Read more
With six matches to play for each side it looks like there's only one team out of the running in the race to make the top eight.
Canan Moodie of the Bulls has scored six tries this URC season. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
The United Rugby Championship takes a break this weekend, with all the teams now having played 12 matches and having six to play.
All 16 sides will be back in action next weekend, so with no one playing this week, it’s a good time to reflect on what’s happening in the competition.
Leinster leading the way
At three-quarters of the way into the 2024/25 campaign, Irish side Leinster lead the way with 57 log points thanks to a 12 from 12 return.
They have picked up nine bonus points from their 12 matches, incredibly missing out on just three available points so far.
The rest of the top four
Chasing the Irishmen, who by the way have former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber in their coaching team, are last season’s champions, Glasgow Warriors (44 points from eight wins), and the top two South African teams, the Bulls (41 points, eight wins) and the Sharks (39 points, eight wins).
The chasing pack
Eleven teams are then within eight points of each other, meaning that it’s all to play for in the coming weeks to make the top eight and secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Munster in fifth have 33 points, and they’re followed by Cardiff (31), Edinburgh (30), Lions (29), Connacht (29), Scarlets (28), Ospreys (28), Stormers (28), Benetton (28), Ulster (27) and Zebre (25).
The Dragons, with eight points, are the only side probably out of the running to make the top eight.
SA teams’ fixtures
The Bulls’ remaining fixtures are against: Leinster (h), Zebre (h), Munster (a), Glasgow (a), Cardiff (h), Dragons (h).
The Sharks’ remaining fixtures are against: Zebre (h), Leinster (h), Edinburgh (a), Ulster (a), Ospreys (h), Scarlets (h).
The Lions’ remaining fixtures are against: Cardiff (a), Glasgow (a), Benetton (h), Connacht (h), Scarlets (h), Ospreys (h).
The Stormers’ remaining fixtures are against: Scarlets (a), Ulster (a), Connacht (h), Benetton (h), Dragons (h), Cardiff (h)
Top scorers
The Scarlets’ Ioan Lloyd is the leading points scorer in the competition, with 94 points, and hot on his heels is the Sharks’ Jordan Hendrikse, with 91 points. In third is Ross Thompson from Edinburgh (72), and he’s followed by the Bulls’ David Kriel (62).
The top try-scorer so far is Johnny Matthews from Glasgow, with eight tries. Canan Moodie, of the Bulls, is one of four players with six tries to his name, while the Stormers’ Leolin Zas has five tries to his name.
For the full point-scorers and try-scorers lists click here.
Download our app
