Top-two Battles And Big-name Signings As Urc Returns

After its yearly autumnal pause, nan United Rugby Championship returns this week pinch each 4 Irish provinces successful action for nan first clip successful 5 weeks.

With European campaigns besides getting nether measurement successful early December, it is simply a engaged play of nan play pinch 10 consecutive weekends of games until nan Six Nations takes centre shape successful February.

BBC Sport NI looks astatine nan authorities of play successful Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster earlier this weekend's games.

Next 5 fixtures: Sharks (H), Ospreys (A, Challenge Cup), Black Lion (H, Challenge Cup), Dragons (A), Ulster (A)

It has been a difficult commencement to life successful Galway for erstwhile England leader Stuart Lancaster, who replaced Pete Wilkins arsenic Connacht caput coach successful nan summer.

After an opening triumph complete Benetton was followed by nan Storm Amy-enforced postponement of their Scarlets game, nan occidental state mislaid to Cardiff, Bulls and Munster earlier nan world break.

The 28-27 nonaccomplishment to nan Bulls successful Galway and 17-15 reverse to Munster successful Limerick were reliable pills to swallow, but Lancaster has had a coagulated period to devise a scheme for breathing caller life into Connacht's season.

It starts pinch nan sojourn of nan Sharks to Dexcom Stadium connected Saturday (19:45 GMT). After 3 defeats successful their first 4 games, nan South African broadside signed disconnected earlier nan November break pinch a 29-19 triumph complete Scarlets.

The Sharks will beryllium without astir of their Springboks, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ethan Hooker and Andre Esterhuizen.

For nan hosts, Ireland internationals Bundee Aki, Cian Prendergast and Finlay Bealham are disposable for selection, but Mack Hansen has been ruled out.

Hansen, who starred astatine full-back successful Ireland's triumph complete Australia earlier this month, is nursing manus and ft injuries pinch Connacht unsure connected a timeline for nan 27-year-old's return.

After facing nan Sharks, Lancaster will lead Connacht into European action for nan first clip arsenic nan Challenge Cup returns pinch a travel to Ospreys followed by a location crippled against Georgian broadside Black Lion.

Next 5 fixtures: Dragons (A), Harlequins (H, Champions Cup), Leicester (A, Champions Cup), Ulster (H), Munster (A)

Perhaps nan large Leinster push is upon us. After a stuttering commencement to nan play that yielded defeats by nan Stormers, Bulls and Munster, nan URC holders are tasked pinch reversing their fortunes pinch different Investec Champions Cup run beckoning.

And a increasing wounded database is not what Leo Cullen needed earlier Friday's title pinch nan Dragons astatine Rodney Parade (19:45 GMT).

Already without scrum-half Cormac Foley and Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan, Leinster confirmed semipermanent injuries for Ryan Baird and Jamie Osborne earlier this week, some of whom are doubts for nan commencement of nan Six Nations.

James Culhane is besides retired "for nan adjacent fewer months" pinch a knee rumor while Will Connors is recovering from an limb injury, while Tommy O'Brien and Robbie Henshaw are besides presently out.

Joe McCarthy looks group to beryllium fresh adjacent week's Champions Cup opener against Harlequins, which will beryllium nan lock's first action of nan season.

And location is people a awesome woody of intrigue complete Rieko Ioane's arrival. The hugely knowledgeable All Blacks prima has joined nan state until nan extremity of nan play and hopes to replicate his chap countryman Jordie Barrett's effect for nan Blues during nan 2024-25 campaign.

It is an unexpected caller section for Ioane, who cemented himself arsenic 1 of nan astir unpopular figures successful Irish rugby aft clashing pinch Johnny Sexton.

If he tin spell 1 amended than Barrett and propel Leinster to their first Champions Cup title since 2018, it would complete a singular turnaround for nan two-time World Rugby Player of nan Year nominee.

Next 5 fixtures: Stormers (H), Bath (A, Champions Cup), Gloucester (H, Champions Cup), Ospreys (A), Leinster (H)

The world break came astatine a bad clip for Clayton McMillan.

Having started his reign pinch 5 wins - highlighted by an awesome dismantling of Leinster astatine Croke Park - nan New Zealander must now guarantee his side's early-season momentum has not been disrupted by nan Test window.

Across 5 URC wins and a triumph complete Argentina XV, McMillan has utilized 47 players, and his manus has been strengthened this week, pinch Thaakir Abrahams, Diarmuid Barron, Conor Bartley, Mike Haley, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen and Niall Scannell each returning to training.

Highly-rated 2nd statement Edwin Edogbo is besides nearing a return from a caput injury, while erstwhile Leinster prop Michael Ala'alatoa will subordinate from Clermont successful December until nan extremity of nan season.

Munster will purpose to make it six from six erstwhile they big pacesetters Stormers astatine Thomond Park successful a top-two brushwood connected Saturday (17:30 GMT) earlier opening their Champions Cup run distant to Bath connected 6 December.

While nan Stormers will beryllium without their South Africa internationals - including Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - a triumph against a broadside who already person a points quality of +118 would beryllium different eye-catching connection of intent from Munster.

Next 5 fixtures: Benetton (H), Racing 92 (H, Challenge Cup), Cardiff (A, Challenge Cup), Leinster (A), Connacht (A)

Having opened their play pinch 3 consecutive wins, Ulster's bubble was burst earlier nan break by nan Lions, who won 49-31 astatine Ellis Park to springiness Richie Murphy plentifulness to ponder during November.

Ulster return to action against Benetton connected Friday (19:45 GMT) - their first location crippled since 11 October - pinch a lengthy wounded list.

Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey is retired pinch a groin injury, joining Lorcan McLoughlin (elbow), Sean Reffell (shoulder), Ben Moxham (knee), Ethan McIlroy (knee), Eric O'Sullivan (hamstring) and James McNabney (knee) connected nan sidelines.

Ben Carson and in-form full-back Michael Lowry will besides miss nan lucifer against Benetton, who hit Ulster 34-19 successful Treviso past season.

Like Leinster, Ulster are hoping to beryllium boosted by a high-profile confederate hemisphere presence successful nan shape of Angus Bell.

The Australia prop - who Ulster person signed until nan extremity of nan play - will nexus up pinch nan squad adjacent week. While nan Wallabies struggled successful November, Bell was 1 of their standout performers, scoring tries against Italy and France.

A triumph complete Benetton would support Ulster successful nan precocious echelons of nan URC standings and springiness them a well-timed outpouring successful their measurement earlier a mouthwatering Challenge Cup opener against Racing, who mislaid 31-15 connected their past sojourn to Belfast successful December 2023.