URC Round One - teams and predictions
PREVIEW: This weekend the United Rugby Championship returns with an exciting round of games to kick off the 2024/2025 season.
To avoid a clash with the Currie Cup Final, Round One fixtures involving the South African teams will now be moved from this weekend and rescheduled to early 2025.
The opening fixtures of the URC will kick off with Friday - as Edinburgh host Leinster, while Zebre Parma make the trip to Cardiff.
Two derby fixtures are scheduled for Saturday - Dragons welcome Ospreys and Connacht face Munster in Limerick.
Benetton will play Scarlets at home, while defending URC Champions Glasgow Warriors look to kick off the season with a win away to Ulster.
Franco Smith insists Glasgow Warriors are embracing the challenge of having a target on their back as URC champions.
Smith’s team won the title in thrilling fashion at the end of last season, beating the Bulls 21-16 in the final at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld after overcoming the Stormers and Munster in the play-offs.
Now they are faced with the task of defending their crown with their rivals determined to knock them off their perch.
Asked if they will have a target on their back, coach Smith replied: "Definitely, that goes without saying.
"I am sure teams will approach us differently.
"I feel there will be some more interest in our performance this season. But it doesn’t change what we need to do and how we go about our business."
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Munster coach Graham Rowntree said they would like to go a week further than last season.
Munster’s defence of their league crown ended at the penultimate hurdle back in June when they lost 10-17 to eventual champions Glasgow Warriors in the semifinal.
They had been strong favourites going into the Thomond Park clash, given they had won ten games on the trot and had the benefit of home advantage.
"It was hugely disappointing," admits Rowntree.
"In big games, in big moments, you’ve got to take your opportunities and we didn’t.
"We failed to take some chances in key areas of the game and you can’t do that in a knockout game.
"But I don’t want to take anything away from Glasgow.
"They were a handful everywhere across the field. They were tenacious all night around the breakdown. They are a very tough team to play against, as evidenced by their performance in the final."
* All the Round One teams and predictions are below ...
Friday, September 20
Cardiff v Zebre
(Arms Park, Cardiff – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT; 20.35 CEST)
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Prediction
@rugby365com: Cardiff by 16
Teams
Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Mason Grady, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Ben Donnell, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 James Botham, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Liam Belcher (captain), 1 Danny Southworth.
Replacements: 16 Evan Lloyd, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Alun Lawrence, 21 Johan Mulder, 22 Tinus de Beer, 23 Harri Millard.
Zebre: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Ben Cambriani, 13 Giulio Bertaccini, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Jacopo Trulla, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Ratko Jelic, 8 Giovanni Licata (captain), 7 Samuele Locatelli, 6 Davide Ruggeri, 5 Leonard Krumov, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Matteo Nocera, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Luca Rizzoli.
Replacements: 16 Giampietro Ribaldi, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Juan Pitinari, 19 Andrea Zambonin, 20 Giacomo Ferrari, 21 Rodrigo Patricio, 22 Francesco Ruffolo, 23 Giacomo Da Re.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Mike English (Wales), Rhys Jones (Wales)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Edinburgh v Leinster
(Edinburgh Stadium – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)
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Prediction
@rugby365com: Leinster by eight
Teams
Edinburgh: 15 Wes Goosen, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Mosese Tuipulotu, 12 Matt Currie, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Ali Price, 8 Ben Muncaster, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist (captain), 4 Marshall Sykes, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Boan Venter, 18 D’arcy Rae, 19 Jamie Hodgson, 20 Magnus Bradbury, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Ben Healy, 23 Emiliano Boffelli.
Leinster: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Charlie Tector, 11 Jordan Larmour, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan (captain), 7 Scott Penny, 6 Max Deegan, 5 James Ryan, 4 Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 Michael Milne.
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Brian Deeny, 20 James Culhane, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Rob Russell.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Jonny Perriam (Scotland), Michael Todd (Scotland)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Saturday, September 21
Dragons v Ospreys
(Rodney Parade, Newport – Kick-off: 15.00; 14.00 GMT)
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Prediction
@rugby365com: Ospreys by seven
Teams
Dragons: TBC
Ospreys: TBC
Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)
Assistant referees: Mike English (Wales), Ben Connor (Wales)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)
Munster v Connacht
(Thomond Park, Limerick – Kick-off: 17.30; 16.30 GMT)
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Prediction
@rugby365com: Munster by 12
Teams
Munster: TBC
Connacht: TBC
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Cole (Ireland), Dan Carson (Ireland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
Benetton v Scarlets
(Stadio Monigo, Treviso – Kick-off: 20.35; 19.35 UK & Ireland time; 18.35 GMT)
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Prediction
@rugby365com: Benetton by nine
Teams
Benetton: TBC
Scarlets: TBC
Referee: Ian Kenny (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Fillipo Russo (Italy), Franco Rosella (Italy)
TMO: Dave Sutherland (Scotland)
Ulster v Glasgow Warriors
(Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast – Kick-off: 19.45; 18.45 GMT)
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Prediction
@rugby365com: Ulster by three
Teams
Ulster: TBC
Glasgow Warriors: TBC
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Robbie Jenkinson (Ireland); Padraig Reidy (Ireland)
TMO: Tom Spurrier (Wales)