United Rugby Championship

URC Power Poll In Round 8: Reigning Champs Surge, While Stormers Drop

URC Power Poll In Round 8: Reigning Champs Surge, While Stormers Drop

Get ready for thrilling URC Round 8 derby action! Festive clashes include Leinster vs. Connacht, Ulster vs. Munster, and Glasgow vs. Edinburgh.

Dec 18, 2024 by Philip Bendon
URC Power Poll In Round 8: Reigning Champs Surge, While Stormers Drop

The BKT United Rugby Championship is set to light up the holiday season with a thrilling slate of derby clashes as Round 8 unfolds. 

Tensions will run high, as teams battle for supremacy and pride in regional matchups across Europe and South Africa.

The action kicks off under Friday night lights in Belfast, where Ulster hosts Munster in a classic Irish showdown. 

Saturday promises a mix of intrigue and intensity: Benetton faces Zebre Parma in Italy, the DHL Stormers welcome the Emirates Lions to Cape Town and the Vodacom Bulls head to Durban to meet the Hollywoodbets Sharks. 

Meanwhile, Ospreys takes on Scarlets, and league leader Leinster aims to maintain its unbeaten streak against Connacht.

Sunday brings a historic twist, as the Glasgow Warriors host Edinburgh Rugby at Glasgow's Hampden Park, showcasing the URC on a grand stage. 

The round concludes on Boxing Day with a Welsh derby, as Dragons RFC welcomes Cardiff Rugby to Rodney Parade.

With Leinster holding firm atop the power rankings, and the Glasgow Warriors in hot pursuit, the festive fixtures could shake up the standings. 

Will regional pride inspire upsets, or will the league’s elite continue their dominance? 

The holiday drama is about to unfold.

URC Power Power In Round 8

1. Leinster Rugby (7-0-0)

  • Last week: 1
  • Round 5: Leinster Rugby 33, Connacht Rugby 12
  • Round 6: Leinster Rugby 24 vs, Emirates Lions 6 12:15 p.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Ulster Rugby 20 vs Leinster Rugby 27 2:35 p.m. ET Nov 29

2. Glasgow Warriors (5-0-2)

  • Last week: 4
  • Round 5: Hollywoodbets Sharks 28, Glasgow Warriors 24
  • Round 6: DHL Stormers vs. Glasgow Warriors, 7:45 a.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Glasgow Warriors 17 vs Scarlets 15 2.35 p.m. ET Nov.29

3. Hollywoodbets Sharks (4-0-2)

  • Last week: 7
  • Round 5: Hollywoodbets Sharks 28, Glasgow Warriors 24
  • Round 6: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Munster Rugby, 10 a.m., Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Hollywoodbets Sharks 21 vs DHL Stormers 15 

4. Emirates Lions (4-0-2)

  • Last week:  2
  • Round 5: Emirates Lions 10, Zebre Parma 9
  • Round 6: Leinster Rugby vs, Emirates Lions, 12:15 p.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Munster Rugby 17 vs Emirates Lions 10

5. Vodacom Bulls (5-0-1)

  • Last week: 3
  • Round 5: Scarlets 23, Vodacom Bulls 22
  • Round 6: Benetton vs. Vodacom Bulls, 2:35 p.m. ET, Oct. 25
  • Connacht Rugby 14 vs Vodacom Bulls 28

6. Munster Rugby (3-0-4)

  • Last week: 16 
  • Round 5: DHL Stormers 34, Munster Rugby 19
  • Round 6: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs. Munster Rugby, 10 a.m., Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Munster Rugby 17 vs Emirates Lions 10

7. Connacht Rugby (3-0-4)

  • Last week: 6
  • Round 5: Leinster Rugby 33, Connacht Rugby 12
  • Round 6: Connacht Rugby vs. Dragons RFC, 2:35 p.m.. Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Connacht Rugby 14 vs Vodacom Bulls 28

8. Edinburgh Rugby (4-0-4)

  • Last week: 12
  • Round 5: Edinburgh Rugby 27, Cardiff Rugby 8
  • Round 6: Ospreys vs. Edinburgh, 10 a.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Edinburgh 50 vs Benetton 33

9. Cardiff Rugby (4-0-3)

  • Last week: 8
  • Round 5: Edinburgh Rugby 27, Cardiff Rugby 8
  • Round 6: Cardiff Rugby vs. Ulster, 2:35 p.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Cardiff Rugby 31 vs Dragons 23

10. Benetton Rugby (2-1-4)

  • Last week: 11
  • Round 5: Benetton 31, Dragons RFC 21
  • Round 6: Benetton vs. Vodacom Bulls, 2:35 p.m. ET, Oct. 25
  • Round 7: Edinburgh Rugby 50 vs Benetton 33

11. Ulster Rugby (3-0-4)

  • Last week: 9
  • Round 5: Ulster Rugby 36, Ospreys 12
  • Round 6: Cardiff Rugby vs. Ulster, 2:35 p.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Ulster Rugby 20 vs Leinster Rugby 27

12. Scarlets (3-1-3)

  • Last week: 5
  • Round 5: Scarlets 23, Vodacom Bulls 22
  • Round 6: Scarlets vs. Zebre Parma, 2:35 p.m.. Oct 25
  • Round 7: Glasgow Warriors 17 vs Scarlets 15

13. Zebre Parma (2-0-5)

  • Last week: 15
  • Round 5: Emirates Lions 10, Zebre Parma 9
  • Round 6: Scarlets vs. Zebre Parma, 2:35 p.m.. Oct 25
  • Round 7: Zebre Parma 22 vs Ospreys 17

14. Ospreys (2-0-5)

  • Last week: 10
  • Round 5: Ulster Rugby 36, Ospreys 12
  • Round 6: Ospreys vs. Edinburgh, 10 a.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Zebre Parma 22 vs Ospreys 17 

15. DHL Stormers (2-0-4)

  • Last week: 13 
  • Round 5: DHL Stormers 34, Munster Rugby 19
  • Round 6: DHL Stormers vs. Glasgow Warriors, 7:45 a.m. ET, Oct. 26
  • Round 7: Hollywoodbets Sharks 21 vs DHL Stormers 15 

16. Dragons RFC (1-0-6)  

  • Last week: 14
  • Round 5: Round 5: Benetton 31, Dragons RFC 21
  • Round 6: Connacht Rugby vs. Dragons RFC, 2:35 p.m.. Oct. 26
  • Round 7 Cardiff Rugby 31 vs Dragons 23

URC Standings Table After Round 5

Rank

Team

Played

Won

Lost

Drawn

For

Against

Pts Diff

Bonus

Points

1

Leinster Rugby

5

5

0

0

161

66

95

5

25

2

Emirates Lions

4

4

0

0

123

71

52

2

18

3

Glasgow Warriors

5

3

2

0

170

97

73

6

18

4

Vodacom Bulls

4

3

1

0

120

79

41

3

15

5

Ulster Rugby

5

3

2

0

131

140

-9

3

15

6

Edinburgh Rugby

5

2

3

0

133

125

8

5

13

7

Connacht Rugby

5

2

3

0

132

153

-21

5

13

8

Benetton Rugby

5

2

2

1

104

128

-24

2

12

9

Cardiff Rugby

5

2

3

0

109

136

-27

4

12

10

Scarlets

5

2

2

1

106

109

-3

1

11

11

Munster Rugby

5

2

3

0

122

135

-13

3

11

12

DHL Stormers

4

2

2

0

101

99

2

2

10

13

Hollywoodbets Sharks

4

2

2

0

101

128

-27

2

10

14

Dragons RFC

5

1

4

0

99

142

-43

3

7

15

Zebre Parma

5

1

4

0

76

134

-58

3

7

16

Ospreys

5

1

4

0

89

135

-46

2

6

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