Round 18 of the 2025 United Rugby Championship regular season wrapped up with playoff spots, home advantage, and Champions Cup qualification all on the line. From dramatic last-play winners to grinding defensive battles, the final round delivered across the board.
Edinburgh clinched a quarter-final berth with a statement win, the Bulls crushed the Dragons to lock in second, and the Stormers, Munster, and Sharks all closed strong.
- DHL Stormers 34 – 24 Cardiff Rugby
- Edinburgh 47 – 17 Ulster
- Munster 30 – 21 Benetton
- Vodacom Bulls 55 – 15 Dragons
- Emirates Lions 29 – 28 Ospreys
- Zebre Parma 12 – 22 Connacht
- Sharks 12 – 3 Scarlets
- Leinster 13 – 5 Glasgow Warriors
Here are all the results, match recaps, and highlights from Round 18:
STORMERS END CARDIFF’S PLAYOFF HOPES WITH BONUS-POINT WIN IN CAPE TOWN
DHL Stormers 34 – 24 Cardiff Rugby (HT: 19–12)
The Stormers closed out their United Rugby Championship regular season in style, claiming a 34–24 bonus-point win over Cardiff in Cape Town to cement fifth place and dash the Welsh side’s playoff hopes. Despite showing moments of attacking flair, Cardiff’s dream of a top-eight finish slipped away — especially after Edinburgh’s later result made this outcome a fatal blow to their campaign. Cardiff’s early optimism was undercut by discipline issues, as prop Danny Southworth was shown a red card in the 30th minute for a high tackle. Stormers capitalised ruthlessly, with Leolin Zas and Suleiman Hartzenberg both grabbing braces, and replacement lock Connor Evans sealing the deal late on. Cardiff’s own red card reprieve came when Damian Willemse was dismissed on the hour mark, but it was too late to swing the tide. Southworth had scored the visitors’ opening try, and Cardiff added further scores through Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Harri Millard, and replacement hooker Dafydd Hughes. But a late penalty by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu denied Cardiff a losing bonus point — and effectively closed the curtain on their postseason ambitions.
DHL STORMERS
- Tries: Zas (9’, 32’), Hartzenberg (24’, 46’), Evans (72’)
- Conversions: Willemse (24’, 33’), Feinberg-Mngomezulu (72’)
- Penalties: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (80’)
CARDIFF RUGBY
- Tries: Southworth (13’), Hamer-Webb (36’), Millard (57’), Hughes (76’)
- Conversions: Sheedy (14’, 77’)
EDINBURGH SMASH ULSTER TO CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH IN STYLE AT HIVE STADIUM
Edinburgh 47 – 17 Ulster (HT: 19–12)
Edinburgh sealed their place in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals with a dominant 47–17 win over Ulster, running in seven tries on an electric night in the capital. Winger Darcy Graham starred with a dazzling hat-trick, while Magnus Bradbury powered over twice in a performance full of pace, power, and poise. Knowing a bonus-point win was needed after Cardiff’s earlier loss, Sean Everitt’s men came out flying. Graham opened the scoring with a trademark line-break and finish, before Bradbury muscled his way over minutes later. Ulster hit back with a penalty try and a score from Werner Kok while Graham was in the bin, but Ewan Ashman restored Edinburgh’s lead before the break. Bradbury’s second try just after halftime secured the bonus point and Edinburgh’s top-eight qualification. Pierre Schoeman added a fifth before Jude Postlethwaite responded with a length-of-the-field try for Ulster. But Graham had the final say, dotting down twice more to cap a sensational individual and team performance — one that extended Edinburgh’s season and gave club stalwart Jamie Ritchie at least one more game in black and red.
EDINBURGH
- Tries: Graham (8’, 73’, 80’), Bradbury (15’, 53’), Ashman (33’), Schoeman (58’)
- Conversions: Thompson (9’, 34’, 53’, 60’), Healy (79’, 80’)
ULSTER
- Tries: Penalty Try (25’), Kok (28’), Postlethwaite (71’)
MUNSTER BATTLE PAST BENETTON TO CLINCH URC PLAYOFF SPOT IN CORK
Munster 30 – 21 Benetton (HT: 10–14)
Munster secured a place in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals with a hard-fought 30–21 victory over Benetton at Virgin Media Park. The win also guarantees their spot in next season’s Champions Cup as they move into sixth on the table heading into the final round. In a tightly contested first half, Jack Crowley got the home side on the board with a close-range try and conversion. But Benetton struck twice through fullback Rhyno Smith, who dazzled with a pair of incisive finishes — the second set up brilliantly by Jacob Umaga after a midfield break. A Crowley penalty kept Munster within four at halftime. Munster responded immediately after the break. Replacement hooker Lee Barron powered over from a rolling maul, followed by a moment of brilliance from Thaakir Abrahams, who finished off a stunning counterattack involving Crowley and Diarmuid Kilgallen. Craig Casey nailed the sideline conversion and added a penalty soon after to stretch the lead to 11. Benetton refused to roll over, with Bautista Bernasconi crashing over to narrow the margin to 25–21 after Umaga’s conversion. But Munster had the final say — prop Josh Wycherley bulldozed over in the dying minutes and Casey converted to seal the bonus-point win.
MUNSTER
- Tries: Crowley (13’), Barron (43’), Abrahams (48’), Wycherley (73’)
- Conversions: Crowley (14’), Casey (49’)
- Penalties: Crowley (20’), Casey (56’)
BENETTON
- Tries: Smith (18’, 27’), Bernasconi (68’)
- Conversions: Umaga (19’, 28’, 69’)
BULLS CRUSH DRAGONS TO LOCK IN SECOND PLACE AHEAD OF URC PLAYOFFS
Vodacom Bulls 55 – 15 Dragons (HT: 26–0)
The Vodacom Bulls completed their United Rugby Championship regular season with a commanding 55–15 demolition of a severely depleted Dragons side at Loftus Versfeld. In an emotional afternoon marked by tributes to the late Cornal Hendricks, the Bulls ran in nine tries to secure second place on the URC table and maintain their unbeaten home record in 2024–25. David Kriel opened the scoring with a well-worked try off a set-piece, followed swiftly by a powerful finish from Cobus Wiese. With Springbok fullback Willie le Roux pulling the strings, Sebastian de Klerk added a third before Akker van der Merwe crashed over from a driving maul to seal the bonus point before halftime. Despite a brief second-half spark from Dragons scrum-half Rhodri Williams—who set up Huw Anderson and then scored himself—the visitors were overrun. Van der Merwe bagged a second, Sergeal Petersen touched down twice, and replacement forwards Marcell Coetzee and Devon Williams joined the scoring party. The only bright spot for the Dragons was a late try for debutant Lewis Morgan. But with a 17th straight loss and just nine league points all season, their campaign ended in dismal fashion. The Bulls now await their quarter-final opponent, with Loftus set to host knockout rugby once again.
VODACOM BULLS
- Tries: Kriel (4’), Wiese (7’), De Klerk (21’), Van der Merwe (39’, 50’), Petersen (57’, 61’), Coetzee (63’), Williams (68’)
- Conversions: Johannes (8’, 22’, 40’, 57’, 64’)
DRAGONS
- Tries: Anderson (4’), Williams (48’), Morgan (74’)
LIONS STUN OSPREYS WITH LAST-PLAY TRY IN THRILLING JOHANNESBURG FINISH
Emirates Lions 29 – 28 Ospreys (HT: 12–7)
A dramatic final-play try from Lubabalo Dobela handed the Lions a stunning 29–28 win over the Ospreys at Emirates Airline Park, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and denying the visitors a rare win on South African soil. In a chaotic contest that saw the lead change hands five times, it was the Lions who had the final say in the 82nd minute to leapfrog the Ospreys in the final United Rugby Championship standings. The match began with Springbok wing Edwill van der Merwe marking his final appearance before a move to the Sharks with a slick opening try. Ospreys hit back immediately when Will Griffiths charged down a clearance and dotted down to level the scores. Jaco Visagie crossed twice in each half for the Lions, while James Ratti and Jack Walsh both powered over for the Ospreys to keep the game on a knife edge. Henco van Wyk’s solo effort with 10 minutes to go put the Lions ahead, but Sam Parry appeared to have clinched a dramatic late win for the Welsh side with a try in the 78th minute. Yet, with the clock deep in the red, a penalty allowed the Lions one final assault—and Dobela squeezed through a gap to win it in breathless fashion. Both sides take home try bonuses, but it’s the Lions who finish with bragging rights, condemning the Ospreys to yet another South African defeat despite a valiant effort.
EMIRATES LIONS
- Tries: Van der Merwe (9’), Visagie (30’, 53’), Van Wyk (70’), Dobela (80’)
- Conversions: Dobela (31’, 71’)
OSPREYS
- Tries: Griffiths (10’), Ratti (51’), Walsh (61’), Parry (77’)
- Conversions: Edwards (11’, 52’, 62’, 78’)
CONNACHT CLOSE OUT URC SEASON WITH HARD-FOUGHT WIN IN PARMA
Zebre Parma 12 – 22 Connacht (HT: 7–12)
Connacht brought their United Rugby Championship campaign to a positive close with a 22–12 win over Zebre Parma at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Saturday afternoon. Tries from Cian Prendergast, Shayne Bolton, and Shamus Hurley-Langton proved enough to secure the Irish province’s first win in six games and lift them above Ulster to finish 13th in the final standings. The visitors raced to an early lead as Prendergast and Bolton both crossed in the opening quarter, with JJ Hanrahan converting both efforts to put Connacht up 12–0. Zebre responded just before halftime when Bautista Stavile finished off a strong phase of pressure, and Giovanni Montemauri added the extras to make it 12–7 at the break. Hurley-Langton restored Connacht’s cushion midway through the second half, again converted by Hanrahan, but Zebre stayed in the contest thanks to Jacopo Trulla’s try in the corner. A yellow card to Connacht replacement Matthew Devine set up a nervy finish, but Hanrahan calmed any nerves with a late penalty to seal the win. Zebre finish the season 15th in the URC table, with just one victory to their name, while Connacht will take some solace from ending their difficult run on a winning note.
ZEBRE PARMA
- Tries: Stavile (36’), Trulla (69’)
- Conversions: Montemauri (37’)
CONNACHT
- Tries: Prendergast (16’), Bolton (27’), Hurley-Langton (60’)
- Conversions: Hanrahan (17’, 61’)
- Penalties: Hanrahan (78’)
FASSI’S BOOT SINKS SCARLETS IN DURBAN GRINDER AS SHARKS SECURE HOME PLAYOFF
Sharks 12 – 3 Scarlets (HT: 3–3)
In a bruising, tryless battle in Durban, it was Aphelele Fassi’s precision from the tee that proved the difference as the Sharks edged out Scarlets 12–3 to secure a home URC quarter-final. The result denied Scarlets a crucial losing bonus point, confirming their eighth-place finish and a daunting trip to face Leinster in Dublin on 31 May. Despite having already sealed a place in the playoffs, Scarlets entered the match still unsure of their quarter-final opponents. A losing bonus point would have sent them to Pretoria to face the Bulls — instead, they will now head to the RDS to meet the top seeds. A cagey, physical first half saw both sides battle to establish momentum in slippery conditions. Scarlets’ Vaea Fifita and Taine Plumtree impressed with dynamic carries, while young scrum-half Archie Hughes — making his first league start of the season — was denied a try after being chased down by Makazole Mapimpi. Siya Masuku finally opened the scoring with a penalty in the 39th minute, but Sam Costelow answered moments later with a well-struck drop-goal to level the match at the break. With Masuku forced off through injury, Fassi took over the kicking duties in the second half and slotted three penalties to guide the Sharks home. Scarlets defended resolutely and had their chances late on, but errors under pressure proved costly. Fassi’s final kick — struck with the clock in the red — not only sealed the victory but denied Scarlets a valuable point and altered the playoff picture.
SHARKS
- Penalties: Masuku (38’), Fassi (52’, 68’, 80’)
SCARLETS
- Drop-goal: Costelow (40’)
LEINSTER GRIND PAST GLASGOW TO SECURE HOME QUARTER-FINAL AGAINST SCARLETS
Leinster 13 – 5 Glasgow Warriors (HT: 7–0)
Leinster capped their United Rugby Championship regular season with a scrappy 13–5 win over Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium, setting up a home quarter-final clash with Scarlets on 31 May. Jimmy O’Brien scored the hosts’ only try midway through the first half, while Sam Prendergast and Ciaran Frawley added penalties to see off a spirited but inaccurate Glasgow side. George Horne’s second-half strike gave the visitors hope, but it wasn’t enough as Leinster’s defence held firm in a gritty affair. Glasgow, who will now host the Stormers in their own quarter-final, welcomed back Sione Tuipulotu from injury in a rare bright spot on a frustrating evening for the visitors. Leinster were made to work hard throughout, with their attack misfiring for long periods. O’Brien thought he had scored early on but had his effort ruled out due to an incorrect penalty tap location. He made amends five minutes later, finishing in the corner after sharp work from Gunne, Barrett, and Prendergast, who added the conversion. The second half was error-strewn, but Prendergast and Frawley’s penalties kept Glasgow at bay after Horne briefly reduced the deficit.
LEINSTER
- Tries: O’Brien (26’)
- Conversions: Prendergast (27’)
- Penalties: Prendergast (55’), Frawley (79’)
GLASGOW WARRIORS
- Tries: Horne (56’)
2025 URC FINAL STANDINGS
QUARTERFINALS OVERVIEW
With the regular season complete, the URC playoff bracket is officially set.
Leinster, Bulls, Stormers, and Sharks will host quarter-finals, while Scarlets, Glasgow, Munster, and Edinburgh all prepare for the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, it’s heartbreak for Cardiff and Ulster, and a long offseason ahead for Zebre, Dragons, and the rest of the bottom tier. The stage is now set for the business end of the 2025 campaign.
Who impressed you most in Round 18? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk rugby.
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