Round 11 of the United Rugby Championship (URC) brought high-intensity clashes and season-defining moments as teams battled to keep their playoff hopes alive. Fans were treated to dramatic late tries, powerhouse displays, and crucial wins that shook up the standings. From title contenders making statements to underdogs pulling off surprises, the action didn’t disappoint.
Here’s a full breakdown of all the Round 11 results, including key highlights and match recaps:
ZEBRE STUN EDINBURGH WITH UPSET VICTORY IN THE SCOTTISH CAPITAL
Edinburgh 17 - 22 Zebre (HT 5-12)
Zebre Parma claimed a famous 22-17 victory over Edinburgh at Hive Stadium, securing their first win in the Scottish capital since 2016. Despite playing the closing stages with 13 men following a red card to Guido Volpi and a yellow card to Gerónimo Prisciantelli, the Italian side defended bravely to seal the upset. Edinburgh struggled with errors and discipline, including a yellow card for Ross McCann, which hampered their momentum. Jacopo Trulla, Gonzalo Garcia, and Tommaso Di Bartolomeo all crossed for Zebre, while Mosese Tuipulotu and Luke Crosbie scored for the hosts. Edinburgh’s late siege was repelled, leaving head coach Sean Everitt under pressure as their playoff hopes took a blow.
EDINBURGH
- Tries: McCann (11’), Tuipulotu (55’), Crosbie (68’)
- Conversions: Thompson (56’)
ZEBRE
- Tries: Trulla (6’), Garcia (24’), di Bartolomeo (63’)
- Conversions: de Re (25’, 64’)
- Penalties: de Re (47’)
LEINSTER EDGE OSPREYS TO MAINTAIN PERFECT URC RECORD
Ospreys 19 - 22 Leinster (HT 7-15)
Leinster extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches in the United Rugby Championship with a hard-fought 22-19 win over a spirited Ospreys side at the Swansea.com Stadium. The Irish side, bolstered by returning Six Nations squad members, started brightly with early tries from Luke McGrath and Charlie Tector. Ospreys fought back through Harri Deaves and Ethan Lewis, setting up a tense second half. South African World Cup winner RG Snyman made an impact off the bench, providing an offload that led to Rabah Slimani’s crucial try. Ross Byrne’s conversion proved vital as Ospreys’ late score from Cameron Jones narrowed the gap, but Leinster held on to remain clear at the top of the URC table.
OSPREYS
- Tries: Deaves (35’), Lewis (47’), Jones (73’)
- Conversions: Williams (36’), Walsh (74’)
LEINSTER
- Tries: McGrath (12’), Tector (38’), Slimani (64’)
- Conversions: Frawley (39’), Byrne (65’)
- Penalties: Frawley (16’)
LIONS OVERPOWER STORMERS TO BOOST PLAYOFF HOPES
Lions 30 - 23 Stormers (HT 24-6)
The Lions delivered an impressive first-half display to claim a 30-23 victory over the Stormers at a rain-soaked Emirates Airlines Park, reigniting their Vodacom URC playoff ambitions. Fullback Quan Horn was the standout performer, creating two first-half tries as the Lions punished the Stormers’ fragile wide defense. Morne van den Berg, Henco van Wyk, and Marius Louw crossed for the hosts, while Gianni Lombard’s accurate kicking kept the scoreboard ticking. Despite dominating possession and territory, the Stormers were undone by handling errors and the Lions’ resolute defense. Second-half tries from Warrick Gelant and Evan Roos sparked hopes of a comeback, but the Lions held firm. A late penalty from Jurie Matthee secured a losing bonus point for the visitors.
LIONS
- Tries: van den Berg (19’), van Wyk (22’), Louw (34’)
- Conversions: Lombard (20’, 23’, 35’)
- Penalties: Lombard (14’, 47’, 59’)
STORMERS
- Tries: Gelant (44’), Roos (69’)
- Conversions: Matthee (45’, 70’)
- Penalties: Matthee (17’, 31’, 80’)
SHARKS UPSET BULLS WITH GRITTY BONUS-POINT WIN IN PRETORIA
Bulls 19 - 29 Sharks (HT 7-8)
The Sharks produced a determined performance to stun the Bulls 29-19 at Loftus Versfeld, securing a four-try bonus-point win despite being reduced to 14 men on three separate occasions. Led by Player of the Match Tino Mavesere, the Sharks showed resilience under pressure, with their pace and skill out wide proving too much for the error-prone Bulls. Lukhanyo Am’s return provided leadership, while Ethan Hooker, Jordan Hendrikse, Mavesere, and Yaw Penxe all crossed for the visitors. The Bulls relied on their forwards, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Johan Grobbelaar (twice) scoring from close range, but their handling errors and lack of composure let them down as the Sharks held firm to claim a statement victory.
BULLS
- Tries: Wessels (3’), Grobbelaar (45’, 77’)
- Conversions: Kriel (3’), Chamberlain (78’)
SHARKS
- Tries: Hooker (8’), Hendrikse (55’), Mavesere (67’), Penxe (71’)
- Conversions: Hendrikse (9’), Masuku (68’, 72’)
- Penalties: Hendrikse (32’)
BENETTON PUNISH ILL-DISCIPLINED ULSTER TO CLAIM BONUS-POINT WIN
Benetton 34 - 19 Ulster (HT 17-19)
Benetton secured a commanding 34-19 victory over Ulster in Treviso, as the visitors’ poor discipline, including three second-half yellow cards, proved costly. Ulster started well, with Nathan Doak, Michael Lowry, and Jacob Stockdale crossing in the first half to lead 19-17 at the break. However, Benetton capitalized on Ulster’s ill-discipline, with David McCann, Nick Timoney, and Stewart Moore all spending time in the sin bin. Mirco Spagnolo and Alessandro Izekor scored second-half tries to secure the bonus point for the hosts, while Tomas Albornoz’s composed kicking guided them home. Ulster had a late Matty Rea try disallowed, capping a frustrating evening as their playoff hopes took a hit.
BENETTON
- Tries: Gallagher (11’), Mendy (38’), Spagnolo (64’), Izekor (79’)
- Conversions: Albornoz (12’, 39’, 65’, 80’)
- Penalties: Albornoz (25’, 57’)
ULSTER
- Tries: Doak (3’), Lowry (16’), Stockdale (29’)
- Conversions: Doak (4’, 17’)
MUNSTER POWER PAST SCARLETS FOR BONUS-POINT WIN IN LIMERICK
Munster 29 - 8 Scarlets (HT 7-3)
Munster surged to a 29-8 bonus-point victory over Scarlets at Thomond Park, with Gavin Coombes leading the charge, scoring two second-half tries. In a scrappy first half, Munster struggled to convert their dominance into points, leading just 7-3 at the break after academy winger Shay McCarthy crossed following an inside ball from Rory Scannell. Scarlets, despite a yellow card for Johnny Williams, took an early lead through an Ioan Lloyd penalty. Munster found their rhythm after the interval, with Coombes’ close-range power, Alex Kendellen’s finish in the corner, and Tom Farrell’s late try securing the maximum points. Macs Page grabbed a consolation score for Scarlets, but Munster’s second-half dominance keeps their playoff push on track.
MUNSTER
- Tries: McCarthy (20’), Coombes (44’, 63’), Kendellen (51’), Farrell (80’)
- Conversions: Burns (21’, 52’)
SCARLETS
- Tries: Page (57’)
- Penalties: Lloyd (17’)
CONNACHT EDGE CARDIFF WITH LATE TRY TO END WINLESS RUN
Connacht 24 - 19 Cardiff (HT 14-0)
Connacht snapped their four-game losing streak with a dramatic 24-19 victory over Cardiff at Dexcom Stadium. Despite racing to a 19-0 lead, the hosts were forced to dig deep after Cardiff staged a spirited second-half comeback. Tries from Ben Murphy, Shamus Hurley-Langton, and Dave Heffernan gave Connacht early control, but Rey Lee-Lo, Ben Donnell, and Callum Braley brought the visitors level with ten minutes remaining. With the match hanging in the balance, Dylan Tierney-Martin powered over from a maul in the 75th minute to seal a vital bonus-point win for the Irish province.
CONNACHT
- Tries: Murphy (7’), Hurley-Langton (17’), Heffernan (47’), Tierney-Martin (75’)
- Conversions: Ioane (8’, 18’)
CARDIFF
- Tries: Lee-Lo (52’), Donnell (63’), Braley (68’)
- Conversions: Sheedy (53’, 70’)
GLASGOW WARRIORS OVERPOWER DRAGONS RFC IN SIX-TRY URC VICTORY
Dragons RFC 20 - 45 Glasgow Warriors (HT 13-24)
The final match of URC Round 11 saw Glasgow Warriors secure an emphatic 45-20 bonus-point win over Dragons RFC at Rodney Parade. Despite an early lead and some bright moments from the home side, Glasgow’s clinical finishing and second-half dominance proved too much for the Dragons. Duncan Weir and George Horne led the charge for the visitors, combining for four tries and showing the Warriors’ attacking precision.
DRAGONS RFC
- Tries: Benjamin (10’), Lewis-Hughes (41’)
- Conversions: Evans (11’, 42’)
- Penalties: Evans (1’, 25’)
GLASGOW WARRIORS
- Tries: Matthews (22’), Mann (27’), Horne (29’, 46’), Weir (37’), McBeth (41’), Cancelliere (71’)
- Conversions: Weir (23’, 38’, 42’, 47’, 72’)
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 11
That wraps up Round 11 of the United Rugby Championship. With teams finding their form, the competition is becoming even more intense, and every match is proving to be a battle. Some teams are making strong early statements, while others are still searching for consistency.
What do you think of this weekend’s action? Which team impressed you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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