We are now 13 rounds into the 2023/24 season and the Race to the Eight play-off spots is closer than ever. There are now just five rounds left to play in the regular season and the race simply could not be tighter. As things stand, just 8 points separate 5th and 15th place with Round 14 set to be a big one.
Amazingly, all but one team can still qualify for the Play-Offs with Leinster becoming the first team to book their spot despite a first defeat of the season to the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday.
Two teams climbed into the top eight following the weekend with Ospreys now 7th after their 43-40 win over Connacht and the DHL Stormers now 8th following their 29-17 win over Scarlets.
Keeping those spots, however, will not be easy – with just 3 points separating 7th and 13th.
Looking ahead to Round 14, there are some must-win games for some of our teams as well as some intriguing battles in the Race.
The DHL Stormers (8th) face Ulster (7th) in a huge game for both sides. Ulster's late win over Dragons has kept them in the race and a win would see them overtake their South African counterparts who are just a point ahead of them.
Connacht (12th) face Munster (6th) at MacHale Park for the first time on Saturday in a must-win game for the western province in front of a packed-house.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks will be looking to push towards a home Quarter-Final when they take on Leinster who can secure one themselves with four games to go if they can get a win in Durban.
Some other mammoth fixtures to look forward to in the #RaceToTheEight across the last five rounds of the regular season include the DHL Stormers vs Connacht, Ospreys vs Cardiff, and Munster vs the Vodacom Bulls in Round 14, as well as Glasgow Warriors vs Vodacom Bulls and Cardiff vs Munster in Round 15.
The Quarter-Finals of URC 4 take place on May 30 and May 31 before we head straight into the Semi-Finals the following week. The Grand Final takes place on Saturday, June 14.
Round 14
28 March 2025
21:35 Ulster vs DHL Stormers
21:35 Edinburgh Rugby vs Dragons RFC
29 March 2025
14:45 Vodacom Bulls vs Zebre Parma
16:30 Connacht vs Munster
17:00 Scarlets vs Ospreys
19:15 Hollywoodbets Sharks vs Leinster14:45
21:35 Benetton vs Cardiff Rugby
21:35 Glasgow Warriors vs Emirates Lions