Leinster made it 10 wins from 10 in all competitions but had to work hard for a 20-12 victory over Connacht at the Aviva Stadium.
A round-up of Saturday's Investec Champions Cup action, where Northampton and Saracens made winning starts but Exeter were beaten by Sharks in South Africa.
Glasgow Warriors landed the United Rugby Championship title for the first time since 2015 after a hard-fought 21-16 victory over the Bulls at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld.
Defending URC champions Munster booked their passage through to this season's semi-finals, defeating the Ospreys 23-7 at Thomond Park.
Gloucester's aim of finishing a mixed season with a second piece of silverware was ended with a 36-22 defeat by the Sharks in the Challenge Cup final.
Munster's former Ireland international Simon Zebo has announced he will retire at the end of the season.
Ken Owens has announced his retirement from rugby on medical grounds, after a successful career representing Scarlets, Wales and the British and Irish Lions.
Leinster have announced the signing of New Zealand international back Jordie Barrett.
Italy flanker Jake Polledri has announced his retirement from professional rugby at the age of 28, having failed to recover completely from a serious knee injury.
Dan McFarland has stepped down as Ulster head coach after nearly six years in charge following three defeats in a row in all competitions.
In 2023, Scotland won their opening two Six Nations games but ultimately dropped out of contention. Will 2024 be the year they maintain a title run?
Wales have seen experienced players retire, key men pick up injuries, and largely poor form for over two years. What can we expect in 2024?
Grand Slam winners in 2023, Ireland suffered familiar quarter-final heartbreak at the autumn's Rugby World Cup. How will Andy Farrell's charges respond?
Keelan Giles led the way as Ospreys fought back to beat Cardiff in their URC derby
A look back at the highlights and lowlights from an action-packed, breathless year for Irish sport.
A night of atrocious conditions at Thomond Park saw Leinster claim a tight 9-3 derby victory over Munster, as both sides struggled to produce passages of play.
Cardiff extended their impressive winning run over local rivals Dragons to 18 league games by handing out a Boxing Day 55-21 thrashing at a sold-out Arms Park.
The premier club competition in rugby returns this weekend in the form of the Champions Cup, but it does so in a new format.
England's World Cup winning prop Phil Vickery and former Wales centre Gavin Henson are among 207 new names revealed in the concussion in rugby hearing.
A superb display of attacking rugby saw Munster clinch a 40-29 victory over URC leaders Glasgow Warriors at Musgrave Park in Cork on Friday.
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