Cameron Hill

Leinster captain Caelan Dorris has been nominated for the 2026 Investec Player of the Year.

The back-rower could become the first Leinster winner of the award since Josh van der Vleer picked up the gong in 2022.

Bordeaux duo Mathieu Jalibert and Louis-Biel Biarré are also shortlisted, as are Finn Russell and Alfie Barbary of Bath.

The winner will be announced following next month's Investec Champions Cup final in Bilbao.

Rugby Australia have reported a massive financial windfall in their books for 2025.

The governing body report a surplus of 70.6 million Australian dollars, largely down to last summer's British and Irish Lions Tour.

That follows the 37 million dollar deficit recorded in the previous period.

It's a timely boost to coffers ahead of Australia hosting both the Men's Rugby World Cup next year and the Women's Edition in 2029.

This surplus is the largest recorded by Australia since their last hosting of the men's tournament back in 2003, which amounted to $33 million.

RA recorded $262 million in revenue last year.

That's more than twice the amount from 2024, with tourism stemming from the Lions Tour being cited as a major contributing factor.

The governing body is reportedly setting up an investment fund grown by compounding interest to sustain the sport in Australia in the long term.

And finally today, UL Bohemians and Blackrock College are gearing up for Sunday's final of the Energia All-Ireland League women's division at the Aviva Stadium.

Defending champions Bows are on course to go three in a row this weekend and earn a 16th title overall.

The last team to achieve a three-peat was Old Belvedere in 2016.

And captain Chloe Pearce admits they haven't yet had the chance to reflect on the achievement of making a third successive decider.

For Black Rock, it's a first appearance in the decider since 2023.

Their opening day defeat to Bowes was one of only two that they suffered all season, while they rounded off the regular season by winning away in Limerick at the end of last month.

They'll take to the Aviva turf on Sunday, three weeks before Ireland line out against Scotland in a historic first women's Six Nations game at the ground.

And college captain, former Ireland international Hannah O'Connor, believes those occasions are crucial to attracting new fans to Irish women's rugby.