Derbies to set the tone in next URC

The United Rugby Championship (URC) will feed demand as much as anticipation when the new season kicks off with a host of derby matches in September.

Derby matches in South Africa have produced record attendances as evidenced in the North vs South clash at Loftus earlier this year and the URC will give people what they want from the outset when the Bulls, Stormers, Lions and Sharks kick off their campaign in coastal derbies.

The Stormers and Bulls go head to head in Cape Town while the Sharks and Lions will face off in Durban.

The league will kick off on September 20 with Leinster visiting Edinburgh and Cardiff hosting Zebre Parma on the first day of the new season.

Not to be left out, Wales and Ireland will also host derby games with Dragons RFC facing Ospreys and Munster battling it out with Connacht in Limerick.

In Italy, Benetton Rugby will open their home fixture list against Scarlets, while Ulster will host familiar rivals Glasgow Warriors in the opening round.

The derby theme returns on December 21 with the Lions travelling to the Mother City to face the Stormers while the Bulls head to Durban to clash with the Sharks.

A week later the Sharks will run out in Cape Town.

The sequence of home or away fixtures against non-Shield opponents is in year two.

This means all fixtures from last season are reversed so each team will complete their balance of home and away games against the same opponents over a two-year cycle.

Additionally, the earlier generation of fixtures will assist teams in their cross-hemisphere travel, with improved access to different seat classes and cost efficiencies related to bookings made further in advance.

“Given the complexity of our scheduling, we are thrilled to have our fixtures published earlier than before,” said URC CEO Martin Anayi.

“Our fixture list is at the core of our league with fans, teams, broadcasters and media setting their schedules to it and now we have set a new standard by delivering it while the current season is still in play.

“Our team is focused on making the URC the best league in the world and setting fan-friendly goals is key to that. Our clubs have been more engaged than ever in supporting this while our broadcast partners also play a crucial role in allowing the kickoff times to be set far in advance.

“This weekend we will discover who has triumphed in the Race to Eight before the gripping drama of our playoffs takes centre stage. Now, no matter how the season ends, fans can immediately look to next season’s fixtures to begin planning for another thrilling campaign.”

Due to calendar restrictions, the outbound tours for South African teams will occur in blocks of three, two and one week(s). For teams travelling from the north, only five windows for touring exist in rounds 2-3, 5-6, 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18.

The Grand Final will take place on June 14 2025.