BKT URC Quarter-Final Line-Up Confirmed
Jack O'Donoghue is supported by Alex Kendellen as he makes a break during Munster's derby victory over Ulster at Thomond Park ©INPHO/Ben Brady
After a dramatic ending to the most competitive regular season of the BKT United Rugby Championship, the line-up for next weekend’s quarter-finals has been confirmed.
Defending champions Munster have earned the top ranking for the play-offs, meaning that they will host the 2024 United Rugby Championship final, on Saturday, June 22, should they qualify.
RANKINGS BASED ON FINAL LEAGUE STANDINGS:
- Munster – 68 points
- Vodacom Bulls – 66 points
- Leinster – 65 points (points difference +204)
- Glasgow Warriors – 65 points (points difference +166)
- DHL Stormers – 59 points
- Ulster – 54 points (points difference +28)
- Benetton – 54 points
- Ospreys – 50 points (10 games won)
Munster will face the Ospreys in quarter-final 1 at Thomond Park next Friday (kick-off 7.35pm), with tickets available to buy here. The second-placed Vodacom Bulls will host Benetton at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Quarter-final 3 sees eight-time league winners, Leinster, take on Ulster in a mouth-watering interprovincial derby at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 5pm). Tickets are available to buy here.
The final game of the slate sees Glasgow Warriors and the DHL Stormers – the 2015 and 2022 champions respectively – meet at Scotstoun Stadium.
All kick-off times have also been confirmed with broadcasters, and the league would like to acknowledge the preliminary work from that group that has allowed them do this so quickly.
BKT UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINALS:
Friday, June 7 –
QF1: MUNSTER (1) v Ospreys (8), Thomond Park, kick-off 7.35pm – Buy Match Tickets
Live on RTÉ, S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport & URC.tv
Saturday, June 8 –
QF2: Vodacom Bulls (2) v Benetton (7), Loftus Versfeld, kick-off 3.30pm local time/2.30pm Irish time
Live on SuperSport, Premier Sports, Sky Italia, TG4 & URC.tv
QF3: LEINSTER (3) v ULSTER (6), Aviva Stadium, kick-off 5pm – Buy Match Tickets
Live on TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport & URC.tv
QF4: Glasgow Warriors (4) v DHL Stormers (5), Scotstoun Stadium, kick-off 7.35pm
Live on Premier Sports, SuperSport & URC.tv
The semi-final fixtures will see the winners of QF1 and QF4 meet in semi-final 1, and the winners of QF2 and QF3 play each other in semi-final 2. The higher ranked teams will have home advantage.
SF1: MUNSTER/Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors/DHL Stormers
SF2: Vodacom Bulls/Benetton v LEINSTER/ULSTER