Edinburgh defend perfect start as derby and Shield battles take centre stage
Round 4 resumes after a strong European weekend for URC clubs, with Edinburgh returning to league action as the only side to have won all three matches. Glasgow Warriors sit one point behind in second, with Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers completing the early top four.
The weekend is headlined by Leinster and Munster at Aviva Stadium, while Ospreys and Dragons RFC meet again just two weeks after their 38-31 derby at Rodney Parade. Benetton and Glasgow open their Italian/Scottish Shield campaigns, and leaders Edinburgh host 10bet Lions at Hive Stadium.
The opening three rounds have continued to underline the fine margins across the league: 13 of 24 matches have been won by the home side and 54% have finished with seven points or fewer between the teams. Attendances across Rounds 1 and 2 were also up 13% on the same period last season.
Round At A Glance
Edinburgh are the only side to have won all three URC matches and lead Glasgow Warriors by one point; Scottish teams occupy the top two positions for only the fourth time in Championship history.
URC clubs won 10 of 14 European fixtures against non-URC opposition, including six Champions Cup victories - the first time six URC teams have won in the competition in the same weekend.
Round 4 includes Leinster v Munster in the Irish Shield, an immediate Ospreys-Dragons RFC Welsh Shield rematch and the opening Italian/Scottish Shield fixture between Benetton and Glasgow Warriors.
Milestone Watch
Ryan Elias (Scarlets) is one appearance short of 150 in the BKT URC.
Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) is one appearance short of 100.
Morgan Morris (Ospreys), James Ratti (Ospreys) and Embrose Papier (Vodacom Bulls) are two apps short of 100.
Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff) and Jarrod Evans (Cardiff) are three appearances short of 100.
Click Below For Match Previews
URC StatMaster has identified the top players from BKT URC Round 3 along with the overall top team and player performances from the league so far.
Click Below To View URC Player Stats
Click Below To View URC Team Stats
Top Players From R3
Carries: 25 Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby)
Defenders Beaten: 12 Taine Basham (Cardiff Rugby)
Line-outs Won: 8 Francke Horn (10bet Lions)
Metres: 224 Blair Murray (Scarlets)
Passes: 88 Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Tackles: 27 Scott Penny (Leinster Rugby)
Overall Top Players After R3
Carries: 55 Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh Rugby)
Defenders Beaten: 20 Taine Basham (Cardiff Rugby)
Kicks in Play: 38 Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Line-out Steals: 4 Dave McCann (Ulster Rugby) / Liam McConnell (Edinburgh Rugby)
Line-outs Won: 23 Francke Horn (10bet Lions)
Metres: 379 Blair Murray (Scarlets)
Passes: 279 Hector Patterson (Edinburgh Rugby)
Tackles: 60 Josh Macleod (Scarlets)
Tries: 5 Elliot Dee (Dragons RFC)
Turnover Won: 8 Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh Rugby)
Overall Top Team Season Totals
Carries: 483 Edinburgh Rugby
Defenders Beaten: 90 Ulster Rugby
Kicks in Play: 85 Cardiff Rugby
Metres: 1 599 Vodacom Bulls
Points: 126 Vodacom Bulls
Tackles: 566 Glasgow Warriors
Tries: 19 Vodacom Bulls
Turnover Won: 25 Edinburgh Rugby
Visits To 22: 41 Vodacom Bulls
Fixtures
FRIDAY
Cardiff Rugby v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA & SA
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 61st league game)
AR 1: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) AR 2: Carwyn Sion (WRU)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Connacht Rugby v Zebre Parma
Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA & SA
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU, 3rd league game)
AR 1: Jack MacNeice (IRFU) AR 2: Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
Live on: TG4, Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Edinburgh Rugby v 10bet Lions
Hive Stadium, Edinburgh – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA & SA
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 17th league game)
AR 1: Mike Adamson (SRU) AR 2: Rob McDowell (SRU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
SATURDAY
Vodacom Bulls v Ulster Rugby
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – KO 12.45pm IRE & UK/1.45pm ITA & SA
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU, 5th league game)
AR 1: Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU) AR 2: Sean Muller (SARU)
TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
DHL Stormers v Scarlets
DHL Stadium, Cape Town – KO 3pm IRE & UK/4pm ITA & SA
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU, 4th league game)
AR 1: Christopher Allison (SARU) AR 2: Juan de Bod (SARU)
TMO: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
Stadio Monigo, Treviso – KO 3pm IRE & UK/4pm ITA & SA
Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU, 13th league game)
AR 1: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR) AR 2: Lorenzo Negro (FIR)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby
Aviva Stadium, Dublin – KO 6pm IRE & UK/7pm ITA & SA
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 116th league game)
AR 1: Keane Davison (IRFU) AR 2: Dan Carson (IRFU)
TMO: Colin Stanley (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Ospreys v Dragons RFC
St. Helen’s, Swansea – KO 7pm IRE & UK/8pm ITA & SA
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 115th league game)
AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
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