After great anticipation, URC revealed all 144 regular season match-ups as South Africa’s top clubs take to the field against the Celtic and Italian nations in a global first for rugby.
Building upon rivalry created during the British & Irish Lions Series, the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls now take the pitch in iconic locations against the best of Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales across 18 rounds of action.
With every game live on TV, this new era will kick-off to the widest possible audience in the league’s history with major free-to-air audiences opened up in Ireland (RTÉ and TG4), Italy (to be confirmed shortly), and the UK (BBCNI, BBCW and S4C) as part of the URC’s new line-up of broadcast partners. They will line up alongside our long-term pay TV partners in Premier Sports and Supersport in order to deliver unprecedented access for fans and major exposure for athletes and clubs.
The unique appeal of the URC will be on show in the Round 1 where defending title holders and eight-times champions, Leinster, will play host to the three-time Super Rugby champions Vodacom Bulls. Munster, another multiple-time champion will welcome the Cell C Sharks to Ireland while the DHL Stormers face Rainbow Cup winners Benetton in Treviso and the Emirates Lions travel to Parma to take on Zebre.
Edinburgh will host Scarlets in their new stadium in the Scottish capital, the first Welsh derby of the season takes place between Dragons and Ospreys, Cardiff Rugby entertain Connacht while a battle of former champions will take place between Ulster and Glasgow Warriors.
Martin Anayi, United Rugby Championship CEO, said: “We believe these fixtures will ensure that the URC could deliver on its promise of a new era for our league where the very best from South Africa go head-to-head with our Celtic and Italian teams. As we carefully manoeuvre out of the pandemic, the URC will take its place as one of the leading leagues in global rugby and this fixture list should ignite our competition and take it to the next level.
“This schedule is the most complex we have ever produced and the efforts of every one of our stakeholders to help us piece it together in the current climate have been monumental. We now have a format that will heighten competition, showcase our clubs, elevate our athletes and bring great excitement to fans and TV audiences right across our territories and beyond.”
To accommodate the very latest travel conditions across the URC’s competing territories the provisional fixtures had to be readjusted. The South African teams will now complete four-week tours of Europe to begin the season giving fans in Ireland, Italy, Wales and Scotland an early opportunity to see these new sides in person.
In the URC’s commitment to avoid clashing with international weekends, the original date of Round 6 has been moved to the final week in November which ensures every round of the tournament is played on a standalone weekend. Across the world, rugby fans will be able catch all the action on URC TV, the league’s own OTT player which will be launched in partnership with RTÉ very shortly.
Jeopardy and drama will be littered across the campaign with every team eligible to qualify for EPCR tournaments and the reduction in rounds from 21 to 18 means every match matters.
In the new format all 16 teams will be ranked across a single table which will reward the top eight teams with their places in an expanded Final Series that includes a full Quarter-final stage, followed by Semi-finals before the best two teams meet in the URC Grand Final in June.
Round One:
Friday, September 24
Zebre v Emirates Lions | 17:35 UK / 18:35 ITA & SA |
Ulster v Glasgow Warriors | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Cardiff v Connacht | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Saturday, September 25
Benetton v DHL Stormers | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA |
Leinster v Vodacom Bulls | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Edinburgh v Scarlets | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Munster v Sharks | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Sunday, September 26
Dragons v Ospreys | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA & SA |
Round Two
Friday, October 1
Connacht v Vodacom Bulls | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Scarlets v Emirates Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Saturday, October 2
Benetton v Edinburgh | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA |
Glasgow Warriors v Cell C Sharks | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA & SA |
Zebre v Ulster | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Dragons v Leinster | TBC |
Ospreys v Cardiff | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Munster v DHL Stormers | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Round Three
Friday, October 8
Ulster v Benetton | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Ospreys v Cell C Sharks | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Saturday, October 9
Leinster v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA |
Glasgow Warriors v Emirates Lions | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA & SA |
Connacht v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Edinburgh v DHL Stormers | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Cardiff v Vodacom Bulls | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Sunday, October 10
Scarlets v Munster | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA & SA |
Round Four:
Friday, October 15
Ulster v Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Dragons v DHL Stormers | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Saturday, October 16
Zebre v Glasgow Warriors | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA |
Benetton v Ospreys | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA & SA |
Leinster v Scarlets | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Edinburgh v Vodacom Bulls | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Munster v Connacht | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Cardiff v Cell C Sharks | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Round Five:
Friday, October 22
Scarlets v Benetton | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Saturday, October 23
Zebre v Edinburgh | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA |
Glasgow Warriors v Leinster | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA & SA |
Connacht v Ulster | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Cardiff v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA |
Ospreys v Munster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA |
Round Six
Friday, November 26
Connacht v Ospreys | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA/ 21:35 SA |
Saturday, November 27
DHL Stormers v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA |
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA |
Cell C Sharks v Scarlets | 15:30 UK / 16:30 ITA / 17:30 SA |
Dragons v Edinburgh | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
Vodacom Bulls v Munster | 17:45 UK / 18:45 ITA / 19:45 SA |
Leinster v Ulster | 20:00 UK / 21:00 ITA / 22:00 SA |
Sunday, November 28
Emirates Lions v Cardiff | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA / 16:00 SA |
Round Seven:
Friday, December 3
Vodacom Bulls v Scarlets | 17:35 UK / 18:35 ITA / 19:35 SA |
Edinburgh v Benetton | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21:35 SA |
Leinster v Connacht | 19:45 UK / 20:45 ITA / 21:45 SA |
Saturday, December 4
Cell C Sharks v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA |
Ospreys v Ulster | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA |
Emirates Lions v Munster | 15:30 UK / 16:30 ITA / 17:30 SA |
Glasgow Warriors v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
DHL Stormers v Cardiff | 17:45 UK / 18:45 ITA / 19:45 SA |
Round Eight:
Friday, December 24:
Zebre v Benetton | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA |
Sunday, December 26
Cardiff v Scarlets | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA |
Ulster v Connacht | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
Ospreys v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
Munster v Leinster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21:35 SA |
Monday, December 27
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh | 19:00 UK / 20:00 ITA / 21:00 SA |
Round Nine:
Saturday, January 1
Dragons v Cardiff | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA |
Connacht v Munster | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
Scarlets v Ospreys | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
Ulster v Leinster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21:35 SA |
Sunday, January 2
Benetton v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA |
Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA / 16:00 SA |
Round Ten:
Friday, January 7
Leinster v Emirates Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA |
Saturday, January 8
Benetton v Cell C Sharks | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA | I
Zebre v Vodacom Bulls | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA |
Edinburgh v Cardiff | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA |
Connacht v DHL Stormers | 17:00 UK / 18:00 ITA / 19:00 SA |
Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA |
Munster v Ulster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA |
Scarlets v Dragons | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA |
R11 – Weekend of Jan 28/29/30
Connacht v Glasgow Warriors
Ulster v Scarlets
Cardiff v Leinster
Dragons v Benetton
Ospreys v Edinburgh
Vodacom Bulls v Emirates Lions
DHL Stormers v Cell C Sharks
Zebre v Munster
R5 (SA Derbies) – Weekend of Feb 4/5/6
Emirates Lions v Cell C Sharks | TBC |
DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls | TBC |
R8 (SA Derbies) – Weekend of Feb 11/12/13
Vodacom Bulls v Cell C Sharks | TBC |
DHL Stormers v Emirates Lions | TBC |
R12 – Weekend of Feb 18/19/20
Leinster v Ospreys
Munster v Edinburgh
Cardiff v Zebre
Dragons v Ulster
Scarlets v Connacht
Emirates Lions v DHL Stormers
Cell C Sharks v Vodacom Bulls
Glasgow Warriors v Benetton
R13 – Weekend of Mar 4/5/6
Munster v Dragons
Ulster v Cardiff
Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors
Ospreys v Zebre
Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers
Cell C Sharks v Emirates Lions
Edinburgh v Connacht
Benetton v Leinster
R9 (SA Derbies) – Weekend of March 18/19/20
Emirates Lions v Vodacom Bulls | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports
Cell C Sharks v DHL Stormers | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports
R14 – Weekend of March 25/26/27
Connacht v Leinster
Munster v Benetton
Cardiff v Glasgow Warriors
Vodacom Bulls v Dragons
Emirates Lions v Ospreys
Cell C Sharks v Edinburgh
DHL Stormers v Ulster
Zebre v Scarlets
R15 – Weekend of April 1/2/3
Leinster v Munster
Scarlets v Cardiff
Vodacom Bulls v Ulster
Emirates Lions v Edinburgh
Cell C Sharks v dragons
DHL Stormers v Ospreys
Glasgow Warriors v Zebre
Benetton v Connacht
R16 – Weekend of April 22/23/24
Ulster v Munster
Cardiff v Ospreys
Dragons v Scarlets
Vodacom Bulls v Benetton
Emirates Lions v Connacht
Cell C Sharks v Leinster
DHL Stormers v Glasgow Warriors
Edinburgh v Zebre
R17 – Weekend of April 29/30 and May 1
Munster v Cardiff
Ospreys v Scarlets
Vodacom Bulls v Glasgow Warriors
Emirates Lions v Benetton
Cell C Sharks v Connacht
DHL Stormers v Leinster
Edinburgh v Ulster
Zebre v Dragons
R18 – Weekend of May 20/21/22
Connacht v Zebre
Leinster v Edinburgh
Ulster v Cell C Sharks
Dragons v Emirates Lions
Scarlets v DHL Stormers
Ospreys v Vodacom Bulls
Glasgow Warriors v Munster
Benetton v Cardiff