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	14	11	3	0	427	264	163	62	33	54
2	Glasgow Warriors	14	11	3	0	386	234	152	58	23	53
3	Munster	14	9	4	1	345	243	102	46	30	48
4	Vodacom Bulls	14	9	5	0	456	326	130	59	40	46
5	Benetton	14	9	4	1	286	276	10	33	38	42
6	DHL Stormers	14	8	6	0	337	279	58	43	37	40
7	Ospreys	14	8	6	0	317	285	32	42	34	40
8	Edinburgh	14	9	5	0	320	316	4	36	40	39
9	Connacht	14	8	6	0	339	309	30	41	41	39
10	Ulster	14	8	6	0	321	305	16	39	41	39
11	Emirates Lions	14	7	7	0	411	302	109	54	38	39
12	Cardiff Rugby	14	3	10	1	304	309	-5	39	37	25
13	Hollywoodbets Sharks	14	3	11	0	259	317	-58	35	40	18
14	Scarlets	14	3	11	0	202	479	-277	24	65	16
15	Dragons RFC	14	3	11	0	224	475	-251	28	66	15
16	Zebre Parma	14	1	12	1	278	493	-215	36	72	15