Charlie O’Shea shines for Munster on encouraging weekend for Irish provinces

After the four provinces lost on an opening weekend for the first time since 2009, when Ireland’s summer tourists were still on the sidelines, the tourists’ gradual return sparked a more encouraging second round of the United Rugby Championship, with just one province suffering a loss. The quartet remain in the bottom half of the table, but each could take positives from their latest outings.

Connacht welcomed back six of their seven-strong summer tour contingent, with Billy Bohan and Sam Illo locking a key scrum as Benetton pushed for a two-score lead entering the last 10 minutes. But then a second try for Ciarán Frawley, on his debut for the province, secured a 22-19 bonus-point win, the westerners’ first victory at Stadio Monigo since April 2022.