About

VODACOM UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

Irish side Munster, who dethroned the DHL Stormers in a pulsating Vodacom United Rugby Championship Grand Final in Cape Town on 27 May 2023, will start the defence of their title on the weekend of 21/22 October, when the new season kicks off. In 2022, the Capetonians became the first holders of the title by beating fellow-SA team the Vodacom Bulls in the final. Four teams from South Africa, the DHL Stormers, Vodacom Bulls, Emirates Lions and Hollywoodbets Sharks, are joined by 12 clubs from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales this competition that first kicked off in September 2021. Previously, it was called the PRO12 and later PRO14. The 2023/24 season wiil conclude on 22 June 2024 with the Grand Final. All the teams are again split into four conferences.

The history

The Championship originated in 1999 when the Welsh and Scottish unions created a competition for their teams, and in 2001 four Irish provinces were added to create the Celtic League. The ambition amongst the three unions in 2001 was to create a vibrant and competitive professional club competition that would provide their players with the best preparation for Test level rugby. In 2010, two Italian teams were welcomed as the competition began to look boldly towards a more diverse future – this was reflected in the name change to PRO12 in later seasons. In a historic move in 2017, the Championship expanded to South Africa and, in keeping with its cross-border DNA, added the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings to become a cross-hemisphere club rugby tournament known as the PRO14.

Pos	Team	PL	W	L	D	PF	PA	DIFF	TF	TA	PTS
1	Leinster	13	11	2	0	415	220	195	60	27	54
2	Glasgow Warriors	13	10	3	0	365	224	141	55	21	49
3	Vodacom Bulls	13	9	4	0	434	299	135	56	36	45
4	Munster	13	8	4	1	318	221	97	42	27	43
5	DHL Stormers	13	8	5	0	316	252	64	40	33	39
6	Benetton	13	8	4	1	250	257	-7	27	35	37
7	Ospreys	13	7	6	0	290	264	26	38	31	35
8	Ulster	13	7	6	0	302	288	14	38	39	35
9	Edinburgh	13	8	5	0	277	298	-21	30	38	34
10	Connacht	13	7	6	0	285	293	-8	33	39	34
11	Emirates Lions	13	6	7	0	367	290	77	48	36	34
12	Cardiff Rugby	13	3	9	1	287	290	-3	37	36	24
13	Hollywoodbets Sharks	13	3	10	0	249	296	-47	33	37	18
14	Scarlets	13	3	10	0	184	436	-252	22	59	16
15	Dragons RFC	13	3	10	0	205	439	-234	25	60	15
16	Zebre Parma	13	1	11	1	262	439	-177	34	64	15