United Rugby Championship

One Big Thing To Know About Every URC Team Before The International Break

One Big Thing To Know About Every URC Team Before The International Break

URC Round 7 begins in late November. Here's what to know about every United Rugby Championship team ahead of the international rugby break.

Oct 31, 2024 by Briar Napier
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Club rugby has been given a break as end-of-year internationals get going, and many clubs in the United Rugby Championship were either not wanting their runs of form to end or were counting the days until they could break away and try to reset.

We’re six matches into one of the world’s most high-stakes, high-energy club rugby competitions, and with a few surprises, plus some familiar names at the top, the opening weeks of the season have been all we’ve hoped for - and more. 

The URC returns late next month once international tests wrap up for the year, and with Champions Cup and Challenge Cup play kicking off upon the restart, the asks of players from each club are only going to get more and more demanding.

Here’s one big thing you need to know about every URC team going into the break - and where each team will stand upon their return.

1. Leinster

What is there left to say about the league leaders other than the fact that they’ve been absolutely dominant? 

The last unbeaten team has five try bonus points from six wins and, by a distant margin, the most positive point differential in the competition. Leinster paces the URC table by six points. 

The European giant is the title favorite by a wide margin after the first block of matches.

2. Glasgow Warriors

The defending champions are the only team within 10 points of Leinster, so that counts for something, but if it weren’t for the provincial side ripping everyone else in the URC to shreds so far, the Warriors would get a lot more respect. 

No URC side has scored more points (198) and tries (30) going into the international break than Glasgow.

3. Bulls

Another finalist from a season ago, things have largely been smooth sailing for the Bulls as they’ve secured four wins from five to start the year (South African teams did not play in Round 1 due to conflicts with the Currie Cup), though they probably would’ve liked to have had a one-point loss to the Scarlets in Round 5 back. 

Still, they’re pacing the South African sides in the URC after the first block and have a squad full of Springboks - with hopes that they’ll get everyone back healthy after the end-of-year tests.

4. Lions

It’s hard to complain much about being in fourth place going into the international break, especially with one fewer match played compared to most of the other teams, but the Lions’ devastating attack that put 35 on Ulster and 55 on Edinburgh in their first two URC games has started to fade a little bit. 

They’ve scored 16 points combined in their past two games (a win over Zebre Parma and a loss to Leinster), but on the flip side, they aren’t making too many self-inflicted errors as the least-penalized team (40 penalties conceded) so far.

5. Connacht

Cathal Forde and Ben Murphy are one of the most electric 1-2 punches in the competition, with both being among those sharing the lead in tries with four apiece. 

A five-point finish to the block against the Dragons was a strong close for Connacht, though getting the job done against interprovincial rival when play resumes - one Connacht went 0-3 against in their first meetings - will be important as the squad jostles for possible knockout-round positioning.

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6. Scarlets

The Scarlets had five wins from 18 matches last URC season, and through the first block of matches this season, they have three wins (and a draw) from six. 

That’s a great sign for coach Dwayne Peel and his squad, with fullback Blair Murray coming from out of nowhere after signing from provincial rugby in New Zealand to excel so far in his first season with the Scarlets and earn a Wales call-up in the process.

7. Ulster

The most penalized team in the competition with 71 penalties conceded through the first block of matches, Ulster must improve upon its discipline, as it’s costing the team points. 

Case in point: Ulster had the chance to go top 4 in the table against Cardiff this past weekend after going up 19-0 at the half, though the Welsh side scored 21 unanswered points to get a stunning comeback win, partly thanks to a yellow card on David McCann that coach Richie Murphy called “needless” to the BBC.

8. Cardiff

The flipside of the wild Ulster-Cardiff match was that Cardiff was able to end a three-match losing streak and be the final member of the URC’s top 8 at the international break, putting Matt Sherratt’s men in a decent position for now.

Offseason signing Dan Thomas has hit the ground running in the back row, scoring two tries and having the most turnovers won (11) in the competition.  

9. Sharks

Back-to-back impressive wins over the defending champion Warriors and Munster have the Sharks playing like a team at the moment that’s better than its ninth position in the table, while being a game behind the non-South African teams. 

Springboks captain and legend Siya Kolisi’s return to the club this past offseason has helped give them renewed energy after a disastrous 14th-place finish in the URC last season.

10. Edinburgh

If Edinburgh’s form improves, the play of Duhan van der Merwe - as usually is the case - probably will have something to do with it. 

The form of the Scottish club has been a bit all over the place, from being down a record 48-0 at half to the Lions to a two-point defeat to unbreakable Leinster, but Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer has been rock-steady with a joint league-high nine clean breaks.

11. Benetton

After qualifying for the knockout rounds for the first time in the URC era last season, the plucky Italian side is within striking distance of getting back into the top 8 through the season’s first block. 

It was only three points away from getting a Round 6 win over the Bulls to make it three wins on the bounce going into the break, and while kicking has been its strong suit, building attacks into scores can be improved upon (14 tries).

12. Munster

Coach Graham Rowntree left Munster by mutual agreement Tuesday, per a club announcement, roughly 18 months after leading the provincial side to a URC title in his first season at the helm in 2022. 

Munster's performances have been well below what's expected of the club. 

The team has lost three consecutive matches leading up to the international break, and an unexpected defeat to Zebre Parma in Round 2 is one of the biggest upsets in URC history.

13. Stormers

With an underwhelming start that’s seen them only pick up wins against last-place Zebre Parma and sputtering Munster, the Stormers’ aspirations to return to the knockout rounds for the fourth straight season have taken a bit of a ding. 

With a derby against the Sharks, and Champions Cup play looming after the international break, things aren’t going to get any easier.

14. Ospreys

A win last round over Edinburgh got the Ospreys off the bottom of the URC table, but problems still remain for the Swansea-based side as it exits the first block six points adrift of the top 8. 

The Ospreys have the fewest offloads (27) and clean breaks (27) of any team in the competition, signaling that they’ll need to find some energy in the attack and going forward.

15. Dragons

Things started well enough for the Dragons, who picked up a last-minute derby win over the Ospreys on opening weekend, but five straight defeats have doomed them to a joint league-low seven points. 

Even with some strong passages of play against Connacht this past weekend, for instance, an inability to put away chances did the Dragons in as they were rolled over by a 31-7 margin.

16. Zebre Parma

The luster from Zebre’s stunning Round 2 win over Munster has worn off, and the often-struggling Italian side is locked to the bottom of the URC table at the end-of-year test break. 

Their 84 points - with 42 of those scored in a single match against Munster - and 10 tries scored, are league lows, having failed to score 10 points or more in each of the past four rounds.

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