Irish Provinces Seek First URC Wins in Round Two Clash

Connacht, Ulster, Leinster, and Munster face an immediate test to reverse their opening-round defeats as the United Rugby Championship enters its second weekend, with all four Irish provinces welcoming back returning Ireland internationals, rte.ie reported.

Connacht Travels to Treviso for Benetton Clash

Connacht enters Friday night’s fixture against Benetton as the only Irish province to miss out on any bonus points during the opening round, following a 29-15 defeat to the Stormers where Stuart Lancaster’s side let a 15-10 lead slip. Temperatures in Treviso are forecast to reach the high teens with sticky conditions for the 7.45pm kickoff. Benetton opened their campaign under new head coach Wayne Pivac with a home draw against the Dragons, though the Italian side has won only one of its last six URC fixtures dating back to last season. While Connacht won the last two meetings between the clubs in Galway, each of the past six clashes has favored the home side, and the Irish province has lost three consecutive matches in Treviso, with their last win against Benetton in Italy coming in April 2022.

Connacht has bolstered its matchday squad with several returning Ireland internationals, including Darragh Murray, Cian Prendergast, Sean Jansen, Billy Bohan, and Sam Illo, alongside new signing Ciarán Frawley at out-half. Benetton’s lineup features Matt Gallagher at fullback, wings Louis Lynagh and Onisi Ratave, and a center pairing of Paolo Odogwu and Leonardo Marin, with Jacob Umaga and Alessandro Garbisi forming the halfback partnership.

Leinster Faces Sharks in Durban Heat

Leinster travels to Durban to complete its South African tour on Saturday, facing the Sharks at 5.30pm at temperatures around 22 degrees Celsius with a slight chance of rain. Leo Cullen’s side began the campaign with a 27-26 defeat against the Lions, securing two bonus points in the process. The province has collected only two victories in South Africa throughout the current URC, with the most recent arriving in this exact fixture in 2025 via a 10-7 win. The Sharks have fortified their home ground significantly, losing just one of their last nine URC matches in Durban, while Leinster has claimed victory in only one of their previous five away fixtures in the competition.

Ulster Meets Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun

Ulster faces a challenging away fixture against Glasgow Warriors on Saturday at 5.30pm at Scotstoun. Conditions in Glasgow are expected to be dry with temperatures hovering around 13 degrees Celsius alongside a light to moderate wind. Both teams seek recovery following opening-week losses across the league, with Ulster looking to establish early momentum under more manageable weather conditions than their provincial counterparts face in Italy and South Africa.

Munster Hosts Bulls at Thomond Park

Munster welcomes the Bulls to Thomond Park for a late Saturday kickoff at 7.45pm under clear skies, 15-degree temperatures, and a light breeze. The Limerick fixture unfolds following the resignation of Munster CEO Ian Flanagan on Thursday. Munster aims to generate upward momentum after last week’s opening loss, supported by favorable local weather conditions and broadcast coverage live on TG4 and Premier Sports.

Live coverage, match reports, and reaction from all fixtures will be featured across RTÉ.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, with the RTÉ Rugby podcast available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Only two wins in South Africa across the current URC illustrate the historical difficulty Leinster faces in Durban ahead of Saturday evening’s encounter.