As the New Year approaches, another round of local derbies will light up the Vodacom United Rugby Champiionship stage, with tribal clashes across Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy while South Africa’s four franchises face up to each other again.
So with the new year spirit firmly upon us, here are the key facts ahead of all the international derbies this weekend that will usher in a blockbuster 2023 on your SuperSport channel.
Friday 30 December
EDINBURGH RUGBY v GLASGOW WARRIORS
At BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, 9.35pm
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 31st competition game)
Assistant: Hollie Davidson, Ian Kenny (both SRU)
TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Edinburgh have been boosted by the return of Scotland quartet Blair Kinghorn, Mark Bennett, Sam Skinner and Luke Crosbie ahead of the 1872 Cup decider against Glasgow Warriors while the team selection includes a further three changes to the side that faced the Warriors in last weekend’s opening leg as Wes Goosen (wing) – who also returns from injury – Henry Pyrgos (scrum-half) and Boan Venter (loosehead) are all handed starts for 150th anniversary derby.
The home side are expecting a bumper 25 000 crowd as they look to overturn their 16-10 loss last week to the Warriors and need to overcome this scoreline to win the Cup on aggregate and leapfrog their Scottish rivals on the URC log.
Overall URC head-to-head record: Played 45, Edinburgh won 20, Glasgow won 24 with 1 match drawn.
Did you know?
Edinburgh Rugby have lost their last three United Rugby Championship matches and have not lost four in succession in the tournament for two years.
Edinburgh have lost two of their last three home matches in the Championship but at BT Murrayfield Stadium they were victorious last time out against today’s opponents, Glasgow Warriors, in May.
Glasgow Warriors have lost only once in any competition since the end of October: 5-40 at Leinster in the BKT United Rugby Championship on 26 November.
The Warriors were successful on their most recent visit to BT Murrayfield, beating Perpignan there in the European Challenge Cup two weeks ago.
Glasgow’s only defeat in their last six encounters with their oldest rivals was 11-28 at BT Murrayfield on 21 May.
Saturday 31 December
ZEBRE PARMA v BENETTON RUGBY
At Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, 2.30pm.
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR, competition debut)
Assistant: Clara Munarini, Riccardo Angelucci (both FIR)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)
Rhyno Smiith’s exceptional performance in the first derby was enough to give his a big win last weekend but Zebre will be tougher opposition on their home ground and will be looking to cause an upset in a match they are heavy underdogs in.
Overall URC head-to-head record: Played 27, Zebre won 7, Benetton won 20.
DID YOU KNOW?
Zebre Parma’s most recent victory in the United Rugby Championship was 23-18 at home to Dragons RFC on 30 April. This was Zebre’s only victory at Stadio Lanfranchi in any competition since they also beat Dragons there in February 2021.
Benetton Rugby have won two of their last three fixtures in the United Rugby Championship, with the defeat being at Connacht on 3 December.
Benetton won their most recent away game 45-7 at Bayonne in the European Challenge Cup but have not been victorious on the road in the Championship since this equivalent fixture on Christmas Eve last year.
Benetton have won their last five contests with Zebre equalling their best sequence against their fiercest rivals set from 2018-2019.
Benetton have won on eight of their last nine visits to Parma.
Sunday 1 January
CARDIFF RUGBY v OSPREYS
At Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, 5pm
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 36th competition game)
Assistant: Ben Breakspear, Carwyn Williams (both WRU)
TMO: Wayne Davies (WRU)
This intriguing clash will determine who has the bragging rights in Welsh rugby after Cardiff narrowly beat Dragons last week with a try in injury time while Ospreys downed 14-man Scarlets to take the Boxing day honours as well. Both sides are in fine form and will be keenly watched in what should be a breathtaking Welsh Derby
Overall URC head-to-head record: Played 38, Cardiff won 10, Ospreys won 27 with 1 match drawn.
Did you know?
Cardiff Rugby have lost only two of their last seven United Rugby Championship matches, a run which has seen them climb from 13th to 5th in the table.
Cardiff have lost just twice at the Arms Park in any tournament since April, to the Emirates Lions in September and to Edinburgh in October.
The capital side have won their last four fixtures against fellow Welsh regions and have never won five such encounters in succession in the United Rugby Championship.
Ospreys six game winless run in the United Rugby Championship ended with their 34-14 eclipsing of Scarlets at Swansea.com Stadium on Boxing Day.
Ospreys only away win in the Championship since October 2021 was on their most recent visit to the Arms Park beating today’s opponents Cardiff there.
Ospreys have won their last four fixtures against Cardiff since the West Walians 20-29 loss against Cardiff at Rodney Parade in August 2020.
Ospreys have won on their last five visits to the Arms Park in all competitions.
Sunday 1 January
ULSTER RUGBY v MUNSTER RUGBY At Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, 7.15pm.
Referee: Andy Brace (IRFU, 84th competition game)
Assistant: Andrew Cole, Paul Haycock (both IRFU)
TMO: Joy Neville (IRFU)
Ulster may have an opportunity to rub some salt in the wounds for Munster after the Limerick side announced they plan to rest a number of Ireland internationals in the coming weeks and will likely be without some regulars.
Diarmuid Barron has been ruled out after failing an HIA, while Jean Kleyn is also doubtful with a knee injury. Mike Haley is fit for selection for Munster again.
Peter O'Mahony, Tadhg Beirne, Joey Carbery, Jack Crowley and Craig Casey are among those who are in line for a break as per IRFU player welfare guidelines.
Overall URC head-to-head record: Played 43, Ulster won 19, Munster won 22 with 2 matches drawn.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ulster have lost just twice in the United Rugby Championship this season, both occasions to table topping Leinster.
Ulster’s only defeat in their last six United Rugby Championship fixtures at Kingspan Stadium was 13- 20 to Leinster in September.
Munster’s two game winning run in the United Rugby Championship ended with their narrow 19-20 home defeat to Leinster on St. Stephen’s Day
The Munstermen have won their last two away games, at Edinburgh in the United Rugby Championship and at Northampton in the European Champions Cup and have not won three in succession on their travels since October 2021.
Munster have won just one of their last seven fixtures against fellow Irish provinces: 24-17 at home to Connacht at the end of November.
Ulster have won their last two matches against Munster and have not won three in succession against them since 2009.
Munster’s only victory in their last six visits to Belfast was 24-17 in April.
SCARLETS v DRAGONS RFC
At Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, 7.15pm
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 86th competition game)
Assistant: Craig Evans, Mike English (both WRU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)
Both teams were on the losing side last weekend but Scarlets have a lot more injury problems to contend with. Sam Costelow and Blade Thomson won’t be available for the New Year’s Day clash with the Dragons after head knocks while midfielder Johnny Williams and prop Wyn Jones won’t play any part in the derbies. Other than that they have other issues with Josh Macleod unlikely to be fit while fellow back row Tomas Lezana waits for his disciplinary outcome after being red carded against Ospreys.
Overall URC head-to-head record: Played 38, Scarlets won 29, Dragons won 9.
DID YOU KNOW?
Scarlets only victory in their last dozen United Rugby Championship matches was 36-12 at home to Zebre in Round 5.
Scarlets have won two of their last three home games, against Zebre and against Bayonne in the European Challenge Cup.
Scarlets most recent victory over a fellow Welsh region was over today’s opponents, Dragons, in Newport in April.
Dragons RFC have suffered three successive United Rugby Championship defeats since beating Zebre 47-7 at Rodney Parade at the end of October.
Dragons have won only once away from home in any competition since October 2021 and that was on their most recent visit to Parc y Scarlets on 16 April. Since then, Dragons only victory over a fellow Welsh region at any venue was 32-25 at home to Ospreys in Round 6.
The two fixtures between the two sides last season were both won by the away team on the day, with the Dragons victory at Parc y Scarlets being the first time they have ever won on their fourteenth visit to the venue.
Sunday 1 January
LEINSTER RUGBY v CONNACHT RUGBY
At RDS Arena, Dublin, 9.35pm
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 7th competition game)
Assistant: Chris Busby, Peter Martin (both IRFU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Just how do you stop Leinster? Twelve consecutive victories on the trot and a massive task awaits Andy Friend’s side as they tackle the powerhouse Dublin side in their back yard. Friend will be looking for a similar performance to last season where they won in Galway, upsetting Leinster in one of Friend’s finest performances as coach. And while this is the last time he will coach Connacht at the RDS, he wants it to be a good one.
“That was one of the most bizarre nights and weeks we had,” he said about last year’s win. “We had selected players four times because we had players dropping out with injury and Covid, and then we get up there that evening, we get off the bus, and Kieran Marmion slips and injures himself, so it was as fifth change.
“It was one of those nights when you say, ‘you know what, let’s just back ourselves and have a go’. Now we are not going to repeat that and pick the team five times, but I think we have to go back through history sometimes and see, what was our attitude.
“And you know what, s**t happens, we’ve got a job to do, so let’s back ourselves, have a go, we’ve nothing to lose. And that is the exact same approach we should be taking.”
Overall URC head-to-head record: Played 41, Leinster won 31, Connacht won 10.
DID YOU KNOW?
Leinster’s perfect start to the 2022/23 United Rugby Championship campaign continued with their nail biting 20-19 victory at Munster on St. Stephen’s Day.
The Leinstermen’s only loss at the RDS Arena in any tournament since November 2021 was by a solitary point in last season’s semifinal against the Vodacom Bulls.
Leinster have won their last ten fixtures against fellow Irish provinces in all competitions since Ulster beat them in Belfast in March.
Connacht’s three game winning run in all tournaments ended with their 20-22 defeat to Ulster at the Sportsground last weekend.
Connacht have won just once away from home in the United Rugby Championship since April: 22- 19 at Ospreys in Round 7.
Connacht have beaten fellow Irish provinces only twice in 2022, both against Munster in Galway, on New Year’s Day and in early October.
Leinster have won their last four fixtures against Connacht in the United Rugby Championship since the western province won 35-24 at the RDS Arena on 2 January 2021.