The 2024/25 United Rugby Championship got underway on September 20, but don’t worry if you haven’t yet tuned into the action — there’s still a long way to go.

The season will run all the way through to the 14th of June 2025, and there are plenty of games to get through between now and then.

If you’re looking for key information about the 24/25 United Rugby Championship, then this is the page for you. We’ll outline all the key details you need to know, including who’s favourite to win, what happened last time, and how the format works.

What is the United Rugby Championship?

The United Rugby Championship has been going since 2001, and since that time has established itself as one of the leading rugby leagues in Europe and South Africa. Thanks to the high regard rugby has in the participating countries, the competition is very well followed, which makes for a cracking atmosphere at games. Throw in some of the best rugby that the sport has to offer, and you have a championship that delights at every turn.

So, who’s in the championship? There are four pools in total, with four teams in each. They are:

  • Irish
  • Welsh
  • South African
  • Italian & Scottish.

As you can see, there are some pretty strong rugby nations present in this tournament!

Who’s Favourite to win?

There are sixteen teams competing in the United Rugby Championship, but as with most sporting competitions, there are some teams who have more of a chance of picking up a winner’s medal than others. At the moment, sites that offer rugby union betting odds have made Irish team Leinster firm favourites for glory, though Munster (also from Ireland) and the Bulls (South Africa) will also be quietly optimistic that they can come out on top. However, Leinster have won all of their opening games, often by comprehensive margins, so any team looking to come out on top will have to bring their A-game! 

What Happened in the 2023/24 Championship?

The 2023/24 United Rugby Championship was a fantastic advert for the competition. The final saw the Glasgow Warriors pull off an unlikely victory against the Vodacom Bulls in front of 52,000 fans. Their 21 – 16 victory was all the more remarkable given that they were, at one point, losing 13 – 0. They began their fightback with a try on the stroke of halftime. Later in the game, they went down to 14 players after having a player sent off. Their victory was thanks in large part to the awesome, dogged defensive work the team put in. That they beat both Munster and the Stormers, the two previous winners, on their way to championship glory made the victory all the more impressive.

How the Format Works

The United Rugby Championship has a pretty unique format, and it makes for a fascinating competition. As we’ve seen above, the sixteen teams are divided into four groups. Everyone plays the three other teams in their group home and away. They also play the other twelve teams in the competition either home or away.

There’s a single league table for the competition. At the end of the league format, the teams who are in the top eight positions will proceed to the quarter-finals. From there, it’s the semi-finals, and then the finals. Whoever comes out on top is granted a position in the Challenge Cup and the European Rugby Champions Cup. And if you’re wondering what happens if a South African team wins the championship: don’t worry, they still get to compete in the European competition, and have been able to since the 2021/22 season.