There is a huge amount at stake in this weekend’s final round of the United Rugby Championship with three home quarter-finals and three regional Shields all up for grabs.
Here are the permutations that involve 10 teams who have either silverware or play-off rankings to fight for, with the tie-breaker criteria highlighted which will separates teams who finish level on points.
Headlines
– Five games will have direct consequences on the locations of home quarter-finals
– The Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls can all still win the South African Shield
– The Ospreys and Scarlets are both in contention to win the Welsh Shield
– Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors will compete for the Italian x Scottish Shield and the 1872 Cup
– All four Shield winners are guaranteed a place in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup
– The Welsh Shield winner will finish in ninth position meaning that only seven of the top eight will qualify for the Heineken Champions Cup
Tie-Breaker Criteria
- Points Won
- Matches Won
- Highest Points Difference
- Tries Scored
- Total Points Scored
- Try Difference
- Fewest Number of Players Suspended
- Fewest Yellow Cards Received
- Coin Toss
LEINSTER
(1st/62 points/12 games won) Top Ranking confirmed
Next Game: Munster (home)
Best: 1st
Worst: 1st
Shield: Leinster have won the Irish Shield and are automatically qualified for the Heineken Champions Cup
Play-Offs:
- Leinster have secured the number one ranking after picking up two losing bonus points on their tour to South Africa
- They have a home quarter-final and will host a semi-final and final should they qualify
MUNSTER
(2nd/56 points/11 wins/PD 193/TF 63/Total Points 499/TD +33)
Next Game: Leinster (away)
Best: 2nd
Worst: 6th
Shield: Leinster have won the Irish Shield
Play-Offs:
- A win of any description will guarantee a home quarter-final due to their superior points difference
- However, Munster are level with the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Ulster with 11 games won so a bonus point victory could be key to earning the number two ranking and securing a home semi-final (should they qualify)
- A loss to Leinster opens Munster up to playing away in the quarter-finals, with the Vodacom Bulls the biggest threat to breaking into the top four should they win at the Ospreys
CELL C SHARKS
(3rd/56 points/11 wins/PD 148/TF 57/Total Points 489/TD +17)
Next Game: Ulster (away)
Best: 2nd
Worst: 6th
Shield: Leading the South African Shield but are level with the DHL Stormers and are separated only by tries for (57 to 56). Losses for both the Sharks and Stormers would allow the Vodacom Bulls to claim the Shield if they win
Play-Offs:
- A win will guarantee a home quarter-final. Number two ranking for a home semi-final is in play if Munster lose or the Cell C Sharks win with a bonus point and Munster fail to win with maximum points, but that is also true for the DHL Stormers should they win
- A loss to Ulster would leave the Cell C Sharks vulnerable to dropping out of the top four
DHL STORMERS
(4th/56 points/11 wins/PD 148/TF 56/Total Points 438/TD +22)
Next Game: Scarlets (away)
Best: 2nd
Worst: 6th
Shield: Level with the Cell C Sharks at top of the South African Shield and are behind on tries for (57 to 56). Losses for both the Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers would allow the Vodacom Bulls to claim the Shield if they win
Play-Offs:
- A win will guarantee a home quarter-final. Number two ranking for a home semi-final is in play if Munster lose or the DHL Stormers win with a bonus point and Munster fail to win with maximum points, but that is also true for the Cell C Sharks should they win
- A loss to the Scarlets does not rule out a home quarter-final, but it would require other results to go in favour of the DHL Stormers
ULSTER
(5th/55 points/11 wins/PD 112/TF 49/Total Points 388/TD +18)
Next Game: Cell C Sharks (home)
Best: 2nd
Worst: 7th
Shield: Leinster have won the Irish Shield
Plays-Offs:
- A win will guarantee a home quarter-final. Number two ranking for a home semi-final is possible and would most likely require a win for Ulster and losses for Munster and the DHL Stormers who boast the lead in many of the tie-breakers
- Only a bonus point loss coupled to a heavy defeat for either the Stormers or Munster would see Ulster sneak into the top four
VODACOM BULLS
(6th/53 points/10 wins/PD 123/TF 61/Total Points 480/TD +23)
Next Game: Ospreys (away)
Best: 2nd
Worst: 7th
Shield: The Vodacom Bulls trail the Cell C Sharks and DHL Stormers by three points in the SA Shield
Play-Offs:
- To finish second, the Vodacom Bulls need a bonus point win with a winning margin of at least 25 points and losses for Munster and the DHL Stormers and a draw between Ulster and the Cell C Sharks (with neither side claims a try-scoring bonus) although two bonus points in defeat for Munster would probably give them the edge in finishing second
- To earn a home quarter-final, the Bulls need a bonus point win and require two from Munster, the DHL Stormers and Cell C Sharks to drop points
- Defeat allows either Edinburgh or Glasgow Warriors to finish above the Vodacom Bulls
GLASGOW WARRIORS
(7th/50 points/10 wins/PD 50/TF 52/Total Points 398/TD +11)
Next Game: Edinburgh (away)
Best: 5th
Worst: 8th
Shield: Glasgow are level with Edinburgh on 50 points at the top of the Italian X Scottish Shield. Winner-takes-all in this Scottish derby. A draw is good enough for the Warriors who have won more games
Play-Offs:
- A home quarter-final is out of reach but Glasgow can still finish fifth, however, it will require a substantial bonus point win over Edinburgh and a heavy defeat for Ulster and a Vodacom Bulls loss
- A loss will mean an eighth place finish and a trip to Leinster in the quarter-final
- Defeat for either team will end their hopes of competing in the Heineken Champions Cup as the eighth-placed team will not gain a place in the competition due to the Welsh Shield winner finishing in ninth position in the table
- Having won the round 9 fixture 30-17, Glasgow Warriors hold a 13-point lead in the 1872 Cup and should they lose to Edinburgh, the aggregate score between that game and the round 18 contest will decide the winner
EDINBURGH
(8th/50 points/9 wins/PD 86/TF 52/Total Points 393/TD +16)
Next Game: Glasgow Warriors (home)
Best: 6th
Worst: 8th
Shield: Glasgow are level with Edinburgh on 50 points at the top of the Italian X Scottish Shield. Winner-takes-all in this Scottish derby. A draw is good enough for Warriors who have won more games
Play-Offs:
- The highest position on offer to Edinburgh is sixth and would largely depend on a win for the Scottish team and loss for the Vodacom Bulls. However, if Edinburgh do not pick up a bonus point and the Vodacom Bulls do, then points difference will come into play
- A loss will mean an eighth place finish and a trip to Leinster in the quarter-final
- Defeat for either team will end their hopes of competing in the Heineken Champions Cup as the eighth-placed team will not gain a place in the competition due to the Welsh Shield winner finishing in ninth position in the table
- Having won the round 9 fixture 30-17, Glasgow Warriors hold a 13-point lead in the 1872 Cup and should they lose to Edinburgh, the aggregate score between that game and the round 18 contest will decide the winner