URC Round 18 - Team selection

15 May 2026

Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Jacob Beetham, 13 Ben Thomas, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Ioan Lloyd, 9 Johan Mulder, 8 Taine Basham, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 James Botham, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 George Nott, 3 Javan Sebastian, 2 Liam Belcher, 1 Danny Southworth

Replacements: 16 Daf Hughes, 17 Rhys Barratt, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Alun Lawrence, 20 Evan Lloyd, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Stef Emanuel, 23 Leigh Halfpenny

Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Jonathan Roche, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Imad Khan, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Adré Smith, 3 Neethling Fouché (captain), 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotzé, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Keke Morabe, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee.

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Edinburgh: 15 Harry Paterson, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Piers O’Conor, 12 Findlay Thomson, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Hector Patterson, 8 Magnus Bradbury (captain), 7 Freddy Douglas, 6 Tom Dodd, 5 Glen Young, 4 Marshall Sykes, 3 Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Replacements: 16 Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Euan McVie, 21 Tom Currie, 22 Charlie Shiel, 23 Jack Brown

Connacht: 15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Shane Jennings, 13 Harry West, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Ben Murphy, 8 Sean Jansen, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Cian Prendergast (captain), 5 Josh Murphy, 4 Joe Joyce, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Eoin de Buitléar, 1 Billy Bohan

Replacements: 16 Mikey Yarr, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Sam Illo, 19 David O’Connor, 20 Paul Boyle, 21 Matthew Devine, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Seán Naughton

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Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Werner Kok, 13 James Hume, 12 Wilhelm De Klerk, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Jake Flannery, 9 Conor McKee, 8 Bryn Ward, 7 Nick Timoney (captain), 6 Joe Hopes, 5 Charlie Irvine, 4 Harry Sheridan, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Sam Crean

Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Cormac Izuchukwu, 20 Lorcan McLoughlin, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Jack Murphy, 23 Ethan McIlroy

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Steyn (captain), 13 Stafford McDowall, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Rowe, 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 George Horne, 8 Macenzzie Duncan, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Ally Miller, 5 Alex Samuel, 4 Gregor Brown, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Nathan McBeth

Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Jare Oguntibeju, 20 Euan Ferrie, 21 Sione Vailanu, 22 Ben Afshar, 23 Ollie Smith

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16 May 2026

Sharks: 15 Zekhethelo Siyaya, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Jurenzo Julius,12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Litelihle Bester, 10 Vusi Moyo, 9 Bradley Davids, 8 Nick Hatton, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Deon Slabbert, 20 Matt Romao, 21 Ross Braude, 22 Jean Smith, 23 Le Roux Malan

Zebre Parma: 15 Mirko Belloni, 14 Malik Faissal, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Damiano Mazza, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Alessandro Fusco (Captain), 8 Samuele Locatelli, 7 Bautista Stavile, 6 Alessandro Ortombina, 5 Matteo Canali, 4 Franco Carrera, 3 Ion Neculai, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Muhamed Hasa,

Replacements: 16 Giovanni Quattrini, 17 Luca Franceschetto, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 David Odiase, 20 Giampietro Ribaldi, 21 Iacopo Bianchi, 22 Migael Prinsloo, 23 Martin Roger Farias.

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Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Devon Williams, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Peterson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Jeandre Rudolph, 5 Ruan Nortje (capt), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp

Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Stravino Jacobs

Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Tomas Medina, 11 Federico Zanandrea, 10 Rhyno Smith, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Lorenzo Cannone, 6 Riccardo Favretto, 5 Federico Ruzza (captain), 4 Mattia Midena, 3 Tiziano Pasquali, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro

Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Marcos Gallorini, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Giulio Marini, 21 Jadin Kingi, 22 Cristiano Tizzano, 23 Leonardo Marin

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Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Jordan Larmour, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 James Culhane, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Jack Conan (captain), 5 Diarmuid Mangan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Rabah Slimani, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 Jerry Cahir

Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Alex Usanov, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Max Deegan, 20 Caelan Doris, 21 Fintan Gunne, 22 Ciarán Frawley, 23 James Lowe

Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Keelan Giles, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Iestyn Hopkins, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Jac Morgan (captain), 6 James Ratti, 5 Huw Sutton, 4 Rhys Davies, 3 Ben Warren, 2 Efan Daniel, 1 Garyn Phillips

Replacements: 16 Lewis Lloyd, 17 Cam Jones, 18 Kian Hire, 19 Ben Roberts, 20 Harri Deaves, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Phil Cokanasiga, 23 Luke Morgan

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Scarlets: 15 Ioan Jones, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Macs Page, 12 Joe Roberts, 11 Blair Murray, 10 Joe Hawkins, 9 Dane Blacker, 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Josh Macleod (captain), 6 Jarrod Taylor, 5 Max Douglas, 4 Jac Price, 3 Archer Holz, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Josh Morse

Replacements: 16 Harry Thomas, 17 Sam O’Connor, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Dan Davis, 20 Osian Williams, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Carwyn Leggatt-Jones, 23 Jac Davies

Dragons: 15 Angus O’Brien, 14 David Richards, 13 Fine Inisi, 12 Aneurin Owen, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Niall Armstrong, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Ryan Woodman, 5 Ben Carter, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Brodie Coghlan, 1 Wyn Jones

Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rhodri Jones, 18 Chris Coleman, 19 Levi Douglas, 20 Harrison Keddie, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Harri Ackerman, 23 Huw Anderson

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Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Andrew Smith, 13 Alex Nankivell, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Seán O’Brien, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Brian Gleeson, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Jack O’Donoghue, 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Tom Ahern, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Niall Scannell, 1 Jeremy Loughman

Replacements: 16 Diarmuid Barron, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 John Ryan, 19 Evan O’Connell, 20 Gavin Coombes, 21 Ben O’Donovan, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Alex Kendellen

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horne, 7 Batho Hlekani, 6 Siba Mahashe, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 3 Sebastian Lombard, 2 PJ Botha, 1 SJ Kotze.

Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Eddie Davids, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Siba Qoma, 21 JC Pretorius, 22 Haashim Pead, 23 Rynhardt Jonker

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Vusi Moyo looks really impressive. He seems to have a very calm head about him... ala Handre Pollard.

Future looks bright with him, SFM and Yaqeen Ahmed!

Vusi and Zekhethelo bringing that backlines age average right down. Andre, the old man in that backline but still players player of the season.

When and by whom was Esterhuizen elected by players as the Player of the Year?

I cannot believe that the Sharks backline is n letting the team down to their present standing in the URC log. The 10 and 12 are the wo main reasons why the Sharks backline players are under-performing causing poor backline performances, Amazing story,

Players player is chosen by the team. Clues in the name genius. The Sharks had their awards evening. Fans player was Phepsi Buthelezi.

Andre had the 2nd most post contact meters (381) and 2nd most defenders beaten (41) in the URC for a center. Only Munsters Alex Nankivell beat him for those and considering AE had mandatory Springbok rest periods and was away on international duty that's some feat. All this while also being mostly a dummy runner.

What's amazing is how little you know but how much you run your mouth.

When and by whom was Esterhuizen elected by players as the Player of the Year?

What a question from a guy who still hasn't told me where he saw P Divvy being plugged as the top openside flank in the URC.

What's amazing is how little you know but how much you run your mouth.

Amen.

Ou Maaik, I think Esterhuizen must be a Democrat.

Shamepies oom.

Well - then tell me why the Sharks backline misifired this year