URC - Round 4 Preview

Just three teams are left with a 100 per cent winning record after three rounds of competitive United Rugby Championship action.

Leinster, who have been crowned champions for the past four seasons, sit a point behind Ulster and leaders Munster, last term’s beaten finalists, with the latter two having accumulated an extra bonus point.

Leo Cullen’s side are at home to Scarlets on Saturday, Munster host Connacht in the first interprovincial clash of the season while Ulster welcome the Emirates Lions to Kingspan on Friday.

Also on Friday, the DHL Stormers - one of only two teams still to register a win - head to the Dragons.

Zebre bid for their maiden victory of the campaign at home to Glasgow Warriors on Saturday with Benetton and the Ospreys meeting in Treviso.

Edinburgh and the Vodacom Bulls clash at the Dam Health Stadium while Cardiff and the Cell C Sharks attempt to build on their first wins last weekend when they collide at the Arms Park.

FRI – Ulster v Emirates Lions
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast | KO 19:35 UK (20:35 ITA & SA) | Live on BBC NI, RTE, Premier Sports, SuperSport, URC TV

Ulster are – alongside Munster – one of only two teams boasting a perfect haul of 15 points from their three matches so far.

Dan McFarland’s men have won their last four matches in total since losing a Rainbow Cup fixture to Leinster at the RDS Arena in May.

Ulster have played nine previous matches against South African opponents in the championship, winning seven, drawing one and losing another.

The Emirates Lions have won only two matches across the Rainbow Cup and URC and have been beaten by the Scarlets and Glasgow Warriors since opening their campaign with a win at Zebre.

FRI – Dragons v DHL Stormers
Rodney Parade, Newport | KO 19.35 (20.35 ITA & SA) | Live on BBC Wales, Premier Sports, SuperSport, URC TV

The Dragons recorded their first win outside Wales since a victory over Glasgow in December when they triumphed over Connacht in Galway last weekend – their first triumph at the Sportsground since 2004.

Dean Ryan’s side have lost their last four home games but pushed Leinster all the way in a 7-6 defeat in their last Rodney Parade outing.

The Stormers – meeting Welsh opponents for the first time – are yet to register a win in the URC, although they ended a three-game losing run by holding Edinburgh to a 20-20 draw in the Scottish capital last time out.

SAT - Zebre v Glasgow Warriors
Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma | KO 14.00 (13.00 UK & IRE) | Live on Mediaset, Premier Sports, SuperSport,URC TV

Glasgow have won all 17 of the previous meetings between these sides, with the Warriors having triumphed 31-20 on their last visit to Parma in March.

The Italians are without a win in any competition since their 26-15 victory at home to the Dragons at the end of February.

Zebre may take some encouragement from the fact Glasgow lost their last encounter with Italian opposition – a 46-19 defeat to eventual Rainbow Cup champions Benetton in April.

That said, the Warriors – beaten just once in their last seven championship matches - have never lost successive fixtures against Italian opponents.

SAT - Benetton v Ospreys
Stadio Monigo, Treviso | KO 16.05 (15.05 UK & IRE) | Live on S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, URC TV

Benetton’s winning start was halted by Ulster last time out but they welcome the Ospreys having won their last seven home matches in all competitions – including the Rainbow Cup final against the Vodacom Bulls.

The Italians have lost their last six matches against Welsh opposition since beating the Dragons in Newport in March 2020.

Ospreys saw their own unbeaten record ended by the Cell C Sharks in Round 3 but have won their last three matches against Benetton.

The Treviso outfit had been due to take on the Ospreys in the Rainbow Cup in Bridgend in June but the match was awarded to the eventual champions after being cancelled due to Covid-19.

SAT - Leinster v Scarlets
RDS Arena, Dublin | KO 17.15 (18.15 ITA & SA) | Live on S4C, TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, URC TV

Leinster have a fearsome record against Welsh opponents, suffering just one defeat to any of the four regions since September 2018 – a 24-19 loss to the Ospreys in Dublin in March.

The Scarlets will be looking to bounce back from a below-par showing against Munster in Round 3 but their most recent away win was a 27-25 victory in Edinburgh at the end of February.

Their last three victories against Irish provinces have all been at Connacht’s expense while they have won just twice at the RDS in 15 visits in all competitions.

Leinster were 52-25 victors when these sides met in Llanelli in January.

Edinburgh v Vodacom Bulls
DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh | KO 17.15 (18.15 ITA & SA) | Live on Premier Sports, URC TV

The Vodacom Bulls go into their maiden meeting with a Scottish opponent fresh from picking up their first URC victory at Cardiff over the weekend.

Edinburgh, meanwhile, are hosting South African opposition for the second weekend running, having been held to a 20-20 draw by the Stormers on Saturday.

The Scottish club had won all four of their previous home matches against South African sides prior to the Round 3 clash.

Edinburgh have two players among the six currently tied for top try scorer in the URC, with Darcy Graham and Ben Vellacott having touched down on three occasions.

SAT - Cardiff v Cell C Sharks
Arms Park, Cardiff | KO 19.35 (20.35 ITA & SA) | Live on S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, URC TV

The Cell C Sharks make the short trip along the M4 to Cardiff looking to build some momentum following their victory over the Ospreys in Swansea last weekend.

Cardiff, meanwhile, were beaten by the Bulls on Saturday night and are looking to avoid going three without a win in the competition for the first time since last November.

The defeat to the Bulls ended a four-game winning run at the Arms Park and left Cardiff’s record against South African opponents at played nine, won six, lost three.

Cardiff wing Owen Lane is among the competition’s leading try scorers with three.

SAT - Munster v Connacht
Thomond Park, Limerick | KO 19.35 (20.35 ITA & SA) | Live on RTE, Premier Sports, SuperSport URC TV

The first interprovincial clash of the season sees in-form Munster take on inconsistent Connacht.

Munster have a maximum haul of 15 points from their opening three matches while the Westerners’ big win against the Bulls is sandwiched by defeats to Cardiff and the Dragons.

Connacht were 24-20 winners when they visited Thomond Park in the Rainbow Cup in May and Munster’s record against Irish opposition since the start of 2020 is won five, lost seven.

But Connacht have not won successive matches against Munster since 2016 and they have never won consecutive away ties in the fixture.