Quarter-final pairings confirmed after ‘dramatic’ finish to the United Rugby Championship ‘Race to the Eight’

Lawrence Nolan

18 May 2025 11:43 AM

Stormers URC — Stormers' Connor Evans and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu react during Friday's URC win over Cardiff

The four 2025 United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final matches have been confirmed for Dublin, Pretoria, Durban and Glasgow following a frantic weekend of round 18 action.

The knockout stages will begin with defending champions Glasgow, this year’s fourth-seeded qualifier, hosting the fifth-seeded Stormers at Scotstoun on May 30.

After that Friday night contest, a URC triple-header will follow on the Saturday. It starts in South Africa with the second-seeded Bulls hosting the seventh-place Edinburgh and then switches to Ireland where top seeds Leinster take on the eighth-placed Scarlets. The quarter-finals then wrap up back in South Africa with the third-seeded Sharks welcoming the sixth-seeded Munster.

Eight teams remain

A URC statement read: “The BKT URC play-off teams are now confirmed with eight teams from across Ireland, South Africa, Scotland and Wales all locked in for the quarter-finals on May 30 and 31.

“As the ‘Race to the Eight’ finished in dramatic fashion this weekend, the four home quarter-finalists – Leinster, Vodacom Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks and Glasgow Warriors all learned who they face in a bid to reach the semi-finals.

“The results from round 18 ensured that the four home teams were ranked; Leinster (1), Vodacom Bulls (2), Hollywoodbets Sharks (3) and Glasgow Warriors (4). This sets up an intriguing quarter-final slate in two weeks’ time which includes three cross-hemisphere battles.

“While the four home quarter-finalists are best placed to reach the decider, history may yet deliver a twist – no team ranked No1 has ever lifted the URC trophy. In past seasons, it was fourth-placed Glasgow (2024), fifth-placed Munster (2023), and second-placed DHL Stormers (2022) who emerged as champions.”