Kick-off times, dates and broadcast details for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals – featuring three teams from South Africa – have been confirmed, with the four games taking place on for Friday 5 Saturday 6 May.
The 2023 Vodacom URC play-offs will kick off in Belfast where Ulster (2) will host an Irish derby against Connacht (7) at Kingspan Stadium on Friday, 5 May at 20h35 (SA time).
The Saturday slate will begin in Cape Town where defending champions, DHL Stormers (3), will take on the Vodacom Bulls (6), in a rematch of last season’s Vodacom URC Grand Final. The game at DHL Stadium is scheduled to get underway at 15h30.
No 1 ranked Leinster will host the Cell C Sharks (8) at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin at 18h00 (SA time) in what will be the Durbanites’ second trip to the Irish capital this season having taken part in a thrilling 88-point encounter back in October.
The quarter-finals close out at 20h35 (SA time) in Scotland where Glasgow Warriors (4) make their return to the play-offs for the first time since 2019. Their opponents at Scotstoun Stadium will be Munster (5), who are searching for their first league title since 2011.
All games will be broadcast live in home markets on SuperSport (South Africa), ViaPlay (UK), Premier Sports, URC.tv (both Rep of Ireland) while RTÉ and TG4 will split coverage in Rep of Ireland.
Vodacom URC quarter-finals:
Friday 5 May:
Quarter-Final 2: Ulster (2) v Connacht (7)
Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
SA Time: 20h35
Saturday, 6 May:
Quarter-Final 3: DHL Stormers (3) v Vodacom Bulls (6)
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
SA Time: 15h30 SA
Quarter-Final 1: Leinster (1) v Cell C Sharks (8)
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
SA Time: 18h00
Quarter-Final 4: Glasgow Warriors (4) v Munster (5)
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
SA Time: 20h35
Semi-Final path
In the semi-finals, to be played the weekend of May 12/13, the winner of QF1 will play the winner of QF4 and the winner of QF2 will play the winner of QF3.
In a change to last season’s rules, the teams with the highest seeding in each semi-final will have home venue rights. Previously, the winners of QF1 and QF2 were guaranteed home draws no matter their ranking.
SF1: Leinster (1) / Cell C Sharks (8) v Glasgow Warriors (4) / Munster (5)
SF2: Ulster (2) / Connacht (7) v DHL Stormers (3) / Vodacom Bulls (6)
The semi-final winners will meet on Saturday, May 27 at the venue of the highest-ranked team to have qualified for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final.