2025–26 Connacht Rugby season

Connacht Rugby
2025–26 season
Head coachPete Wilkins
Chief executiveWillie Ruane
← 2024–25 2026–27 →

The 2025–26 season is Connacht Rugby's fifth season in the United Rugby Championship, their 32nd season of professional rugby and their 138th season of representative rugby since the foundation of the Connacht Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. Along with competing in the URC and its Irish Shield competition, the club will also participate in the 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup.

In the women's game, Connacht will compete in the 2025 Vodafone Inter-Provincial Championship[1].

Senior men's squad

Connacht Rugby senior squad

Prop

Hooker

Lock

Back Row

Scrum-Half

Fly-Half

Centre

Winger

Fullback

(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Ireland on residency or dual nationality.
ST denotes a short-term signing.
L denotes a player on loan at the club.
Players and their allocated positions from the Munster Rugby website.[2]

Transfers

Main article: Connacht Rugby

United Rugby Championship

Matches

27 September 2025 Connacht Ireland v Italy Benetton The Sportsground, Galway  
19:45
TBC Connacht Ireland v Wales Scarlets The Sportsground, Galway  
20:05
11 October 2025 Cardiff Wales v Ireland Connacht Cardiff Arms Park  
19:45
TBC Connacht Ireland v South Africa Bulls The Sportsground, Galway  
19:45
25 October 2025 Munster Ireland v Ireland Connacht Thomond Park, Limerick  
19:45
29 November 2025 Connacht Ireland v South Africa Sharks The Sportsground, Galway  
19:45
20 December 2025 Dragons Wales v Ireland Connacht Rodney Parade, Newport  
19:45
27 December 2025 Connacht Ireland v Ireland Ulster The Sportsground, Galway  
17:30
3 January 2026 Leinster Ireland v Ireland Connacht TBC  
17:30
24 January 2026 Connacht Ireland v Ireland Leinster The Sportsground, Galway  
17:30
31 January 2026 Zebre Parma Italy v Ireland Connacht Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma  
15:00
28 February 2026 Connacht Ireland v Scotland Glasgow Warriors The Sportsground, Galway  
15:00
20 March 2026 Ulster Ireland v Ireland Connacht Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast  
19:45
28 March 2026 Connacht Ireland v Wales Ospreys The Sportsground, Galway  
14:15
18 April 2026 Stormers South Africa v Ireland Connacht Cape Town Stadium  
17:15
25 April 2026 Lions South Africa v Ireland Connacht Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg  
15:00
9 May 2026 Connacht Ireland v Ireland Munster The Sportsground, Galway  
19:45
15 May 2026 Edinburgh Scotland v Ireland Connacht Edinburgh Rugby Stadium  
19:45

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Benetton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
2 Bulls 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Cardiff 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Dragons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
6 Edinburgh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Glasgow Warriors 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Leinster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Lions 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the 2026–27 Challenge Cup
10 Munster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Ospreys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Scarlets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Sharks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Stormers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Ulster 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Zebre Parma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: unknown. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[10]


2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables
Ireland Irish Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Ireland Connacht — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2 Ireland Leinster — — — — — — — — — — — — —
3 Ireland Munster — — — — — — — — — — — — —
4 Ireland Ulster — — — — — — — — — — — — —
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[11]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

Challenge Cup

Pool matches

The fixtures for the EPCR Challenge Cup were released on 15 July 2025.[12]

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Georgia (country) Black Lion 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Home round of 16
2 Ireland Connacht 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 France Montauban 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 France Montpellier 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Away round of 16
5 Wales Ospreys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Italy Zebre Parma 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[13]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.
7 December 2025 Ospreys Wales v Ireland Connacht tbd  
15:15 UTC
13 December 2025 Connacht Ireland v Georgia (country) Black Lion Dexcom Stadium  
20:00 UTC
11 January 2026 Monpellier France v Ireland Connacht tbd  
15:00 UTC
17 January 2026 Connacht Ireland v France US Montauban Dexcom Stadium  
20:00 UTC

Home attendance

Season begins 26 September 2025

Domestic League EPRC Challenge Cup Total
League Fixtures Total Attendance Average Attendance Highest Lowest League Fixtures Total Attendance Average Attendance Highest Lowest Total Attendance Average Attendance
2025–26 United Rugby Championship 2025–26 EPCR Challenge Cup

Connacht Women

Main article: 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series

The 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series is being contested by women's teams representing the four provincial rugby unions of Ireland, under the same branding and uniforms as the senior men's teams in the United Rugby Championship. The competition currently uses a single round-robin format, similar to the one used in both the Six Nations Championship and the Women's Six Nations Championship. Each team plays the other three teams once. The following year the fixtures are reversed.[14] As in previous seasons the competition also features playoffs and a final.[15][16][17]

Matches

10 August 2025
2:30pm
(1 BP) Munster Women Ireland44-5Ireland Connacht Women
Try: Gráinne Burke
Chisom Ugwueru (3)
Aoife Corey
Stephanie Nunan
Kate Flannery
Brianna Heylmann
Con: Caitríona Finn (2/8)		ReportTry: Ava Ryder
Virgin Media Park
Referee: Euan O’Riordan (IRFU)
16 August 2025
4:30pm
Connacht Women Ireland12–7Ireland Ulster Women (1 BP)
Try: Oviawe
Maher
Con: Nic Dhonnacha (1/2)		ReportTry: Sheerin
Con: Sheerin
Dexcom Stadium, Galway
23 August 2025
2:30pm
Connacht Women IrelandvIreland Leinster Women

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Munster Women (Q) 2 2 0 0 77 27 +50 13 5 2 0 10 Qualified for Interprovincial final
2 Leinster Women 2 1 0 1 59 54 +5 11 8 2 0 6
3 Connacht Women 2 1 0 1 17 49 −32 3 9 0 0 4 Qualified for third/fourth place final
4 Ulster Women (Q) 2 0 0 2 26 49 −23 4 9 0 1 1
First match(es) will be played: Unknown. Source: Unknown
Rules for classification: 1) competition points; 2) match points difference; 3) match points for
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated

Finals day

2:30pm
Connacht Women IrelandvIreland

References

  1. ^ "Women's Squad". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
  2. ^ "Munster Rugby | 1st Team Squad". Munster Rugby. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Connacht sign one-time All Black hopeful Sam Gilbert as uncertainty surrounds Puma star Santiago Cordero". www.independent.ie. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Devine, Treacy and West sign Pro contracts". Connacht Rugby. 26 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
  5. ^ "JJ Hanrahan signs two-year contract with Munster". The Irish Examiner. 22 February 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Andrew Smith was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Edinburgh sign utility-back Piers O'Connor". The Offside Line. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  8. ^ Ashbee, Max (28 July 2025). "Conor Oliver Joins Ealing Trailfinders - Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club". ealingtrailfinders.com. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Santiago Cordero hará su regreso a Regatas este sábado ante CUBA". ESPN.com.ar (in Spanish). 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  11. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Champions Cup & Challenge Cup: Irish provinces discover fixture details for European campaigns". BBC Sport. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Women's Interprovincial Series". www.irishrugby.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  15. ^ "Leinster ladies win first Interpro crown". www.irishexaminer.com. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Women's: Leinster End Munster's Grip On Interpro Title". www.irishrugby.ie. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Munster Women Make It Three-In-A-Row". www.irishrugby.ie. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
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