South Africa’s four United Rugby Championship sides are on a mission to continue their collective rise up the table this weekend, with another full set of home fixtures and another clean sweep the target.
The Stormers host Ulster while the Sharks welcome Edinburgh in two tasty Saturday tussles, while the Bulls meet the Dragons after the Lions kick off the URC weekend at home to Ospreys on Friday night.
Leinster head to Connacht for an Irish derby, Cardiff meet Glasgow Warriors, Munster are at home to Benetton and Zebre are back on Italian soil to go up against Llanelli Scarlets.
Lions vs Ospreys
The Lions are out to make it three wins on the spin in the United Rugby Championship when they host the visiting Ospreys on Friday night.
It’s South Africa vs Wales under the lights at Emirates Airline Park and the hosts have hit their straps at long last in recent weeks, picking off Cardiff and Munster in Johannesburg to nudge themselves up to 13th in the table.
Their visitors are solidly midtable having won seven from 12 in the URC, including a 27-22 success over sorry Zebre in Swansea three weeks ago.
Friday 25 March, kick off 19:00 SAST.
Munster vs Benetton
Munster are on the charge for the top three in the United Rugby Championship when Benetton make the trip to Ireland on Friday evening.
The Italians are still drawing breath from their 61-17 home thumping at the hands of Leinster three weeks ago.
A fortnight on South Africa’s Highveld has been the Irish side’s task since then and they came home winless, falling to narrow losses at both the Bulls and Lions in the Southern Hemisphere.
Friday 11 March, kick off 21:35 SAST.
Zebre vs Llanelli Scarlets
It’s a bottom half battle in the United Rugby Championship in Italy on Saturday, as basement boys Zebre play host to Llanelli Scarlets.
The home side endured a miserable tour to South Africa leading into this one, being stuffed by both the Sharks and Stormers.
Their Welsh opponents made a similar trip and didn’t fare any better, falling foul of the Sharks as well as being battered by the Bulls in Pretoria.
Saturday 26 March, kick off 15:00 SAST.
Stormers vs Ulster
A tie of the round contender in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday sees South Africa’s Stormers tackle Ulster at the iconic Cape Town Stadium.
The hosts have been flying since returning to home soil, sitting seventh in the URC table and boasting the competition’s leading try scorer in wing Seabelo Senatla.
But the Ulstermen come into the tie just a point behind Leinster at the top, having edged to victory over their rivals a fortnight ago.
Saturday 26 March, kick off 15:00 SAST.
Sharks vs Edinburgh
South Africa’s Sharks could jump above their visitors in the United Rugby Championship table on Saturday, as they go up against Edinburgh in Durban.
The Scottish side tasted defeat to rivals Glasgow Warriors last time out but still sit fifth in the standings.
Their star-studded hosts are on the rise and then some as SA’s leading team, with a place at the sharp end come the end of the campaign still very much in reach.
Saturday 26 March, kick off 17:05 SAST.
Bulls vs Dragons
It could be a lopsided United Rugby Championship contest in Pretoria on Saturday night, as the Bulls host the Dragons at Loftus Versfeld.
Jake White’s hosts have joined in the South African sides’ fun since returning to home soil, beating Munster and Llanelli Scarlets to sit just behind domestic rivals the Stormers and Sharks in the URC standings.
The Dragons are limping along in 15th with just one win to their name all season.
Saturday 26 March, kick off 19:15 SAST.
Cardiff vs Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors set out to narrow the gap to the United Rugby Championship’s top two on Saturday night as they travel down to Cardiff.
A derby win over neighbours Edinburgh took the third-placed Scottish side to nine wins from 13 so far this season.
Their hosts are just happy to be home after a fruitless trip to South Africa saw them mauled by first the Lions, then the Stormers in Cape Town.
Saturday 26 March, kick off 19:15 SAST.
Connacht vs Leinster
Connacht and Leinster polish off the United Rugby Championship weekend on Saturday night when they contest an Irish derby in Galway.
The visitors come into the weekend with a one-point gap at the URC summit.
And they’ll be confident of racking up another in the win column against a side that were thumped 56-8 by Edinburgh three weeks ago.
Saturday 26 March, kick off 21:35 SAST.
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Lions | 78,1 | 1 |
| Ospreys | 20,6 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Munster | 92,9 | 23 |
| Benetton | 6,6 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Zebre | 24,4 | |
| Llanelli | 74,2 | 2 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Stormers | 86,2 | 2 |
| Ulster | 11,6 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Sharks | 62,3 | 6 |
| Edinburgh | 33,3 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Bulls | 94,2 | 20 |
| Dragons | 5,5 | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Cardiff Blues | 35,1 | |
| Glasgow Warriors | 61 | 1 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Points margin | |
| Connacht | 32,2 | |
| Leinster | 63,9 | 4 |