Friday's United Rugby Championship opener against Edinburgh at the Affidea Stadium (19:45 BST).

They form part of a total of eight players in the matchday squad who are set to make their competitive debuts for the Irish province.

New forward additions Eduardo Bello, Eli Snyman, Ben Donnell and Martin Moloney are named in the starting team, with another new recruit, Jamie Benson, chosen among the backs.

Ireland wing Robert Baloucoune is back in the starting line-up, while last season's top try-scorer Zac Ward is among the replacements, both players having been involved in Ireland camp over the summer.

Full-back Michael Lowry is named as captain.

After missing all of last season because of a knee injury, James McNabney makes his competitive return, starting at number eight.

Argentine debutant Bello joins Eric O'Sullivan and James McCormick in the front row, with Snyman and Donnell forming the second row.

In the back row, there is a debut for former Exeter Chiefs forward Moloney at open-side flanker, with McCann starting at blind-side.

Conor McKee and Jack Murphy make up the half-back combination, while ex-Harlequins back Benson and Ben Carson team up in midfield.

Baloucoune is selected on the right wing and Development back Aitzol Arenzana-King on the left.

Arenzana-King crossed for four tries in Ulster's pre-season games against Edinburgh and Ospreys.

Development hooker Henry Walker, prop Keynan Knox and scrum-half Matthew Devine are named in a youthful bench.

Forwards Walker, Tom McAllister, Knox, Harry Sheridan and James McKillop, and backs Devine, Jake Flannery and Zac Ward are chosen as replacements.

Ulster: Lowry (capt), Baloucoune, Carson, Benson, Arenzana-King, Murphy, McKee, O'Sullivan, McCormick, Bello, Snyman, Donnell, McCann, Moloney, McNabney.

Replacements: Walker, McAllister, Knox, Sheridan, McKillop, Devine, Flannery, Z Ward

David Mohan
BBC Sport NI journalist

Image source, Getty Images

La Rochelle head coach Ronan O'Gara has signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2031.

O'Gara arrived at the club in 2019 after coaching spells with rival Top 14 side Racing 92 and New Zealand outfit Crusaders.

Following defeat in the 2021 European Champions Cup final, the former Ireland international signed an initial extension before guiding La Rochelle to back-to-back final wins in 2022 and 2023 - the club's first major silverware.

"My family and I are very happy and proud to continue this adventure with Stade Rochelais," O'Gara told the club website.

"We have lived through exceptional times and gone through more difficult times together. In each of them, I felt the confidence of the club and the support of our supporters.

"I believe deeply in this club, in its players, in its staff and in its ambition. We have already built a lot of things, but I am convinced that the best is still ahead of us.

"I want to continue to grow this team and win with Stade Rochelais."

La Rochelle have made a winning start to the new Top 14 season, defeating Toulouse on the opening weekend before a 21-20 away win in Toulon on Saturday.

They return to action this Saturday against Racing 92.

Last season, La Rochelle finished sixth in the Top 14 to secure a return to the Investec Champions Cup before bowing out of their domestic play-offs at the quarter-final stage at the hands of Stade Francais.

In Europe, they dropped into the Challenge Cup where they were eliminated by Ulster in the quarter-finals.