Provincial Rugby News
16 May 12
Ulster hooker Rory Best talks about the build-up to Saturday's Heineken Cup final showdown with Leinster at Twickenham, and what it would mean to emulate the province's European title-winning heroes of 1999.
16 May 12
Ulster head coach Brian McLaughlin and captain Johann Muller give their thoughts ahead of the province's first European Cup decider in 13 years - they meet provincial rivals Leinster at Twickenham on Saturday.
15 May 12
Munster full-back Felix Jones will undergo shoulder surgery next week that will see him sidelined for at least four months. He sustained the damage to his shoulder in last Friday's RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final loss to the Ospreys.
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15 May 12
As the finals weekend of the European club rugby season fast approaches, ERC have named a shortlist of five players who are in contention for the northern hemisphere's most prestigious individual accolade - the ERC European Player of the Year for 2012.
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15 May 12
Influential back rower Chris Henry has been included in Ulster's extended 31-man squad ahead of their Heineken Cup final clash with Leinster on Saturday.
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15 May 12
At a disciplinary hearing in Cardiff on Monday, Connacht's Mike McCarthy was cleared of a citing complaint of making contact with the eye or eye area of Glasgow Warriors lock Tom Ryder in a RaboDirect PRO12 match on May 5.
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15 May 12
The Charleville Park Hotel in Cork was the venue where the Munster squad held their wrap-up meeting on Monday, which brought the curtain down on their 20111/12 season.
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15 May 12
The Aviva Stadium and the RDS will host next year's Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup finals respectively. Speaking at the announcement, IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne said: "It will be a great rugby weekend. What better city to do it in than Dublin? We've a reputation for being good hosts and here's an opportunity for us to show it to the rugby world."
15 May 12
Leo Varadkar, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, welcomed the news that the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup finals will both be held in Dublin in May 2013.
14 May 12
Leinster centre Brian O'Driscoll, who is nursing a knee injury, and forwards coach Jono Gibbes preview next Saturday's Heineken Cup final showdown with Ulster at Twickenham.
14 May 12
The Leinster squad will resume their on-field preparations on Tuesday morning ahead of their mouth-watering Heineken Cup final clash with Ulster next weekend.
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14 May 12
Dublin is in line for a major economic boost next year when the Irish capital becomes the epicentre of European club rugby with the staging of both the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup finals in May 2013.
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14 May 12
Listen to Shane Jennings and Eoin Reddan give their reaction after Leinster's 19-15 RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final victory over Glasgow Warriors, which sets up a decider against the Ospreys in two weeks' time.
14 May 12
Glasgow Warriors head coach Sean Lineen gives his take on the 19-15 RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final defeat to Leinster at the RDS, which marked his final game with the Scottish club.
14 May 12
Leinster have reached their third successive RaboDirect PRO12 final and will have home advantage over the 2010 champions, the Ospreys, at the RDS on Sunday, May 27 (kick-off 4pm).
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12 May 12
Listen to Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt give his reaction after the province's 19-15 RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final victory over Glasgow Warriors at the RDS.
12 May 12
Leinster wore down Glasgow Warriors' stubborn resistance at the RDS as they progressed to their third successive RaboDirect PRO12 final.
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11 May 12
Munster relinquished their grip on the RaboDirect PRO12 title when crashing to a 35-point defeat to the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium.
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11 May 12
As the RaboDirect PRO12 semi-finals get ready to kick off in Swansea tonight, RaboDirect PRO12 Chief Executive John Feehan has confirmed the arrangements for the final over the weekend of May 26-27.
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11 May 12
A play-off win for Leinster over Glasgow Warriors would see the province through to their third successive RaboDirect PRO12 final, although Joe Schmidt's men will proceed with caution as the Scots handed their a surprise home defeat back in September.
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