The regular season of the United Rugby Championship (URC) has wrapped up, and now the action intensifies as we head into the quarterfinals. Four thrilling clashes await this weekend, with several teams looking to stake their claim for the 2024/25 URC title. Here are the match previews and score predictions, along with key factors each team needs to focus on to emerge victorious.
Glasgow Warriors vs Stormers
Prediction: Glasgow 25 – 18 Stormers
The Stormers travel to Scotland to face the Glasgow Warriors in what promises to be a tough away fixture. If the Cape side wants to pull off the upset, they must dominate up front, particularly in the set pieces, to give flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer the platform to express themselves.
Glasgow have been impressive all season with a powerful pack, strong line-out execution, and consistent scrummaging. However, they’ve hit a rough patch, losing their last three games—including a heavy defeat to the Bulls—which leaves them vulnerable. Still, at home, they may just have the edge.
Bulls vs Edinburgh
Prediction: Bulls 38 – 23 Edinburgh
The Bulls will be out for revenge against an Edinburgh side that beat them 34–28 in the European Challenge Cup playoffs earlier this year. With this quarterfinal being played at Loftus Versfeld, the Bulls have the home advantage and their powerful forward pack to rely on.
For Edinburgh to repeat their feat, they’ll need to completely shut down the Bulls’ scrums and mauls—similar to how Glasgow did last season in Pretoria. That said, this Bulls side has been dominant at home and looks primed to take control from the outset.
Leinster vs Scarlets
Prediction: Leinster 45 – 12 Scarlets
Scarlets are one of the few teams to have beaten Leinster during the regular season, pulling off a 35–22 win in Round 16. But repeating that feat in Dublin is a massive ask. Leinster come into this fixture with the highest probability of winning the URC (42%) and have plenty of motivation to prove themselves after that loss.
Expect Leinster to unleash their lethal backline, featuring the likes of Jordie Barrett and James Lowe, to punish the Welsh side. Unless Scarlets can pull off something truly special, this one looks set to be a blowout.
Sharks vs Munster
Prediction: Sharks 12 – 9 Munster
This is perhaps the most unpredictable quarterfinal. The Sharks have been in solid form, though not always convincing. Their Springbok-heavy squad, featuring the likes of Ox Nché, Eben Etzebeth, and Siya Kolisi, will need to lead from the front.
Munster are no strangers to winning on the road in the playoffs. In the 2022/23 season, they stunned the Stormers in Cape Town on their way to lifting the URC title. But this time, the Sharks’ mix of power and home advantage could be just enough to edge a very tight game—possibly decided by a late penalty.
Final Thoughts
These quarterfinals present a fantastic opportunity for South African teams to push deep into the playoffs. It’s also a chance for individual players—especially those on the fringe of Springbok selection—to impress the national selectors.
Keep an eye on names like Evan Roos, who’ll be looking to force his way into Rassie Erasmus’ plans, and players like Cameron Hanekom and Vincent Tshituka, who’ll want to justify their inclusion in recent alignment camps.
Let the games begin—it’s shaping up to be an epic URC weekend.