2025–26 Leinster Rugby season

Leinster Rugby
2025–26 season
Head coachLeo Cullen
Chief executiveShane Nolan
Top try scorerLeague: Scott Penny - 2 tries
Top points scorerLeague: Sam Prendergast - 15 points
Highest home attendance51,859 (vs Munster, Rd 4}
Lowest home attendance14,128 (vs Zebre, Rd 5)
Average home attendance27,845

The 2025–26 season is Leinster Rugby's fifth season in the United Rugby Championship (URC), their 32nd season of professional rugby and their 138th season of representative rugby since their foundation. Along with competing in the URC and its Irish Shield competition, both of which it will enter as champion, the club will also participate in the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup. Leinster will open the URC season with an away tie at Stormers on 26 September 2025.[1]

Leinster Women will contest the 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series, branded the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship for sponsorship reasons, as defending champions, opening their season on 10 August 2025 against Ulster Women. They will also field the combined Wolfhounds team, with Ulster Rugby in the 2025–26 Celtic Challenge, once more as defending champions.

Leinster Men

Transfers

Main article: Leinster Rugby

Preseason

Leinster's pre-season campaign consists of a single match, hosting Cardiff at the South Dublin Tallaght Stadium

13 September 2025 Leinster 10–31 Cardiff Tallaght Stadium  
18:00 Report[17]

United Rugby Championship

Matches

The full itinery of matches was released on 21 May 2025.[18][1]

26 September 2025 (1 BP) Stormers 35 – 0 Leinster Cape Town Stadium  
18:00 Try: Ungerer (45')
Roos (63' 68')
Matthee (71')
Con: Matthee (45' 64' 69')
Pen: Matthee (7' 33' 42')
 Report[19] Cards: Deegan  63'
T. O'Brien  67' 		Attendance: 13 529
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi
4 October 2025 (1 BP) Bulls 39 – 31 Leinster (1 BP) Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
17:30 Try: de Klerk (4')
Kriel (16', 78')
Gumede (41')
le Roux (58')
Jacobs (68')
Con: Johannes (5', 42')
Kriel (79')
Pen: Johannes (35')
 Report Try: Clarkson (30')
Cooney (44')
T. O'Brien (46')
Penny (66')
Con: Prendergast (31', 45', 47', 66')
Pen: Prendergast (20')
Cards: Connors  21' 		Attendance: 6 937
Referee: Adam Jones
11 October 2025 (1 BP) Leinster 31 – 5 Sharks Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30 Try: Jamie Osborne (12')
Jimmy O'Brien (23')
v.d. Flier (27')
Deegan (49')
Gus McCarthy (71')
Con: Harry Byrne(13', 23', 28')
Cards: Boyle  74' 		Report Try: Hooker(30')
 Attendance: 17, 549
18 October 2025 Leinster 14 – 31 Munster (1 BP) Croke Park, Dublin  
17:15 Try: Kelleher (7')
Penny (79')
Con: Prendergast (8', 80'+1)
Cards: Frawley  77' 		Report
MOTM: Jack Crowley 		Try: Gleeson (17')
Tom Farrell (23')
Coughlan (37')
penalty try (76')
Con: Crowley (18', 24', 38')
Pen: Crowley (49')
Cards: Coombes,  79' 		Attendance: 51,859
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi
25 October 2025 (1 BP) Leinster 50 – 26 Zebre Parma (1 BP) Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30 Try: Kenny (2' c, 27' c)
Soroka (7' m, 12' c)
Cahir (48' c)
Byrne (55' m)
Snyman (68' c)
Connors (78' m)
Con: (2', 13', 27', 49', 69')
Cards: A Osborne  30' 		Report
Scoreboard
Highlights 		Try: Belloni (10' c)
Dominguez (20' c)
Quattrini (32' c)
Marco Zanon (73' m)
Con: da Re (11', 21', 33')
Cards: Dominguez  37' 		Attendance: 14,128[20]
Referee: Ian Kenny
28 November 2025 Dragons 10–24 Leinster (1 BP) Rodney Parade, Newport  
19:45 Try: Screech (31' c)
Con: de Beer(32')
Pen: O'Brien(47')
 Report Try: Soroka (4' m)
Kenny (44' c, 59' m)
Snyman (78' c)
Con: Byrne (45', 79')
Cards: Mangan 29' to 39'
Penny 38' to 48'
McGrath 80' to f.t.' 		Attendance: 4,244[21]
Referee: Morne Ferreira
19 December 2025 Leinster v Ulster Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
19:45
27 December 2025 Munster v Leinster Thomond Park  
19:45
3 January 2026 Leinster v Connacht Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30
24 January 2026 Connacht v Leinster The Sportsground, Galway  
17:30
31 January 2026 Leinster v Edinburgh Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30
27 February 2026 Cardiff v Leinster Cardiff Arms Park  
19:45
21 March 2026 Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Scotstoun Stadium  
17:30
28 March 2026 Leinster v Scarlets Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30
17 April 2026 Ulster v Leinster Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast  
19:45
25 April 2026 Benetton v Leinster Stadio Comunale di Monigo  
19:45
9 May 2026 Leinster v Lions Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30
16 May 2026 Leinster v Ospreys Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:15

URC Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Stormers 6 6 0 0 184 60 +124 23 7 3 0 27 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
2 Cardiff 7 5 0 2 157 122 +35 24 16 4 2 26
3 Munster 6 5 0 1 146 116 +30 21 18 3 1 24
4 Ulster 6 4 0 2 202 140 +62 29 20 5 1 22
5 Leinster 7 4 0 3 174 166 +8 27 23 4 1 21 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2026–27 Champions Cup
6 Glasgow Warriors 6 4 0 2 161 87 +74 22 10 3 1 20
7 Lions 6 3 0 3 176 178 −2 24 26 3 1 16
8 Bulls 6 3 0 3 172 190 −18 26 27 3 0 15
9 Connacht 5 2 0 3 120 91 +29 17 13 3 2 13 Qualification for the 2026–27 Challenge Cup
10 Edinburgh 5 2 0 3 128 88 +40 20 14 2 3 13
11 Zebre Parma 6 2 0 4 106 182 −76 14 27 2 0 10
12 Benetton 6 2 0 4 101 176 −75 11 26 1 0 9
13 Ospreys 6 1 1 4 127 159 −32 19 24 1 1 8
14 Scarlets 6 2 0 4 102 143 −41 12 19 0 0 8
15 Sharks 6 1 1 4 113 180 −67 17 24 2 0 8
16 Dragons 6 0 2 4 84 175 −91 11 26 0 1 5
Updated to match(es) played on 19 December 2025. Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[22]


URC Irish Shield table

2025–26 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield tables
Irish Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Munster 2 2 0 0 48 29 +19 7 5 1 0 9 3
2 Leinster 2 1 0 1 38 51 -13 6 7 1 0 1 5
3 Connacht 1 0 0 1 15 17 -2 3 3 0 1 1 9
4 Ulster 1 0 0 1 20 24 -4 3 4 0 1 1 4
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[23]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

European Rugby Champions Cup

Leinster have been drawn in Pool 3 of the European Rugby Champions Cup. alongside fellow URC side Stormers (whom Leinster will not play in line with the competition's rules), Leinster will face Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Bayonne and erstwhile rivals La Rochelle. The full fixture details were released on 15 July 2025.

Pool Standings

European Rugby Champions Cup Pool 3
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Stormers 2 2 0 0 68 38 +30 8 6 1 0 9 Home Champions Cup round of 16.
2 Leinster 2 2 0 0 68 43 +25 9 6 1 0 9
3 Harlequins 2 1 0 1 96 59 +37 14 9 2 0 6 Away Champions Cup round of 16.
4 La Rochelle 2 1 0 1 60 62 −2 9 8 1 0 5
5 Leicester Tigers 2 0 0 2 35 62 −27 4 8 0 0 0 Away Challenge Cup round of 16.
6 Bayonne 2 0 0 2 31 94 −63 5 12 0 0 0
Source: EPCR[24]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool matches

6 December 2025 (1 BP) Leinster 45–28 Harlequins (1 BP) Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30 Try: Larmour (2) 5' m, 25' m
Ringrose 17' c
Frawley 40' c
T O'Brien 61' c
Conan 65' c
J O'Brien 68' c
Con: Prendergast (2/4) 17', 40'
Byrne (3/3) 62', 66', 69'
Cards: J O'Brien  59' 		Report Try: Northmore 12' c
Cleaves 34' c
Penalty try 51'
Beard 78' c
Con: Evans (2/2) 13', 35'
Benson (1/1) 79'
Cards: Evans  58' 		Attendance: 22,298
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
12 December 2025 Leicester Tigers 15–23 Leinster Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Leicester  
20:00 Try: Radwan 21' c
Hassell-Collins 40' m
Con: Searle (1) 22'
Pen: Searle (20')
 Report Try: Gibson-Park 50' c
Sheehan 72' c
Con: Byrne 51'
Prendergast 73'
Pen: Byrne (3) 15', 32', 61'
 Attendance: 18,061
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
10 January 2026 Leinster v La Rochelle Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
17:30 UTC
17 January 2026 Bayonne v Leinster Stade Jean Dauger  
15:15 UTC

IRFU Interprovincial 'A' Championship

The IRFU introduced the A Championship as part of its professional pathway in 2024-25 to coincide with the union's 150th anniversary. This season sees the competition return as a six leg home and away round robin.[25]

Fixtures

18 October 2025 Leinster 'A' 26 – 26 Munster 'A' Ollie Campbell Park  
12:00 Try: John McKee
Caspar Gabriel
penalty try
Josh Kenny
Con: Gabriel (2)
 Report Try: Shay McCarthy (2)
Luke Murphy
Kamil Nowak
Con: Tony Butler (3)
 Referee: Evan Urruzmendi
19 December 2025 Munster 'A' v Leinster 'A' Rockwell College  
3 January 2026 Leinster 'A' v Connacht Eagles Belfield  
13 February 2026 Connacht Eagles v Leinster 'A' Dexcom Stadium  
1 May 2026 Leinster 'A' v Ulster 'A'  
tbc Ulster 'A' v Leinster 'A'  

Leinster Women

IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series

Main article: 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series

The 2025 IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series is being contested by women's teams representing the four provincial rugby unions of Ireland, under the same branding and uniforms as the senior men's teams in the United Rugby Championship. The competition currently uses a single round-robin format, similar to the one used in both the Six Nations Championship and the Women's Six Nations Championship. Each team plays the other three teams once.[26]

As in previous seasons the competition also features playoffs and a final.[27][28][29]

Leinster Women returned as defending champions, but lost in the final to Munster Women.

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Munster Women 3 3 0 0 115 44 +71 18 5 3 0 15 Qualified for Interprovincial final
2 Leinster Women 3 2 0 1 76 66 +10 14 10 2 0 10
3 Connacht Women 3 1 0 2 27 66 −39 5 12 0 1 5 Qualified for third/fourth place final
4 Ulster Women 3 0 0 3 43 87 −44 7 15 0 1 1
First match(es) will be played: Unknown. Source: Unknown
Rules for classification: 1) competition points; 2) match points difference; 3) match points for

Matches

10 August 2025 (1 BP) Leinster Women 37–21 Ulster Women Energia Park  
2:30pm Try: Kathy Baker (2)
Emma Brogan (3)
Jane Neill
Jade Gaffney
Con: Nikki Caughey (1/7) 		Report Try: Siobhán Sheerin
India Daley
Sophie Barrett
Con: Sheerin (3/3) 		Referee: Cian Aherne (IRFU)
16 August 2025 (1 BP) Leinster Women 22–33 Munster Women (1 BP) Energia Park  
2:30pm Try: Vicky Elmes Kinlan
Kathy Baker
Molly Boyne
Katie Whelan
Con: Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton (1/4) 		Report Try: Chloe Pearse (2)
Chisom Ugwueru
Kate Flannery
Aoife Corey
Con: Caitríona Finn (4/5)
23 August 2025 (1 BP) Connacht Women 12- 17 Leinster Women Dexcom Stadium, Galway  
2:30pm Try: Orla Dixon
Faith Oviawe
Con: Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (1/2) 		Report Try: Kelly Burke
Katie Layde
Vicky Elmes Kinlan
Con: Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (1/3) 		Referee: John Lillis (IRFU)

Finals day

Final


30 August 2025 Leinster Women 15–50 Munster Women Energia Park  
4:30pm Try: Katie Whelan (2)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan 		Report, 2 Try: Chloe Pearse
Deirbhile Nic a Bháird 2
Aoife Corey
Maeve Óg O’Leary
Caitríona Finn
Eilís Cahill
Con: Finn (6/7)
Pen: Finn 		Referee: Daniel Carson (IRFU)

Celtic Challenge

Main article: 2025–26 Celtic Challenge

The 2025–26 Celtic Challenge will be the fourth season of the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border women's rugby union competition with teams from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. The six team tournament features a full double round robin fixture series, with each team playing the others both home and away. For the first time, the competition will include a finals series with semi-finals and a grand final.[30][31]

Wolfhounds, a combined team representing Leinster and Ulster, return as two-time defending champions.

Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Brython Thunder 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Play-offs
2 Clovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Edinburgh Rugby 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Glasgow Warriors 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Gwalia Lightning 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Wolfhounds 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
First match(es) will be played: 20 December 2025. Source: Celtic Challenge[32]
Rules for classification: Four points for a win, two points for a draw. One bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match; one bonus point for losing by a margin of seven or less.

Wolfhounds fixtures

20 December 2025 Wolfhounds v Edinburgh Rugby Energia Park, Dublin  
14:30
3 January 2026 Clovers v Wolfhounds Creggs RFC  
15:00
10 January 2026 Edinburgh Rugby v Wolfhounds Hive Stadium, Glasgow  
15:00
18 January 2026 Wolfhounds v Brython Thunder Affidea Stadium  
12:00
25 January 2026 Wolfhounds v Glasgow Warriors Virgin Media Park, Cork  
15:00
1 February 2026 Wolfhounds v Gwalia Lightning Virgin Media Park, Cork  
12:30
15 February 2026 Glasgow Warriors v Wolfhounds Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow  
14:00
21 February 2026 Brython Thunder v Wolfhounds Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli  
12:£0
28 February 2026 Gwalia Lightning v Wolfhounds CSE at Ystrad Mynach  
13:00
8 March 2026 Wolfhounds v Clovers UCD Bowl, Dublin  
15:00


Notes

References

  1. ^ a b Glennon, Michael (21 May 2025). "Leinster to start 2025/26 URC campaign in South Africa". rte.ie.
  2. ^ "Larmour, Slimani & Gunne Sign New Contracts With Leinster". IRFU.ie. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b "James Lowe and Jamie Osborne pen new deal as Leinster continue contracts process". Independent.ie. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Lowe latest to sign new deal with Leinster". RTE.ie. 19 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Leinster Announce New Deal For O'Brien, McKee & Cooney". irishrugby.ie. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  6. ^ "Sam Prendergast pens new deal with Leinster while Alex Usanov signs first professional contract with the province". Independent.ie. 25 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  7. ^ "RG Snyman pens new Leinster deal after stunning first season since controversial Munster move". Independent.ie. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Rieko Ioane to join Leinster in bombshell move". Rugby Pass. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  9. ^ Thornley, Gerry (15 April 2024). "Jordie Barrett will join Leinster on short-term contract next December". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Munster: Irish province sign front-rowers Michael Milne and Lee Barron from Leinster on two-year deals". BBC Sport. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  11. ^ "'A real statement of ambition' - Gloucester Rugby confirm signing of Irish international Ross Byrne". Gloucesteshire Live. 21 February 2025. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Cian Healy: Retiring Irish prop grateful for 10 extra years after neck injury". BBC Sport. 1 March 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
  13. ^ Nolan, Lawrence (7 May 2025). "Jordie Barrett farewelled as Leinster confirm list of nine end-of-season leavers". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
  14. ^ "Leinster leaver joins Pro D2 club, Racing 92 issue Szarzewski statement". Planet Rugby. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  15. ^ O'Connor, Rúaidhrí (11 June 2025). "'I honestly can't wait to get started' – Leinster's Rob Russell to join Ross Byrne at Gloucester next season". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Ulster Rugby Academy confirmed for 2025/26". Ulster Rugby. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  17. ^ "Leinster 10 Cardiff Rugby 31". Cardiff Rugby. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  18. ^ Wright, Jared (21 May 2025). "Full 2025/26 United Rugby Championship fixture list confirmed as Stormers v Leinster kick-off the new season". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  19. ^ John O'Sullivan, "Leinster blown away by the Stormers on chastening night for champions in Cape Town", The Irish Times, 26 september 2025
  20. ^ Glennon, Michael (25 October 2025). "Leinster shake off lively Zebre challenge for bonus win". rte.ie.
  21. ^ Websites - 3bit.co.uk, We Build. "Dragon News : Brave Dragons denied late on by Leinster". dragonsrfc.wales. Retrieved 29 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  23. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Pool Tables | Investec Champions Cup". www.epcrugby.com. European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Irish Rugby | Men's Interprovincial 'A' Series Kicks Off This Weekend". Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  26. ^ "Women's Interprovincial Series". www.irishrugby.ie. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  27. ^ "Leinster ladies win first Interpro crown". www.irishexaminer.com. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  28. ^ "Women's: Leinster End Munster's Grip On Interpro Title". www.irishrugby.ie. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  29. ^ "Munster Women Make It Three-In-A-Row". www.irishrugby.ie. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  30. ^ Challenge, Celtic (13 August 2025). "New Look Celtic Challenge Finals Reflect Rising Women's Rugby World Cup Influence - Celtic Challenge". Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  31. ^ "2025-26 Celtic Challenge to feature knockout rugby as competition revamped". BBC Sport. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  32. ^ "Table". Celtic Challenge. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
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