Ulster

A late Paddy Jackson penalty was to prove crucial as Ulster secured a late 17-15 win over Newport Gwent Dragons to send the Irish side top of the Guinness PRO12 table.

Stuart Olding scored a try on his return to action for Ulster as they secured a bonus-point 32-13 Guinness Pro12 victory over Benetton Treviso at the Stadio Monigo.

Ulster produced the bonus point victory they needed from their final European Champions Cup pool game against Oyonnax but must now wait on other results to secure qualification to the knockout stages as one of three best runners-up.

Despite a second-half howler from England international Owen Farrell, Saracens maintained their 100 per cent record in this season's Champions Cup with a convincing 28-17 victory over Toulouse.

Owen Farrell provided a timely spark of creativity as Saracens stormed into the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup with a 33-17 victory over Ulster that guarantees home advantage in the next round.

Ulster staged one of the great European rugby comebacks as they overturned a 23-point half-time deficit in Oyonnax to keep alive their chances of progressing to the last eight in the Champions Cup with a sensational 24-23 triumph.

Munster halted their five-game losing run and completed the double over Ulster this season by beating their interprovincial rivals 9-7 on Saturday to stay in touch with the leading sides in the Guinness PRO12.

Nick Williams' 76th-minute try proved to be the deciding score as Ulster ended Connacht's unbeaten home record this season, winning a closely-fought Guinness PRO12 derby 10-3 at the Sportsground.

Cardiff Blues have signed Ulster number eight Nick Williams for the 2016/17 season.

Ulster completed a European Champions Cup double over Toulouse to inch themselves closer to the competition’s quarter-final with a narrow 25-23 triumph at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Ulster's European Champions Cup campaign roared back to life with a stunning five-try bonus point thumping of Toulouse at the Kingspan Stadium.

It’s been a grim couple of months for Irish rugby.

Ulster boss Les Kiss has described French heavyweights Toulouse as "predictably unpredictable" ahead of Friday's European Champions Cup clash in Belfast.

Rory Best has signalled his intent to see out his career at home province Ulster by signing a new dual Ireland contract that runs until 2018.

Saracens took complete control of Pool One by coming away from the Kingspan Stadium with a hugely impressive 27-9 win over Ulster to bring Mark McCall's side two wins from two in the European Rugby Champions Cup.

Saracens will take a giant stride towards the European Champions Cup quarter-finals if they beat Ulster in Belfast on Friday.

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe has been ruled out of the 2016 RBS 6 Nations Championship with a knee injury suffered during the World Cup quarter-final defeat against Argentina nine days ago.

Chris Henry will make his first appearance for Ireland since suffering a mini-stroke in November when he features in Thursday's clash with the Barbarians.

As the 2015 Rugby World Cup draws ever closer Mike Stanton continues to look at some of the best young players that could feature at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. This week it is New Zealand and recently signed Ulster full-back, Charles Piutau.

Ulster have announced the signings of London Welsh players Peter Browne and Paul Rowley.