Following Champions Cup and Challenge Cup fixtures at home and away this month, the United Rugby Championship (URC) will soon become the focus once again for teams across Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales, and South Africa, before the Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship commences on 4 February. With the URC league table already taking shape, these league matches come at a crucial time for teams chasing the play-offs. So, what can rugby fans look forward to?
The next stage of URC action, round 13, will take place between 27-29 January 2023. On Friday 27 January, Scarlets will host the Vodacom Bulls at Parc y Scarlets, and the DHL Stormers will visit Belfast to take-on Ulster. Scarlets and the Bulls find themselves at opposite ends of the table: the Welsh side are languishing second-from-bottom in fifteenth, whilst the Bulls are taking the season by the horns, and are sitting pretty in third. Adult ticket prices for their match in Llanelli start at GBP £15. Ulster and the Stormers, meanwhile, find themselves fourth and second in the league respectively, meaning their clash could be crucial in shaping the top half of the table. Adult ticket prices at the Kingspan Stadium start from £30.50 including fees.
On Saturday 28 January, surprise package Benetton will host Munster, Glasgow Warriors will travel to Newport to play Dragons, league leaders Leinster will welcome Cardiff, and the Emirates Lions will travel to Galway to play Connacht. The pick of Saturday’s fixtures, however, is the arguably the mid-table clash between Edinburgh and Cell C Sharks, at the former’s DAM Health Stadium. Edinburgh currently sit in eighth, just 1 point ahead of the ninth-placed Sharks, who will smell blood – and a chance to advance up the table – ahead of their match. Fans in the Scottish capital are therefore in for a treat, with a win providing either team with an increased chance of finishing in the top-8, and qualifying for Champions Cup rugby next season – albeit with plenty of URC fixtures left to play. Adult ticket prices in Edinburgh start from £20.
Then, on Sunday 29 January, Ospreys will touch-down in Parma, to play against Zebre. The home side has endured a torrid season so far, and is currently propping-up the URC table, but Ospreys aren’t out of sight yet, perched in thirteenth after an unconvincing start to the season. This basement battle is therefore shaping-up to be a tight contest, with both sides sure to be giving their all to climb up the table. Adult ticket prices in Parma start from EUR €14.
Following that weekend of action, rugby union fans in the Northern Hemisphere will have all eyes on the Six Nations, with the tournament taking place between 4 February and 18 March. Whilst 2 rounds of URC matches will take place between Six Nations weekends, squads will only be back to their full complement following the conclusion of the international competition; which teams prosper in the second half of the season remains to be seen, but going into February in a strong position after round 13 could be crucial, come the end of the season.
For more information on the United Rugby Championship and the Men’s Six Nations, including ticket prices, click the links below: