Rugby Fixtures This Weekend: Full Schedule, TV & Live

Rugby fans in Ireland and the UK have a packed weekend ahead, with no fewer than three Irish provinces in United Rugby Championship action alongside France’s Women’s Six Nations clash with Ireland. Whether you’re planning to watch from home or just want to know what’s on, here’s everything that matters for April 24–26, 2026.

Key URC Match: Sharks v Zebre Parma (12.45pm) · Another URC Fixture: Bulls v Benetton (3pm) · Leinster Game: Leinster v Ospreys (5.15pm) · Top Sources: Sky Sports, BBC Sport · Ireland Focus: RTÉ Sport listings

The following table consolidates key sources and broadcast coverage for this weekend’s rugby action across Ireland and the UK.

International rugby fixtures this weekend

The headline international fixture this weekend is France v Ireland in the Women’s Six Nations, scheduled for Saturday 25 April at 8.10pm in Clermont and broadcast live on BBC2 and BBC NI (Rugby World). There are no senior men’s internationals scheduled for this weekend, but the URC round delivers plenty for Irish rugby supporters.

URC matches

Three Irish provinces are in URC action on Saturday 25 April. Munster host Ulster at Thomond Park at 5.30pm, with Benetton travelling to face Leinster at 7.45pm — both live on Premier Sports (Sky Sports). Connacht face a tough away trip to South Africa, taking on the Lions at Emirates Airline Park with a 3pm kickoff listed (Rugby World).

On the domestic front, Scarlets v Bulls and Edinburgh v Sharks round out the Saturday evening slots at 7.45pm, with Stormers v Glasgow Warriors kicking off at 12.45pm in the early afternoon window.

Other international leagues

Outside the URC, the Women’s Six Nations continues with multiple ties across Europe. The English Premiership also has fixtures scheduled, though Gallagher Premiership matches this weekend are primarily covered through Sky Sports for live scores and match reports.

Live Rugby today

Friday 24 April opens the weekend with three URC matches, all live on Premier Sports. Connacht travel to face Ospreys at 7pm (19:00 GMT), while Edinburgh v Sharks and Zebre v Dragons both kick off at 7.45pm (Sky Sports). Welsh-language broadcaster S4C also carries coverage of the Ospreys match under its partnership with the URC, which has been extended until 2027.

Today’s key games

The standout Friday fixture is Edinburgh v Sharks at Hive Stadium, pitting Edinburgh’s pack against the South African side’s physicality. Zebre v Dragons rounds out the evening at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, offering Italian and Welsh regional interest respectively.

Broadcast details

Premier Sports is the primary broadcaster for URC matches in the Republic of Ireland and UK. United Rugby Championship lists official broadcasters by country, confirming Premier Sports’ regional rights. S4C extends free-to-air access for Welsh regional matches under a partnership running until 2027 (Rugby World).

Rugby fixtures tomorrow

Saturday 25 April is the heaviest day of the weekend, with six URC matches spread across the afternoon and evening. Kickoff times range from 12.45pm (Stormers v Glasgow Warriors) through to 7.45pm (Benetton v Leinster and Scarlets v Bulls), with Lions v Connacht at 3pm and Munster v Ulster at 5.30pm filling the mid-evening slots.

Saturday schedule

RTÉ Sport publishes comprehensive fixtures listings including URC matches and Women’s Six Nations games, making it the go-to source for Irish viewers wanting full schedules (RTÉ Sport). Irish Rugby’s official site also carries provincial fixtures and results for all Ireland-team matches (Irish Rugby).

Sunday previews

While no URC matches are scheduled for Sunday 26 April, the Women’s Six Nations match between France and Ireland Women kicks off at 8.10pm on Saturday evening — late enough that post-match discussion will extend into Sunday morning.

The concentration of URC action on Saturday makes it the busiest single day for Irish provincial supporters, with three of the four provinces in action alongside an international fixture.

International rugby fixtures this weekend on TV

For Irish viewers, Premier Sports carries the bulk of URC live coverage this weekend, including all three Irish province fixtures on Saturday. The France v Ireland Women match is notably available on BBC2 and BBC NI — free-to-air in the UK — offering broader accessibility than typical subscription sports coverage.

Premier Sports broadcasts

Premier Sports holds live rights for URC matches in Ireland and the UK, with confirmed broadcasts including Edinburgh v Sharks, Lions v Connacht, Munster v Ulster, Benetton v Leinster, and Scarlets v Bulls (Rugby World). The channel also covers the Champions Cup semi-final between Leinster and Toulon on 2 May.

Sky Sports coverage

Sky Sports lists the full URC fixture list alongside international and Premiership coverage, serving as a secondary source for kickoff times and match confirmations (Sky Sports). For live scores without subscription, BBC Sport provides real-time updates across multiple formats.

Rugby fixtures this weekend Ireland

Irish provincial fans have plenty to track this weekend, with Connacht, Leinster, and Munster all in URC action alongside Ireland Women’s Six Nations fixture against France. The official Irish Rugby Union site and RTÉ Sport provide the most reliable Irish-focused listings.

Ireland times

Connacht face Ospreys on Friday 24 April (7pm kickoff) before their longer trip to South Africa for Lions v Connacht on Saturday. Leinster travel to Benetton for a 7.45pm Saturday evening kickoff, while Munster host Ulster at Thomond Park at 5.30pm the same day. All three matches are live on Premier Sports.

RTÉ listings

RTÉ Sport consolidates rugby fixtures across URC, Women’s Six Nations, and Champions Cup competitions for Irish audiences. The broadcaster also carries live results and post-match analysis for Irish provincial teams.

For those tracking Irish provincial progress, the simultaneous kickoffs of Munster v Ulster and Benetton v Leinster will require split-screen attention or deliberate choice.

Timeline

A consolidated view of key dates across the rugby calendar:

This timeline shows the URC dominates the immediate weekend, while European competition resumes the following Saturday with two Irish sides in semi-final action.

What we know and what we don’t

Multiple sources converge on most URC fixture details for April 24–26, giving high confidence in the core schedule. Broadcast details for Premier Sports, S4C, and BBC are consistently confirmed across Rugby World, Sky Sports, and United Rugby Championship.

The gap between confirmed and unclear items reflects typical pre-match uncertainty — lineup announcements typically come 24-48 hours before kickoff.

What the experts say

S4C’s historic partnership with the URC has been extended until 2027, ensuring the league remains available on free-to-air television in the UK.

— Rugby World (Rugby publication)

Virgin Media Television has become the free-to-air home for the Nations Championship in Ireland, covering 2026 fixtures.

— Rugby World (Rugby publication)

Summary

The weekend of 24–26 April 2026 offers a compelling mix for Irish rugby supporters: three provinces in URC action on Saturday, a high-profile Women’s Six Nations fixture against France on Saturday evening, and broadcast coverage spread across Premier Sports, S4C, and BBC2. For Irish viewers, the practical choice is clear: mark 5.30pm Saturday for Munster v Ulster, verify your Premier Sports subscription before the evening kickoffs, and tune to BBC2 at 8.10pm for France v Ireland Women — or stream all three via RTÉ Sport’s online listings if you prefer digital access.

Related reading: Rugby 6 Nations 2025 results

Rugby enthusiasts preparing for a packed weekend of internationals and URC derbies should consult this detailed schedule and TV guide alongside Sky Sports and RTÉ broadcasts.

Frequently asked questions