The 2023/24 United Rugby Championship season will be starting later than usual, due to the upcoming 2023 Rugby World Cup. The URC will commence on Saturday 21st October, with round one of action set to clash with the semi-finals in France.
The URC gets underway a week later than the Gallagher Premiership, with the English top division announced to be kicking off the 2023/24 season on Friday 13th of October. The delayed URC start dates could well put fans in a tough decision as to what to watch live.
As they are amongst the favourites for the Rugby World Cup, Ireland and South Africa fans may be forced to chose between watching their national team’s semi-final, or tune in to their club side’s all-important opening round in the URC. The same also applies to Scottish and Italian supporters, yet fans of these ambitious outsiders may well be excited for the return of club rugby, following an early World Cup elimination.
Scotland will be without their talisman Stuart Hogg, as the former Exeter Chiefs fullback announced his immediate and shocking retirement last Sunday, ruling him out of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Gregor Townsend’s side have the tough task of battling the ‘Boks and Ireland in Pool B, and Italy have the mighty duo of the All Blacks, and host nation France to contend with, to get into the knock-out stage.
Defending URC Champions Munster begin their campaign with a well-timed match against the Cell C Sharks. The Durban side will likely be without their Springbok reinforcements, as Eben Etzebeth and an injury pending Siya Kolisi will be pushing on for Rugby World Cup glory.
Once the regular URC season comes to an end, the play-offs will commence on the 7th of June 2024. The top eight sides will qualify, with the final to be held on June 22nd, at a ‘to be confirmed’ location. The URC decides the stadium of the final through the end-of-season standings, with the highest ranked remaining team hosting the match.
As the 2023 final was contested between the DHL Stormers and Munster, the Stormers hosted the final in Cape Town, as they finished higher in the table (3rd) than Munster (5th). Ospreys have three home matches with venues yet to be confirmed as they contend with a ground share with football club Swansea City.
The venue for matches against South African sides Sharks on November 3rd and Lions on March 30th are still unconfirmed, along with the New Years Day derby against Cardiff. This is due to a clash with Swansea City home matches when the football side’s fixture takes precedence at the Swansea.com Stadium. There is discussion that the matches may well take place outside of the region, in areas such as London.
The South African sides will also have a reduced travel schedule. The latest reports are that the Stormers, Sharks, Lions and Bulls will tour Europe twice, instead of three times as per last season. The Scarlets begin their 2023/24 season with a tour to South Africa, as they take on the Bulls and Stormers in the opening two rounds.