BKT United Rugby Championship: Round 11 Highlights

Round 11 was the last chance for teams to climb the BKT United Rugby Championship table before the break for the Guinness Men’s Six Nations. There were several crucial encounters near the top of the standings, with Munster and Ulster both involved.

Three of the Irish provinces are in play-off positions, almost two-thirds of the way into the regular season. There were plenty of tries scored across the weekend, including a hat-trick from Leinster’s player-of-the-match Scott Penny.

Dan Kelly, Brian Gleeson, Sean Jansen, Max Deegan, Scott Wilson, and Charlie Irvine, who are all part of the Ireland XV squad to play England ‘A’ next Friday, also touched down.

All but two of the 16 URC sides now have three weeks off while the Six Nations takes centre stage.

There is one rescheduled round 8 match on Saturday, February 21 when the Lions host the Hollywoodbets Sharks ahead of a full programme of round 12 fixtures on February 27-28.

Defending champions Leinster will kick off the round on Friday, February 27 with a trip to the Arms Park to face Cardiff. The following day both Connacht and Munster are back at home, entertaining Glasgow Warriors and Zebre Parma, respectively.

Tickets for those clashes at Dexcom Stadium and Thomond Park are available to buy here on the Connacht Rugby website, and here from Ticketmaster.ie.

Meanwhile, there is a 7.45pm kick-off for Ulster’s February 28 tussle with the Ospreys at Electric Brewery Field in Bridgend.

Click here for the latest BKT United Rugby Championship fixtures, results, and standings.

Munster headed to Scotstoun Stadium to take on table-topping Glasgow Warriors, with the 21-year-old Seán Edogbo retaining his place in the back row. His Academy colleague, teenager Tom Wood, was hoping to make his senior debut for the province, as a replacement.

Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Joe Joyce, Sean O’Brien, and Chay Mullins were added to Connacht’s starting XV, as they ventured to Parma eager to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Leinster, and finish this block of games on a high.

Edinburgh were the visitors to the Aviva Stadium as Leo Cullen’s Leinster side aimed for their 11th straight win in all competitions. Ciarán Mangan, who teamed up with Rieko Ioane in the centre, and fellow Academy youngster Ruben Moloney made their first starts.

Fit-again duo Ethan McIlroy and Ben Moxham were both back in action for Ulster, with Moxham returning to the province’s matchday 23 for the first time since sustaining an ACL injury in November 2024. Development lock Irvine partnered captain Iain Henderson again at lock.