Irish Rugby

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Centre James Hume says Ulster's players are "embracing" the chance to make history in the Challenge Cup final on Friday.

Richie Murphy's side face Montpellier in Bilbao as they look to end a 20-year trophy drought and also secure their place in next season's Champions Cup, having missed out through the United Rugby Championship [URC] with a ninth-place finish.

With no URC play-offs to look forward to, Friday represents the final act of Ulster's season and the opportunity to bring a first trophy back since the 2006 Celtic League success.

There have been some near misses since, with Hume part of the squad that lost out in the 2019-20 Pro 14 final, so the 27-year-old is keen to make up for that disappointment.

"I'm definitely embracing it," Hume said.

"Richie [Murphy, head coach] said just this morning, 'you have a chance to write your name in history'.

"I think it's my eighth season and there's times where you get really, really close, like the semi-final in 2022 [a last-gasp loss to the Bulls in South Africa]. The Pro 14 final during Covid - stuff just didn't go as we had planned.

"This is a massive opportunity for us to bring some silverware back home to Belfast, where there hasn't been since 2006, so we're buzzing for it."

After Friday's disappointment when a late Glasgow try saw the Scottish club claim a dramatic 26-22 win in Belfast, Ulster's eggs are firmly in Friday's Challenge Cup final basket if they want to play in next season's Champions Cup.

With a cup final to look forward to, Hume insists "you can't let that affect you too much" as they prepare to face the side sitting second in the Top 14.

The three-times capped Ireland international admits away defeats in the league against Scarlets and Ospreys "cost us" but the challenge of European rugby is one in which Ulster have produced some of their best moments this season.

"It seems that when we play in Europe against teams that aren't in our league [URC], we seem to play better rugby or it's like more enjoyable to attack against.

"French defences are a bit more erratic and not as organised as what the northern hemisphere rugby usually is within our league, so sometimes that presents different opportunities and maybe suits us a bit more, but we'll see in the weekend."

David Mohan
BBC Sport NI journalist

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Leinster centre Garry Ringrose feels it is "no surprise" former academy head Noel McNamara has enjoyed success at Bordeaux-Begles.

The County Clare native took up the role of attack coach with the Top 14 outfit in 2023, helping deliver last year's Investec Champions Cup and two runner-up finishes in domestic competition.

McNamara coached Ireland's Under-20s between 2018 and 2020, delivering a Six Nations title in 2019, before moving to Leinster and then on to South African club Sharks in 2021.

Although Ringrose did not directly play under McNamara - who has extended his stay in France until 2029 - the 31-year-old Ireland international believes his past involvement at Leinster is still felt to this day as they prepare to take on the defending champions in Saturday's Champions Cup final in Bilbao (14:45 BST).

"He definitely had a really big impact on the players he dealt with here at Leinster and it comes as no surprise he's having success with Bordeaux and getting the most out of the whole team, but certainly the backs," Ringrose said.

"He is an exceptional coach and away from not being a really good person, so I think the players play for him on two fronts, for him being a good guy and then also an exceptional coach.

"He was in charge of some of the Leinster and Ireland, age grade stuff that I just missed out on, but I got to work or rub shoulders with him more closely then once I came in the building here in UCD.

"Then also from being close with the guys that were specifically under him and coached by him, understanding what made him tick and the value he was provided to them."

Ringrose has been a regular for club and country over the past decade and while Leinster's high number of representatives in Andy Farrell's squad may suggest both sides have a degree of symmetry, the 2025 British and Irish Lion insists it's not quite the case.

"In terms of identity, it can be similar personnel, but there's also lots of differences as well," he countered.

"There's things that the coaches demand of us and ask of us in here that differ slightly in Ireland and vice versa. So as a player, we're only ever trying to just deliver and do our job as best we can."

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Ulster have confirmed the appointment of former New Zealand international Clarke Dermody as the province's new forwards coach.

The 46-year-old, who will join this summer before the 2026-27 season, will replace Jimmy Duffy.

Dermody will move to Ulster from Super Rugby side Highlanders, where he has fulfilled a number of positions including a two-year stint as head coach between 2022 and 2024.

"While we are sad to say goodbye to Jimmy Duffy who is moving on, as a coaching team we are very excited to be welcoming Clarke to Ulster this summer," said Ulster head coach Richie Murphy.

"He is an experienced coach, with a strong track record of developing top talent. We are looking forward to seeing him implement his methods and philosophy with our squad next season."

During his playing career, loose-head prop Dermody played for Southland, Highlanders and London Irish, where he made over 100 appearances before injury forced his retirement in 2012.

He made three Test appearances for the All Blacks, two of which came against Ireland in 2006.

His coaching career began at Southland Stags in 2014, while he was the Highlanders' scrum coach during their 2015 Super Rugby triumph.

As co-coach alongside current Ireland attack coach Andrew Goodman, Dermody won back-to-back National Provincial Championship titles with in 2019 and 2020 with Tanman Mako.

Having impressed as Highlanders forwards coach, Dermody was appointed head coach in 2022 following Tony Brown's departure for Japan before transitioning into assistant coach two years later after Jamie Joseph's return to the Dunedin-based franchise.

Jana McCabe
BBC Sport NI journalist

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Ireland player of the match Aoife Wafer said the side's dominant 54-5 victory over Scotland in front of a record crowd at the Aviva Stadium is her "wildest dream come true".

It was a ruthless first-half display from Ireland, who scored seven tries in the opening period to give them a 47-0 lead at the break before Brittany Hogan crossed again after the restart.

Wafer was awarded the player of the match for the second successive game as, like in the victory over Wales in Belfast, she registered two tries in another fine display in Dublin in the first standalone women's rugby match at the Aviva.

"It is unbelievable," Wafer said.

"That is what dreams are made of. I sat here 12 years ago [when Ireland beat Italy in a double-header with the men's Six Nations] and now to be out here in front of 32,000 people is my wildest dream come true.

"We knew there was more in us than what we have shown over this campaign so far, so I am so incredibly proud to be part of this team and hopefully we can inspire more young girls."

The victory, their third home win of the campaign, helped Scott Bemand's side to finish third in the Women's Six Nations table.

Ireland will have home games against this year's top two sides, France and England, in next year's tournament and Wafer was adamant that this will be the first of many games at Aviva Stadium for her side.

"See you all here next year," she continued.

"The last seven weeks have been unbelievable. We have lived in each other's pockets and I couldn't ask for a better group to do this alongside.

"It all hit me a little bit when the final whistle went, it is a dream come true."

Jana McCabe
BBC Sport NI journalist

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Back row Brittany Hogan said the squad need to "enjoy every moment" ahead of Sunday's final Six Nations match against Scotland [14:30 BST].

Ireland are aiming to register their third consecutive home win when they welcome Sione Fukofuka's side to Dublin.

It is set to be a record crowd at the first stand-alone women's rugby match at the Aviva Stadium with more than 30,000 tickets sold.

"Rugby was never a sport I could play in the locality that I grew up. I had to drive 35 minutes to play," Hogan said.

"The fact I was able to do that and now play at the Aviva and the visibility of the game now, even the opportunity to do that, I am so lucky.

"I just feel really grateful and lucky to be in the position I am today. We have to just enjoy it, we need to really enjoy the build-up and the girls as you might not be with the squad again so try and enjoy every moment."

Hogan scored two tries during Ireland's 33-12 victory over Wales at Affidea Stadium and also during their 57-20 home win against Italy.

Now, the 27-year-old says the side need to be "as ruthless as we can" as they aim to finish the Six Nations campaign unbeaten at home.

"It's all that work to get up to the five-metre line and as soon as we get there, we want to be as ruthless as we can," she continued.

"OK, I carried two of them [against Wales], but I wouldn't have been able to get over the line if it wasn't for my two latchers.

"It is just that ruthlessness that we have as a squad, knowing as soon we get there that the backs are not going to get the ball, we are going to score the try and get over as quickly as we can. I am just lucky to be in the prime spot and get over."