URC Round Nine - Teams and Predictions

SATURDAY PREVIEW: A thrilling Springbok-filled derby awaits in Cape Town, with the match-up between the Stormers and Bulls the pick of the crop in the United Rugby Championship this weekend.

The URC roars back into focus at the start of the new year, with all 16 teams in action as Round Nine promises a weekend packed with intrigue, intensity, and pivotal clashes.

Top billing belongs to a heavyweight South African derby in Cape Town, where the Stormers and Bulls renew hostilities in a fixture that rarely fails to deliver.

More than just a rivalry, this encounter has become a benchmark contest in the URC – a blend of brute force, tactical nous, and attacking ambition.

The Stormers have turned Cape Town into a fortress, regularly overwhelming visiting sides with speed, skill, and cohesion. Orchestrated by the creativity of Springboks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse, the hosts have surged to the summit of the standings, standing alone at the top with a flawless seven-from-seven record.

The Bulls arrive as dangerous outsiders. Despite winning only three of their seven matches to date, the Pretoria outfit remains a formidable force, built around forward power and sustained pressure.

Their route to victory will hinge on dominating the gain line and laying a platform for their backs to strike off structured possession.

“It’s a new year, it’s a new step forward,” said Bulls coach Johan Ackermann.

“In general, this is a huge game. Both teams always want to win this game. At the end of the day, it is just another game. The Stormers are in great form and the number one team in this competition by far.

“There are a lot of areas where we need to fix things. We can just go into this with trust in each other. The public might not see it that way, but all one can do as coach is to have trust in your players and management.

“We said to each other this week, we can’t change the past, what happened, happened. We can just go into the new year with a fresh outlook, and that is to play good rugby.

“It is not going to be easy, because we start against the best team in the competition,” the coach said.

*Article continues below…

Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann had his say on the news regarding the Bok coaching quartet helping his team 🐂

Link to the story in the comments 👇🏻

🌐#Rugby365 #STOvBUL #URC pic.twitter.com/UKDLq37YBB

— Rugby365 (@rugby365com) December 30, 2025

With playoff positions already coming into focus, there will be no shortage of edge from the opening exchanges. Expect bruising collisions, contrasting styles, and flashes of attacking brilliance as two URC heavyweights fight for supremacy and valuable points.

The match-up between Bulls No.10 Handre Pollard and the Stormers’ flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be the most talked-about individual battle.

Stormers coach John Dobson tried to ignore all the hype around the Springbok coaches reportedly summoned to help Bulls coach Johan Ackermann in the derby week.

“This is a good Bulls team. I know teams can sometimes be low on confidence, but it’s up to us to test that,” Dobson told reporters on Friday.

*Article continues below…

“Some of the noise this week would be that the Bulls are in crisis – that’s the narrative. I know some of the players.

“We can read almost nothing into what’s happened other than they will become even more desperate, and desperate teams are dangerous.

“It’s whether we will be able to handle the onslaught in the first 20 minutes.”

The Sharks head into the new year with renewed optimism after a turbulent start to the campaign. Under new head coach JP Pietersen, the Durban side appears to be rediscovering their rhythm following back-to-back home wins in mid-December – a 28-23 Champions Cup victory over Saracens followed by a gritty 21-12 URC success against the Bulls.

Those results came after just one win from their opening seven matches across all competitions, but confidence is clearly building.

Blindside flanker Vincent Tshituka echoed the upbeat mood this week, insisting a squad still rich in star power believes it can rescue the season and push for silverware.

Standing in their way are the Lions, who arrive in 2026 searching for answers after a three-match losing streak. Challenge Cup defeats to Benetton in Johannesburg and Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park were followed by a painful 27-34 derby loss to the Stormers in Cape Town.

History offers some encouragement for Ivan van Rooyen’s men, who have won four of their last five meetings with the Sharks. However, Durban has not been kind to them, with just one victory from five visits – a record that underlines the challenge awaiting them.

Currently eighth on the URC table, the Lions sit five points clear of the 13th-placed Sharks but could find themselves dragged into the chasing pack if the hosts’ upward trajectory continues.

As ever in a Durban summer, humidity is likely to play a decisive role. Slippery conditions tend to punish ambition, increase handling errors, and place a premium on discipline and accuracy – factors that could blunt the Lions’ preferred high-tempo, ball-in-hand approach.

With set-piece battles, close-range collisions, and territorial chess expected to dominate, forward physicality and tactical kicking will be crucial.

Any lapse in intensity or execution could prove costly, particularly if the Sharks can convert pressure into points and let their defence force errors at the right end of the field.

All Saturday’s teams and predictions are below!

Saturday, January 3

Sharks v Lions
(Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban – Kick-off: 15.30 SAST / 14.30 CET/ 13.30 IRE & UK)

Prediction:

@rugby365: Sharks by nine points

Teams:

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Manu Tshituka, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Nick Hatton, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Siya Masuku.

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Bronson Mills, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Eddie Davids.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 RF Schoeman, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Siba Qoma, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Richard Kriel.

Referee: Chris Allison (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa)
TMO: Egon Seconds (South Africa)

Stormers v Bulls
(DHL Stadium, Cape Town – Kick-off: 18.00 SAST / 17.00 CET/ 16.00 IRE & UK)

Prediction:

@rugby365: Stormers by six points

Teams:

Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adré Smith, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.

Bulls – revised: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Reinhardt Ludwig, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Devon Williams.

Referee: Griffin Colby (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Morne Ferreira (South Africa), Sean Muller (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

Benetton v Edinburgh
(Stadio Monigo, Treviso – Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 CET/ 19.30 SAST)

Prediction:

@rugby365: Benetton by seven points

Teams:

Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Riccardo Favretto, 7 Michele Lamaro, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Thomas Rooster
Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Destiny Aminu, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Scott Scrafton, 20 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Rhyno Smith, 23 Malakai Fekitoa

Edinburgh:15 Jack Brown, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Matt Currie, 12 James Lang, 11 Wes Goosen, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Magnus Bradbury (captain), 7 Freddy Douglas, 6 Tom Dodd, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Glen Young, 3 Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 2 Harri Morris, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Liam McConnell, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Cammy Scott, 23 Piers O’Connor

Referee: Peter Martin (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Alberto Facaro (Italy), Riccardo Bonato (Italy)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)

Leinster v Connacht
(Aviva Stadium, Dublin – Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 CET/ 19.30 SAST)

Prediction:

@rugby365: Leinster by 11 points

Teams:

Leinster: 15 Ciarán Frawley, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Hugh Cooney, 12 Charlie Tector, 11 Joshua Kenny, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Will Connors, 6 Diarmuid Mangan, 5 Brian Deeny, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Josh van der Flier, 22 Luke McGrath, 23 Harry Byrne

Connacht: 15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Chay Mullins, 13 David Hawkshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Finn Treacy , 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Matthew Devine, 8 Sean Jansen, 7 Cian Prendergast (captain), 6 Josh Murphy, 5 David O’Connor, 4 Joe Joyce, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 1 Denis Buckley
Replacements: 16 Eoin de Buitlear, 17 Billy Bohan, 18 Fiachna Barrett, 19 Darragh Murray, 20 Paul Boyle, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Harry West, 23 Cathal Forde

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Keane Davison (Ireland), Chris Lough (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma
(Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow – Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 CET / 21.45 SAST)

Prediction:

@rugby365: Glasgow by 17 points

Teams:

Glasgow:15 Ollie Smith, 14 Duncan Munn, 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Kerr Yule, 11 Jamie Dobie, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Afshar, 8 Macenzzie Duncan, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Max Williamson, 4 Jare Oguntibeju, 3 Fin Richardson, 2 Seb Stephen, 1 Patrick Schickerling
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Ally Miller, 21 Jack Oliver, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Dan Lancaster

Zebre Parma: 15 Lorenzo Pani, 14 Mirko Belloni, 13 Giulio Bertaccini, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 11 Albert Einstein Batista, 10 Martin Roger Farias, 9 Thomas Dominguez, 8 Davide Ruggeri, 7 Iacopo Bianchi, 6 Guido Volpi, 5 Franco Carrera, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Shilo Klein, 1 Paolo Buonfiglio
Replacements: 16 Giovanni Quattrini, 17 Luca Franceschetto, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Giacomo Milano, 20 David Odiase, 21 Migael Prinsloo, 22 Giovanni Montemauri, 23 Luca Morisi

Referee: Ben Breakspear (Wales)
Assistant referees: Sam Grove-White (Scotland), Sam O’Neil (Scotland)
TMO: Keith David (Wales)