The impact of URC on the global game
SPOTLIGHT: The second season of the United Rugby Championship gets underway this coming weekend against the background of a dramatically changed global landscape in the game.
The URC has had a massive impact on the global game.
Since the 2021/22 season ended with a tightly fought all-South African Final - between the Stormers and the Bulls in Cape Town - the Ireland team has displaced South Africa at the top of the international World Rugby rankings.
Ireland's historic 2-1 come-from-behind series win against the All Blacks on New Zealand soil was a seismic event.
The way the Irish dealt with the Kiwis, particularly at forward, was an advert for the positive impact the South African entry into the URC may already be having on the Irish game.
The last time some of those Ireland players played club rugby, it was when they were physically overpowered by the Bulls when they wore the colours of Leinster in the semifinal at the RDS Arena.
And yet those same players looked strong and at times nigh unstoppable against the All Blacks.
The All Blacks, helped by the tough games against Ireland and then South Africa, have subsequently started to recover and their big win over Argentina last time out suggested they have learned plenty and have re-set.
However, in the initial stages of the Southern Hemisphere international season, the advantages of the URC were written large, both in terms of what South Africans get from being aligned with the north and what Ireland gets from the South African contact.
Although their teams struggled in last season's URC, the Welsh too might have benefitted already from the South African involvement, as evidenced by their strong showing on tour in the Republic in July - particularly their big efforts at altitude in Pretoria and Bloemfontein.
Watching to see if the Welsh can recover and put in a better challenge for top eight places and therefore play-off qualification is going to be one of many interesting side features of the coming season.
It is anticipated that now they have a better idea of what to expect from the South African opposition in particular, the Welsh might be more competitive this time.
They will need to be, for their failure last season saw an early end to their interest in the competition and that couldn't have been good for either the confidence or the economics of the game in the Principality.
It is anticipated that Season Two will again be headlined by the battle for supremacy between the South African and Irish teams.
The Irish teams should be smarting after seeing two South African sides contest the inaugural Final.
However, this season will be different to last, and indeed the many that preceded it when the competition was known as the Pro14, due to Leinster's dominance no longer being assumed.
One defeat certainly would not have harmed Leinster.
The Bulls' win in Dublin back in June was against a Leinster side that was still shell-shocked by the last-gasp defeat they suffered in the Champions Cup final in Marseille.
That Leinster has challenged so strongly and consistently for European honours underlines just how strong they are and the depth that has been created is the envy of all.
They will be back as strong contenders this year and may even be marginal favourites to return to the top of the totem pole.
The South African teams will have other ideas and the Bulls did make a significant statement with the manner in which they knocked them out of the 2021/22 competition.
The South African teams will find it tougher this time around though due to their inclusion in the Champions Cup, which means they will be busier.
There will be fewer breaks in the season and they will need greater squad depth.
The defending-champion Stormers might struggle with squad management - with the Bulls and Sharks both still significantly better off financially than the Cape franchise.
The Stormers and Sharks start the opening with a bye, with the Lions hosting the Bulls in the first local derby of the season at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Leinster starts their campaign by travelling to Parma to face Zebre, while Munster starts life without Johann van Graan, who has left for Bath, by visiting Cardiff on Saturday.
Former England prop and scrum coach Graham Rowntree is the new Munster coach.
Franco Smith, former Italy coach as well as Cheetahs Currie Cup winning coach, is now with Glasgow Warriors and with Mike Blair determined to carry on where he left off last season with the progress of Edinburgh's running game, both Scottish teams should be braced to play attacking rugby.
The Warriors start the competition by visiting Benetton on Friday evening.
Round One fixtures and match official appointments
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
(Stadio Monigo, Treviso - Kick-off: 17.30 Ireland & UK time; 18.30 Italian & SA time)
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Federico Vedovelli (Italy), Manuel Bottino (Italy)
TMO: Brian McNeice (Ireland)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Zebre Parma v Leinster
(Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma - Kick-off: 13.00 Ireland & UK time; 14.00 Italian & SA time)
Referee: Ben Blain (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Federico Boraso (Italy), Dario Merli (Italy)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Lions v Bulls
(Ellis Park, Johannesburg - Kick-off: 15.05 Ireland & UK time; 16.05 Italian & SA time)
Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa), Griffin Colby (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuisen (South Africa)
Cardiff v Munster
(Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff - Kick-off: 15.05 Ireland & UK time; 16.05 Italian & SA time)
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Ben Breakspear (Wales) AR 2: Mike English (Wales)
TMO: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Scarlets v Ospreys
(Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli - Kick-off: 17.15 Ireland & UK time; 18.15 Italian & SA time)
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Simon Rees (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales)
Edinburgh v Dragons
(Edindinburgh Stadium, Edinburgh - Kick-off: 19.35 Ireland & UK time; 20.35 Italian & SA time)
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: David Sutherland (Scotland) AR 2: Michael Todd (Scotland)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)
Ulster v Connacht
(Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast - Kick-off: 19.35 Ireland & UK time; 20.35 Italian & SA time)
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Chris Busby (Ireland) AR 2: Andrew Cole (Ireland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
Source: ©URCSA