Five take-aways from the opening five rounds of the URC

Top Two Collide

Two teams are setting the pace at the top of the United Rugby Championship and now they are about to collide.

The DHL Stormers and Munster Rugby have both won their first five matches and are level on 23 points.

So all eyes will be on Limerick’s Thomond Park when the two frontrunners lock horns on Saturday evening.

The Stormers will be looking to the prolific Jurie Matthee to keep racking up the points for them as they head for Ireland.

They have a superstar No 10 in Springboks playmaker Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu but fellow flyhalf Matthee has been a pivotal figure so far this season, installing himself as the league’s top points scorer with 52 thanks to two tries, 10 penalties and six conversions.

The breakdown has also been a key area of strength for the Cape Town outfit who have won the joint most turnovers, level with Cardiff Rugby on 37.

Perhaps most remarkably of all, they have conceded just four tries in their five matches.

As for Munster, their winning run has also been underpinned by some heroic defence.

Second row Fineen Wycherley has been leading the way on that front, making more tackles (79) than anyone else in the competition, while Gavin Coombes isn’t too far behind on 67, with the No 8 having also put in 49 carries amid a typically sizeable impact.

With both teams unbeaten, something has to give this weekend - unless it’s a draw of course!

Croke Cracker

The highest attendance so far this season came in Round 4 when a crowd of 51 589 saw Munster beat reigning champions Leinster Rugby 31-14 at Dublin’s Croke Park, as the visitors produced a real statement performance.

There have been eight further five figure turn-outs.

Those were for Leinster v Sharks (17 549), Munster v Connacht (16 512), Leinster v Zebre (14 128), Stormers v Ospreys (13 668), Stormers v Leinster (13 529), Munster v Cardiff (12 033), Sharks v Ulster (11 280) and Ulster v Bulls (10 269).

Round 4 saw the highest average attendance - 11 260.

Lawrence Leading The Way

In terms of individual stats, Cardiff back rower Alun Lawrence has been the outstanding performer over the first five rounds.

He has made more successful carries (83) than anyone else, making 137 metres in the process, while he is second on the tackle chart with 74, just five behind Munster's Wycherley.

The 27-year-old has carried on from where he left off last season when he was a model of consistency, featuring in all 18 URC matches and being named Cardiff’s Players Player of the Year in recognition of his tireless endeavour.

It’s really some story given he was out of work two years ago and considering giving up the sport following the collapse of Jersey Reds.

But handed a lifeline by Cardiff, the No 8 has grabbed it with both hands, becoming a crucial figure in his second spell at the Arms Park.

Glasgow Going For It

A look at the overall team stats shows that Glasgow Warriors are a seriously potent force in attack.

The 2023/2024 URC champions have scored more points (161) and more tries (23) than any other team, while they have also produced the most carries (778) and made the most visits to the opposition 22, with 69 of them.

Scotland star centre Sione Tuipulotu has been a main man going forward with 63 successful carries, the third highest in the competition, with winger Kyle Steyn making the second-most clean breaks (8) and beating 15 defenders.

Fullback Josh Mackay has made the fourth most metres (258), while hooker Johnny Matthews has helped provide the attacking platform, hitting his line-out targets more times (55) than anyone else in the league, as well as scoring three tries, along with utility back Jamie Dobie.

Franco Smith’s team would be unbeaten and level with the Stormers and Munster at the top of the table but for a last-gasp 16-14 defeat to Benetton Rugby in Round 2 when they lost out to an 80th minute drop goal from super sub Rhyno Smith.

Try Machine Louis

It’s been some autumn for Benetton winger Louis Lynagh.

The 24-year-old is out in front as the top try scorer in the URC, having touched down six times.

Four of those came on a memorable day for him during a 41-15 victory at home to the Lions in Round 3.

There was to be another very special try-scoring occasion for him as he moved on to the international stage with Italy last month.

Playing against Australia in Udine, he crossed for the Azzurri’s opening touchdown as they came from behind to claim a famous 26-19 victory.

That triumph would have been all the more meaningful for Lynagh as his father Michael won 72 caps for the Wallabies during an illustrious World Cup-winning career.

Louis was born in Treviso, where his dad played for five years, with his mother being Italian.

At the age of four, he moved to England with his family and went on to follow in his old man’s footsteps by taking up rugby.

He made his name with Harlequins and was called up to an England training camp by Eddie Jones in 2021.

But, following the announcement that he was heading back to the land of his birth to join Benetton, he was called up by Italy for the 2024 Guinness Six Nations and made a try-scoring debut in a victory at home to Scotland, going on to share in the win over Wales in Cardiff a week later.

His younger brother Tom is also a rugby international, with the Queensland Reds flyhalf having won seven caps for Australia.

FRIDAY

Ulster Rugby v Benetton

Affidea Stadium, Belfast – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA/9.45pm SA

Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 56th league game)

AR 1: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU) AR 2: Max Weston (IRFU)

TMO: David Sutherland (SRU)

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

Dragons RFC v Leinster Rugby

Rodney Parade, Newport – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA/9.45pm SA

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU, 19th league game)

AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2: Lucas Yendle (WRU)

TMO: Chris Allison (SARU)

Live on: Premier Sports, TG4, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

SATURDAY

Vodacom Bulls v Lions

Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – KO 12pm IRE & UK/1pm ITA/2pm SA

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU, 12th league game)

AR 1: Griffin Colby (SARU) AR 2: Sean Muller (SARU)

TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)

Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Zebre Parma v Cardiff Rugby

Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 1pm IRE & UK/2pm ITA/3pm SA

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU, 27th league game)

AR 1: Russo Filippo (FIR) AR 2: Riccardo Angelucci (FIR)

TMO: Colin Brett (SRU)

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

Munster Rugby v DHL Stormers

Thomond Park, Limerick – KO 5.30pm IRE & UK/6.30pm ITA/7.30pm SA

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 58th league game)

AR 1: Andrew Cole (IRFU) AR 2: Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

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

Edinburgh Rugby v Ospreys

Hive Stadium, Edinburgh – KO 15.30pm IRE & UK/6.30pm ITA/7.30pm SA

Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 9th league game)

AR 1: Finlay Brown (SRU) AR 2: Ciaran Stark (SRU)

TMO: Brian McNeice (IRFU)

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

Connacht Rugby v Hollywoodbets Sharks

Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA/9.45pm SA

Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU, 14th league game)

AR 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) AR 2: Jack MacNeice (IRFU)

TMO: Keith David (WRU)

Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli – KO 7.45pm IRE & UK/8.45pm ITA/9.45pm SA

Referee: Chris Allison (SARU, 5th league game)

AR 1: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) AR 2: Adam Jones (WRU)

TMO: Morne Ferreira (SARU)

Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv