It's been an incredible start to the 2024/35 season! The opening two rounds have seen five of the 14 games won by teams who finished below their opponents last season.
In Round 2 Zebre Parma created history with their first-ever win (42-33) over Munster, with four Round 2 games featuring come-from-behind wins for Cardiff, Zebre, Ospreys & Connacht.
What will we see in Round 3? Let's take a look at what's to come.
Scarlets v Connacht
Scarlets
– The Scarlets are one of just two teams remaining who are yet to lose an attacking scrum or lineout.
– The Scarlets have the second-lowest gainline success rate in the league: 35.5%. Taine Plumtree has crossed the gainline more than any other Scarlets player (nine times).
– The Scarlets have averaged the second-fewest 22 entries per 80 minutes in the opening two rounds (6.5).
Connacht
– Josh Murphy has made more post-contact metres in the opening two rounds than any other player (39). Cathal Forde has also made 30.
– Connacht have scored a league-high average of 4.1 points per 22 entry so far this season. They have scored a try on 58.8% of the occasions that they’ve entered the red zone.
– When Connacht have made a line break, they have scored in the same phase 50% of the time - the second-highest conversion rate in the league.
Cardiff Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Cardiff Rugby
– In the opening two rounds, Dan Thomas has made the joint-most dominant tackles (three) and won the joint-most turnovers (four).
– Cardiff have made the second-fewest carries per 80 minutes this season, an average of 99.5. In contrast, they have attempted the most tackles per 80 minutes (249).
– 14.2% of Cardiff’s touches have been kicks this season (2nd) but they have only made an average of 23 metres per kick in play (15th).
Glasgow Warriors
– Matt Fagerson made more dominant carries than any other player in Round 3 (seven), scored a try, and won two turnovers.
– Last weekend, Sione Tuipulotu made three dominant carries and assisted two tries. No player has made more carries for the Warriors in the last three seasons than Tuipulotu (310).
– Kyle Steyn has scored the joint-most tries so far this season (three), beat the joint-most defenders (12), and made the most clean breaks outright (six).
Emirates Lions v Edinburgh
Emirates Lions
– Rabz Maxwane and Quan Horn beat more defenders than any other players in Round 2: nine and eight respectively. Maxwane also made a round-high five clean breaks and scored a try.
– The Lions averaged 2.1 passes per ruck in their first match - more than any other team so far this season. A league-low 28.8% of their possessions ended with kicks.
– Despite having only played one match, the Lions have made the second-most clean breaks this season (18). They have also averaged the most defenders beaten (41) and carry metres (601) per 80 minutes.
Edinburgh
– Last weekend, Wes Goosen made a round-high five offloads and beat seven defenders (3rd).
– Edinburgh have won the most scrum penalties (nine), stolen the most lineouts (seven), and scored the joint-most maul tries (two) so far this season.
– Edinburgh have missed an average of just 10.5 tackles per 80 minutes so far this season - fewer than any other team.
Vodacom Bulls v Ulster
Vodacom Bulls
– Last weekend, Canan Moodie scored a try, made 115 metres, and broke the line twice.
– Chris Barend Smit made three clean breaks last weekend and assisted two tries.
– Cameron Hanekon was one of just three forwards to make three clean breaks in Round 3. He also made three dominant carries, three offloads, and 18 tackles.
Ulster
– Ulster have averaged a league-high 4.1 phases per possession this season. They have had more touches than any other team (648).
– Ulster have kicked longer than any other team so far this season, making an average of 34 metres per kick in play.
– Ulster have the lowest rate of collision dominance in the league after two rounds (7.2%). Only five players have made a dominant tackle thus far.
Benetton v Leinster
Benetton
– Manuel Zuliani was the only player to win three turnovers last weekend. He has won the joint-most in the opening two rounds (four).
– 36.9% of Benetton’s touches have been carries in the opening two rounds - a higher percentage than any other team.
– Benetton have scored an average of just two points per 22 entry so far this season - fewer than any other team.
Leinster
– Jack Conan made a round-high 20 carries last weekend. He also assisted a try and won two turnovers.
– From fullback, Jamie Osborne made more carry metres (129) and metres from kicks in play (501) than any other player in Round 3. One of his kicks was a 50/22.
– Leinster have scored more tries than any other team in the opening two rounds, a total of 11. They have also had the highest proportion of dominant tackles (8.8%).
Dragons v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Dragons
– The Dragons have made more kicks in play (68) and kick in play metres (2,149) than any other team so far this season.
– The Dragons have conceded more penalties than any other team in the opening two rounds, a total of 24. They conceded the joint-highest average last season: 10.9 per 80 minutes.
– The Dragons have scored the joint-most points from penalty goals (15). When they’ve been awarded a penalty in the opposition half, they have opted for goal on 53.8% of occasions (3rd).
Hollywoodbets Sharks
– Andre Esterhuizen and Eduan Keyter made more post-contact metres last weekend than any other backs: 23 apiece. They also both beat four defenders; Esterhuizen scored two tries.
– Back row partners Vincent Tshituka and James Venter both made two dominant tackles last weekend.
– The Sharks have won the fewest turnovers in the URC (two) but also conceded the fewest (nine).
Zebre Parma v DHL Stormers
Zebre Parma
– Jacopo Trulla and Alessandro Fusco were the only teammates to score two tries each last weekend. Between them, they beat 11 defenders and made five clean breaks.
– Zebre currently lead the league for carries (316), metres made (1,008), post-contact metres (341), and offloads (28).
– Zebre have made an average of 38 dominant collisions per 80 minutes in the opening two rounds - more than any other team.
DHL Stormers
– Keke Morabe made the joint-most post-contact metres in Round 2 (24) from his 14 carries, five of which were dominant.
– 14.9% of the Stormers’ collisions were dominant last weekend - a higher percentage than any other team this season.
– The Stormers have averaged the most post-contact metres (180) and offloads (16) per 80 minutes in the URC.
Munster v Ospreys
Munster
– Gavin Coombes is one of two players who has scored three tries in the opening two rounds. He has also made more carries (28) and tackles (30) than any other Munster player.
– Munster have made more clean breaks than any other team (22) and have averaged the second-most metres per possession (12.4).
– Munster have made an average of 1.9 passes per ruck (2nd); 60.2% of their touches have been passes.
Ospreys
– Dan Edwards scored more points than any other player in Round 2, a total of 20. He was 100% off the tee and scored a try.
– Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake made more tackles than any other players last weekend: 21 and 20 respectively. Lake also beat four defenders; Morgan scored a try.
– The Ospreys have made more maul metres than any other team so far this season (65) but are yet to score a maul try.