The BKT United Rugby Championship kicked off 2026 with a round dominated by intense derby action in South Africa, Wales and Ireland. In Cape Town, the DHL Stormers maintained their unbeaten record with a last-gasp 13-8 victory over the Vodacom Bulls, whilst Ulster’s commanding victory over Munster moved them to third in the table and Ospreys completed a remarkable turnaround by climbing from bottom to ninth with successive Welsh derby victories.

Record crowd sees Stormers march on

The biggest BKT URC attendance of the season saw the table-topping DHL Stormers make it eight out of eight in the league as they edged a titanic tussle with the Vodacom Bulls 13-8 on another weekend of intense interprovincial and derby action.

They left it late in front of a Cape Town capacity crowd of 53,862 at a sold-out DHL Stadium, but once again found a way with replacement prop Ntuthuko Mchunu claiming the match-winning score off a lineout drive 90 seconds from time. The dramatic finish capped a brutal forward battle that epitomised the physical intensity of South African derby rugby.

That makes it ten out of ten in all competitions for the Stormers, an remarkable unbeaten run that has established them as the team to beat in this season’s championship. The victory gives Director of Rugby John Dobson further reason to celebrate just days after signing a four-year contract extension, rewarding his success in building a formidable squad.

The match was characterised by ferocious defence and attritional forward play, with neither side able to establish sustained attacking momentum. The Stormers welcomed back Damian Willemse for his 100th start at inside centre, whilst Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu made his first start of the season at fly-half after recovering from injury. Both returns significantly strengthened an already formidable backline.

For the Bulls, Springbok Ruan Nortje returned to captain the side, taking over the armband from Elrigh Louw. Despite fielding numerous Springboks in their pack, the Pretoria-based side could not overcome the Stormers’ home dominance and defensive resilience.

Giving his verdict on the sold-out showdown with the Vodacom Bulls, Dobson said: “It was a tough derby. What was amazing was the contest everywhere. That’s probably what is making South African rugby so great at the moment, why we win World Cups, that we are so used to this game – scrum, lineout, maul, breakdown, massive contests. It’s just really good for South African rugby.

“You could hear the thuds in the coaching box, which is insulated. It was crazy stuff. It was a desperate Bulls team, a good Bulls team. Look how many Springboks were in their pack. So, it’s a good win.”

Providing the view from the visiting camp, Bulls skipper Ruan Nortje said: “Both teams were in it the full 80 minutes and, although there wasn’t a lot of running rugby, I think it was an exciting game. All credit to the Stormers, for finishing in the 78th minute. That’s why they are top of the log. When they get the opportunities, they finish. We had our opportunities to win the game and just couldn’t execute.”

It was a sixth straight defeat for the Bulls in all competitions and they are down in 11th in the BKT URC table, a significant drop from their pre-season expectations. The Bulls have now lost both their matches against fellow South African franchises so far in the 2025/26 URC, a record that must improve if they harbour genuine play-off ambitions.

Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann acknowledged the challenge before the match: “If you look at our selection, apart from [injured] Cameron Hanekom and Kurt-Lee Arendse, we have a team we feel can compete. It’s a massive challenge playing the number one side in the competition, unbeaten and in front of a likely sellout crowd. We can’t ask for a bigger challenge, playing in Cape Town against an in-form Stormers side. We respect them; they’re a quality team with X-factor game-breakers and good at the set piece.”

But second row Nortje remains positive about his side’s prospects, saying: “There’s a lot of belief in this team. We were in this position a few years ago, so I know we will get ourselves out of it.”

Glasgow maintain championship challenge

It’s now Glasgow Warriors leading the chase behind the Stormers, with Franco Smith’s team having jumped up two places to second thanks to a comprehensive 47-10 bonus point victory over Zebre Parma at Scotstoun Stadium.

The defending champions’ only defeat in their last six BKT United Rugby Championship matches was 0-23 at the Scarlets in Round 6. Glasgow have lost just twice at home in any competition since December 2023, both in the BKT URC against Ospreys in March 2025 and against the Bulls in April. This formidable home record at Scotstoun established them as overwhelming favourites for Saturday night’s encounter.

For the second game in a row, there was a brace of tries for in-form winger Jamie Dobie, who has established himself as one of the competition’s most dangerous finishers. The emotional highlight came when fly-half Duncan Weir marked his final appearance for the club before moving into an Academy coaching role by touching down in the dying minutes, providing a fitting farewell for the Scottish international.

Glasgow made several changes as head coach Smith introduced younger players to the matchday environment. Jack Oliver was in line for his Warriors debut from the bench, having worked through the academy and training environment, whilst the experienced Weir received a rousing send-off from the Scotstoun faithful.

Zebre have lost their last six BKT URC matches after opening the season with a pair of victories against Munster and Ospreys that raised hopes of sustained improvement. The Parma-based side’s most recent away victory was 22-17 against Edinburgh in February 2025, though their challenge in Glasgow never materialised as the hosts dominated from the opening whistle.

Glasgow have won all twenty-five matches they have played against Zebre, representing the competition’s most dominant head-to-head record. The champions showed no signs of complacency despite their overwhelming historical advantage, producing a clinical performance that demonstrated their championship credentials.

Franco Smith acknowledged the challenge whilst emphasising squad development: “Despite our four victories in December we need to up our game and we know that the Zebre team will pose a different challenge. They are a dangerous side and will test us, so our focus is very much on delivering a positive, disciplined performance as we introduce some of the younger players in our squad. We’re also excited to see Jack Oliver involved in the matchday squad for the first time. He’s worked extremely hard through the academy and training environment, and this is a great opportunity for him to experience what it means to be part of a senior matchday group at Scotstoun.”

Zebre head coach Massimo Brunello recognised the magnitude of the challenge: “We are heading into one of the toughest away fixtures of the season. We will be up against a side in good form, having won both of their derbies against Edinburgh. We have made several changes to keep the same energy levels we have shown in recent matches. We want to be disruptive and competitive, and to try to surprise them, just as we did successfully against Montpellier in the cup. We do not want to go out there and be predictable.”

The victory keeps Glasgow firmly in contention at the top of the table as they chase down the unbeaten Stormers, whilst Zebre must regroup and find solutions to end their losing streak.

Ulster make statement with commanding victory

Ulster Rugby are up to third having leapfrogged over Munster Rugby by beating them 28-3 in front of a bumper Belfast crowd on Friday night. After a dour, error-strewn first half played in intermittent snow flurries, Ulster flexed their muscles in the second period, scoring three unanswered tries and 22 unanswered points to record a comprehensive victory.

Twenty-one-year-old Academy forward Bryn Ward was named Player of the Match, epitomising Ulster’s effort with relentless carrying, defensive work and his first senior try. Ward, operating at number eight in the continued absence of injured Jaurno Augustus, combined brilliantly with hooker Tom Stewart and captain Iain Henderson to bully Munster at the gainline.

Tom Stewart, Jake Flannery and Ward crossed for tries, with Nathan Doak contributing 13 points from the tee. Munster, who made 10 changes from their defeat to Leinster including resting Ireland internationals Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Gavin Coombes, managed only a solitary JJ Hanrahan penalty throughout the entire 80 minutes.

That’s now six wins out of eight for Ulster in the league, while they have a game in hand on all the teams towards the top of the table apart from the Stormers.

Skipper Iain Henderson, returning from a back injury that had sidelined him since late October, said: “As I’ve been spouting for the last six months, we’ve seen the progress behind closed doors and it’s great to see it coming out in matches like this.

“The young lads coming through are showing such promise and the quality of our training sessions has just been getting better and better and the way the coaches have been coaching us. We are seeing that all transferring onto the pitch now. It’s exciting to see it finally coming out.

“When times are tough, it is so difficult to drag yourself back and get the feeling good, so we are just thriving in this environment. There is a good buzz about the place. It’s a good craic, which is positive.

“I really hope the Irish coaching staff have a look at these young lads and see how they fit into an exciting Ireland squad going forward.”

Reflecting on the full house at a snowy, bitterly cold Affidea Stadium, second row Henderson said: “We love the fact that we had a sell out and we really fed off that. As bad a night as it was with the weather, you could see the guys wanting to still try and play, wanting to put on that spectacle to bring exciting rugby and an exciting night.

“We know we’ve been guilty in the past of waiting for the fans to pick us up, so we said we were really going to try our best to lift the roof and give what we want to give to them.”

Head coach Richie Murphy praised both Ward brothers, with Zac proving equally devastating on the wing: “The two Ward brothers tonight were freaks, weren’t they, with ball in hand? We’re really, really happy with how Bryn’s coming on. We’ve been dripping him in for 10, 15, 20 minutes in games, but you can kind of see what kind of a ball carrier he is. Devastating.”

For Munster, the defeat sees them slip from second to fourth place. Head coach Clayton McMillan was brutally honest in his assessment: “There’s no sugar-coating over anything really. We just never got our game going. We were never allowed to get our game going. I’ve got to give credit to where it’s due and that’s to a good Ulster side.

“It just wasn’t good enough. Nowhere near the standard that we want to set. It’s an opportunity for a number of people to put themselves in the jersey in the coming weeks and really just walk away with more questions than answers. Not a great day at the office, but as coaches, we own it first and foremost.”

Leinster extend winning streak to seven

Leinster extended their winning streak to seven matches at a freezing Aviva Stadium, completing a clean sweep of their festive interprovincial derbies. After wins over Ulster at home and Munster in Limerick over the Christmas period, Leo Cullen’s side delivered a dominant second-half performance that saw them score 33 unanswered points.

The champions led by only 19-17 at half-time following a thrilling opening 40 minutes that featured three lead changes. Connacht briefly led 17-14 through tries from Dylan Tierney-Martin and Finlay Bealham, but Sam Prendergast’s crucial try just before the interval restored Leinster’s advantage.

However, the second period proved entirely one-sided as Leinster’s attacking fluency, improved discipline and physical dominance overwhelmed a deflated Connacht side. Dan Sheehan, Prendergast, Brian Deeny and Joshua Kenny completed an impressive eight-try haul in front of 21,722 spectators, where temperatures plummeted to -2°C pitchside.

Jamison Gibson-Park was named player of the match following an outstanding display that set the tempo for Leinster’s dominance. Prendergast contributed a try and six conversions from eight attempts, complementing his astute game management.

Leo Cullen emphasised the importance of Prendergast’s pre-half-time try: “It is huge, it’s just a totally different complexion. We scored some good tries, started the game really, really well, but then Connacht were in the ascendancy for a period. Obviously, we lose Joe McCarthy to the bin and then after being 14-0 up, suddenly we’re 17-14 down.”

For Connacht, this represents a seventh defeat from ten games this season and a third consecutive loss. Head coach Stuart Lancaster identified the crucial period: “The try before half-time was a real sucker punch and it was exactly the same against Ulster. So that period between the end of the first half and the first 10 minutes of the second half, those critical periods, championship minutes that people talk about, we’re not very good at, it’s fair to say.”

Lancaster, who arrived at Connacht last summer after serving as Leinster senior coach, recognised the scale of the rebuilding project: “When I went to sleep last night I was hoping we’d play like we did for that 30-minute period for the 80 minutes but we didn’t and I’m fully committed to what I’m doing at Connacht. I know it’s a different project, it’s a completely different project.

“Connacht should be applauded for what they’ve done off the field in terms of building a new High Performance Centre, building a new stand, and when I’m coaching the young lads at Connacht they’re not at the same level as the development of these Leinster lads like Charlie Tector, Hugh Cooney… They were training with the senior squad three years ago when I was there. So they’ve had three more years of experience whereas I’m four months in, five months in, coaching Billy Bohan or Fiachna Barrett or Harry West or all these lads.”

Ospreys bounce back from rock bottom

Having been bottom of the table and “embarrassed” going into Christmas, the Ospreys are now up to ninth after producing an “exceptional” display against Cardiff Rugby to complete a festive derby double.

They were down in 16th place in the BKT URC, with just one win from their opening seven league games, after losing 26-10 at home to Munster a fortnight ago. But, since then, they have bounced back in style by recording bonus point victories over both the Scarlets and Cardiff.

Wales scrum-half Kieran Hardy scored twice to inspire Ospreys to their 33-22 New Year’s Day victory over Cardiff in Bridgend. Hardy’s brace was supplemented by tries from wing Keelan Giles, hooker Sam Parry and Iestyn Hopkins as Ospreys dominated proceedings for 70 minutes before Cardiff’s late flurry secured a losing bonus point.

The match was played in front of a Brewery Field sellout of 7,700 supporters and unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing uncertainty about the future structure of Welsh professional rugby, with the Welsh Rugby Union planning to cut a men’s professional side.

Their skipper for the match was hooker Sam Parry, who said: “If I am being honest, I think Munster embarrassed us really. They taught us a lesson on a few things that we pride ourselves on. That really stung us. When I looked at the table and saw we were bottom, it really hurt.

“It was our first time back here since then and as a group we were determined to put those wrongs right. It was something we spoke about that we needed to put on a big performance because Cardiff have been going very well, but also just to back up from last week against the Scarlets. It was massive.

“I am glad we are climbing up the table now. We are not where we want to be just yet, so we will keep going and keep trying to get as high as we can.”

Adding his thoughts, head coach Mark Jones said: “I am so pleased for the group. The boys have put an awful lot of work into the first half of the season and the wins column hasn’t always been as nice as we would like it to be.

“But I have always felt the performances have been progressive in the large part and that when we get our stuff right and execute really well we are a good side. When you play someone like Cardiff, who have amassed as many wins as they have, we knew we would have to be at our best to get anything out of the game and I thought we were exceptional. I just thought the full package was good.”

The former Wales wing continued: “The derbies are so mentally and physically demanding and then you add in Christmas and New Year to it, there’s a lot of distractions and you could make a lot of excuses for not winning or not performing.

“Our players have done none of that. They have come into work when we have asked them to and done really well and got the most out of each day. It’s been tough because they have been tired and there’s been lots going on, for individuals and the collective, with everything that’s going on in the background as well.

“The way they have stayed focused and been so energized and excited to play with their team-mates, with the shirt, in front of our fans, that’s the bit that I have been so pleased with – how much they enjoy playing, which trumps everything really. It’s great.”

Cardiff were hampered by ill-discipline as they were overpowered by the Ospreys forwards, with captain Liam Belcher shown a yellow card for an illegal clearout on Rhys Davies. The visitors launched a remarkable late fightback with three tries in the final eight minutes through Josh Adams (his second), Taulupe Faletau and Javan Sebastian to claim a losing bonus point.

For Cardiff, the festive programme brought two defeats – to the Scarlets and Ospreys – and a narrow win over the Dragons. That has seen them drop down to fourth in the league table, with the second part of their season presenting far tougher fixtures than they have faced to date.

Their international centre Ben Thomas said: “We all love playing the Christmas derbies and, ultimately, one from three is not good enough for us. So we will look back hard at this and use it as a bit of a catalyst to get better for the second half of the season.

“It was a frustrating day for us. They were better than us in every facet of the game. They were on top in breakdown, attack, defence – every aspect. You give a team that much dominance at the contact area, it’s going to be tough to get your game going.

“So there will be an awful lot for us to look back on. But sometimes you need these games, you need a bit of a reality check and it will refocus us for the second half of the season. We will work hard to get better.”

Dragons continue resurgence

In the other Welsh derby on New Year’s Day, the Dragons continued their resurgence as they claimed an emphatic 28-5 bonus point victory over the Scarlets at Rodney Parade.

That’s now three wins from their last four matches in all competitions for the Gwent region, with the Player of the Match award going to try-scoring hooker Oli Burrows who said: “It was a big effort from 1 to 23.

“The momentum we’ve had the last couple of weeks, particularly at home, we carried that through into the new year and it’s just a hell of a way to start the year really.

“It’s probably been coming since the start of the season. It was a case of breaking that duck, getting that monkey off our back and, once you get that win, it’s amazing what a little bit of momentum does for you.

“We’ve not been a million miles off and one or two things have started to click. We have got a brilliant group here.”

Co-captain Angus O’Brien added: “It’s massive and it’s just testament to the work we are doing. We had some tough results at the start of the season, but a lot of the performances have been there, we just haven’t played 80 minutes.

“Getting that win a few weeks back against Lyon, you could see the belief with a big win against Connacht. We had a narrow loss last week at Cardiff, but we showed the confidence to come back.”

On the victory over the Scarlets, during which he converted all four tries, full-back O’Brien said: “It wasn’t perfect. The first half was a tight game, but in that second half, we were foot on the throat, we were clinical and we came away with five points, so we are delighted.”

He added: “The fans are massive. The way we play at Rodney Parade, they are a focal part of that, the energy they drive for us as a team, the way they support us, it’s amazing. So, happy new year to them.”

Last-gasp drama in Durban

There was a dramatic ending to the weekend’s other South African derby as the Lions secured a last-gasp 23-22 victory over the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban with replacement scrum-half Hassiem Pead claiming the match-winning try in the 81st minute at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.

The Lions had led 15-0 early on through commanding forward play and clinical finishing, establishing a platform that suggested a comfortable afternoon. However, they were then overhauled by a determined Sharks side, with the momentum shift coinciding with a 20-minute red card for Lions flanker Ruan Venter that left the visitors a man down during a crucial period.

The Sharks, who have won just twice in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this season, capitalised on their numerical advantage to overturn the deficit and take the lead. However, the Lions demonstrated remarkable resilience and character to defend their line repeatedly whilst down to 14 men, before snatching the spoils at the death to rise to seventh in the table.

Hollywoodbets Sharks welcomed back Springboks Ox Nche and Aphelele Fassi to their starting XV, providing significant reinforcement to the pack and back three respectively. The Durban-based franchise desperately needed victory to establish consistency, particularly at Kings Park where they had won their previous three home matches. Despite dominating territory for extended periods, they could not close out the contest.

Lions captain Eddie Davids was named in the starting XV at loosehead prop, adding experience to the front row, whilst captain Francke Horn led from number eight with characteristic determination and ball-carrying threat.

Their captain Horn said afterwards: “What an unbelievable game that was! We had 20 minutes with 14 men and kept them out. There were then some big moments at the end where we held them up over the line. Then to take that last opportunity just shows you what our team stands for and how we will play to the end whistle.”

Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher had emphasised his side’s process-driven approach before the match: “We want everything to be process-driven. That’s attack, defence and kicking game. If you look at the Sharks since JP took over, they are a team that is on the up. We can see the improved effort, the belief and we can see it in the way they play. We know it’s going to be a tough battle on Saturday, but we are excited. If you look at the names they have and the experience in that squad, it’s exciting because there are a lot of things we’ve learned within our own team.”

The victory marked a crucial statement for the Lions, demonstrating their ability to triumph in adversity and maintain composure under extreme pressure. Both sides won their respective home games last season, making this dramatic contest all the more significant for the visitors’ play-off ambitions.

For the Sharks, the defeat extends their inconsistent form and raises questions about their ability to close out tight matches at crucial moments.

Edinburgh hold on in Treviso thriller

There was also a nail-biting finish in Treviso where Edinburgh Rugby held on in the face of intense late pressure to beat Benetton Rugby 15-14 in a dramatic encounter at Stadio Monigo.

Edinburgh made five changes to their starting XV as head coach Sean Everitt sought the right combination to secure victory on Italian soil. They went 15-0 up early in the second half when Scotland wing Darcy Graham claimed a long-range kick-and-chase try, demonstrating the pace and finishing ability that has made him one of international rugby’s most dangerous attackers.

Ben Vellacott had opened the scoring in the 21st minute following a spell of pressure on the hosts’ tryline, with the scrum-half quickly slipping away to ground the ball before Ross Thompson added the extras. Thompson kicked a penalty to extend their lead before half-time, giving Edinburgh a 10-0 advantage at the interval.

However, the hosts staged a stirring revival in the second period to set up a grandstand finish. Benetton, who have won their last four matches in all competitions, demonstrated the resilience and attacking ambition that has characterised their recent form. Thomas Gallo crossed for Benetton in the 52nd minute with Jacob Umaga converting, before Malakai Fekitoa added their second try just five minutes later, with Umaga’s conversion moving them within one point at 15-14.

The final stages saw Benetton lay siege to the Edinburgh line, but the Scottish capital side’s defence held firm under immense pressure. Edinburgh have won just twice in the 2025/26 BKT United Rugby Championship before this victory, both at home: against Benetton in Round 4 (43-0) and against Ospreys in Round 6 (19-17). Their last away win in the Championship was against Connacht in May, highlighting the significance of this hard-fought success.

Benetton head coach Calum MacRae had warned his side before kick-off: “We will need to approach the game with ambition while keeping our feet on the ground. It’s good to go into this match with momentum and good form, and we are still very aware of what happened in Scotland earlier in the year. Edinburgh are a competitive side who play with intensity for the full 80 minutes; we expect them to apply a lot of pressure with their kicking game. Winning the aerial battle will be crucial.”

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt acknowledged the difficult period but expressed determination: “It was a disappointing period for us over Christmas, but we’re ready to fight back against a strong Benetton side on the road. The BKT URC is still wide open, so any points we can pick up from now to the end of the season will keep us in the mix for the play-offs.”

The victory keeps Edinburgh in touch with the play-off places and demonstrates their ability to grind out results in hostile environments. For Benetton, Ignacio Mendy’s 50th appearance for the club provided a milestone moment, though the result denied them a chance to extend their winning run to five matches.

Edinburgh are looking to complete a season’s double over the Italians for the first time since 2015/16, having won convincingly at home earlier in the campaign.

What’s coming next?

The BKT URC now takes a break for a couple of weeks as the focus switches to the final two sets of pool matches in the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

Then it will be back to league action with Round 10 on the weekend of January 23-24, with Ulster looking to build on their momentum, Leinster facing La Rochelle in a repeat of recent Champions Cup finals, and the race for play-off places intensifying across the competition.