Whatever transpires this season, there is no doubt that Leinster will embark on a tough set of early URC fixtures next season, undertaken without a large tranche of front-line players who will be completing preseason after representing the Lions.
It includes a two-match tour to South Africa where Leo Cullen’s side will be hosted by the Stormers in Cape Town before heading from sea level to the highveld of Pretoria to run with the Bulls.
In round three, Leinster host a third South Africa side in the Sharks before undertaking the first of their marquee interprovincials against Munster, potentially at Croke Park. The return fixture in Limerick takes place on December 27th.
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According to the official URC fixtures, Leinster, and the Ospreys, have yet to finalise home venues for their games, although with the RDS still out of commission as it’s being redeveloped, the Irish province will again use the Aviva Stadium and Croke Park.
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Munster, who will be under new head coach Clayton McMillan, open up with a couple of matches against Welsh sides, and they follow the trip to Dublin with hosting Connacht in round five. The latter will also have a reconfigured coaching team with Australian Rod Seib joining the group.
Ulster go to South Africa in October, Munster in March and Connacht in April. There are the usual rounds of interprovincial clashes either side of Christmas, including Ulster and Munster in Belfast on Friday, January 3rd and Leinster hosting Connacht the following day.
There are further Irish provincial clashes in rounds 13, 15, 16 and 17.
URC fixtures 2025/26 (all times Irish)
Round 1
Friday, September 26th: Stormers v Leinster, DHL Stadium, 6pm; Ulster v Dragons, Ravenhill, 8.05pm; Glasgow Warriors v Sharks, Scotstoun 8.05pm.
Saturday, September 27th: Bulls v Ospreys, Loftus Versfeld, 1pm; Zebre Parma v Edinburgh, Stadio Lanfranchi, 3.05pm; Scarlets v Munster, Parc Y Scarlets, 5.30pm; Cardiff v Lions, Arms Park, 7.45pm; Connacht v Benetton, Dexcom Stadium, 7.45pm.
Round 2
Friday, October 3rd: Stormers v Ospreys, DHL Stadium, 6pm; Edinburgh v Ulster, Hive Stadium, 8.05pm; Dragons v Sharks, Rodney Parade, 8.05pm.
Saturday, October 4th: Benetton v Glasgow Warriors, Stadio Monigo, 5.30pm; Bulls v Leinster, Loftus Versfeld, 5.30pm; Munster v Cardiff, Thomond Park, 7.45pm; Connacht v Scarlets, Dexcom Stadium, 8.05pm.
Sunday, October 5th: Zebre Parma v Lions, Stadio Lanfranchi, 2pm
Round 3
Friday, October 10th: Munster v Edinburgh, Virgin Media Park, 7.45pm; Scarlets v DHL Stormers, Parc Y Scarlets, 7.45pm.
Saturday, October 11th: Benetton v Emirates Lions, Stadio Monigo, 3pm; Ospreys v Zebre Parma, TBC, 3pm; Glasgow Warriors v Dragons, Scotstoun, 5.30pm; Leinster v Sharks, TBC, 5.30pm; Ulster v Bulls, Ravenhill, 7.45pm; Cardiff v Connacht, Arms Park, 7.45pm.
Round 4
Friday, October 17th: Edinburgh v Benetton, Hive Stadium, 7.45pm; Dragons v Cardiff, Rodney Parade, 7.45pm.
Saturday, October 18th: Lions v Scarlets, Emirates Airline Park, 12.45pm; Sharks v Ulster, Kings Park, 3pm; Leinster v Munster, TBC, 5.15pm; Zebre Parma v DHL Stormers, Stadio Lanfranchi, 7.45pm; Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors, TBC, 7.45pm; Connacht v Bulls, Dexcom Stadium, 7.45pm.
Round 5
Friday, October 24th: Glasgow Warriors v Bulls, Scotstoun, 7.45pm.
Saturday, Oct 25th: Lions v Ulster, Emirates Airline Park 12.45pm; Sharks v Scarlets, Kings Park, 3pm; Leinster v Zebre Parma, TBC, 5.30pm; Benetton v DHL Stormers, Stadio Monigo, 5.30pm; Dragons v Ospreys, Rodney Parade, 5.30pm; Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 7.45pm; Cardiff v Edinburgh, Arms Park, 7.45pm.
Round 6
Friday, November 28th: Ulster v Benetton, Ravenhill, 7.45pm; Dragons v Leinster, Rodney Parade, 7.45pm.
Saturday, November 29th: Bulls v Lions, Loftus Versfeld, 12pm; Zebre Parma v Cardiff, Stadio Lanfranchi, 1pm; Munster v DHL Stormers, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Edinburgh v Ospreys, Hive Stadium, 5.30pm; Connacht v Sharks, Dexcom Stadium, 7.45pm; Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors, Parc Y Scarlets, 7.45pm.
Round 7
Friday, December 19th: Cardiff v Scarlets, Arms Park, 7.45pm; Leinster v Ulster, TBC, 7.45pm.
Saturday, December 20th: DHL Stormers v Lions, DHL Stadium, 1.30pm; Benetton v Zebre Parma, Stadio Monigo, 2pm; Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh, Hampden Park, 3pm; Sharks v Bulls, Kings Park, 4pm; Ospreys v Munster, TBC, 5.30pm; Dragons v Connacht, Rodney Parade, 7.45pm.
Round 8
Friday, December 26th: Scarlets v Ospreys, Parc Y Scarlets, 5.30pm; Cardiff v Dragons, Arms Park, 3pm.
Saturday, December 27th: Zebre Parma v Benetton, Stadio Lanfranchi, 2.30pm; Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors, Murrayfield, 3pm; Connacht v Ulster, Dexcom Stadium, 5.30pm; Munster v Leinster, Thomond Park, 7.45pm. TBC: Bulls v DHL Stormers, Loftus Versfeld; Lions v Sharks, Emirates Airline Park.
Round 9
Thursday, January 1st: Dragons v Scarlets, Rodney Parade, 3pm; Ospreys v Cardiff, TBC, 5.30pm.
Friday, January 2nd: Ulster v Munster, Ravenhill, 7.45pm.
Saturday January 3rd: Sharks v Lions, Kings Park, 1.30pm; DHL Stormers v Bulls, DHL Stadium, 4pm; Benetton v Edinburgh, Stadio Monigo, 5.30pm; Leinster v Connacht, TBC, 5.30pm; Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma, Scotstoun, 7.45pm.
Round 10
Friday, January 23rd: Ospreys v Lions, TBC, 7.45pm; Edinburgh v Bulls, Hive Stadium, 7.45pm; Munster v Dragons, Virgin Media Park, 7.45pm.
Saturday, January 24th: Scarlets v Ulster, Parc Y Scarlets, 3pm; Connacht v Leinster, Dexcom Stadium, 5.30pm; DHL Stormers v Sharks, DHL Stadium, 5.30pm; Zebre Parma v Glasgow Warriors, Stadio Lanfranchi, 7.45pm; Cardiff v Benetton, Arms Park, 7.45pm.
Round 11
Friday, January 30th: Benetton v Scarlets, Stadio Monigo, 7.45pm; Glasgow Warriors v Munster, Scotstoun, 7.45pm.
Saturday, January 31st: Lions v Bulls, Emirates Airline Park, 12.30pm; Sharks v DHL Stormers, Kings Park, 3pm; Zebre Parma v Connacht, Stadio Lanfranchi, 3pm; Leinster v Edinburgh, TBC, 5.30pm; Ospreys v Dragons, TBC, 7.45pm; Ulster v Cardiff, Ravenhill, 7.45pm.
Round 12
Friday, February 27th: Edinburgh v Scarlets, Hive Stadium, 7.45pm; Cardiff v Leinster, Arms Park, 7.45pm.
Saturday, February 28th: Lions v DHL Stormers, Emirates Airline Park, 12.30pm; Bulls v Sharks, Loftus Versfeld, 3pm; Connacht v Glasgow Warriors, Dexcom Stadium, 3pm; Munster v Zebre Parma, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Dragons v Benetton, Rodney Parade, 5.30pm; Ospreys v Ulster, TBC, 7.45pm.
Round 13
Friday, March 20th: Bulls v Cardiff, Loftus Versfeld, 5pm; Scarlets v Zebre Parma, Parc Y Scarlets, 7.45pm; Ulster v Connacht, Ravenhill, 7.45pm.
Saturday, March 21st: Lions v Edinburgh, Emirates Airline Park, 12.45pm; Sharks v Munster, Kings Park, 3pm; Benetton v Ospreys, Stadio Monigo, 3pm; Glasgow Warriors v Leinster, Scotstoun, 5.30pm; DHL Stormers v Dragons, TBC, 5.30pm.
Round 14
Friday, March 27th: Sharks v Cardiff, Kings Park, 5pm; Glasgow Warriors v Benetton, Scotstoun, 7.45pm.
Saturday, March 28th: Bulls v Munster, Loftus Versfeld, 12pm; Connacht v Ospreys, Dexcom Stadium, 2.15pm; Lions v Dragons, Emirates Airline Park, 2.30pm; DHL Stormers v Edinburgh, DHL Stadium, 5pm; Leinster v Scarlets, TBC, 5.30pm; Zebre Parma v Ulster, Stadio Lanfranchi, 7.45pm.
Round 15
Friday, April 17th: Edinburgh v Zebre Parma, Hive Stadium, 7.45pm; Ulster v Leinster, Ravenhill, 7.45pm; Dragons v Bulls, Rodney Parade, 7.45pm.
Saturday, April 18th: Lions v Glasgow Warriors, Emirates Airline Park, 2.45pm; DHL Stormers v Connacht, DHL Stadium, 5.15pm; Scarlets v Cardiff, Parc Y Scarlets, 5.30pm; Benetton v Munster, Stadio Monigo, 7.45pm; Ospreys v Sharks, TBC, 7.45pm.
Round 16
Friday, April 24th: Edinburgh v Sharks, Hive Stadium, 7.45pm; Zebre Parma v Dragons, Stadio Lanfranchi, 7.45pm; Cardiff v Ospreys, Arms Park, 7.45pm.
Saturday, April 25th: Lions v Connacht, Emirates Airline Park, 3pm; DHL Stormers v Glasgow Warriors, DHL Stadium 5.30pm; Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Scarlets v Bulls, Parc Y Scarlets, 7.45pm; Benetton v Leinster, Stadio Monigo, 7.45pm.
Round 17
Friday, May 8th: Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff, Scotstoun, 7.45pm; Ulster v DHL Stormers, Ravenhill, 7.45pm.
Saturday, May 9th: Bulls v Zebre Parma, Loftus Versfeld, 12.45pm; Sharks v Benetton, Kings Park, 3pm; Ospreys v Scarlets, TBC, 5.30pm; Leinster v Lions, TBC, 5.30pm; Dragons v Edinburgh, Rodney Parade, 7.45pm; Connacht v Munster, Dexcom Stadium, 7.45pm.
Round 18
Friday, May 15th: Cardiff v DHL Stormers, Arms Park, 7.45pm; Ulster v Glasgow Warriors, Ravenhill, 7.45pm; Edinburgh v Connacht, Hive Stadium, 7.45pm.
Saturday, May 16th: Sharks v Zebre Parma, Kings Park, 12.45pm; Bulls v Benetton, Loftus Versfeld, 3pm; Leinster v Ospreys, TBC, 5.15pm; Scarlets v Dragons, Parc Y Scarlets, 5.15pm; Munster v Lions, Thomond Park, 7.45pm
May 29th/30th: Quarter-finals.
June 6th/7th: Semi-finals.
June 20th: Final.
