URC team news: How to watch Round One, kick-off times and match officials

The 2025/26 United Rugby Championship season kicks off on Friday with three games before a further five take place on Saturday. Here’s the team news and how to watch.

Leinster, of course, are the defending champions and begin their title defence against the Stormers. Elsewhere, Glasgow Warriors host the Sharks while Scarlets tackle Munster.

Here’s the URC team news and much more.

Friday

Stormers v Leinster

Stormers: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Vernon Matongo
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Olly Reid, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Ruan Ackermann, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Dewaldt Duvenage, 23 Clinton Swart

Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Ciarán Frawley, 11 Jordan Larmour, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath (c), 8 James Culhane, 7 Scott Penny, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Brian Deeny, 4 Diarmuid Mangan, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 Jack Boyle
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Paddy McCarthy, 18 Andrew Sparrow, 19 Max Deegan, 20 Will Connors, 21 Fintan Gunne, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Hugh Cooney

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 18.00 IRE & UK / 19.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR, 42nd league game)
Assistant Referees: Sean Muller (SARU), Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)
Live on: SuperSport, TG4, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ulster v Dragons

Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Zac Ward, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 David McCann, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 Harry Sheridan, 4 Iain Henderson (c), 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Callum Reid
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Sam Crean, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Matthew Dalton, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Conor McKee, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Ben Carson

Dragons: 15 Angus O’Brien (cc), 14 Rio Dyer, 13 Joe Westwood, 12 Aneurin Owen, 11 Jared Rosser, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Rhodri Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Harrison Keddie, 6 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 5 Ben Carter (cc), 4 Matthew Screech, 3 Rob Hunt, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Brodie Coghlan, 17 Rodrigo Martinez, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Levi Douglas, 20 Mackenzie Martin, 21 Che Hope, 22 Fine Inisi, 23 Huw Anderson

Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
Kick-off: 20.05 IRE & UK / 21.05 ITA & SA
Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU, 7th league game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Cole (IRFU), Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Chris Allison (SARU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Glasgow Warriors v Sharks

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Stafford McDowall (c), 12 Kerr Yule, 11 Ollie Smith, 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Jare Oguntibeju, 3 Fin Richardson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Jamie Bhatti
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Gregor Brown, 21 Euan Ferrie, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Adam Hastings

Sharks: 15 Yaw Penxe, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Christie Grobbelaar, 10 Jaden Hendrikse, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Vincent Tshituka (c), 7 Manu Tshituka, 6 Phepsi Buthelezi, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Deon Slabbert, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima
Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Dian Bleuler, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Bathobele Hlekani, 20 Nick Hatton, 21 Jean Smith, 22 Jurenzo Julius, 23 Hakeem Kunene

Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: 20.05 IRE & UK / 21.05 ITA & SA
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 68th league game)
Assistant Referees: Ru Campbell (SRU), Rob McDowell (SRU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Saturday

Bulls v Ospreys

Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 David Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Mpilo Gumede, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp
Replacements: 16 Juann Else, 17 Alu Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Nicolas Janse van Rensburg, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Willie le Roux

Ospreys: TBC

Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Kick-off: 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR, 15th league game)
Assistant Referees: JD Jadezweni (SARU), Dylen November (SARU)
TMO: Peter Martin (IRFU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Jacques Nienaber makes surprising admission following Leinster contract extension

Why the URC has adopted a controversial World Rugby law trial ahead of the new season

Zebre Parma v Edinburgh

Zebre Parma: TBC

Edinburgh: TBC

Venue: Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma
Kick-off: 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA & SA
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 109th league game)
Assistant Referees: Alberto Favero (FIR), Lorenzo Pedezzi (FIR)
TMO: Aled Griffths (WRU)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Scarlets v Munster

Scarlets: TBC

Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Shane Daly, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Craig Casey (c), 8 Brian Gleeson, 7 Alex Kendellen, 6 Jack O’Donoghue, 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Oli Jager, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman
Replacements: 16 Lee Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 Conor Bartley, 19 Tom Ahern, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Paddy Patterson, 22 Jack Crowley, 23 Seán O’Brien

Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA & SA
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 54th league game)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (WRU), Marcus Caudle (WRU)
TMO: Colin Brett (SRU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Cardiff v Lions

Cardiff: TBC

Lions: TBC

Venue: Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Fillipo Russo (FIR, 5th league game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Breakspear (WRU), Lucas Yendle (WRU)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Connacht v Benetton

Connacht: TBC

Benetton: TBC

Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Chris Allison (SARU, 4th league game)
Assistant Referees: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU), Tómas O’Sullivan (IRFU)
TMO: Griffin Colby (SARU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

READ MORE: PREM team news: How to watch Round One, kick-off times and match officials