Round 4 of the United Rugby Championship promises a thrilling mix of high-stakes derbies and compelling narratives across the board. With three intense local rivalries on the menu, including the marquee clash between Leinster and Munster at a sold-out Croke Park, this weekend’s action is set to kick the URC season into high gear. Every match carries significant weight for league standings, even at this early stage, as teams jockey for position before the upcoming international break. Let’s dive into the key storylines for each match in what promises to be another captivating weekend of URC action.

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma

Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Glasgow Warriors have recovered well from an opening loss to Ulster, securing bonus point wins against Benetton and Cardiff in the last two rounds. They’ve made seven changes to their starting XV, with Patrick Schickerling set for his first competitive outing at Scotstoun Stadium after making his debut last weekend.

Glasgow Head Coach Franco Smith said: “We were pleased to come away with five points from Cardiff last weekend, but we know there are still more levels to come from our performance. Zebre have shown this season already that they will be a match for any team, and will compete hard in all areas of the field tomorrow evening.”

Zebre Parma shocked Munster two weeks ago but were shut out by the Stormers last week. They’ll be looking to bounce back with prop Matteo Nocera set to make his 50th appearance for the club.

Zebre Head Coach Massimo Brunello commented: “We are playing at the home of champions, so it will inevitably be a very difficult match. Having one less day of rest, we have made a few changes, but this does not mean we will approach the game with a closed mindset. We need to improve in certain areas, such as discipline, which was our weakest point against the Stormers.”

Glasgow Warriors: Kyle Rowe, Jamie Dobie, Huw Jones, Stafford McDowall (CAPT), Facundo Cordero, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson, Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, Euan Ferrie, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey

Replacements: Grant Stewart, Nathan McBeth, Patrick Schickerling, Alex Samuel, Max Williamson, Henco Venter, Ben Afshar, Tom Jordan

Zebre Parma: Geronimo Prisciantelli, Jacopo Trulla, Fetuli Paea, Scott Gregory, Simone Gesi, Giacomo Da Re, Gonzalo Garcia, Luca Rizzoli, Giampietro Ribaldi, Matteo Nocera, Leonard Krumov, Andrea Zambonin, Giacomo Ferrari, Luca Andreani, Giovanni Licata (CAPT)

Replacements: Luca Bigi, Samuele Taddei, Ion Neculai, Matteo Canali, Iacopo Bianchi, Alessandro Fusco, Damiano Mazza, Ben Cambriani

Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU, league debut)
AR 1: Mike Adamson (SRU) AR 2: Chelsea Gillespie (SRU)
TMO: Morne Ferreira (SARU)

Form: Glasgow (Won 2, Lost 1), Zebre (Won 1, Lost 2)

Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Cardiff Rugby v Scarlets

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA

Cardiff Rugby sit 5th after two wins from three, including victory at Parc y Scarlets last month. They’ve made four changes to their starting XV, with Ben Thomas captaining the side in the absence of injured hooker Liam Belcher.

Cardiff Head Coach Matt Sherratt said: “It promises to be a great occasion on Saturday afternoon with a packed Cardiff Arms Park and two teams that like to play attacking rugby. They will be hugely motivated and will bring a lot of physicality. We’ve planned on them coming here and being at their absolute best and we’re excited for that challenge.”

The Scarlets are still searching for their first win but pushed Connacht close last weekend. They’ve made three changes, with Ioan Lloyd replacing Sam Costelow at fly-half, while centre Johnny Williams will make his 50th Scarlets appearance.

Scarlets Head Coach Dwayne Peel commented: “These are always competitive fixtures, like the one at Parc y Scarlets a couple of weeks ago. The Arms Park is a fast track and we always seem to have a great support there. All the West Walians living in Cardiff come out to support us. It is always a good atmosphere and a sea of red; hopefully it will be the same on Saturday and we can get a win for them.”

Cardiff Rugby: Cam Winnett, Mason Grady, Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Thomas (CAPT), Harri Millard; Tinus de Beer, Ellis Bevan, Ed Byrne, Efan Daniel, Keiron Assiratti, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, Ben Donnell, Dan Thomas, Alun Lawrence

Replacements: Daf Hughes, Danny Southworth, Rhys Litterick, Mackenzie Martin, James Botham, Aled Davies, Callum Sheedy, Gabriel Hamer-Webb

Scarlets: Ioan Nicholas, Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Eddie James, Blair Murray, Ioan Lloyd, Gareth Davies, Kemsley Mathias, Marnus van der Merwe, Henry Thomas, Sam Lousi, Max Douglas, Josh Macleod (CAPT), Dan Davis, Taine Plumtree

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Alec Hepburn, Sam Wainwright, Alex Craig, Carwyn Tuipulotu, Efan Jones, Sam Costelow, Macs Page

Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 59th league game)
AR 1: Mike English (WRU) AR 2: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)

Form: Cardiff (Won 2, Lost 1), Scarlets (Drew 1, Lost 2)

Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Benetton Rugby v Hollywoodbets Sharks

Stadio Monigo, Treviso – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA

Benetton Rugby find themselves bottom of the table after defeats to Glasgow and Leinster followed an opening draw with Scarlets. They’ll be desperate to kickstart their season at home with Michele Lamaro captaining the side.

Benetton Head Coach Marco Bortolami said: “There is a small rotation in the 23 to give those who have played in the last 3 weeks a rest. The injuries in the front row give Avaca and Gallorini the opportunity to demonstrate their value and I am sure they will help the team perform at their best. The whole group is focused and motivated to perform at their best and the week of preparation has been very good.”

The Hollywoodbets Sharks earned a last-gasp win at Dragons last week but coach John Plumtree was far from satisfied with the performance. They’ve made three rotational changes to their matchday squad, all in the pack with the backline remaining the same.

Sharks Head Coach John Plumtree stated: “I wasn’t happy with the performance. We have got a lot of work to do around our game, not just from a physical point of view, but an emotional one. We were pretty passive and lacked urgency, so we have got stuff to fix around that space. We didn’t really execute our plan, our discipline was poor and we allowed them to create scoreboard pressure.”

Benetton: Rhyno Smith, Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Ignacio Brex, Paolo Odogwu, Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi, Mirco Spagnolo, Siua Maile, Enzo Avaca, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro (CAPT), Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Aminu Destiny, Marcos Gallorini, Riccardo Favretto, Eli Snyman, Sebastian Negri, Andy Uren, Leonardo Marin

Hollywoodbets Sharks: Jordan Hendrikse, Eduan Keyter, Jurenzo Julius, Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker, Siya Masuku, Jaden Hendrikse, Trevor Nyakane, Fez Mbatha, Ruan Dreyer, Jason Jenkins, Gerbrandt Grobler, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka (CAPT), Phepsi Buthelezi

Replacements: Dylan Richardson, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Corne’ Rahl, Emmanuel Tshituka, Bradley Davids, Lionel Cronje, Francois Venter

Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 47th league game)
AR 1: Federico Vedovelli (FIR) AR 2: Alex Frasson (FIR)
TMO: Colin Brett (SRU)

Form: Benetton (Drew 1, Lost 2), Sharks (Won 1, Lost 1)

Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Edinburgh Rugby v DHL Stormers

Hive Stadium, Edinburgh – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA & SA

Edinburgh Rugby are reeling from a record 55-21 defeat to the Lions last week where they trailed 48-0 at half-time. They’ve named Ben Muncaster and Paddy Harrison in the starting XV as they look for a big response.

Edinburgh Head Coach Sean Everitt said: “We know that last week’s performance was unacceptable, but we also know what went wrong for us. The DHL Stormers bring similar challenges to the Lions and Bulls, being hugely physical and fast in transition, but we know if we perform at our best, we’ll be able to get a result.”

The DHL Stormers impressed in shutting out Zebre last week and will be eyeing another away win. They have Damian Willemse starting at flyhalf with JJ Kotze, Willie Engelbrecht and Wandisile Simelane set to make their first appearances of the season if called upon from the bench.

DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said: “We know how tough it is to win here in Edinburgh, so it will take a big effort to back-up our win in Italy last week. There are still a number of areas we would like to improve in, so this is a good opportunity for us to continue the upward trajectory in our game.”

Edinburgh Rugby: Wes Goosen, Darcy Graham, Mosese Tuipulotu, Matt Scott, Duhan van der Merwe, Ross Thompson, Ali Price, Pierre Schoeman, Paddy Harrison, Paul Hill, Jamie Hodgson, Grant Gilchrist (CAPT), Jamie Ritchie, Ben Muncaster, Magnus Bradbury

Replacements: Harri Morris, Boan Venter, D’arcy Rae, Marshall Sykes, Luke Crosbie, Ben Vellacott, Cammy Scott, Matt Currie

DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Angelo Davids, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis (CAPT), Leolin Zas, Damian Willemse, Paul de Wet, Brok Harris, Andre-Hugo Venter, Neethling Fouche, JD Schickerling, Ruben van Heerden, Dave Ewers, Ben-Jason Dixon, Keke Morabe

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Sti Sithole, Sazi Sandi, Adre Smith, Marcel Theunissen, Willie Engelbrecht, Stefan Ungerer, Wandisile Simelane

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 102nd league game)
AR 1: Hollie Davidson (SRU) AR 2: Rob McDowell (SRU)
TMO: Tom Spurrier (WRU)

Form: Edinburgh (Won 1, Lost 2), Stormers (Won 1, Lost 1)

Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby

BKT United Rugby Championship, Aviva Stadium, Dublin 27/9/2024
Leinster vs Dragons
Leinster’s Josh Van der Flier
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Croke Park, Dublin – KO 17.45 IRE & UK / 18.45 ITA & SA

A sold-out Croke Park crowd of over 80,000 awaits this massive Irish derby. Leinster Rugby sit top of the table after three bonus point wins and welcome back James Ryan to partner RG Snyman in the second row. Ciarán Frawley retains the 10 jersey as they look to maintain their perfect start to the season.

Leinster Assistant Coach Robin McBryde said: “The competition for places now has got to be at its highest because the players who played in the pre-season games leading into the season have been given their opportunities. The internationals are back so we need to get them back up to speed, which they now are.”

Munster have made four changes as they look to upset their rivals, with Alex Nankivell returning from injury at centre while Sean O’Brien, Stephen Archer and Gavin Coombes come into the pack. It promises to be a thrilling encounter in front of a sold-out Croke Park crowd of over 80,000.

Munster Head Coach Graham Rowntree commented: “These are the games you live for as a player – in such a venue as well. It’s got a rich history. I’m looking forward to going there. The lads know the history of the place and the respect it demands and it’s one of those occasions where if you’re playing there you’ve made it.”

Leinster: Hugo Keenan, Liam Turner, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Ciarán Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Lee Barron, Tadhg Furlong, RG Snyman, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (CAPT)

Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne

Munster: Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy

Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 46th league game)
AR 1: Peter Martin (IRFU) AR 2: Keane Davison (IRFU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)

Form: Leinster (Won 3), Munster (Won 2, Lost 1)

Live on: RTÉ, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ospreys v Vodacom Bulls

Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Ospreys will see number eight Morgan Morris make his 100th appearance for the region as they host the Bulls. The Welsh side have one win from three games but have a good recent record against South African opposition.

Ospreys Head Coach Toby Booth said: “When you play South African teams, you know you’re going to be in for a physical encounter. You can’t look too far past the physical side of the breakdown. Last time we played them out there, we did some nice stuff, but we weren’t accurate enough and played a big price.”

The Vodacom Bulls impressed in beating Ulster last week and will be aiming to start their tour strongly. Marcell Coetzee starts on the flank as they look to maintain their 100% record against the Ospreys and continue their unbeaten start to the season.

Ospreys: Max Nagy, Iestyn Hopkins, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Ryan Conbeer, Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Adam Beard, Jac Morgan (CAPT), Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris

Replacements: Sam Parry, Garyn Phillips, Ben Warren, Lewis Jones, Will Greatbanks, Kieran Hardy, Luke Scully, Jack Walsh

Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Boeta Chamberlain, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Marcell Coetzee, Reinhardt Ludwig, Elrigh Louw

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Francois Klopper, Cobus Wiese, Cameron Hanekom, Keagan Johannes, Stedman Gans, Aphiwe Dyantyi

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 20th league game)
AR 1: Ben Breakspear (WRU) AR 2: Ben Connor (WRU)
TMO: Colin Stanley (IRFU)

Form: Ospreys (Won 1, Lost 2), Bulls (Won 2)

Live on: S4C, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ulster Rugby v Connacht Rugby

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast – KO 20.00 IRE & UK / 21.00 ITA & SA

Ulster Rugby return home after two defeats in South Africa looking to bounce back. Props Andrew Warwick and Alan O’Connor are in line for their 200th Ulster appearances while Nick Timoney could reach 150 caps as they aim to get their season back on track.

Connacht Rugby have won their last two and welcome back Joe Joyce and Josh Ioane from injury to the starting XV. Coach Pete Wilkins expects another tight interprovincial battle after Ulster’s narrow win in Belfast last season.

Connacht Head Coach Pete Wilkins said: “An interpro trip to Belfast is always one of the great challenges in a BKT URC season. There were elements of last weekend’s game in Wales that were pleasing, but our overall performance will need to improve if we’re to earn a win tomorrow. History has shown this is often a one-score game so we must make sure we produce an 80-minute performance full of accuracy and intent.”

Ulster: Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Iain Henderson (CAPT), Kieran Treadwell, David McCann, Sean Reffell, Nick Timoney, Ethan McIlroy, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, John Cooney

Replacements: James McCormick, Eric O’Sullivan, Corrie Barrett, Alan O’Connor, Marcus Rea, Nathan Doak, Ben Carson, Mike Lowry

Connacht: Santiago Cordero, Mack Hansen, Piers O’Conor, Bundee Aki, Shayne Bolton, Josh Ioane, Ben Murphy, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Joe Joyce, Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (CAPT), Sean O’Brien, Paul Boyle

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Peter Dooley, Temi Lasisi, Oisin Dowling, David O’Connor, Caolin Blade, Cathal Forde, Conor Oliver

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 98th league game)
AR 1: Andrew Cole (IRFU) AR 2: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Form: Ulster (Won 1, Lost 2), Connacht (Won 2, Lost 1)

Live on: BBC NI, TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Dragons RFC v Emirates Lions

Rodney Parade, Newport – KO 14.30 IRE & UK / 15.30 ITA & SA

The Dragons pushed the Sharks all the way last week and will be hoping for more of the same at Rodney Parade. Cameron Jones is set for a debut if called upon from the bench as they search for their first win of the season.

Dragons Head Coach Dai Flanagan said: “The Lions are a very, very physical, and tough team, you can see that they are united and their coach Ivan van Rooyen has done a superb job. I enjoy watching them play because they pick up players who you have never heard of and make them into stars.”

The high-flying Emirates Lions have maximum points from their opening two games but face their first away test. Prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye will make his 50th appearance for the team as they look to maintain their perfect start to the campaign and solidify their position near the top of the table.

Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, Rio Dyer, Joe Westwood, Aneurin Owen, Jared Rosser, Lloyd Evans, Rhodri Williams; Rodrigo Martinez, Brodie Coghlan, Leon Brown, Ben Carter (CAPT), Matthew Screech, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Harri Keddie, Taine Basham

Replacements: Oli Burrows, Cameron Jones, Chris Coleman, Ryan Woodman, Dan Lydiate, Dane Blacker, Will Reed, Ewan Rosser

Emirates Lions: Quan Horn, Rabz Maxwane, Erich Cronje, Rynhardt Jonker, Edwill van der Merwe, Nico Steyn, Morne van den Berg, Juan Schoeman, Franco Marais, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Reinard Nothnagel, Darrien Landsberg, JC Pretorius, Jarod Cairns, Francke Horn (CAPT)

Replacements: PJ Botha, Heiko Pohlmann, Conraad van Vuuren, Ruben Schoeman, Renzo du Plessis, Sanele Nohamba, Marius Louw, Henco van Wyk

Referee: Fillipo Russo (FIR, 2nd league game)
AR 1: Adam Jones (WRU) AR 2: Rhys Jones (WRU)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)

Form: Dragons (Lost 3), Lions (Won 2)

Live on: BBC Wales, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv