The fifth round offers an opportunity to put an end to Ireland’s URC supremacy.
The leaders may be in jeopardy as they go to Galway for one of two crucial games against Connacht on Friday night.
The South African clubs will not be competing in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship’s fifth round this weekend, but coaches, players, and local fans should be watching with interest as the Irish domination of the game is challenged.
Ulster are currently the front-runners after collecting a full house of five log points from each match they have played, but champions Leinster and Munster are the only other Irish clubs with a perfect record in terms of wins. Both teams are one point behind Ulster after missing out on a try-scoring bonus point.
The leaders may be in jeopardy as they go to Galway for one of two crucial games against Connacht on Friday night. Connacht are up against the least popular of the Irish provinces, but they have a history of pulling off upsets, especially at home, where any team would find it difficult to win.
The other Friday night matchup, between the Warriors and Leinster at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium, should be the most exciting. The Warriors are in fourth place, five points behind Ulster and four behind the other two Irish clubs, but it’s not just their position as the Irish trio’s next best team that gives them hope of an upset win on Friday night.
That stems from the fact that Glasgow defeated Leinster the last time they came to Glasgow, and that victory wasn’t exactly unexpected.
Indeed, given Leinster’s dominance of what was once the PRO14 over the last few seasons, the synthetic 4G pitch in Glasgow may be considered a hoodoo ground for the champions. In recent years, Leinster has lost more games at Scotstoun than they have won, with the Warriors winning six of the last ten games at the venue across all competitions and the Irish team winning four.
When you combine that with the Warriors’ recent outstanding form, and the fact that the Scots are coming off a three-game winning streak, this is a game that should be watched closely by those looking for Leinster to falter and be proven to be beatable.
The Warriors’ recent record versus Irish teams, on the other hand, does not bode well for them. Their lone good outcome in the last 11 games was a win against Leinster in the Rainbow Cup in June. They fell to Ulster in the opening week of the URC and will have to play well to avoid making it two losses in a row against teams from the competition’s previously dominant nation.
Robbie Henshaw, the British and Irish Lions’ centre, is almost set to miss the Leinster match, while Ireland’s seasoned first-choice flyhalf Jonny Sexton, who was instrumental in the Lions’ drawn series against the All Blacks last year, is uncertain due to a hip injury. After having their injuries checked, a number of big-name players, including Harry Byrne, Dave Kearney, Rory O’Loughlin, and Jimmy O’Brien, are likely to be in the mix.
There are a few additional games that should pique the interest of the South African teams, who will see the fight for a top-eight berth, which will guarantee a spot in the Champions Cup next year, as a side aim to their quest for trophies. For example, the Ospreys, who struggled last season, are putting up a fight this season after winning three of their first four games, with the exception of a loss to the Cell C Sharks, and will consider themselves in contention when they host Munster in the late game on Saturday.
The Dragons face Cardiff earlier on Saturday, and as the 11th-placed team, they will be keen for a win that will propel them into the Champions Cup places. Cardiff Blues, meantime, will not want to slip up after winning two of their last four games. They are presently seventh in the table and in the running for a place in the FA Cup.
Of course, it is early in the season, but one team that appears to be completely out of it is Zebre, who have only one try-scoring bonus point from four games. They’ll be fired up to beat Edinburgh in the lunchtime game on Saturday, while Scarlets will be looking to pick up the pieces after allowing more than 100 points in their last two games when they host Benetton.
Fixtures for the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this weekend
Leinster vs Glasgow Warriors (Glasgow, Friday 20.35)
Benetton vs Scarlets (Llanelli, Friday 20.35)
Edinbugh vs. Zebre (Parma, Saturday 14.00)
Ulster vs. Connacht (Galway, Saturday 18.15)
Dragons vs. Cardiff Blues (Cardiff, Saturday 18.15)
Munster vs. Ospreys (Swansea, Saturday 20.35)
