URC semifinals confirmed

NEWS: The United Rugby Championship semifinals will take place this Saturday, June 7, with teams from Ireland, Scotland, and South Africa all competing for a place in the Grand Final.

Leinster, Glasgow Warriors, Bulls, and Sharks all delivered match-winning performances to set up a pair of blockbuster semifinals across the northern and southern hemispheres.

The results now narrow down the list of possible Grand Final venues, with Dublin’s Lansdowne Road, Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld and Kings Park headlining a stellar lineup of iconic stadia. All of the top four seeds have progressed after a weekend filled with drama and thrilling entertainment.

In Semifinal One, Leinster (ranked top) will enjoy home advantage when they take on defending champions Glasgow Warriors (ranked fourth) at Dublin’s Lansdowne Road.

Following that clash of the Celts, Sharks (ranked third) will face the Bulls (ranked second) in a South African derby at Loftus Versfeld in Semifinal Two.

Of the semifinalist teams, only Glasgow Warriors have previously won the URC, while the Bulls were runners-up in the 2022 and 2024 Grand Finals.

Sharks make their first appearance in a semifinal, while remarkably, eight-time league winners Leinster are still chasing their first Grand Final appearance in the URC era.

The first three seasons of URC Play-Offs have produced several away wins – including at the semifinal stage – and these evenly poised match-ups could yet see joy for the travelling teams.

URC SEMIFINALS

Saturday, June 7

Semifinal One:

Leinster (1) v Glasgow Warriors (4)
(Lansdowne Road Stadium, Dublin – Kick-off: 14.45; 13.45 GMT)

Semifinal Two:

Bulls (2) v Sharks (3)
(Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – Kick-off: 18.15; 16.15 GMT)

Grand Final – Saturday, June 14