2024 Ulster Rugby vs Munster Rugby

Irish Interprovincial Showdown Headlines Round 8 Of The BKT URC

Irish Interprovincial Showdown Headlines Round 8 Of The BKT URC

Preview Round 8 of the BKT URC: Irish, Italian, South African and Welsh derbies take center stage. Watch live on FloRugby with Eastern Time kickoffs listed.

Dec 20, 2024 by Philip Bendon
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Round 8 of the BKT United Rugby Championship kicks off with a fierce Irish interprovincial clash between Ulster Rugby and Munster Rugby at the Kingspan Stadium on Friday at 2:35 p.m. Eastern. 

North American rugby fans can catch every tackle and try live on FloRugby.

Both teams are eager to rebound after disappointing Champions Cup outings. 

Ulster, sitting 10th in the league, suffered heavy defeats to French powerhouses Toulouse and Bordeaux-Bègles, conceding 101 points across the two matches. 

Munster, one spot below in 11th, narrowly lost 16-14 to Castres last weekend.

Ulster will welcome back scrum-half John Cooney from a hamstring injury, while Zac Ward is set to make his league debut on the wing. 

Munster, in contrast, has rung the changes, with Gavin Coombes, Tom Ahern and Shane Daly among the six new starters. Scrum-half Paddy Patterson replaces the injured Craig Casey.

Saturday's Slate: A South African Derby And Italian Intrigue

Saturday begins with a 7 a.m. ET kickoff, as Benetton hosts Zebre Parma in an Italian derby in Treviso. 

The match occurs under the shadow of major news, with Zebre put up for sale by the Italian Rugby Federation. The future of the Parma-based team remains uncertain, but for now, their focus shifts to a fierce rivalry clash.

At 8:45 a.m. ET, the DHL Stormers host the Emirates Lions in a South African derby in Cape Town. 

The Stormers, reeling from a tough start to their URC campaign and heavy Champions Cup losses, aim to claw their way out of 13th place. 

The Lions head into the game in strong form, buoyed by a thrilling six-try victory over Pau in the Challenge Cup.

Later, at 11 a.m. ET, Durban’s Kings Park will host a sold-out 35,000 crowd for a highly anticipated encounter between the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Vodacom Bulls. 

Both teams are reeling from Champions Cup defeats, but the Sharks have been strengthened by the return of several Springboks, including Siya Kolisi and Makazole Mapimpi.

Derbies Dominate The Weekend

In Wales, a west Wales derby pits the Ospreys against the Scarlets at 12:15 p.m. ET on Saturday. 

The Ospreys face uncertainty after head coach Toby Booth’s sudden departure, while the Scarlets aim to snap a seven-year winless streak in Swansea.

Saturday also features Leinster taking on Connacht at 12:30 p.m. ET. 

Leinster, unbeaten in all competitions, will look to maintain its high standards after head coach Leo Cullen called for improvements following last week’s victory over Clermont.

The action concludes Sunday at 10 a.m. ET with the historic 1872 Cup first leg between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. 

This milestone match promises to deliver high-intensity rugby in front of a potentially record-breaking crowd.

Glasgow Warriors vs. Edinburgh Rugby


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