The 2023/24 United Rugby Championship season is set to break new ground, as the Ospreys are set to ‘Swoop to the Stoop’, and host South African side the Sharks. The home of the Harlequins will host this first ever URC match in London, with the nation’s capital chosen for this milestone match.
The Ospreys are four time winners of the competition, when the league was known as the Celtic League in 2005 and 2006, and as the Pro12 in 2010 and 2012. The Sharks, who have been renamed to the Hollywoodbets Sharks for sponsorship reasons, will collide with the Swansea side in round three of the 2023/24 URC season.
This fixture at the Twickenham Stoop will take place on Friday, November 3rd 2023 with a later kick-off time of 7:35pm (UK time/ 9:35 SA time). The Sharks were added to the league, amongst the quartet of South African sides who joined with the Pro14’s expansion to the United Rugby Championship.
Alongside the Stormers, Lions and Bulls, the Sharks joined the fray for the expanded 2021/22 season, and finished as quarter-finalists in their opening campaign. The Durban side followed this up with another final-eight finish the following season, as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup.
United Rugby Championship CEO, Martin Anayi, said to the URC: “We believe that rugby should embrace new ideas and innovative events and we’re very happy to support Ospreys and Hollywoodbets Sharks in bringing the BKT United Rugby Championship to one of the world’s biggest cities where sport has such an iconic history. In addition to those who travel from Wales, we are fully aware of the large BKT URC fanbases living in London and we hope that the interest from Welsh and South African supporters in London can make this a really special event.”
Commercial Director for the Ospreys, Anthony Cole-Johnson, said: ”We’re absolutely thrilled that Ospreys can play host to a showcase game in London, providing a unique spectacle for our fans and newcomers alike. For us, this is not just a fixture; it is an opportunity to provide our local fans with a fresh experience and engage with both Ospreys exiles and the wider rugby fanbase in London.
“It’s been great to have worked in collaboration with the BKT URC and the Hollywoodbets Sharks to put together this ground-breaking game to grow the interest around Ospreys and the league. London, a city with a rich sporting heritage, has always been a popular destination for fans from across the globe. As one of the world’s leading rugby hubs, the city is no stranger to hosting showcase events.”