United Rugby Championship – Semi Final Preview

June 06, 2025
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Ultimate Rugby

After a thrilling start to the Play-Offs last week, just four teams now remain.

Here we go! We're down to just four teams, with a spot in the 2025 Grand Final on the line, as our Semi-Final contestants get set to battle it out this weekend.

Up first, Leinster will bid to make the URC Grand Final for the first time when they take on the defending champions, Glasgow Warriors at 2:45pm on Saturday.

There are three personnel changes to the starting Leinster XV from last weekend’s 33-21 win over Scarlets in the Quarter-Finals.

Jimmy O’Brien shifts to full-back as Tommy O’Brien comes in on the wing, while Scott Penny has been named at openside flanker and Dan Sheehan gets the nod at hooker.

Jack Conan captains the side once more, with Ryan Baird taking the six shirt alongside Penny in the back row.

Joe McCarthy and James Ryan continue their partnership in the engine room while Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson will line up either side of Sheehan in the scrum.

Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast are the halfbacks with Jamie Osborne and Jordie Barrett continuing in the centres.

Having scored against Scarlets last weekend, James Lowe is again selected on the left wing and moves within two tries of equalling Shane Horgan’s club record of 69 tries for Leinster.

Rónan Kelleher is joined by Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani on the bench, with Max Deegan and BKT URC Players’ Player of the Season RG Snyman providing reinforcements in reserve.

Luke McGrath and Ciarán Frawley are also named among the replacements alongside Ross Byrne, who will be making his final appearance at Aviva Stadium for Leinster ahead of his move to Gloucester this summer after a decade of service.

The 22-times capped Ireland international has scored 1,194 points in 184 appearances in blue to date and will hope to add to that total on Saturday.

Leinster Senior Coach Jacques Nienaber said:

"It's a privilege for any team to be involved in the knockout stages. It's a privilege for us definitely to be testing ourselves against Glasgow this weekend, the reigning champions, who obviously understand how to play knockout games if you look at what they did last year. It's a privilege to test ourselves against a quality side like that."

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien, Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (CAPT)

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Ciarán Frawley

Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith has made two alterations to the starting XV that will run out at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

A 36-18 triumph over the DHL Stormers last time out earned Glasgow the right to continue their title defence, with the Warriors set for their third visit to Dublin in the space of as many months.

Fin Richardson comes into the starting lineup at tight-head, the former Scotland U20 prop continuing an impressive debut campaign in Glasgow colours by lining up alongside Jamie Bhatti and Gregor Hiddleston in the front-row.

Alex Samuel and Scott Cummings continue as the partnership in the second-row, having combined for three lineout steals in last Friday’s win over the Stormers at Scotstoun.

Euan Ferrie and Rory Darge are once more selected on the flanks after combining superbly for Glasgow’s opening try last time out, with Henco Venter packing down at number eight.

Behind the scrum, Adam Hastings is named at fly-half in the only change to the back-line, the fly-half – who was at the heart of the action in the club’s 2019 win over Leinster at the RDS – joined by George Horne in the half-backs.

Tom Jordan moves to inside centre to accommodate the inclusion of Hastings, partnering Sione Tuipulotu in the midfield for tomorrow afternoon’s clash.

The back-three is unchanged, meaning Kyle Rowe – scorer of a brace of tries last weekend – and captain Kyle Steyn line up either side of full-back, Josh McKay.

Rory Sutherland is set for his first outing in Glasgow Warriors colours since March’s victory over the Emirates Lions, after the 2021 British & Irish Lion was named amongst the replacements.

Johnny Matthews and Sam Talakai join Sutherland as the front-row cover, whilst Max Williamson continues in the number 19 jersey.

Jack Mann and Macenzzie Duncan each retain their places in the matchday 23, after both men came off the bench last Friday night to make their first appearance in a BKT URC playoff match.

The bench is rounded out by Stafford McDowall and Jamie Dobie, the former rotating to the replacements after starting in the centres last time out.

Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith said:

“Leinster are the standard setters in this competition. They finished top of the standings for a reason, and have consistently out-performed teams across the course of this season while showing their strength in depth.

“It is a challenge that we know we will need to be at our best to meet, and the players are focused on the task at hand.

“Training this week has been sharp and competitive, with every player working hard for each other to put this squad in the best possible position for tomorrow afternoon.”

Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay, Kyle Steyn (CAPT), Sione Tuipulotu, Tom Jordan, Kyle Rowe, Adam Hastings, George Horne, Jamie Bhatti, Gregor Hiddleston, Fin Richardson, Alex Samuel, Scott Cummings, Euan Ferrie, Rory Darge, Henco Venter

Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Rory Sutherland, Sam Talakai, Max Williamson, Jack Mann, Macenzzie Duncan, Stafford McDowall, Jamie Dobie

Leinster v Glasgow Warriors

Aviva Stadium, Dublin – KO 14.45 IRE & UK / 15.45 ITA & SA

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 54th league game)

AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Live on: RTÉ, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Then it's over to Pretoria for a South African derby between the Vodacom Bulls and the Hollywoodbets Sharks after their respective wins over Edinburgh and Munster.

Playmaker Johan Goosen returns to match fitness and slots right into the Vodacom Bulls starting XV in a huge boost for Jake White's side as they look to make a second consecutive Grand Final.

Goosen will be the only change to the starters at Loftus Versfeld when the whistle goes on Saturday, 07 June.

White, has opted for consistency, making one other change to the team, bringing in Alulutho Tshakweni to the impact squad whilst Keagan Johannes shifts to the five-three split standby crew with the return of the goose.

Akker van der Merwe, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Marco van Staden, Zak Burger and Devon Williams, all complete the impact roster.

Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Wilco Louw line up at the front. Cobus Wiese and JF van Heerden combine at lock. Marcell Coetzee and captain Ruan Nortje do duty at loose forward with Next-Gen Player of the year, Cameron Hanekom, at eight.

Embrose Papier will lace up his boots alongside Goosen at halfback. Behind them is the unchanged backline of Sebastian de Klerk, Harold Vorster, David Kriel, Canon Moodie and Willie le Roux.

Vodacom Bulls head coach Jake White said:

"I've told the guys that if they think they're good enough to win the competition, then they have to beat whoever comes next week to get to the final.

"We've lost twice to the Sharks this year, so we will have to play our best.”

Vodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux, Canon Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Marcell Coetzee, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Cameron Hanekom

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Marco van Staden, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Devon Williams

A new lock pairing is the only set of changes to the Hollywoodbets Sharks as they take continuity into selection for this massive local knockout.

Head coach John Plumtree has to do without captain Eben Etzebeth who unfortunately got injured at training this week, with Corne’ Rahl replacing him and Emile van Heerden coming in for Jason Jenkins, who went down in last week’s victory over Munster and hasn’t recovered sufficiently.

Deon Slabbert comes on to the bench, as does Jurenzo Julius for Francois Venter.

For captain Siya Kolisi, playing winning rugby has been a hallmark of this Hollywoodbets Sharks team, and although he acknowledges that the team hasn’t quite played to potential, coming out victorious shows the growth in the team, and at this stage of the tournaments, any win will do.

“We want to play better, there are many things we want to do better on the field, but there were a lot of good things we did against Munster,” he said this week.

“We’ve also played better this season with a full team and everyone available, but with injuries, the dynamics change.”

“This is a Hollywoodbets Sharks team well led, with plenty of experience and a side that knows what it takes to win, and has the grit to do it.

“The most important thing is finding a way to win when things aren’t going well. I’ve been in a team where we played amazing rugby and we still lost. You can have that, or you can have what we’re going through.

“But the ultimate goal is to play the kind of rugby we know we’re capable of playing.”

Hollywoodbets Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Corne’ Rahl, Emile van Heerden, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi (CAPT)

Replacements: Fez Mbatha, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Hanro Jacobs, Deon Slabbert, Phepsi Buthelezi, Bradley Davids, Jurenzo Julius, Yaw Penxe