Round 15 of the 2025 United Rugby Championship delivered knockout-level intensity across the board.
Makazole Mapimpi’s last-play try stunned Edinburgh at the Hive, while Leinster tightened their grip on the top of the table with a dominant display over Ulster. The Bulls, Stormers, and Scarlets all picked up crucial wins, while Glasgow secured a home quarter-final with a second-half comeback in Parma. From derby drama to playoff positioning, the URC playoff picture is heating up.
- Edinburgh 17 – 18 Sharks
- Emirates Lions 31 – 42 Benetton
- DHL Stormers 34 – 29 Connacht
- Ospreys 19 – 36 Cardiff Rugby
- Munster 13 – 16 Vodacom Bulls
- Dragons 23 – 31 Scarlets
- Zebre Parma 6 – 14 Glasgow Warriors
- Leinster 41 – 17 Ulster
Here’s every result and recap from a pivotal Round 15:
SHARKS STUN EDINBURGH WITH LAST-GASP WIN AT THE HIVE
Edinburgh 17 – 18 Sharks (HT: 10-6)
Makazole Mapimpi scored in the final play of the match to break Edinburgh hearts and snatch an 18–17 win for the Sharks in a thrilling Round 15 URC clash at Hive Stadium. Edinburgh, the better side for much of the match, led by four points with seconds remaining before the Springbok winger struck to silence the home crowd. The game opened with a penalty from Jordan Hendrikse before Edinburgh responded with a stunning diving try from James Lang after slick handling across the backline. Jamie Ritchie powered over for the hosts’ second following a brilliant link-up with Tom Currie, putting Edinburgh 10-3 ahead before Hendrikse’s second penalty closed the gap at the break. Sharks struck just two minutes into the second half, with Lukhanyo Am slicing through the defence to set up Aphelele Fassi. But Edinburgh answered immediately—Ali Price sent Magnus Bradbury charging close to the line before Sharks’ Am was sin-binned for collapsing the move illegally. A scuffle ensued, and yellow cards were shown to both Eben Etzebeth and Sam Skinner. Edinburgh capitalized through Ewan Ashman’s close-range try to regain the lead. Despite missed opportunities—including a near-try from 19-year-old Jack Brown—Edinburgh couldn’t seal the win. A mix-up following a goal-line dropout gave Sharks a late attacking platform. Siya Masuka’s pinpoint kick pinned Edinburgh deep, and with the final phase of the game, Mapimpi finished wide on the left to secure a dramatic away win.
EDINBURGH
- Tries: Lang (11’), Ritchie (27’), Ashman (47’)
- Conversions: Thompson (47’)
SHARKS
- Tries: Fassi (41’), Mapimpi (80’)
- Conversions: Hendrikse (42’)
- Penalties: Hendrikse (3’, 38’)
BENETTON PUNISH SLOPPY LIONS TO DASH PLAYOFF HOPES
Emirates Lions 31 – 42 Benetton (HT: 17-32)
Benetton put on a dominant display at Ellis Park to defeat the Lions 42–31 in Round 15 of the United Rugby Championship, effectively ending the Johannesburg side’s playoff ambitions. Despite three yellow cards in the second half, the Italians outscored the hosts five tries to four and controlled the match through superior set-piece execution and slick backline play. Benetton surged to a 22–3 lead within 23 minutes, scoring three early tries to stun the Lions. Ruan Venter and Marius Louw hit back for the hosts, but the visitors continued to capitalize on Lions errors and extended their lead to 32–17 at halftime. The Italians added a fifth converted try shortly after the restart to stretch the lead to 39–17. Although the Lions found brief hope with a try from Edwill van der Merwe while Benetton were down to 13 men, and another late effort by JC Pretorius, it wasn’t enough. A penalty from Jacob Umaga kept Benetton comfortably ahead and sealed a vital bonus-point win.
EMIRATES LIONS
- Tries: Venter (26’), Louw (40’), Van der Merwe (60’), Pretorius (76’)
- Conversions: Wolhuter (27’, 41’, 61’, 77’)
- Penalties: Wolhuter (5’)
BENETTON
- Tries: Umaga (6’), Mendy (12’, 38’), Marin (22’), Ruzza (43’)
- Conversions: Umaga (7’, 23’, 39’, 44’)
- Penalties: Umaga (17’, 34’, 64’)
STORMERS EDGE CONNACHT IN THRILLING FIVE-POINT WIN
DHL Stormers 34 – 29 Connacht (HT: 26–24)
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu stole the show with a first-half hat-trick as the Stormers survived late drama to beat Connacht 34–29 in Cape Town and move into the URC playoff spots. The visitors thought they’d levelled at the death through Santiago Cordero, but a TMO review disallowed the try for obstruction, crushing Connacht’s hopes of a stunning comeback. The Stormers came flying out of the blocks with Feinberg-Mngomezulu slicing through to score inside the first minute. Although Shane Jennings and Conor Oliver responded for Connacht, Evan Roos powered over and Feinberg-Mngomezulu added two more sensational scores—one off a return pass, the other off a chip-and-chase—to complete a dream first half. Connacht fought back through Dylan Tierney-Martin and a second for Jennings to close the gap to 26–24 at the break. The Stormers extended their lead when a brilliant no-look pass from Feinberg-Mngomezulu set up Suleiman Hartzenberg in the corner. Josh Murphy brought Connacht back within two, but Jack Carty’s missed conversion left them chasing. Feinberg-Mngomezulu added a late penalty before Connacht’s dramatic final try was ruled out, sealing a Stormers victory in a pulsating Round 15 clash.
DHL STORMERS
- Tries: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (1’, 18’, 25’), Roos (13’), Hartzenberg (47’)
- Conversions: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3’, 14’, 19’)
- Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (71’)
CONNACHT
- Tries: Jennings (6’, 40’), Oliver (16’), Tierney-Martin (35’), Murphy (65’)
- Conversions: Carty (7’, 17’)
HAMER-WEBB HAT-TRICK FIRES CARDIFF PAST OSPREYS IN JUDGEMENT DAY DERBY
Ospreys 19 – 36 Cardiff Rugby (HT: 7–22)
Gabriel Hamer-Webb starred with a stunning hat-trick as Cardiff overcame a late Ospreys surge to secure a vital 36–19 victory at Principality Stadium on Judgement Day. The win lifts Cardiff into sixth in the URC table, keeping their playoff hopes very much alive and earning them the Welsh Shield as top region. Ospreys struck first through Keiran Williams after Teddy Williams saw yellow for a high shot, but Cardiff hit back with flanker Alex Mann crashing over, before Hamer-Webb bagged a quickfire brace with two brilliant finishes. Mann added his second just before the break, while Ospreys lost Morgan Morse to the bin and trailed 22–7 at halftime. The second half saw Cardiff defending resolutely as Ospreys pushed hard. Alex Mann was sent to the bin and replacement Will Spencer scored to narrow the gap. Kieran Hardy’s late try cut it to 22–19, but Cardiff responded with a penalty try and a third from Hamer-Webb, brilliantly set up by Thomas Young, to seal a derby-day triumph.
OSPREYS
- Tries: K. Williams (10’), Spencer (59’), Hardy (75’)
- Conversions: Edwards (10’, 76’)
CARDIFF RUGBY
- Tries: Mann (14’, 34’), Hamer-Webb (19’, 28’, 79’), Penalty try (78’)
- Conversions: Sheedy (15’), B. Thomas (80’)
BULLS EDGE MUNSTER IN GRITTY THOMOND PARK BATTLE
Munster 13 – 16 Vodacom Bulls (HT: 10–10)
Munster’s playoff ambitions took a hit on Easter Saturday as they fell to a narrow 16–13 defeat at home to the Vodacom Bulls in greasy conditions at Thomond Park. A late penalty from Keagan Johannes sealed the win for the visitors, who outmuscled the Irish province with superior breakdown work and set-piece dominance. The hosts started brightly, with Jack Crowley landing an early penalty, but Marcell Coetzee crossed for the Bulls after sustained pressure, and Johan Goosen added a conversion and a penalty for a 10–3 lead. Munster struck back before halftime through fullback Thaakir Abrahams, finishing off slick work from Nankivell and Crowley, who converted to level the score at 10–10. In a rain-soaked second half, both sides traded penalties—Coetzee for the Bulls, Crowley for Munster—before Johannes slotted the decisive kick on 73 minutes following a high tackle from Alex Kendellen. Despite a late push, Munster couldn’t break down the Bulls defence, slipping to their second home defeat of the URC season.
MUNSTER
- Tries: Abrahams (36’)
- Conversions: Crowley (37’)
- Penalties: Crowley (8’, 50’)
VODACOM BULLS
- Tries: Coetzee (15’)
- Conversions: Goosen (16’)
- Penalties: Goosen (22’, 48’), Johannes (72’)
SCARLETS STAGE SECOND-HALF FIGHTBACK TO SINK DRAGONS
Dragons 23 – 31 Scarlets (HT: 8–7)
Scarlets kept their URC playoff hopes alive with a dramatic second-half comeback to secure a 31–23 bonus-point win over Dragons in front of 28,328 fans at Principality Stadium. Despite trailing for much of the match, Dwayne Peel’s side showed their character in the final quarter, sealing the result through late tries from Vaea Fifita and Blair Murray. Scarlets dominated early proceedings, but only had Henry Thomas’ try to show for their efforts as a try by Sam Lousi was ruled out. Dragons responded with renewed physicality and struck back just before halftime when Jared Rosser crossed for his first of two tries, edging the hosts ahead 8–7 at the break. Two tries in quick succession from Hewitt and Rosser after the restart gave Dragons a 20–7 lead and hopes of a first league win since September. But Scarlets roared back, with Alec Hepburn scoring from close range before a moment of brilliance from Tom Rogers and Ioan Lloyd sent Fifita in for a stunning finish. Blair Murray then pounced on a defensive error to seal the comeback before Lloyd’s late penalty denied Dragons a losing bonus.
DRAGONS
- Tries: J. Rosser (25’, 45’), Hewitt (41’)
- Conversions: O’Brien (42’)
- Penalties: O’Brien (39’, 57’)
SCARLETS
- Tries: Thomas (19’), Hepburn (49’), Fifita (54’), Murray (71’)
- Conversions: Lloyd (20’, 50’, 55’, 72’)
- Penalties: Lloyd (80’)
GLASGOW GRIND PAST ZEBRE TO CLINCH HOME QUARTER-FINAL
Zebre Parma 6 – 14 Glasgow Warriors (HT: 6–0)
Glasgow Warriors secured a valuable home quarter-final in the URC with a hard-fought 14–6 win over a spirited Zebre side in Parma. Trailing 6–0 at the break after a sloppy first half, Franco Smith’s men came alive in the second with two quickfire tries from Josh McKay and Stafford McDowall to turn the tide. The hosts were full of early intent, with Giacomo da Re slotting two penalties and nearly crossing twice through Giovanni Licata and Scott Gregory—both of whom fumbled over the line. Glasgow, still stinging from their Champions Cup defeat to Leinster, struggled for rhythm and failed to register a single point in the first 40. Momentum swung in the 42nd minute when Zebre lock Matteo Canali was sin-binned for a head-first tackle on Sebastian Cancelliere. The Warriors capitalized immediately, with McKay diving into the corner and Tom Jordan converting. Moments before Zebre returned to full strength, McDowall crashed under the posts for a second try, and Jordan’s boot made it 14–6. Despite Zebre’s tenacity and a resolute final quarter, the damage had been done. Glasgow’s 25th consecutive win over Zebre lifts them above the Bulls into second place and secures a playoff at Scotstoun.
ZEBRE PARMA
- Penalties: Da Re (7’, 30’)
GLASGOW WARRIORS
- Tries: McKay (42’), McDowall (51’)
- Conversions: Jordan (43’, 51’)
SHEEHAN HAT-TRICK LEADS LEINSTER TO DOMINANT WIN OVER ULSTER
Leinster 41 – 17 Ulster (HT: 19–10)
Leinster continued their charge at the top of the United Rugby Championship table with a powerful 41–17 win over provincial rivals Ulster at the RDS Arena, denting the visitors’ hopes of securing a play-off place. A second-half hat-trick from replacement hooker Dan Sheehan capped a bonus-point performance from the hosts, who outscored Ulster seven tries to two. Ulster took an early 3–0 lead through Jack Murphy’s penalty, but Leinster hit back with tries from Tommy O’Brien and Thomas Clarkson. Cormac Izuchukwu’s charging run brought Ulster briefly back into contention at 12–10, but a penalty try before the break for Leinster, with David McCann sin-binned for collapsing a maul, swung momentum back to the leaders. Garry Ringrose’s score just two minutes into the second half secured the bonus point, before Sheehan took centre stage. He finished expertly from a clever chip, powered through for his second, and then completed his hat-trick in the final minute. McCann managed a consolation try for Ulster, but it was too little too late. The result keeps Leinster firmly in control at the top of the URC table. For Ulster, now in 10th, upcoming clashes against the Sharks, Munster, and Edinburgh will decide their play-off fate.
LEINSTER
- Tries: T. O’Brien (19’), Clarkson (26’), Penalty Try (39’), Ringrose (41’), Sheehan (57’, 68’, 77’)
- Conversions: Frawley (27’), Prendergast (69’)
ULSTER
- Tries: Izuchukwu (35’), McCann (72’)
- Conversions: Murphy (36’, 73’)
- Penalties: Murphy (8’)
STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 15
With just a few rounds remaining, the race to secure home playoff spots and clinch wildcard berths is officially on.
Leinster continue to set the pace, while Glasgow, Bulls, Stormers, and Scarlets all made major moves. Round 16 promises even more decisive matchups as the regular season nears its close.
Who impressed you most in Round 15? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk rugby.
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