Club Rugby Returns: One Big Thing To Know About Every URC Match In Round 7
Club Rugby Returns: One Big Thing To Know About Every URC Match In Round 7
A deep dive preview into Round 7 of the United Rugby Championship season.
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The second block of URC matches gets going this weekend with Round 7, and multiple sides will be looking to grow off of what they built in the first block.
With Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup play kicking in next month, too, keeping domestic form and an adequate balance between competitions will be especially important.
Here’s a look at a major thing you need to know ahead of each United Rugby Championship match this weekend:
Glasgow Warriors Vs. Scarlets
Next Step For Scarlets?
It was a tale of two halves of the first block of URC matches for the Scarlets, who began the 2024-2025 season with a three-match winless run, before rallying to win three straight fixtures ahead of the international break — including impressive triumphs over both Cardiff, in an always-tense derby clash, and the Bulls.
There’s a lingering question upon their return to URC play this weekend, however: Can they repeat the feat away from home against the defending league champion Glasgow Warriors?
The tourists will be a little short-handed as they try to pull it off, as they’ll be without Wales partnership Tom Rogers and Sam Costelow on Friday night, but coach Dwayne Peel’s men have to be feeling good and ready to try and pull off another statement victory.
Ulster Vs. Leinster Rugby
Another Classic Ahead
The oldest fixture in Irish rugby, with a history dating back to 1875, all Leinster-Ulster matches are chock-full of an extra bit of tension that makes it one of the most electric derbies in the sport.
A rematch of from last season’s quarterfinal round, Ulster won both of the regular-season fixtures against Leinster (by a combined three points), before Leinster took the knockout-round rematch.
Now, upon the competition’s return from the international break, table-topping Leinster will be trying to keep its perfect run of form in the URC going, as the league’s only club without a loss or draw will be trying to win its third interprovincial match of the season.
Lee Barron, Jack Conan, Jimmy O’Brien, John McKee and Jordan Larmour all are back to being available for selection from injuries for Leinster, with all five players announced by the club to be back in full training.
Hollywoodbets Sharks Vs. DHL Stormers
Durban Derby Day
Following a perfect end-of-year international window over the past month for their national team, South African rugby fans will be in for a treat right away upon the return of the club scene, as the upper deck of the Sharks’ 54,000-capacity Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium will be open for their rivalry match against the Stormers due to high ticket demand.
That being said, each squad could be due for a shakeup among their respective Springboks, as required rest periods may come into play, which could limit the firepower either team will bring to the table in Durban.
That being said, few (if any) nations do high-stakes rugby better than South Africa, and with a Stormers team desperate to regroup after a start that has seen them placed 13th in the league table, there will be a little bit of extra added urgency.
Cardiff Vs. Dragons Rugby
Tiatia’s Initial Test
With head coach Dai Flanagan now gone via a “mutually agreed” departure, per the club, in steps interim boss Filo Tiatia to try and lead the Dragons out of both the international break and the URC basement, with the Newport-based side only ahead of Zebre Parma in the league table going into the second block of fixtures.
The former All Black, who played in Wales for a stint with the Ospreys and previously has been a head coach in Japan with the Sunwolves and Toyota Verblitz, joined the Dragons as an assistant in the summer and will be tasked immediately in trying to go to Cardiff Arms Park — where the Dragons have only ever won twice — for a result over the Blues, who currently hold the league’s final knockout-round slot in eighth place.
Connacht Vs. Vodacom Bulls
Connacht’s Rumour Mill
The two biggest names on Connacht’s squad list, Ireland internationals Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen, both are high-value targets for other clubs for their standout performances for both club and country — and the provincial side is trying to do all it can to keep them happy where they are.
The New Zealand-born Aki, who has been with Connacht for a decade, was in talks with French giant Toulon last month for a potential deal that has lost steam recently, whereas Australia native Hansen, has a contract that ends at the conclusion of this season.
The Westerners will need them and others as they continue their push in the top half of the URC table, being fifth going into the second block of matches. They'll welcome a visit from last year's league runner-up in the Bulls, who will be without rapid Springboks back Kurt-Lee Arendse for the rest of the season, as he’ll be playing in Japan on a short-term deal.
Edinburgh Vs. Benetton Rugby
Edinburgh Has Reinforcements
Edinburgh announced Wednesday that a hefty dose of extra energy within the club will be available for selection against the visiting Italian side this weekend, as Darcy Graham, Jamie Ritchie and Pierre Schoeman all are among those coming back for 10th-place Edinburgh on Saturday night at the Hive Stadium.
Still, that’s not a guarantee an Edinburgh triumph is coming; Benetton took both clashes against the Scottish side last season, and both have 13 points in the URC standings, while being only three points out of the top 8.
Italian national team stalwarts such as Tommaso Menoncello, Michele Lamaro and Simone Ferrari undoubtedly will be looking to make an impact upon their return to URC play and battle more toward what they’re hoping is a second straight top-8 finish.
Munster Vs. Emirates Lions
Who’s Coaching Munster?
Since Graham Rowntree left his post as Munster boss prior to the international window following a disastrous start for the province that included just two wins from six and one of the biggest shock defeats in URC history to last-place Zebre Parma, the Irish provincial club as of Wednesday has not announced an official replacement to take over.
Head of rugby operations Ian Costello technically is the interim boss now, but the club is looking all over for someone; former Munster captain and Ireland forwards coach Paul O’Connell ruled himself out of the running recently after being rumored to be the next appointment, for instance.
Regardless of who is leading the dressing room, Munster won’t have any time to take its next opponent lightly, as the white-hot Lions come to Thomond Park, with the South Africans having secured four wins from five to start their 2024-2025 campaign.
Zebre Parma Vs. Ospreys
Who Wants It More?
The Ospreys and Zebre Parma both need this one badly.
Zebre did have a highlight victory earlier in the season when it shocked Munster in Round 2, but things since then have not gone great for the Italians, who are the URC’s lowest-scoring side, having failed to reach double-digit points in each of the past four rounds, as Parma is badly lacking a bite in its attack.
Things haven’t gone much better for the Ospreys, who sit 14th in the URC table coming out of the international window and have only won two from six, but a bounce-back victory over Edinburgh going into the end-of-year tests was a big pick-me-up, as it got them off of the bottom of the league standings.
With Welsh sides being financially constrained compared to most other teams in the competition, the Ospreys’ trip to Parma will offer them a rare opportunity to enter a round as a favorite — though the Swansea-based club still will need to show up on its trip abroad.
URC Standings Table After Round 6
Rank | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | For | Against | Pts Diff | Bonus | Points |
1 | Leinster | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 185 | 72 | 113 | 5 | 29 |
2 | Glasgow Warriors | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 198 | 114 | 84 | 7 | 23 |
3 | Vodacom Bulls | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 137 | 94 | 43 | 3 | 19 |
4 | Emirates Lions | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 129 | 95 | 34 | 2 | 18 |
5 | Connacht | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 163 | 160 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
6 | Scarlets | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 136 | 117 | 19 | 2 | 16 |
7 | Ulster | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 150 | 161 | -11 | 4 | 16 |
8 | Cardiff Rugby | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 130 | 155 | -25 | 4 | 16 |
9 | Hollywoodbets Sharks | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 142 | 152 | -10 | 3 | 15 |
10 | Edinburgh | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 146 | 147 | -1 | 5 | 13 |
11 | Benetton | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 119 | 145 | -26 | 3 | 13 |
12 | Munster | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 146 | 176 | -30 | 4 | 12 |
13 | Stormers | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 118 | 127 | -9 | 2 | 10 |
14 | Ospreys | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 111 | 148 | -37 | 2 | 10 |
15 | Dragons RFC | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 106 | 173 | -67 | 3 | 7 |
16 | Zebre | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 84 | 164 | -80 | 3 | 7 |
URC Rugby Schedule For Round 7 Fixtures
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URC Rugby Fixtures Friday, Nov. 29
URC Rugby Fixtures Saturday, Nov. 30
- 10 a.m. ET - Sharks vs. DHL Stormers
- 12:15 p.m. ET - Cardiff vs. Dragons
- 12:30 p.m. ET - Connacht vs. Vodacom Bulls
- 2:35 p.m. ET - Munster vs. Lions
- 2:35 p.m. ET - Zebre Parma vs. Ospreys
- 2:35 p.m. ET - Edinburgh vs. Benetton
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