Last season, very few rugby leagues around the world were as intense as the United Rugby Championship. As the competition enters its fourth season with 16 teams, we can expect even more chaos in 2024-25.

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Last season, a Scottish team stormed to the title in a big win for their professional rugby scene, but a host of talented challengers from the league’s five participating countries are ready to take them down from their throne.

The mid-year internationals are done; the offseason transfers are wrapping up and we’re reaching the second half of September, meaning it’s time to once more get the URC season underway.

Here’s one big thing you need to know about each match in Round 1 of the United Rugby Championship.

Friday, September 20

All Times Eastern

Zebre Parma Vs. Cardiff Rugby - 3:35 p.m.

• Cardiff Brings Plenty Of New Faces

Not satisfied with a 12th-place finish in the URC table and a failure to defend the Welsh Shield last season, Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt enters his second year in charge with 13 new signings. The most of any club in the URC. 

Longtime Bristol Bears fly-half Callum Sheedy, ex-Saracens scrum-half Aled Davies and past Leinster prop Ed Byrne — all of whom are full senior internationals — are the most notable additions, and they’ll all get a chance to gel together against a Zebre squad that has been at the bottom of the table in every season of the URC era.

Leinster Rugby Vs. Edinburgh - 3:35 p.m.

• Leinster Is Loaded … Again

One of the premier club rugby powers in Europe today, Leinster is armed to the teeth with talent as numerous stars of the Irish national team — such as Garry Ringrose, Cian Healy, Caelan Doris — also share the same pitch at club level with Leinster, too. 

Not only that, but Leinster’s three international signings in the offseason of Springbok RG Snyman from provincial rival Munster, longtime France prop Rabah Slimani and All Black Jordie Barrett (on a short-term deal to begin in December) were all major acquisitions to beef up their squad either further. 

However, will it finally result in hardware once more? Leinster hasn’t won the URC since 2021 and finished as Champions Cup runners-up in each of the past three seasons. Their journey will start in Scotland at Edinburgh.

Saturday, September 21

All Times Eastern

Ospreys Vs. Dragons Rugby - 11:00 a.m.

• The Ospreys Punch Above Their Weight 

Despite being four-time URC champions and the most successful non-Irish club in the competition's history, the Ospreys have experienced a decline over the past decade or so.

But between qualifying for the Champions Cup knockout stage in 2022-23 and being the first Welsh side in six years to make a URC knockout round a season ago — the Ospreys have been making steps over the past few years in trying to help restore Welsh rugby to its former glory. 

They'll face a regional rival in the Dragons to start, and if the Cardiff-Ospreys showdown from the final day last year is any indicator, we should be in for another fun fixture.

Connacht Vs. Munster Rugby - 1:30 p.m.

• Munster Wants More

Having a golden opportunity to be the first non-Leinster side ever to win back-to-back URC titles last year, table-topping Munster were instead stunned inside Thomond Park by Glasgow Warriors in the playoff semifinals. 

It was a bitterly disappointing end to what was originally shaping up to be another trophy-filled year for Munster, which had the fewest losses (four) of any side in the competition in the regular season and allowed just 38 tries in 18 matches along the way. 

Former Ulster fly-half and Ireland senior international Billy Burns is the most notable addition to coach Graham Rowntree’s squad, which gets a provincial showdown right away to start 2024-25 against Connacht, which finished 11th in the URC table last season.

Scarlets Vs. Benetton Rugby - 3:35 p.m.

• Benetton Has Promise

Following their victory in the Pro14 Rainbow Cup three years ago, Benetton achieved another milestone by becoming the first Italian team to reach the URC knockout rounds in their current structure last season. They ended the regular season in seventh place and were ultimately eliminated by the Bulls in the quarterfinals. 

Italian rugby is in a strong place — reflected by the national team's No. 8 world rugby ranking — and Benetton is the club side where many of the Azzurri’s budding stars thrive, most notably the reigning Six Nations player of the tournament, centre Tommaso Menoncello. 

In Round 12 of last year's URC, the Scarlets emerged victorious against the Italian team in their only meeting. The Welsh team scored a try in the final moments, and certainly Benetton will be seeking revenge at home.

Glasgow Warriors Vs. Ulster Rugby - 3:45 p.m.

• The Warriors Have a Title To Defend

Glasgow became the first team outside of Ireland or South Africa to win the URC in its current format last season, winning both at Thomond Park and Loftus Versfeld in back-to-back rounds to bring the URC title to Scotland. 

Consecutive fourth-place regular-season finishes in the league table, however, indicate that there has been points left on the table by the Warriors over the past two seasons. But a strong squad, who also re-acquired fly-half Adam Hastings, after a stint in England, should be right in the mix of things. 

No provincial side is a slouch, however, and Ulster will be no different when it hosts the Warriors at the Kingspan Stadium.

How To Watch The United Rugby Championship In The United States?

Every match of the URC is streaming live on FloRugby and the FloSports app this season.

Replays, highlights and breaking news will be on both platforms. 

2024-2025 URC Rugby Schedule

Check out the full United Rugby Championship schedule on FloRugby.

When Does The URC Season Begin And When Is The URC Grand Final?

Week 1 of the United Rugby Championship season begins on Sept. 20. 

The URC quarterfinals will start on May 30, 2025 and the URC Grand Final is scheduled for June 14, 2025. 

What Were The 2023-2024 URC Final Standings?

Here is the table from last season: 

How To Watch Rugby Matches In the United States On FloRugby

FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to: 

• Investec Champions Cup
• EPCR Challenge Cup
• Currie Cup
• Top 14
• Super Rugby
• And more

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

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