United Rugby Championship

BKT United Rugby Championship Round 11 review

Published

4 months ago

1st February 2026

BKT United Rugby Championship Round 11 review

BKT United Rugby Championship, Affidea Stadium, Belfast 31/1/2026 Ulster vs Cardiff Rugby Ulster's Angus Bell celebrates after scoring with Ethan McIlroy, Werner Kok and James Hume Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Nick Elliott

Round 11 of the BKT United Rugby Championship delivered yet more drama, with the Sharks completing a historic double over the Stormers, Glasgow Warriors extending their lead at the summit, and Wallaby prop Angus Bell producing a sensational solo try as Ulster edged past Cardiff in Belfast.

The weekend’s results saw significant movement in the standings as teams head into the Six Nations break. The Bulls’ demolition of the Lions at Ellis Park continued their remarkable turnaround, Keelan Giles’ 50th Ospreys try sparked wild celebrations in an emotion-charged Welsh derby, while Scott Penny’s hat-trick inspired Leinster to climb to second place. Meanwhile, thick fog in Treviso produced another bizarre 20-20 draw between Benetton and the Scarlets – the exact same scoreline as last season’s encounter at the same venue.

Glasgow stretch their lead

A much-changed Glasgow Warriors side extended their lead at the top of the table thanks to a 31-22 bonus-point victory over Munster Rugby at a sold-out Scotstoun.

All four of their tries came in the first half as they built a 28-5 buffer which served as the platform for a ninth successive victory in all competitions. Ollie Smith’s extraordinary finish in the corner, Dan Lancaster’s interception from halfway, Olujare Oguntibeju’s close-range effort and Josh McKay’s bonus-point score while Munster were down to 14 men following Thaakir Abrahams’ yellow card established a commanding lead that the visitors could not overcome.

Munster rallied impressively in the second half with tries from Dan Kelly – a stunning 70-metre solo run – Brian Gleeson and Diarmuid Kilgallen, but Lancaster’s 74th-minute penalty sealed the victory for the hosts.

With the bulk of their Scotland squad members away preparing for the Six Nations, Glasgow showed ten changes, but they still continued their winning ways, much to the delight of skipper Stafford McDowall.

“It’s something we pride ourselves on here massively – that whoever steps into the jersey does the same job,” he said. “These are some of the most fun times to be a Glasgow Warrior when the international boys are away and the boys who work hard every week and maybe don’t get a chance get their time to play. It’s nice to see them step up and play really well.”

Centre McDowall was one of five members of Glasgow’s 18-strong contingent in the Six Nations squad who were released to figure in the BKT URC clash. The 16-cap centre responded with a Player of the Match display.

Adding his thoughts on the contest, Glasgow coach Franco Smith said: “We always knew it was going to be a tough one with Munster also playing well this season. So to get the win is good. There’s obviously a lot to work on, but we are excited to get five points against Munster who are a very tough team to play, so I am happy with that.”

Penny hat-trick inspires Leinster comeback

Leinster Rugby moved up to second in the table having made it 11 wins in a row in all competitions by claiming a 28-20 bonus-point victory over Edinburgh Rugby at the Aviva Stadium.

The reigning champions trailed 15-7 at the break after tries from Duhan van der Merwe – released by Scotland for the trip to Dublin – and Malelili Satala had given the visitors a deserved cushion. Edinburgh had also seen a stunning length-of-the-field effort cruelly disallowed by the TMO for an infringement in the build-up.

However, Leinster stormed back to take control through their close-quarter carrying as flanker Scott Penny scored a second-half hat-trick of tries, all from close range. The hosts’ physicality gradually told as Edinburgh’s discipline cracked under mounting pressure.

Charlie Shiel’s late consolation try for Edinburgh was rendered meaningless when Cammy Scott’s conversion attempt slipped off the tee as he approached, stayed low and was charged down – denying the visitors even a losing bonus point.

Player of the Match Penny said: “It was a very tough game. In the first half, we weren’t really up to the standard that we hold ourselves to and Edinburgh were really testing us. But there was a really good response in the second half. It was a great team effort.”

On his hat-trick, he said: “I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time. We had to work for all our tries. Edinburgh really defended their line very well and it took us loads of phases to get over.”

Sharks complete historic double over Stormers

Long-time league leaders the DHL Stormers have slipped down to third after losing to the Hollywoodbets Sharks for the second weekend in a row.

They were beaten 36-24 in front of a 25,364 crowd at Durban’s Kings Park with winger Jaco Williams scoring two of the Sharks’ five tries as they turned around a 17-14 half-time deficit. It was the first time the Sharks had completed a double over the Stormers in a single season since 2012 Super Rugby.

The Sharks dominated the aerial battle, with wings Williams and Edwill van der Merwe superb under the high ball. Captain André Esterhuizen led from the front throughout, his try helping to turn the tide after Ruben van Heerden’s yellow card had reduced the Stormers to 14 men.

The result was sealed by one of the most bizarre moments of the URC season. With 10 minutes remaining and the Sharks leading 31-24, replacement full-back Warrick Gelant dropped back behind his own line to field a probing kick. Taking his time to dot down, Gelant was oblivious to the danger as Williams raced in to touch the ball down under his nose.

Stormers coach John Dobson admitted: “Credit to the Sharks, they beat us properly over the past two weeks. Our discipline was poor and our set-piece definitely let us down. The most frustrating thing about tonight is that everything that went wrong last week went wrong this week. There has to be a behaviour change.”

Captain Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu added: “The lack of discipline cost us. When we played our game, we were on top of them. We were being reckless, careless and irresponsible.”

Ulster edge past Cardiff in Belfast

Ulster Rugby and Cardiff Rugby fought out a tight encounter in Belfast, with the hosts coming out on top 21-14 to leapfrog their opponents in the standings.

The highlight was a sensational solo try from Wallaby prop Angus Bell. The Australian picked up the ball on the edge of the 22, beat two Cardiff defenders and sidestepped full-back Cam Winnett with the footwork of a seasoned winger to touch down for his first Ulster try – a score so good it left team-mate Marcus Rea standing with his hands on his head in disbelief.

Scott Wilson had earlier crashed over to open the scoring after some sharp carries and quick recycling, before Bell’s moment of magic extended the lead to 14-0 at half-time. Cardiff, who have a habit of comeback wins over Ulster, rallied through Johan Mulder’s close-range effort and Steffan Emanuel’s fine finish after Taine Basham’s powerful break.

Charlie Irvine’s try restored Ulster’s two-score advantage, but Emanuel’s immediate response set up a nervous finale. James Hume’s crucial turnover inside his own 22 with five minutes remaining proved decisive, and Cardiff had to settle for a losing bonus point.

Ulster coach Richie Murphy said: “We are delighted with the win. We were made to work really hard, especially in the second half. Home in the Affidea Stadium is becoming really good for us. We are winning a lot of games here.”

His Cardiff counterpart Corniel van Zyl commented: “In the first half, we struggled a little bit, but the way the boys fought back to stay in the fight was really pleasing to see. The fight was amazing. The boys just wanted to fight for the jersey.”

Bulls demolish Lions in emphatic Jukskei derby

The Vodacom Bulls posted a resounding 52-17 away win over the Lions in Johannesburg, racking up eight tries in an emphatic revenge for their 43-33 defeat at Loftus in November.

It was the Bulls’ third consecutive win after ending a seven-match losing streak, a remarkable turnaround that has lifted them to seventh in the standings. Harold Vorster scored twice against his former club, while Johan Grobbelaar, Handré Pollard, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Embrose Papier, Mpilo Gumede and Keagan Johannes also crossed. Pollard orchestrated proceedings from fly-half, landing six conversions.

The Lions were overwhelmed from the outset, trailing 26-3 at half-time and unable to string phases together. Morne van den Berg and Bronson Mills scored consolation tries, but the hosts made 174 tackles at 90% success rate yet still could not stop the Bulls’ dominance.

Player of the Match Embrose Papier controlled proceedings from scrum-half, his kicking game winning crucial aerial contests throughout. Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee expressed pride in his team’s performance, while coach Johan Ackermann praised the balance between attack and defence.

Lions captain Francke Horn called for accountability after the match: “Every player needs to take accountability for their job. Nothing in a week’s prep led us to perform like that today. But definitely the pressure and the slow start got to us, and it’s just not a good enough performance.”

Coach Ivan van Rooyen echoed that sentiment: “In that first half, I don’t think we managed to get the ball through two phases, maybe not even three, so just sloppy. You make an error, they get the ball, then you concede momentum.”

Ospreys players pay tribute to their fans

Match-winning hero Keelan Giles paid tribute to the Ospreys fans after his last-minute try secured a dramatic 19-13 Welsh derby victory over Dragons RFC.

Winger Giles cut through to the line with just 55 seconds left on the clock to spark scenes of wild celebration both on and off the field at Bridgend’s Electric Brewery Field. It was his 50th try for the region and what a moment to score it.

The victory came on a night when supporters staged a pre-match protest against the Welsh Rugby Union and owners Y11 Sport & Media, whose bid to buy rivals Cardiff threatens Ospreys’ future beyond 2027. Former players Shane Williams and Ian Gough addressed the crowd before kick-off.

Speaking after the game, Giles said: “I would just like to say a massive thanks to the crowd for coming out in numbers. They were the voice and it was a great night. It’s class. We spoke about it all week that this would be a massive game and I am so glad we got the win in the end. It was a physical game and the boys dug deep.”

Giles’ decisive score came when the Dragons were reduced to 13 men after prop Cebo Dlamini had been sin-binned for head contact in a tackle and hooker Oli Burrows failed his HIA.

Adding his thoughts, skipper Sam Parry said: “The fans mean so much to us. We are proud to represent them and proud to represent this team. It’s something we spoke about before the game, just what it means to wear the jersey.”

Delighted Ospreys coach Mark Jones said: “I think I probably let myself down up in the stand when the try was scored! I was just feeling for the boys because it felt like we might not get what we felt we deserved. The boys have put so much effort in.”

Reflecting on his team standing eighth in the table, Jones said: “We have set ourselves up pretty well. We are just over halfway and if you’d said we were going to be sitting where we are in pre-season we’d have probably taken that when you look at the strength of the league.”

For the Dragons, it was a case of so near, yet so far. They led for most of the game and came within a minute of claiming their first away win in the league since April 2022, only to have to settle for a losing bonus point in the end.

Head coach Filo Tiatia said: “We are disappointed. I thought we played really well. I can’t fault the effort. I’m proud of the group and we deserved more than what we got. But we also weren’t clinical enough. We had seven or eight entries inside their 22 and we didn’t convert.”

Connacht survive Zebre scare

Connacht Rugby secured a hard-fought 31-15 bonus-point victory over Zebre Parma in Italy, but Stuart Lancaster’s side were made to work until deep into stoppage time for the maximum haul.

Oisín McCormack crowned his first appearance of the season by snatching the bonus-point try in the 11th minute of stoppage time, finishing a driving maul after Zebre centre Marco Zanon was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on – the third player to be sin-binned for that offence during the match.

The visitors had trailed 3-0 at half-time after a controversial TMO decision denied wing Chay Mullins a try. A technical issue on the big screen meant referee Ben Whitehouse could not verify the call himself, and he deferred to TMO Keith David – but delayed replays suggested the score should have stood.

Joe Joyce pounced just 41 seconds into the second half when Cathal Forde charged down a clearance, while number eight Sean Jansen crossed twice to underline his importance to this Connacht side. Sam Gilbert maintained a flawless record from the tee with four conversions and a crucial 79th-minute penalty that ensured the four points were safe.

Zebre, depleted by eight players on Six Nations duty with Italy, showed admirable spirit throughout. Scrum-half Gonzalo Garcia scored and was later yellow-carded, while replacement Bautista Stavile’s powerful run reduced the deficit to 21-15 with six minutes remaining to set up a tense finale.

Fog-bound draw in Treviso

On Friday night, it had been a case of déjà vu all over again as the Benetton-Scarlets clash produced exactly the same scoreline as last season’s game out in Treviso – a 20-20 draw.

The hosts led 13-3 at half-time through a Paolo Odogwu try and Rhyno Smith’s eight points from the boot, but the Scarlets responded as thick fog descended after the break, ultimately edging the try count 3-2.

Gareth Davies – moving to joint third on the all-time URC try-scoring charts – Tomi Lewis and Macs Page crossed for the visitors, with 18-year-old Carwyn Leggatt-Jones providing assists for the latter two tries on his first URC start.

Both teams had opportunities to win the game late on, only for kicks at goal to go wide. Nicolas Roger Farias missed two long-range penalties for Benetton, while Leggatt-Jones’ missed conversion – which would have won the match – summed up a frustrating night.

The Player of the Match award went to the Scarlets’ Kiwi number eight Fletcher Anderson, who made more carries (19) and tackles (16) than anyone else on the pitch. He admitted he had never played in such conditions before.

“We rocked up and it was a little bit foggy, but coming out for the second half we couldn’t really see the crowd,” he said. “It was pretty interesting. It was tough under the high ball. The referee mentioned that if it got any worse we would have to call it, but you don’t really think about it, you just try and focus on the game.”

Reflecting on the Scarlets’ improved performances of late, he said: “The Champions Cup was a good period for us, playing against some quality sides. Having a challenge like that really forces you to lift your game and I think we’ve done that. We are not far off. We are trending upwards for sure.”

What’s coming next?

All but two of the 16 BKT URC teams now have three weeks off while the Guinness Six Nations takes centre stage.

There is one rescheduled Round 8 game on 21 February when the Lions host the Sharks, ahead of a full programme of Round 12 matches on the weekend of 27-28 February.

Round 11 results

Benetton 20-20 Scarlets
Glasgow Warriors 31-22 Munster
Lions 17-52 Bulls
Sharks 36-24 Stormers
Zebre Parma 15-31 Connacht
Leinster 28-20 Edinburgh
Ospreys 19-13 Dragons
Ulster 21-14 Cardiff

Round 8 fixture (rescheduled)

Saturday, 21 February
Lions v Sharks (14:00 GMT / 16:00 SAST)

Looking ahead: Round 12 fixtures

Friday, 27 February
Cardiff v Leinster (21:00 GMT)
Edinburgh v Scarlets (21:45 GMT)

Saturday, 28 February
Lions v Stormers (14:30 GMT / 16:30 SAST)
Bulls v Sharks (17:00 GMT / 19:00 SAST)
Connacht v Glasgow Warriors (17:00 GMT)
Dragons v Benetton (19:30 GMT)
Munster v Zebre (19:30 GMT)
Ospreys v Ulster (21:45 GMT)

United Rugby Championship

BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final preview

Published

2 days ago

29th May 2026

rugbyisthegame

BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final preview

Stormers v Cardiff URC rugby in Cape Town, South Africa Damian Willemse of DHL Stormers in action during the United Rugby Championship (URC) match between the DHL Stormers of South Africa and Cardiff Rugby of Wales at the DHL stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, on May 16, 2025. Cape Town South Africa Copyright: Matrix Images Nic Bothma (IMAGO / Matrix Images)

The BKT United Rugby Championship Finals Series begins this weekend with four quarter-finals across two days as the race for the title enters knockout territory. Connacht, Munster and defending champions Leinster are all in action, while three South African sides – the Bulls, Stormers and Lions – look to keep their campaigns alive on home soil or across the water in Dublin.

Top seeds Glasgow Warriors host an in-form Connacht at Scotstoun on Friday evening in what shapes as the most intriguing tie of the round, before a South African double-header on Saturday sees the Bulls welcome Munster to Loftus Versfeld and the Stormers host Cardiff at DHL Stadium in a rematch of the final regular-season fixture. The weekend concludes under the lights at the Aviva Stadium, where Leinster look to bounce back from their Investec Champions Cup final defeat by taking on the Lions.

Should all four home sides progress, the semi-final draw would see the Stormers travel to Dublin to face Leinster, while the Bulls would host Glasgow at Loftus Versfeld. However, upsets in Glasgow or Dublin would reshape the picture entirely, with the Bulls and Stormers eyeing home semi-finals should Connacht or the Lions spring surprises.

Glasgow Warriors v Connacht Rugby

Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: Friday, 29 May – 19:45 IRE & UK / 20:45 ITA & SA
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 51st league game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Breakspear (WRU), Craig Evans (WRU)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)

Form

Glasgow locked in the top seed in the playoffs with wins over Ulster and Cardiff in their final two games of the regular season and have been formidable at Scotstoun, losing only twice in the URC at this ground since the start of the 2023/24 season – to Ospreys in March 2025 and to the Bulls in April 2025. Their only home defeat this calendar year came against Toulon in the Champions Cup quarter-final in April.

Connacht, by contrast, are the competition’s form team, having won eight of their last nine URC games to snatch eighth place after claiming just two victories in the first half of the season. Stuart Lancaster’s side have transformed their campaign in the second half of the season to secure both a playoff spot and Champions Cup qualification for next season. However, history is firmly against the visitors – Connacht have lost on all nine of their previous visits to Scotstoun since the Warriors moved there in 2012, with their last away win against Glasgow coming at Firhill in 2010.

Team news

Glasgow welcome back Scotland second row Scott Cummings for his first appearance since January after recovering from a calf injury sustained during Scotland’s Six Nations win over France in March. The British and Irish Lions international replaces the injured Gregor Brown and adds significant experience and physicality to the Warriors’ engine room. Patrick Schickerling starts at loosehead having been rested for last weekend’s away win at Ulster, while Matt Fagerson and Rory Darge both return to the back row having also missed the trip to Belfast. Jamie Dobie remains unavailable. Kyle Steyn captains the side, with Sione Tuipulotu and Stafford McDowall forming a powerful midfield combination.

Connacht are boosted by the return of hooker Dylan Tierney-Martin and lock Darragh Murray, both of whom come back into the starting XV after recovering from injury. Cian Prendergast captains the side from the back row alongside Shamus Hurley-Langton and Paul Boyle, with Bundee Aki providing experience and physicality in the midfield. Josh Ioane continues at fly-half with Ben Murphy at scrum-half. The bench features a strong collection of finishers including the experienced trio of Dave Heffernan, Peter Dooley and Finlay Bealham in the front row.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (CAPT), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 George Horne; 1 Patrick Schickerling, 2 Johnny Matthews, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Scott Cummings, 5 Alex Samuel, 6 Matt Fagerson, 7 Rory Darge, 8 Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Jare Oguntibeju, 20 Euan Ferrie, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Jack Oliver, 23 Ollie Smith.

Connacht Rugby: 15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Shane Jennings, 13 John Devine, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Ben Murphy; 1 Billy Bohan, 2 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 3 Sam Illo, 4 Darragh Murray, 5 Josh Murphy, 6 Cian Prendergast (CAPT), 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 8 Paul Boyle.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Joe Joyce, 20 Sean O’Brien, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 Hugh Gavin, 23 Sean Naughton.

What they said

Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith said: “Connacht will present a strong challenge tomorrow evening. They have a well-drilled squad full of talent, and come here as one of the most in-form teams in the competition. We are pleased to welcome Scott back into our matchday 23 after his injury layoff – he has worked hard and worked closely with our medical and S&C teams to put himself in the best possible position ahead of his return. We know the difference that the Warrior Nation can make, and we look forward to hearing them get behind the team at Scotstoun as we kick off the playoffs tomorrow night.”

Connacht Rugby head coach Stuart Lancaster said: “This is exactly where we wanted to be at the start of the season, so credit must go to all the players for what they’ve displayed in recent months to get us to this position. Now we have to go out there and seize the opportunity. Glasgow are a formidable opponent especially away from home, with an array of talented players who are very well coached, but we are excited by the challenge ahead of us.”

Where to watch

Premier Sports, TG4, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Vodacom Bulls v Munster Rugby

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: Saturday, 30 May – 12:00 IRE & UK / 13:00 ITA & SA
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 62nd league game)
Assistant Referees: Federico Vedovelli (FIR), Fillipo Russo (FIR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Form

The Bulls have been in remarkable form since recovering from a bruising mid-season wobble that saw them lose seven games in a row across all competitions. Johan Ackermann’s side have won nine of their last 10 URC games and come into the quarter-finals with a winning streak of six matches in the competition, having also lost just once in their last 10 games overall – that defeat coming against the Stormers in the home derby. Captain Marcell Coetzee has spoken about the backs-against-the-wall mentality that emerged from those difficult weeks, insisting the squad have been in knockout mode for some time already.

Munster’s season has been a story of inconsistency. Having started the campaign with five wins from five in the URC, the province somehow needed three wins from their final four games to secure a playoff spot and Champions Cup qualification. They arrive in Pretoria without Tadhg Beirne and Jack Crowley among a lengthy injury list, but know how to win at altitude, having done so in 2024. The head-to-head between these sides stands at 3–2 in the Bulls’ favour from five meetings, with the most recent being a gripping 34–31 thriller at Loftus Versfeld in March that the hosts shaded after Embrose Papier crossed for a brace. Both sides have been ever-present in the URC finals across all five seasons of the competition.

Team news

The Bulls have loaded up with power and pace for the knockout clash. Ruan Nortje returns to the engine room for what will be his 150th appearance for the franchise, replacing Cobus Wiese who drops to the bench. Kurt-Lee Arendse moves back to the right wing in place of Devon Williams, while Stravino Jacobs returns on the left wing for Sergeal Petersen. Captain Marcell Coetzee returns from a bout of flu to take his place in the back row alongside Cameron Hanekom and Elrigh Louw, with Jeandre Rudolph moving to an impact role from the bench. Handre Pollard and Embrose Papier form the halfback pairing, with Willie le Roux at full-back. The bench is formidable, featuring Springboks Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Wiese among the forwards.

Munster have made just one change from the side that faced the Lions in their final regular-season fixture, with Alex Nankivell returning to the starting XV after his late withdrawal from that game. Craig Casey again captains the side from scrum-half, with JJ Hanrahan at fly-half in the continued absence of Jack Crowley. Tom Ahern and Evan O’Connell form the second-row partnership in the absence of Tadhg Beirne, while the back row of Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett and Brian Gleeson offers a blend of experience and dynamism. Fineen Wycherley is set to reach 150 Munster appearances if called upon from the bench.

Vodacom Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier; 1 Gerhard Steenekamp, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Marcell Coetzee (CAPT), 7 Elrigh Louw, 8 Cameron Hanekom.
Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Jeandre Rudolph, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Sergeal Petersen.

Munster Rugby: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Smith, 13 Alex Nankivell, 12 Seán O’Brien, 11 Shane Daly, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Craig Casey (CAPT); 1 Jeremy Loughman, 2 Niall Scannell, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 4 Tom Ahern, 5 Evan O’Connell, 6 Jack O’Donoghue, 7 John Hodnett, 8 Brian Gleeson.
Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Conor Bartley, 19 Fineen Wycherley, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Ben O’Donovan, 22 Dan Kelly, 23 Alex Kendellen.

What they said

Vodacom Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann said: “We’re looking forward to playing in front of our home crowd. We have tremendous respect for Munster, a team that has shown its pedigree and were champions two seasons ago. They have a rich history and a proud culture. We are privileged to be in the quarter-finals, and will hopefully put in a good performance.”

Bulls captain Marcell Coetzee added: “If you take me through the season, we were under pressure, and it kind of forced us to be in a knockout rugby mindset every week. So I think we got used to that pressure now, knowing what the task is at hand. They’ll always stay in the fight until the last minute. Munster in particular, they’ve got ways to break you down and disrupt your rhythm. We just have to counter that this weekend.”

Where to watch

SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

DHL Stormers v Cardiff Rugby

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: Saturday, 30 May – 14:30 IRE & UK / 15:30 ITA & SA
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 40th league game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU), Andrew Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

Form

The Stormers enter the quarter-finals under pressure after an inconsistent run of form that saw them slip from a potential top-two finish to third place. John Dobson’s side started the season brilliantly and were unbeaten through early January, but have since won just one of their last five games – a run that includes a draw with Ulster, defeats to Connacht and Cardiff, and two losses to the Sharks. Their most recent outing, a 22–16 defeat to Cardiff at the Arms Park two weeks ago, was particularly chastening. However, the Stormers have been formidable at DHL Stadium this campaign, suffering only two home defeats, and have won both of their previous home quarter-finals in 2022 and 2023.

Cardiff arrive in Cape Town having achieved something few predicted at the start of the season. This is their first time making the playoffs of any iteration of this competition since 2002/03, made all the more remarkable given head coach Matt Sherratt departed a week before the season started, with Corniel van Zyl stepping up from forwards coach. The Welsh side won 11 of 18 URC games and never dropped out of the top eight all season, with their home form at Cardiff Arms Park the foundation – 10 wins from 11 in all competitions. Their weakness has been on the road, with just one URC win outside Wales all season, at Zebre in November. Still, they arrive with the confidence of that victory over the Stormers fresh in the memory.

Team news

The Stormers are boosted by the return of several key players. Regular captain Ruhan Nel returns from injury to lead the side from inside centre, while the pacy Seabelo Senatla is back on the right wing. Both full-back Damian Willemse and wing Leolin Zas were doubts after a collision in training on Wednesday but have been declared fit to start. Up front, the pack that dominated the scrum against Cardiff is retained, with the changes coming on the bench where Vernon Matongo, whom Dobson expects to become a top Springbok, returns from injury, and Ruan Ackermann – son of Bulls head coach Johan – is available for the first time since his influential display in the narrow win over the Bulls in early January. Salmaan Moerat also returns to the bench and could be playing his last home game as a Stormer before departing for La Rochelle. Lock Ruben van Heerden, also heading to France, starts in what could be his DHL Stadium swan song.

Cardiff make four changes to the side that beat the Stormers in the Arms Park. Josh Adams returns to fitness and takes his place on the left wing, while influential lock Josh McNally comes into the second row. Props Rhys Barratt and Keiron Assiratti are introduced in the front row, with Liam Belcher captaining the side from hooker. The coaches opt for six forwards on the bench. Wales flanker Alex Mann and wing Mason Grady were considered for selection after returning from injury but neither features in the matchday 23.

DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (CAPT), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Imad Khan; 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 3 Neethling Fouché, 4 Adré Smith, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 6 Paul de Villiers, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 8 Evan Roos.
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.

Cardiff Rugby: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Jacob Beetham, 13 Ben Thomas, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Johan Mulder; 1 Rhys Barratt, 2 Liam Belcher (CAPT), 3 Keiron Assiratti, 4 Josh McNally, 5 Rory Thornton, 6 James Botham, 7 Dan Thomas, 8 Taine Basham.
Replacements: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Javan Sebastian, 19 George Nott, 20 Alun Lawrence, 21 Evan Lloyd, 22 Ellis Bevan, 23 Tom Bowen.

What they said

DHL Stormers director of rugby John Dobson said: “Absolutely, this is a game that we need to show our true colours. We started off the season really well but this game will determine if we are still the team that was so good in the early part of the season or whether we have a lot of work to do to set things right before the next season starts. This calendar year, since the Bulls game in early January, we have been inconsistent and it has understandably led to questions about our game and how we are tracking.”

Stormers captain Ruhan Nel warned against complacency: “If there’s any sort of comfort or relaxation because they’re coming to our turf, it’s a given win for us – that’s completely the wrong mentality. They beat us fair and square, not because of the pitch but because we were outplayed, and we are fully aware of the danger that Cardiff bring and how good they are.”

Cardiff Rugby coach Corniel van Zyl said: “The pressure was on us last time out at Cardiff Arms Park, but I think that has obviously shifted back onto them a little now. If we can start well and apply pressure through what we do best – scoring points – then we can put them under pressure. That is ultimately the only way we can impose ourselves on them.”

Cardiff wing Josh Adams added: “We haven’t just crept into these play-offs, let’s be straight. We finished sixth and didn’t drop out of the top eight all season. We have finished sixth with all the uncertainty in Welsh rugby over the past 12 months – or longer – and how we have kept our focus and been disciplined in what we want to achieve has been excellent.”

Where to watch

SuperSport, S4C, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster Rugby v Fidelity SecureDrive Lions

Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: Saturday, 30 May – 20:00 IRE & UK / 21:00 ITA & SA
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 63rd league game)
Assistant Referees: Hollie Davidson (SRU), Ru Campbell (SRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Form

Leinster’s quarter-final arrives just one week after their Investec Champions Cup final defeat to Bordeaux-Béglès, a heavy 41–19 loss that extended their agonising run to five European final defeats in six years. Leo Cullen’s side are now chasing the URC title as the one piece of silverware that can salvage a season of near-misses. Despite that European setback, Leinster’s domestic record has been strong – they finished second in the regular season, have won all five of their previous URC quarter-final appearances, and are making their eleventh successive appearance in the competition’s playoffs. They have not lost at the Aviva Stadium this season.

The Lions are making their first-ever URC playoff appearance at the fifth time of asking, a landmark moment for Ivan van Rooyen’s side. The Johannesburgers have remained in Ireland since the conclusion of the regular season to maximise preparation time for this clash. While the Lions have scored 17 more points than Leinster across their 18 regular-season matches, they face one of the strongest defensive units in the competition. Their recent record in Ireland is sobering – the Lions have won just once in their previous 10 games on Irish soil, that coming at Connacht in 2024, and they were beaten 31–7 by Leinster in their Round 17 meeting just three weeks ago. The loss of key players Morne van den Berg (bicep), Ruan Venter (knee) and Asenathi Ntlabakanye (doping ban) weakens their squad significantly.

Team news

Leinster name a formidable side. James Lowe starts on the left wing and is set to earn his 100th Leinster cap, currently level with Shane Horgan on 69 tries for the province’s all-time try-scoring record. Hugo Keenan is at full-back, with Jimmy O’Brien and Rieko Ioane on the right wing and outside centre respectively, and Jamie Osborne at inside centre. Sam Prendergast continues at fly-half with Luke McGrath at scrum-half. The pack is near full strength with Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong in the front row, Joe McCarthy and James Ryan in the second row, and a back row of Max Deegan, Scott Penny and captain Caelan Doris. The bench is laden with internationals including Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne and Robbie Henshaw.

The Lions received a significant boost with captain Francke Horn and centre Henco van Wyk both declared fit after injury concerns following the loss to Munster. Richard Kriel has also been cleared through his return-to-play protocols after suffering a concussion. With Morne van den Berg out, Nico Steyn starts at scrum-half with World Junior Player of the Year Haashim Pead on the bench. Erich Cronje comes in on the wing. JC Pretorius will bring up 50 caps for the Lions if called upon from the bench. The rest of the squad is unchanged from the Munster defeat.

Leinster Rugby: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jimmy O’Brien, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jamie Osborne, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath; 1 Andrew Porter, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Joe McCarthy, 5 James Ryan, 6 Max Deegan, 7 Scott Penny, 8 Caelan Doris (CAPT).
Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Alex Usanov, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Diarmuid Mangan, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Robbie Henshaw.

Fidelity SecureDrive Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Angelo Davids, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Erich Cronje, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Nico Steyn; 1 SJ Kotze, 2 PJ Botha, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 6 Siba Mahashe, 7 Batho Hlekani, 8 Francke Horn (CAPT).
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Siba Qoma, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Rynhardt Jonker, 23 Haashim Pead.

What they said

Leinster prop Andrew Porter said: “We’re incredibly lucky that we still have something to play for. We’re throwing everything into this weekend and there’s still a trophy to be won. We’re leaving no stone unturned this week. We want to have something to celebrate, that’s what we’re chasing. We’re chasing the URC trophy now and we have to throw everything into it.”

Lions flanker JC Pretorius, set for his 50th cap, said: “For me it is an honour and a privilege to get my 50th cap. Coming from Sevens I never thought I would get here and it actually arrived very quickly. I think Bordeaux made 250 tackles – that’s how you put teams under pressure. They like to play quick rugby so we need to be making the right choices at the right time and not going into a bad trap of getting stuck in the breakdown when the defence needs you.”

Where to watch

TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

United Rugby Championship

Special times for blond bombshell Dan Thomas at Cardiff

Published

3 days ago

28th May 2026

rugbyisthegame

Special times for blond bombshell Dan Thomas at Cardiff

Cardiff Rugby Dan Thomas // Photo Credit: Inpho Photography

For Dan Thomas, it’s been a special season with a special group and he’s now hoping for the perfect ending.

The flanker has had an outstanding campaign as he’s helped Cardiff Rugby reach the BKT URC Play-Offs for the first time, making more tackles (248) than any other player in the league and the second most turnovers (17).

His huge contribution has seen him recognised by his team-mates who have chosen him as the club’s Players’ Player of the Season.

Now the man with the flowing blond locks is looking to put the icing on the cake as Cardiff go in search of the BKT URC title, with a Quarter-Final clash against the DHL Stormers coming up in Cape Town this Saturday.

Thomas, who hails from a farming family in west Wales, moved to the Arms Park in the summer of 2024 after seven years with Bristol Bears and it’s proved to be a dream move for him.

“Having been long term at Bristol, I didn’t really know what to expect coming to Cardiff, but I’ve loved every minute of it. It has been really revitalising.

“It’s a great crack with the boys and I love the rugby we play. It suits my style and it’s very rewarding. We love throwing the ball around, plus we will never give up.

“I love the boys. It’s a special group and I hope we go forward and do special things.”

As for his award, he says: “It’s a huge honour to get voted by the boys. It’s a big thing for me. I am extremely happy.

“I feel good. I feel better when I play every week. This season it’s worked out pretty well.

“I have always prided myself on working hard and doing the things that don’t require talent well.

“At the end of the day, rugby is a simple sport. As long as I do my bit right, that’s all that matters.

“I knew coming to Cardiff, with the back rowers that were here already, it was going to be huge competition, but I feel that has helped me.

“I didn’t come here to cruise. I came here to push myself, to play rugby and have a smile on my face.

“It’s not every week the back row is the same, so everyone has been kept on edge. You have to play your best rugby, otherwise you miss out.

“It has driven us on to be better and obviously the results have shown that.”

The 32-year-old openside added: “At the end of the day, rugby is a short career and to enjoy it and put your body on the line with your mates every week is a special thing and a huge privilege.

“I’m going to try and play as long as I can because I love doing it.

“Rugby on and off the field is quite a special thing and the memories I make with the boys off the field mean just as much to me. I have loved my time here on and off the field.

“I am very thankful with how the season’s gone so far, but obviously the job is not done yet, so it’s on to the next one.

“It’s exciting and all eyes are on this weekend now.”

As for the trip to Cape Town, Thomas says: “We play in Scotland, we play in Ireland, we play in Italy, we play in South Africa, we play in France.

“We’ve all travelled enough now to know what’s happening and what’s coming. It’s not as if we are going to turn up there and say this is a shock.

“There is no excuse when it comes to travel or the body being sore or anything like that.

“As long as your mentality is up there, your body will catch up, so it’s about turning up on Saturday with the right mentality.

“There are no excuses, this is a great opportunity. How many boys have played in Quarter-Finals before? If you’re not up for it mentally, you shouldn’t be on the pitch.”

The last eight clash will be a rapid rematch as it was the DHL Stormers that Cardiff beat 22-16 at the Arms Park a fortnight ago to book their spot in the Play-Offs.

Looking back on that game, the Carmarthen-born Thomas said: “From minute one, everyone’s attitude was there.

“It wasn’t like ‘We will feel our way into the game and see where we are at 50’.

“It was ‘From minute one, we will take the game to them’.”

He concluded: “We were disappointed not to make the play-offs last year, so the hunger has been greater than ever this season.

“We wanted to be in the play-off mix because anything can happen then. You play rugby to win things. You want to win silverware.”

United Rugby Championship

Bulls 45–19 Benetton – URC Round 18

Published

2 weeks ago

17th May 2026

rugbyisthegame

BKT United Rugby Championship, Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria, South Africa 5/10/2024 Vodacom Bulls vs Ulster A view of the Bulls changing room ahead of the game Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Steve Haag Sports/Christiaan Kotze

The Bulls powered past Benetton with seven tries in a commanding 45–19 bonus-point win at Loftus Versfeld.

Key moments

3 mins – TRY BULLS: Canan Moodie breaks through and Handre Pollard sets up Sergeal Petersen for the opening try. Pollard converts. (Bulls 7–0 Benetton)

12 mins – TRY BULLS: Spellbinding play from Pollard opens up space and Willie le Roux takes full advantage. Pollard converts. (Bulls 14–0 Benetton)

18 mins – TRY BENETTON: Matt Gallagher sets up a wonderful passing move finished off by Louis Lynagh. Unconverted. (Bulls 14–5 Benetton)

28 mins – TRY BULLS: The Bulls maul proves unstoppable as Johan Grobbelaar powers over. Pollard misses the conversion. (Bulls 19–5 Benetton)

34 mins – YELLOW CARD BENETTON: Alessandro Garbisi is shown yellow.

37 mins – TRY BULLS: The pick and go results in a try for Cobus Wiese. Pollard converts to secure the bonus point. (Bulls 26–5 Benetton)

39 mins – TRY BENETTON: Rhyno Smith wriggles through a gap to score. Smith converts his own try. (Bulls 26–12 Benetton)

Half-time: Bulls 26–12 Benetton. The hosts in command with the bonus point already secured.

41 mins – TRY BENETTON: Matt Gallagher creates again and Louis Lynagh finishes for his second. Smith converts. (Bulls 26–19 Benetton)

56 mins – TRY BULLS: Stedman Gans plays a key part as Petersen scores a stunning individual try for his second. Pollard converts. (Bulls 33–19 Benetton)

62 mins – TRY BULLS: Mpilo Gumede breaks through the defensive line to touch down. Pollard converts. (Bulls 40–19 Benetton)

74 mins – TRY BULLS: Paul de Wet sets it up and Ruan Nortje scores from close range. Pollard’s conversion drifts wide. (Bulls 45–19 Benetton)

Full-time: Bulls 45–19 Benetton

Full match report to follow.

Teams

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Devon Williams, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier; 1 Gerhard Steenekamp, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 3 Wilco Louw, 4 Ruan Nortje, 5 Cobus Wiese, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Elrigh Louw, 8 Cameron Hanekom
Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Stravino Jacobs

Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Mattia Midena, 11 Rhyno Smith, 10 Alessandro Garbisi, 9 Federico Zanandrea; 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 3 Tiziano Pasquali, 4 Federico Ruzza, 5 Lorenzo Cannone, 6 Manuel Zuliani, 7 Alessandro Izekor, 8 Toa Halafihi
Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Marcos Gallorini, 19 Niccolo Cannone, 20 Cristiano Tizzano, 21 Jadin Kingi, 22 Leonardo Marin, 23 Giulio Marini

Match details

Bulls 45 (Tries: Petersen 2, le Roux, Grobbelaar, Wiese, Gumede, Nortje; Cons: Pollard 5/7)
Benetton 19 (Tries: Lynagh 2, Smith; Cons: Smith 2/3)
Half-time: 26–12

Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)