URC returns with Kildare players representing all four provinces
Todd Lawlor will make his senior competitive debut for Leinster in South Africa this weekend. Photo: INPHO/Grace Halton
This weekend marks the return of the BKT United Rugby Championship, with Kildare players named for all four of the Irish provinces.
Leinster are away in South Africa with a massive eight-man Kildare contingent. They start off on Saturday afternoon in South Africa, but the new URC reason will be well underway by then.
Connacht will kick-start their 2026/27 campaign at home to last season's beaten semi-finalists, in a difficult opening task against the Stormers.
Irish internationals, Billy Bohan, and provincial captain, Cian Prendergast, are not selected, but Head Coach, Stuart Lancaster has named one Kildare man in his match-day squad, with Newbridge College alum, Jordan Duggan, selected among the replacements.
Athy's Martin Moloney will make his competitive debut for Ulster tonight, having spent the last three seasons at English Premiership side, Exeter Chiefs.
Head Coach, Richie Murphy has named Moloney in the back row alongside David McCann and James McNabney as the northern province welcome Edinburgh to Belfast.
With his final year in charge of the province ready to get underway, Leinster Head Coach, Leo Cullen has named an experimental side for tomorrow's Round 1 clash away to South African side, the Lions.
Three Kildare men have made the squad, with Andrew Osborne starting on the wing, while Todd Lawlor starts at full back on his competitive debut for Leinster. Ciaran Mangan completes the county trio, starting from the bench.
Munster round out the initial weekend's fixtures for the Irish sides with a home game against recent rivals, Glasgow.
Irish internationals, Jeremy Loughman, and provincial captain, Tadgh Beirne, are not selected for the curtain-raiser, but Head Coach, Clayton McMillan has named one Kildare man in his match-day squad, with Eadestown's Diarmuid Kilgallen starting on the wing.
