URC
Leinster and Children in Hospital Ireland announce partnership
Leinster Rugby has announced Children in Hospital Ireland (CIH) as its latest charity partner for the month of September as part of the Charity Affiliate Programme.
Since 1970, CIH’s team of staff, supporters and volunteers have been playing a major role in initiating and furthering changes in how children are cared for in Irish hospitals.
Each year in Ireland there are, on average, over 325,000 hospital visits by children and for over 10,000 of those, this means an average of a three-night stay.
Volunteers from all backgrounds, ages, and experiences give two hours a week to support children and their families through providing play in their local hospitals.
CIH vets, trains, and provides ongoing support for hundreds of volunteers in 14 paediatric units in Ireland every year.
Across Leinster, 145 volunteers are currently back in the major Dublin hospitals, Kilkenny and Drogheda. However, teams are eagerly growing again as new volunteers are recruited following long pauses during COVID restrictions.
Community support means so much to families at a time filled with stress and anxiety.
“Our son Freddie was born in June 2021. He is a twin to Theo, but Freddie had a hard start due to some medical complexities and spent his first year of life in Crumlin. With a twin and older sibling at home there were times we couldn’t always be with Freddie and so the volunteers in Crumlin were a massive support to us with this,” say Tracy and Andrew Holmes.
“We used their services a lot in that year and we could not be more grateful to them, it would have made our hospital journey much harder without their support.”
In attendance at the launch in Leinster Rugby head office in UCD were a number of Leinster Rugby players, as well as representatives from CIH.
Welcoming the news of the partnership, Anna Gunning, CEO of CIH said:
“We are thrilled to have been selected as charity partner for Leinster Rugby for September. This provides us with an opportunity to highlight the work of Children in Hospital Ireland and bring it to new audiences.
“We hope to attract new volunteers, supporters and partners which will help to develop our services and therefore support more children in hospital and their families. Thank you to all the team in Leinster Rugby for affording us this opportunity.”
Speaking on behalf of Leinster Rugby, Marcus Ó Buachalla, who manages the charity partnerships, said, “It was great to meet the team from Children in Hospital Ireland here this morning, but more so, to meet some of their volunteers and some of the parents and the children that have come to rely on them over the last few years.
“Chatting to them and hearing the impact that the charity has had on them and their lives while in hospital was eye opening and hopefully we can highlight over the month ahead the great work that they do.”
Leinster Rugby also confirmed that Bank of Ireland would continue to support the charity partner scheme again this season and that its player of the month award donation will now be made to the monthly charity affiliate, rather than the player in question, a move that is also supported by the Leinster Rugby players.
Like all the charities selected, Children in Hospital Ireland was selected by Leinster Rugby after a consultation process involving the leadership group of the men, women’s and Academy teams and consultation with the premium sponsors and partners and the OLSC.
For more information on Children in Hospital Ireland, please visit their website.
Further information about the Leinster Rugby Charity Affiliate Programme:
The charities supported by Leinster Rugby as part of this initiative, include;
2020/21 Season: Women’s Aid (November), Debra Ireland (December), numerous local causes supported by Bank of Ireland (January), ALONE (February), Pieta (March), AsIAm (April), LauraLynn (May), the Gavin Glynn Foundation (June), Irish Heart Foundation (August) and CRY (September)
2021/22 Season: Alzheimer Society of Ireland (November), Peter McVerry Trust (December), numerous local causes supported by Bank of Ireland such as Outcomers, Citywise Means Business, New Horizon and Purple House (January), the RNLI (February), Irish Cancer Society (March), Irish Community Air Ambulance (April), CRY (May) and Belong To (June)
The selection process for all the charities includes the Leinster Rugby players, Leinster Rugby sponsors and partners and also the Official Leinster Supporters Club (OLSC).
Images & Content from Leinster Rugby
Ulster ready for interpro derby against Connacht in Belfast
41 minutes ago
Fixture News
Ulster Head Coach, Richie Murphy, has named his Ulster side to take on Connacht on Saturday night in Round 4 of the BKT United Rugby Championship (kick-off 8pm).
Iain Henderson captains the side and is joined in the second row by Kieran Treadwell.
Prop, Andrew Warwick, and lock, Alan O’Connor, are in line for their 200th Ulster caps this weekend.
Limited tickets are still available for Saturday’s big game via the link below.
Warwick starts at loosehead prop, joined by experienced hooker, John Andrew, and Irish international prop, Tom O’Toole, at tighthead prop.
In the back row, David McCann, starts as the openside flanker, with Sean Reffell starting on the blindside.
Nick Timoney starts at eight and marks a milestone of his own, making his 150th cap for Ulster.
The half-back partnership this weekend sees John Cooney start alongside Aidan Morgan, who has two tries in his opening three matches for Ulster.
After scoring a superb individual try against the Bulls last weekend, Jacob Stockdale, starts on the left wing, with Werner Kok making his first start at Kingspan Stadium on the right wing.
Jude Postlethwaite returns to the team, following an impressive Emerging Ireland tour, that saw the Lisburn man score a try against Western Force last weekend, before being released to play for the province.
He starts at inside centre and is joined by Stewart Moore, who scored a great try last weekend against the Bulls.
Ethan McIlroy starts at full-back, completing the back-field.
Murphy opts for a 5:3 split on the bench, with James McCormick, Callum Reid, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor and Marcus Rea providing the forward replacement options.
Nathan Doak, Ben Carson and Mike Lowry provide the back options from the bench.
Ulster Rugby v Connacht Rugby, Saturday 12 October, 8pm, Kingspan Stadium (Live on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sounds, Premier Sports and TG4):
(1-8) Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson (C), Kieran Treadwell, David McCann, Sean Reffell, Nick Timoney;
(15-9) Ethan McIlroy, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, John Cooney.
Replacements: James McCormick, Callum Reid, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor, Marcus Rea, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson, Mike Lowry.
The Opposition:
Images & Content – Ulster Rugby
The Munster squad started preparations on Monday ahead of Saturday’s URC round four clash against Leinster at Croke Park (5.45pm).
In player news, Seán O’Brien returns from the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa ahead of Saturday’s game.
Following Munster’s win over Ospreys on Saturday, Oli Jager (neck) and Peter O’Mahony (hamstring) are both going for scans and are unavailable this weekend.
Mike Haley has a leg contusion and his availability will be determined later in the week.
There is good news for Tom Ahern (ankle) and Alex Nankivell (shoulder) as they are both returning to training this week. Their respective availability for Croke Park will be determined later in the week.
Ruadhán Quinn is following the return to play protocols and his availability will be determined later in the week.
Billy Burns is increasing his training exposure this week and the out-half’s availability will be determined later in the week.
Shane Daly is unlikely to be available this week as he continues to recover from an elbow injury.
Thaakir Abrahams sustained a low-grade thigh injury against Zebre and is unavailable this week.
Long-term absentees Rory Scannell (ankle) and Paddy Patterson (knee) are making good progress and will increase their training exposure this week.
Patrick Campbell will have surgery on a shoulder injury he sustained in AIL action last month.
Josh Wycherley will visit a specialist this week for a neck injury.
Continuing to rehab: Liam Coombes (leg), Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg), Brian Gleeson (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).
Tickets
Saturday, November 2
Munster v All Blacks XV, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; SOLD OUT
URC Round 7: Saturday, November 30
Munster v Emirates Lions, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 1: Saturday, December 7
Munster v Stade Francais, Thomond Park, 5:30pm; Buy tickets here
Champions Cup Round 3: Saturday, January 11
Munster v Saracens, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 9: Friday, December 27
Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 11: Saturday, February 15
Munster v Scarlets, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 12: Friday, February 28
Munster v Edinburgh, Virgin Media Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 15: Saturday, April 19
Munster v Bulls, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 17: Friday, May 9
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Friday, May 16
Munster v Benetton, Virgin Media Park, 8pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Ulster ready to take on Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria
10 minutes ago
News
Ulster Head Coach, Richie Murphy, has named his Ulster side to take on Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Round 3 of the BKT United Rugby Championship.
The starting XV features three players who make their first competitive starts in an Ulster jersey.
Hooker, James McCormick, and centre, Ben Carson, are given the nod for their first starts, with academy lock, Charlie Irvine, in line for his Ulster debut, starting in the second row alongside captain, Iain Henderson.
Joining McCormick in the front row is loosehead prop, Andrew Warwick, and tighthead prop, Corrie Barrett, who scored his first try in an Ulster shirt last weekend against Emirates Lions.
The back row features Development talent, James McNabney, at blindside flanker, with Sean Reffell starting on the openside and David McCann coming in at eight.
The half-back partnership sees Nathan Doak start at scrum-half alongside fly-half, Aidan Morgan, who last weekend made it two tries in his opening two appearances for the province.
Jacob Stockdale starts on the left wing, with Werner Kok starting on the right wing. Kok also scored his first try for the province in last weekend’s match in Johannesburg.
Outside Centre, Stewart Moore, joins Ben Carson at twelve, to form the midfield partnership.
Mike Lowry completes the starting XV at full-back.
Murphy opts for a 5:3 split for the reinforcements on the bench.
Two replacements, hooker Tadgh McElroy and development fly-half, James Humphreys, are also in line to make their debuts for Ulster’s senior side.
Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor and Nick Timoney form the forward options from the bench, with Dave Shanahan and Ben Moxham providing the back options.
Vodacom Bulls v Ulster Rugby, Saturday 5th October, 3pm, Round 3, BKT United Rugby Championship, Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Live on Premier Sports)
(1-8) Andrew Warwick, James McCormick, Corrie Barrett, Iain Henderson (C), Charlie Irvine, James McNabney, Sean Reffell, David McCann
(15-9) Mike Lowry, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Ben Carson, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak;
Replacements: Tadgh McElroy, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Nick Timoney, Dave Shanahan, James Humphreys, Ben Moxham.
Images & Content – Ulster Rugby
Ulster ready for interpro derby against Connacht in Belfast
Squad Update | Munster Prepare For Leinster At Croke Park
