Irish Rugby

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

The international break came at a bad time for Clayton McMillan.

Having started his reign with five wins - highlighted by an impressive dismantling of Leinster at Croke Park - the New Zealander must now ensure his side's early-season momentum has not been disrupted by the Test window.

Across five URC wins and a victory over Argentina XV, McMillan has used 47 players, and his hand has been strengthened this week, with Thaakir Abrahams, Diarmuid Barron, Conor Bartley, Mike Haley, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen and Niall Scannell all returning to training.

Highly-rated second row Edwin Edogbo is also nearing a return from a head injury, while former Leinster prop Michael Ala'alatoa will join from Clermont in December until the end of the season.

Munster will aim to make it six from six when they host pacesetters Stormers at Thomond Park in a top-two encounter on Saturday (17:30 GMT) before beginning their Champions Cup campaign away to Bath on 6 December.

While the Stormers will be without their South Africa internationals - including Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - a win against a side who already have a points difference of +118 would be another eye-catching statement of intent from Munster.

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Conor reveals his Ultimate XV — the dream team of players he's shared the pitch with for Munster, Ireland, or the British & Irish Lions. Listen now.

Simon Zebo (left wing)

A good friend of Murray's, 'Zeebs' gets the nod in the number 11 shirt. Murray's long-time Ireland and Munster team-mate, Zebo was a member of the 2015 Six Nations-winning squad.

"World class when he was at his peak.

"Incredibly talented, X-factor player. But most importantly from my point of view, just a player you love playing with. He was always happy, always positive.

"At times, it was that easy. You'd give him the ball and he'd do something creative and break up the game."

Anthony Watson (right wing)

The former England and Lions winger - who was forced to retire in January aged 30 - is Murray's pick in the 14 shirt. They played together on the 2017 and 2021 Lions tours.

"Before I knew him or played with him, I played against him and he was devastating. I remember we played them [England] in 2015 at the Aviva. I thought I knew his movements but he made me buckle and then he was gone.

"Even at international level, ultra-quick, quicker than everyone else on the field.

"He had his injury troubles. He would have had way more caps but that Lions tour in 2017, he was unbelievable."

Elliot Daly (full-back)

While capable of playing in several positions across the backline, England and Lions stalwart Elliot Daly is Murray's selection at 15.

"An unbelievable player. A massive boot, really intelligent rugby player and a class operator. He's had a lot of big moments, a three-time Lions tourist.

"When he got selected for the Lions this year, I was unbelievably happy for him. Andy [Farrell] saw the value in him in what he can bring to a squad. He's a hilarious fella, him and Jamie George together are a duo.

"When he got injured in Australia this summer, Andy said he was going home a Lions legend. He's right."

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Conor reveals his Ultimate XV — the dream team of players he's shared the pitch with for Munster, Ireland, or the British & Irish Lions. Listen now.

Mike Phillips (scrum-half)

While giving former Ireland team-mate Jamison Gibson-Park an honourable mention, Murray said he learned a great deal from Wales legend Mike Phillips during their time together on the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour.

"He was class to watch, during his prime he was world-class. He had such big moments in games, like against Ireland in 2011 World Cup when he went down the blind-side and scored a crucial try," said Murray.

"He had many big moments for Wales and the Lions and then to play with him. I remember rooming with him on the Lions, I was so nervous because he was one of my heroes.

"He turned out to be a legend and we're still in touch to this day."

Johnny Sexton (fly-half)

Fellow Munster legend Ronan O'Gara got a prominent mention, but Murray's pick at 10 goes to the 2018 World Rugby Player of the Year, alongside whom he helped steer Ireland to countless big wins.

"World-class, everyone knows that. His rugby brain is just off the charts...how he sees the game is another level to how any of us were thinking on the pitch. We relied so heavily on him.

"Very [demanding]. But that brought the best out of me and made me sharper mentally in terms of being aware and clued into situations in a game and what he's thinking.

"It doesn't always have to be verbal, it can be a look or a feeling of where he might be."

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Ulster back row Nick Timoney says Richie Murphy's team will aim to put on a good performance for their home supporters in their first game in Belfast for seven weeks on Friday night.

The Irish province host Italian side Benetton in a United Rugby Championship encounter at the Affidea Stadium as they return to action after a five-week hiatus for the autumn international series of matches.

Ulster, who lie fifth in the URC table, defeated the Bulls 28-7 in their last home outing on 11 October but signed off for their period of inaction with a 49-31 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg two weeks later.

"Benetton are a really good team now. They're very physical and have loads of dangerous backs," Timoney told BBC Sport NI.

"They're well coached, it seems they have a massive squad and it's hard to know exactly who is going to play.

"It's going to be a really tough challenge but we always back ourselves on our home ground and we're looking forward to putting on a good performance for the crowd."

Timoney is one of three Ireland internationals who will return for the game, along with Springbok Juarno Augustus.

The Italian side are five positions and seven points worse off than their opponents on Friday night after winning two and losing three of their first five fixtures of the campaign.

"We lost away to them last season and they'll be coming here fired up, so we have to be ready for them," cautioned Timoney.

"We had a good start to the season. Obviously the last one [the defeat by the Lions] was a tough one - we had a few injuries and the conditions we maybe didn't handle quite as well - but if we win here it puts us in a good position in the league and hopefully good momentum heading into a big bloc of games."

The 30-year-old was part of the Ireland squad for the recent international series. including scoring the second try in the 41-10 win over Japan, and believes that the experience has a positive impact.

"Playing and training at a very high level makes you feel great coming back in.

"A lot of the Benetton lads will be in the same boat [having been part of the Italy squad]. I feel really good and excited to get back going."

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Munster have named five returning Ireland internationals in their squad ahead of Saturday's match against Stormers at Thomond Park (17:30 GMT).

Captain Tadhg Beirne, Tom Ahern, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley and Tom Farrell have all been included after international duty.

New signing Michael Ala'alatoa, who has signed a contract until the end of the season, is not included.

In addition to the returning Ireland internationals, Shane Daly, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams and Jeremy Loughman also come into the starting line-up.

Casey and Crowley are paired at half-back while Farrell, who won his first two international caps in the autumn, starts at centre alongside Nankivell.

Beirne captains the side and joins Jack O'Donoghue and Gavin Coombes in the back row.

Ahern, who did not feature for Ireland in November matches despite being named in Andy Farrell's wider squad, will start in the second row.

Munster and Stormers are unbeaten this season going into Saturday's contest in Limerick.

Munster: Shane Daly; Diarmuid Kilgallen, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Thaakir Abrahams; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt), Jack O'Donoghue, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Michael Milne, Ronan Foxe, Edwin Edogbo, John Hodnett, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Dan Kelly.

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Leinster are without their frontline Ireland internationals for Friday's United Rugby Championship game against Dragons at Rodney Parade (19:45 GMT), but Josh Ericson is set to make his debut from the bench.

Back row Ericson, who joined the Leinster academy earlier this month, has been named as a replacement for tomorrow night's game.

Head coach Leo Cullen has made 12 changes to the side from their URC win over Zebre last month, with only fly-half Harry Byrne, centre Hugh Cooney and wing Joshua Kenny retained.

RG Snyman, who won his 50th international cap for the Springboks against Ireland last week, is named among the replacements alongside the uncapped Ericson.

Max Deegan will captain the side from number eight, with Alex Soroka and Scott Penny named on the flanks.

Leinster are without Tommy O'Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, Ryan Baird, Will Connors, James Culhane, Joe McCarthy, Cormac Foley and Hugo Keenan because of injury.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris, fly-half Sam Prendergast and first-choice props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong are among the players rested after the Test window.

Leinster are also without the suspended James Ryan.

The URC holders have lost three of their opening five games, while Friday's opponents are without a win so far this season.

Leinster: O'Brien; Kenney, Cooney, Frawley, Larmour; Byrne, Gunne; Boyle, McCarthy, Clarkson, Deeny, Mangan, Soroka, Penny, Deegan (capt).

Replacements: McKee, Cahir, Slimani, Snyman, Ericson, McGrath, Tector, Moloney

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Three of Ulster's Ireland internationals have been named to start Friday's United Rugby Championship encounter against Benetton in Belfast (19:45 GMT).

While centre Stuart McCloskey is ruled out with a groin injury, Iain Henderson returns to captain Ulster from the second row, with Nick Timoney and Jacob Stockdale also recalled.

Having been deployed on the left wing on his last appearance for Ulster, Stockdale reverts to full-back, where he played in the win over the Bulls last month.

Fit-again Juarno Augustus starts at number eight after recovering from an arm injury, but Cormac Izuchukwu has not been included despite returning to training following a foot issue.

Tom Stewart, who captained an Ireland XV to a win over Spain earlier this month, starts at hooker with Sam Crean and Scott Wilson completing the front row.

Jack Murphy and Nathan Doak are again paired at half-back, with replacement scrum-half Dave Shanahan set to make his 100th appearance for the province off the bench.

An experienced bench also includes Rob Herring, Tom O'Toole and Stewart Moore, who was recalled from his loan at Newcastle Red Bulls earlier this week.

Back row Bryn Ward, who made his debut against the Lions in Johannesburg last month, is also among the replacements, but there is no place in the squad for his older brother Zac, who has started three URC games this season.

Ulster boss Richie Murphy is currently without Ben Carson, Michael Lowry, Lorcan McLoughlin (elbow), Sean Reffell (shoulder), Ben Moxham (knee), Ethan McIlroy (knee), Eric O'Sullivan (hamstring) and James McNabney (knee).

Australia prop Angus Bell, who has joined until the end of the season, was not considered for selection this week.

Fifth-placed Ulster have three wins and a defeat from four games this season. Benetton sit 10th with two wins and three defeats. The Italian side won last season's meeting 34-19 in Treviso.

Ulster: Stockdale; Baloucoune, Hume, Postlethwaite, Kok; Murphy, Doak; Crean, Stewart, Wilson, Henderson (capt), McCann, Timoney, Augustus.

Replacements: Herring, Reid, O'Toole, Dalton, Ward, Shanahan, Flannery, Moore.

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James Ryan has been handed a three-week suspension after the red card he was shown during Ireland's 24-13 defeat by South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday was upheld by an independent disciplinary committee.

Second row Ryan's yellow card for a high hit on Malcolm Marx in the early stages of the loss to the Springboks was subsequently upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

The independent committee determined that by applying World Rugby's sanctioning provisions, a mid-range entry point of six weeks was appropriate.

That has been reduced to three weeks, however, in light of Ryan accepting the red card, his clean record and other mitigating factors.

The sanction could be further reduced to two weeks should Ryan complete World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Programme as a substitute for the final week of his suspension.

That option is aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues which contributed to the incidence of foul play.

As it stands, Ryan is ruled out of Leinster's United Rugby Championship game against Dragons this weekend and the Investec Champions Cup matches at home to Harlequins on 6 December and away to Leicester Tigers on 12 December.

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During a distinguished playing career, former Ireland, Munster and British and Irish Lions scrum-half Conor Murray played alongside some legendary figures in the world of rugby union.

In a special edition of the BBC's Ireland Rugby Social podcast, Murray selects the best XV from all the players he lined up with during 15 years participating in the sport at the highest level.

The 36-year-old racked up 125 caps for Ireland, made 207 appearances for Munster and played eight Tests for the Lions across three tours in 2013, 2017 and 2021.

In his own position of scrum-half, Murray selected former Wales number nine Mike Phillips, one of three Welsh players in his XV.

Murray says he learned much from watching Phillips, "taking in as much information as he could" as part of the Lions squad in 2013.

A couple of Englishmen are also included in the selection, with the remainder of the team made up of his former Ireland team-mates.

Murray explains on the podcast that he believes Sam Warburton is worthy of his place in the side at open-side flanker because of both his performances and his leadership abilities.

Warburton led the Lions to a series victory over Australia in 2013 and a drawn series with New Zealand four years later.

The Welsh forward had natural leaders like Brian O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell in the Lions ranks when he took up the reins for the 2013 tour at just 24 years old.

"To be honest, I'd say it was hard for him [to win everyone over at first]," said Murray.

"You had Paulie [O'Connell] and Drico [O'Driscoll] and players who had been on Lions tours before and people naturally looked up to them. They didn't have to earn people's respect.

"They looked up to Sam too but he was a new young captain, young to be captain of a British and Irish Lions team."

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The former Cardiff player retired from playing in July 2018 after failing to recover fully from neck and back surgery.

"He probably retired a bit early but what he did in that window was incredibly impressive. Seeing him on the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours he was someone who grew as a leader. He obviously earned unbelievable respect with his performances

"To be named captain in 2013 with Paul O'Connell and Brian O'Driscoll in that squad was a really daunting thing to do, and he managed to do that and win a series.

"For what Sam did over a long period of time he deserves to be in there. To be fair he let Paulie and Drico speak whenever they thought they needed to.

"When you're captain it's not just you. If you've got people around you you use the room, people who can possibly do it more naturally than you, if you're not an expert in a certain area, let them talk about it."

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Ireland internationals Iain Henderson, Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney are all available for Ulster's return to United Rugby Championship action on Friday against Benetton at Affidea Stadium (19:45 GMT).

The trio reported back for club duty at the conclusion of the Autumn Nations Series this week as Richie Murphy's men seek to get back to winning ways following their 49-31 defeat by the Lions in South Africa in late October.

There is further good news on the injury front as Juarno Augustus and Cormac Izuchukwu are back in training with their progress to be monitored this week.

Augustus suffered an arm injury in the 34-26 win over the Lions in the first leg of Ulster's South Africa tour last month and missed out on the Lions game.

Izuchukwu sustained a foot injury in Ulster's last home game in the URC - a 28-7 win over the Bulls - and missed out on the trip to South Africa plus Ireland's November internationals, but could return this week.

That news is tempered by confirmation that Ben Carson and Michael Lowry will miss out this week with Carson sustaining a hamstring injury in Ulster A's victory over the Connacht Eagles last Friday, while Lowry suffered an ankle in jury in the Ireland XV win against Spain three weeks ago.

Stuart McCloskey is also out due to the groin injury picked up in Ireland's win over Australia, joining Lorcan McLoughlin (elbow), Sean Reffell (shoulder), Ben Moxham (knee), Ethan McIlroy (knee), Eric O'Sullivan (hamstring) and James McNabney (knee) on the sidelines.

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Ryan Baird and Jamie Osborne are major doubts for the start of Ireland's 2026 Six Nations campaign because of injury.

Versatile forward Baird, who was forced off in Ireland's 24-13 defeat by world champions South Africa on Saturday with a leg injury, will be out for "up to three months", according to his club Leinster.

Speaking after the loss to the Springboks, Ireland boss Andy Farrell said Baird - who started all four autumn Tests - suffered a suspected fractured tibia.

Osborne is facing a four-month spell on the sidelines with the shoulder injury he sustained in Ireland's win over Japan.

Ireland begin their Six Nations campaign with a trip to holders France on 5 February.

In their squad update, Leinster also confirmed wing Tommy O'Brien, who suffered a head injury against South Africa, and centre Robbie Henshaw (hamstring) will also miss Friday's United Rugby Championship match away to Dragons.

Leinster boss Leo Cullen will also be without Will Connors and James Culhane, who picked up arm and knee injuries respectively in Leinster 50-24 victory over Zebre last month.

There is good news for Cullen and Farrell, however, with lock Joe McCarthy entering the final stage of his rehabilitation from a foot injury he sustained during the first British and Irish Lions Test against Australia in July.

Leinster said he will "be further assessed as the week continues" but added there are no further updates on the fitness of Cormac Foley (calf) and Hugo Keenan (hip).

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Ireland centre Bundee Aki said his side is "moving in the right direction" despite their 24-13 defeat by South Africa, which came at the end of a mixed Autumn Nations Series.

Andy Farrell's side fell short against New Zealand in Chicago, had an unconvincing win over Japan before roaring back with a record victory over Australia.

They finished the year with a chaotic loss against the world champions, but Aki believes they have taken "a lot of good learnings" from their four games with the Six Nations on the horizon.

"Like we said at the start, from how poorly we started, there were some learnings there. We improved for Japan, more improvement again Australia," he said.

"They are world champions for a reason, but I think we're moving in the right direction, and I think this game will stand to us.

"I thought there was bloody good stuff from the boys there from the beginning right to the end. We have to regroup, go back to the drawing board and have a look at ourselves."

Ireland will not be in action again until their Six Nations opener against France in Paris in February.

As a result, Aki knows he and his teammates must park the autumn games and perform well for their clubs until then to give Ireland the best chance of wrestling back the championship crown.

"We finish the Autumn Nations Series now, we close that book, and I need to put my best foot forward for Connacht and be able to be playing well, giving the best for the team and put my hand up whenever I can," he added.

"There's loads of belief in that changing room. We back ourselves to be honest with each other and go again."