URC team news: How to watch Round Two, kick-off times and match officials
Dewaldt Duvenage will play his 100th game for the Stormers.
The 2025/26 United Rugby Championship (URC) season continues with three matches on Friday, four on Saturday and one on Sunday. Here’s the team news and how to watch.
After thumping Leinster, the Stormers kick off the round against the Ospreys before Edinburgh face Ulster and the Dragons host the Sharks in the Friday fixtures.
On Saturday, Connacht face Scarlets, Benetton host Glasgow Warriors, the Bulls meet Leinster and Munster host Cardiff before Sunday sees Zebre face the Lions.
Here’s the URC team news and much more.
Friday
Stormers v Ospreys
Stormers: 15 Wandisile Simelane, 14 Seabelo Senatla, 13 Ruhan Nel (c), 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Connor Evans, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Vernon Matongo
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Ruben van Heerden, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Clinton Swart
Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Dan Kasende, 13 Phil Cokanasiga, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Kieran Hardy, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Harri Deaves, 6 James Ratti, 5 Huw Sutton, 4 Rhys Davies, 3 Rhys Henry, 2 Dewi Lake (c), 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements: 16 Lewis Lloyd, 17 Cam Jones, 18 Tom Botha, 19 James Fender, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Reuben Morgan Williams, 22 Tom Florence, 23 Iestyn Hopkins
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 18.00 IRE & UK / 19.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 7th league game)
Assistant Referees: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU), JD Jadezweni (SARU)
TMO: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Edinburgh v Ulster
Edinburgh: 15 Wes Goosen, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 James Lang, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Ben Healy, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Magnus Bradbury (c), 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Liam McConnell, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Marshall Sykes, 3 D’arcy Rae, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Paddy Harrison, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Angus Williams, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Freddy Douglas, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Findlay Thomson, 23 Harry Paterson
Ulster: 15 Stewart Moore, 14 Werner Kok, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Nick Timoney, 7 Sean Reffell, 6 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 Harry Sheridan, 4 Iain Henderson (c), 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Callum Reid
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Sam Crean, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 David McCann, 20 Juarno Augustus, 21 Conor McKee, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Jude Postlethwaite
Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 19.00 IRE & UK / 20.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Chris Allison (SARU, 5th league game)
Assistant Referees: David Sutherland (SRU), Sam O’Neil (SRU)
TMO: Griffin Colby (SARU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Dragons v Sharks
Dragons: 15 Angus O’Brien (cc), 14 Rio Dyer, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Aneurin Owen, 11 Fine Inisi, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Rhodri Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 6 Ryan Woodman, 5 Ben Carter (cc), 4 Matthew Screech, 3 Rob Hunt, 2 Brodie Coghlan, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Oli Burrows, 17 Rodrigo Martinez, 18 Chris Coleman, 19 Levi Douglas, 20 Harri Keddie, 21 Che Hope, 22 Harri Ackerman, 23 Huw Anderson
Sharks: 15 Edwill van der Merwe, 14 PK Sobahle, 13 Jurenzo Julius, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Christie Grobbelaar, 10 Jean Smith, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 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 Cameron Dawson, 18 Cebo Dlamini, 19 Bathobele Hlekani, 20 Nick Hatton, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Francois Venter, 23 Hakeem Kunene
Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport
Kick-off: 20.05 IRE & UK / 21.05 ITA & SA
Referee: Fillipo Russo (FIR, 6th league game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse (WRU), Lucas Yendle (WRU)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Saturday
Connacht v Scarlets
Connacht: TBC
Scarlets: TBC
Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Kick-off: 13.45 IRE & UK / 14.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 92nd league game)
Assistant Referees: Eoghan Cross (IRFU), Max Weston (IRFU)
TMO: Colin Brett (SRU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Ex-Ireland international’s ‘not proud’ reflection on playing with 24 concussions in final season
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
Benetton: TBC
Glasgow Warriors: TBC
Venue: Stadio Monigo, Treviso
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA & SA
Referee: Ben Connor (WRU, 4th league game)
Assistant Referees: Franco Rosella (FIR), Lorenzo Pedezzi (FIR)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Bulls v Leinster
Bulls: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Mpilo Gumede, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 N JV Rensburg, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johann Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp
Replacements: 16 Juann Else, 17 Alulutho Tshakweni, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Willie le Roux
Leinster: TBC
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA & SA
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 46th league game)
Assistant Referees: Sean Miller (SARU), AJ Jacobs (SARU)
TMO: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Munster v Cardiff
Munster: TBC
Cardiff: TBC
Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Griffon Colby (SARU, 8th league game)
Assistant Referees: Keane Davison (IRFU), Shane Gaughan (IRFU)
TMO: Chris Allison (SARU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Sunday
Zebre Parma v Lions
Zebre Parma: TBC
Lions: TBC
Venue: Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma
Kick-off: 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 69th league game)
Assistant Referees: Manuel Bottino (FIR), Luca Bisetto (FIR)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (WRU)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv