Champions Cup

Leinster ‘very close’ to hitting their best, says Joe McCarthy as Sale challenge looms

‘The general feeling is we’ve got a great team, and it’s starting to really click a bit’

Rieko Ioane: Leinster finally see the return expected from an 88-cap All Black

Centre may have had his watershed moment in Leinster’s Champions Cup win over Edinburgh last weekend

Murrayfield to host possible Glasgow v Leinster Champions Cup semi-final

Aviva Stadium would host Leinster if they beat Sale and Toulon overcome Glasgow in quarter-finals

Sale suffer triple blow ahead of Champions Cup trip to face Leinster

Bevan Rodd and Luke Cowan-Dickie ruled out for the rest of the season while Nathan Jibulu handed six-week suspension

Andrew Porter a doubt for Leinster’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Sale

Prop replaced at half-time in Round of 16 win over Edinburgh

Leinster boss Leo Cullen wary of a Sale side with nothing to lose in Champions Cup quarter-final

Sharks are in bonus territory after securing a Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster

Owen Doyle: Intrusive TMO involvement cost Ospreys a famous win against Ulster

Decision by referee Anthony Woodthorpe and his TMO David Roseon completely misread the situation and it was a blot on the Challenge Cup

Harry Byrne ends debate over Leinster’s 10 jersey with mic-drop display against Edinburgh

Outhalf made up for team-mates’ shortcomings with a stunning array of passes, tackles and place-kicks

Leo Cullen taking the positives from Leinster’s mixed display ahead of Sale showdown on Saturday

Champions Cup moves up a gear with Leinster facing a six-day turnaround to their quarter-final clash

Leinster prevail in 12-try thriller as they advance to quarter-finals – as it happened

Leo Cullen’s side to face Sale Sharks at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday

Leinster offer up plenty of gifts to Edinburgh but take home the prize in the end

Leo Cullen’s side will now face the Sale Sharks at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday in the Champions Cup quarter-finals

Champions Cup round-up: Glasgow Warriors hold off brave Bulls to make quarter-finals

Six-time champions Toulouse hammer Bristol; Bath fight back for win over Saracens; Toulon just hold on against Stormers

Champions Cup: Leinster should have sufficient firepower to see off Edinburgh

Sam Prendergast misses out on 23 with Harry Byrne named at outhalf and Ciaran Frawley on the bench

Leinster’s ability to rise from the canvas is admirable, but now they must land a knockout

Victory in a Champions Cup final is the only riposte to finally silence the absurd ‘choker’ jibes

Home advantage matters the most in Champions Cup knockout stages

Leinster’s loss to Northampton last season was only the second time a home side had lost a semi-final in the last eight seasons

Matt Williams: How positive affirmations can give you buckets of self-belief

Sports psychologists swear by the technique of self-talk, and many players and teams are out there proving that it works

Are we living in rugby’s good old days?

The Counter Ruck Podcast

‘You’re trying to use all these few percenters’: Hugo Keenan on time well spent in a hyperbaric chamber

Finally back from injury, fullback is ready to go for Leinster’s Champions Cup knockout clash against Edinburgh

‘Only Antoine Dupont is comparable’: Four Irish players to watch in Europe this weekend

Motivation shouldn’t be a problem as the provinces go in search of victory for a variety of reasons

Leinster look to take advantage of favourable draw in quest for Champions Cup title

Munster face a tricky game against Exeter in the Challenge Cup

Gordon D’Arcy: Confidence like Jamie Osborne’s will bring on Leinster performance when it counts

If Leinster can get the best out of Ioane, it might bring the best out of themselves as a team

RG Snyman’s ACL rupture joins Leinster players’ ‘bad luck’ long-term injuries

South African secondrow’s ruptured knee ligament against Glasgow brings his season to a premature end

Leinster confirm RG Snyman is out for the season after rupturing ACL

Rob Baloucoune undergoes ‘successful’ elbow surgery and could be fit for Ireland games in Nations Championship

Munster Rugby has been mismanaged for years. The chickens are now coming home to roost

It will take much more than voluntary redundancies to steady the ship at a proud sporting institution

Transfer rumour mill runs hot as Irish provinces gear up for Europe

The Counter Ruck Podcast

Munster plan return to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for Champions Cup fixture next season

Last December’s first European game at the ground drew a crowd of 36,208 for a one-sided win over Gloucester

Stakes are high for all four provinces as they seek to define their season

Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht sit within seven points and six places of one other in URC table

Leinster’s European showdown with Edinburgh to take place on Easter Sunday

In Challenge Cup, Connacht will face Sharks on Friday night while Munster have early Saturday kick-off

Gordon D’Arcy: Champions Cup exit brings Munster close to a mini-crisis

Clayton McMillan’s squad should take a little inspiration from the way Ulster are currently playing the game

‘He is playing great rugby’: Luke McGrath on team-mate Harry Byrne’s Six Nations hopes

Veteran Leinster No.9 believes fellow Blues player ‘can definitely get into the mix’

Jacques Nienaber hails rapid rise of Leinster breakout star Joshua Kenny

The Leinster winger has quickly put himself in contention for selection in Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad

What does Munster’s crushing Champions Cup exit mean for Ireland?

The Counter Ruck Podcast

Hang it in the Louvre: Dingle and St Brigid’s create a masterpiece of a final

All-Ireland club football final yields a classic despite confusion in extra time

Leinster to face Edinburgh in Champions Cup last 16

Ulster, Connacht and Munster learn Challenge Cup Round of 16 opponents

Leinster enter knockout stages with a crucial box ticked for the first time in years

Victory over Bayonne provided further evidence of province’s ability to win tight battles

Fine margins mount to end Munster’s Champions Cup campaign against Castres

Five tries not enough to see Clayton McMillan’s side triumph at Thomond Park

Craig Casey was outstanding despite Munster’s sour defeat to Castres

Irish province were left ruing turnovers, inaccuracy and poor place-kicking in Champions Cup defeat

‘Teams are dropping at different stages, we’re managing to get wins’: Leo Cullen credits Leinster resolve against Bayonne

Leinster come good after the break at trying Stade Jean Dauger

Injury concerns for Leinster after Bayonne victory

Tommy O’Brien and Robbie Henshaw among early departures in final Champions Cup pool game

Bayonne 13 Leinster 22: Leinster win with late show in Champions Cup clash – as it happened

Away wins sees Leinster top Pool 3

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