Derbies galore as URC reschedules fixtures involving SA teams
NEWS: Scheduling for the United Rugby Championship up to Round 17 has been completed with adjustments made to cater for postponed and rescheduled fixtures, organisers announced on Monday.
The Round 10 fixtures involving South African teams, due to take place in Ireland and Italy on the weekend of January 7/8, have been rescheduled to the final weekend of February, to avoid further rescheduling in the immediate calendar.
The postponed fixtures from Rounds Six and Seven (that were due to take place in South Africa at the end of November/beginning of December) will now be moved to the weekends of March 11/12 and March 18/19.
More details about these fixtures will be confirmed after further discussions with key stakeholders involved are completed.
Several South African derbies have also been adjusted to accommodate the revised schedule.
South Africa’s teams will return to action on January 22 in a round of local derbies. They will also be involved in derbies for the next three weekends after that.
In a statement, organisers said they were fully committed to playing all games as scheduled but would ensure that the welfare of teams and players came first.
The statement said: “The league is greatly encouraged by the decision of the UK government to ease travel restrictions with respect to South Africa and will continue to comply with directions set out by the health authorities and government departments in our various jurisdictions.
“The URC Medical Advisory Group will continue to provide regular guidance and updates to our Clubs regarding best practice and health and safety measures in relation to Covid-19 protocols.
“The dates and kick-off times for Round 18 will be confirmed next month after consultation with our broadcast partners who have been of a great assistance during this process.”
Schedule from Round 10 to 17
R10 – Saturday, January 8
Edinburgh v Cardiff | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 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
R8 (SA Derbies) – Saturday, January 22
Lions v Sharks | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA
Bulls v Stormers | 15:05 UK / 16:05 ITA / 17:05 SA
R11 – Friday, January 28
Ulster v Scarlets | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Dragons v Benetton | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Saturday, January 29
Lions v Bulls | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Connacht v Glasgow Warriors | 14.55 UK / 15.55 ITA / 16.55 SA
Sharks v Stormers | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
Zebre Parma Parma v Munster | 17.00 UK / 18.00 ITA / 19.00 SA
Ospreys v Edinburgh | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Cardiff v Leinster | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
R9 (SA Derbies) – Saturday, February 5
Bulls v Lions | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Stormers v Sharks | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
R12 (SA Derbies) – Saturday, February 12
Lions v Stormers | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Bulls v Sharks | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
R12 – Friday, February 18
Munster v Edinburgh | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Cardiff v Zebre Parma | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Saturday, February 19
Leinster v Ospreys | 17.00 UK / 18.00 ITA / 19.00 SA
Scarlets v Connacht | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Glasgow Warriors v Benetton | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Sunday, February 20
Dragons v Ulster | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA / 16:00 SA
R10 (Rescheduled) – Friday, February 25
Zebre Parma v Bulls | 17:30 UK / 18:30 ITA / 19:30 SA
Leinster v Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA
Saturday, February 26
Connacht v Stormers | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA
Benetton v Sharks | 15:05 UK / 16:05 ITA / 17:05 SA
R13 – Friday, March 4
Ulster v Cardiff | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Edinburgh v Connacht | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Saturday, March 5
Benetton v Leinster | 12.55 UK / 13.55 ITA / 14.55 SA
Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Munster v Dragons | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Sunday, March 6
Ospreys v Zebre Parma | 14.00 UK / 15.00 ITA / 16.00 SA
R6 (Rescheduled) – Weekend of March 11/12/13
Stormers v Zebre Parma | TBC |
Sharks v Scarlets | TBC |
Bulls v Munster | TBC |
Lions v Cardiff | TBC |
R7 (Rescheduled) – Weekend of March 18/19/20
Bulls v Scarlets | TBC |
Sharks v Zebre Parma | TBC |
Lions v Munster | TBC |
Stormers v Cardiff | TBC |
R14 – Friday, March 25
Lions v Ospreys | 17.00 UK / 18.00 ITA / 19.00 SA
Munster v Benetton | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Saturday, March 26
Zebre Parma v Scarlets | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Stormers v Ulster | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Sharks v Edinburgh | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
Cardiff v Glasgow Warriors | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Vodacom Bulls v Dragons | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Connacht v Leinster | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
R15 – Friday, April 1
Sharks v Dragons | 18.30 UK / 19.30 ITA & SA
Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Saturday, April 2
Benetton v Connacht | 12.00 UK / 13.00 ITA & SA
Bulls v Ulster | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA & SA
Lions v Edinburgh | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA & SA
Stormers v Ospreys | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA & SA
Leinster v Munster | 19.00 UK / 20.00 ITA & SA
Scarlets v Cardiff | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
R13 (SA Derbies) – Saturday, April 9
Stormers v Bulls | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA
Sharks v Lions | 15 :05 UK / 16 :05 ITA & SA
R16 – Friday, April 22
Stormers v Glasgow Warriors | 17.30 UK / 18.30 ITA & SA
Ulster v Munster | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Edinburgh v Zebre Parma | 19.45 UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Saturday, April 23
Bulls v Benetton | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA & SA
Lions v Connacht | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA & SA
Dragons v Scarlets | 15.00 UK / 16.00 ITA & SA
Cardiff v Ospreys | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA & SA
Sharks v Leinster | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA & SA
R17 – Friday, April 29
Bulls v Glasgow Warriors | 18.00 UK / 19.00 ITA & SA |
Munster v Cardiff | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA & SA |
Saturday, April 30
Lions v Benetton | 13.00 UK / 14.00 ITA & SA |
Sharks v Connacht | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA & SA |
Zebre Parma v Dragons | 15.05 UK / 16.05 ITA & SA |
Stormers v Leinster | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA & SA |
Ospreys v Scarlets | 17.15 UK / 18.15 ITA & SA |
Edinburgh v Ulster | 19.35 UK / 20.35 ITA & SA |
R18 – Weekend of May 20/21/22 (To Be Confirmed in January 2022)
Connacht v Zebre Parma | TBC
Leinster v Edinburgh | TBC
Ulster v Sharks | TBC
Dragons v Lions | TBC
Scarlets v Stormers | TBC
Ospreys v Bulls | TBC
Glasgow Warriors v Munster | TBC
Benetton v Cardiff | TBC
