Listen: Can Glasgow shock Leinster in semi-final?
Former Ireland international Bernard Jackman - a European Cup winner with Leinster and now top Irish pundit - joins Tom English and Andy Burke on this week's BBC Scotland Rugby podcast to preview Glasgow's URC semi-final in Dublin on Saturday.There's also a look back at Edinburgh's season-ending play-off defeat and analysis of the reconstruction going on in Scottish Rugby.Listen and subscribe on BBC Sounds
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Lam motivated to take Bristol on to a future title
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam has insisted he has lost none of the motivation to try to take the Bears to a Premiership final next season, despite watching his side fall short in their semi-final at Bath. The Bears held a slender half-time lead over Bath but conceded four successive tries to fall out of contention as their West Country neighbours booked a place in the Twickenham final next who joined Bristol in 2017 with the club then in the Championship, has taken the Bears to the play-offs three times but not yet to a final."To get to the final was massive for us - we are disappointed but we gave it a really good go and we missed out to a quality team," Lam said. "If you look over the seven years at what we've done and what Bath have done, Bath will always get a lot of credit because they've won titles, Northampton won titles, Saracens have won titles. "I think for us to go to that next level and earn some of that respect we need to win a title, that's the next evolution of this team."I'm really excited by next year and what could happen." Bristol finished fourth in the table, securing their semi-final spot - and their first since 2021 when they topped the league - in the final round of the regular season with a win against Harlequins six days did so with the smallest squad in the Premiership and after missing key players such as fly-half AJ MacGinty and winger Gabriel Ibitoye for large chunks of the Bath they scored a breathtaking try which started metres from their own tryline through Kalaveti Ravouvou and was capped off by James Dun, and showcased plenty more of the quick, slick ball-handling skills that made them one of the top attacking outfits this season, and briefly stopped Bath in their across 80 minutes they could not match their opponents - particularly with the loss of scrum-half Harry Randall on 37 minutes to a shoulder injury and following two yellow cards. Lam, who is under contract until 2028, said they need to develop more of the strength in depth that Bath have to push also pointed to the signings of versatile Scotland and Glasgow back Tom Jordan, winger Max Pepper and second row Pedro Rubiolo as additions that will bolster them in 2025-26."We've just got to keep building that depth below so when we lose key guys they can fill that gap even better," he said."We've still got the smallest squad, we've got 31 players next year, 19 senior academy boys."What we've shown is you don't have to spend to the cap - we've tidied up so much of the whole organisation, I believe we're sitting nicely now off the field and we'll build and when we do get some more funds we've got enough in our cap space to grow from there."
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Leicester Tigers priced at 8/13 to clinch victory in Gallagher Premiership semi-final against Sale Sharks - with visiting underdogs valued at 6/5
It's semi-finals weekend in the Gallagher Premiership and Saturday's clash between Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks promises to be an exciting affair. Leicester have hit form at the right time - having won four in their last five - and will look to make home advantage count as they bid to reach another Premiership final. But Sale Sharks arrive with a point to prove and, under Alex Sanderson, have grown into a side capable of upsetting any opposition on their day. Leicester are priced at 8/13 with Sky Bet to win in front of their home crowd and book a place in Twickenham's showpiece final. But if you fancy an upset, Sale are available at 6/5, offering solid value for a side that has already beaten Leicester once this season. For the optimistic neutral, a draw is priced at 20/1. Rare, but not impossible, in a game where defence could dominate and kicking may decide the outcome. Match Odds – Leicester Tigers vs Sale Sharks Leicester – 8/13 Draw – 20/1
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Maura Higgins replaced on Love Island USA spin-off as stunning new host is revealed
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