Match Preview | Ulster [A]

• 19 Sep 2024
• Match Preview

The BKT United Rugby Championship is back for 2024/25. Last year’s champions travel to Belfast to take on Ulster in Round 1 of the competition.

Glasgow Warriors return to the URC with high hopes to replicate last season’s success. The Scottish side travel to Kingspan Stadium to face Ulster in the opening round. Franco Smith’s men will be looking to get off to a successful start to this year’s campaign.

Previous clashes between the two sides have usually resulted in the home team taking the victory. Both sides are closely matched in wins and losses.

The Warriors’ most recent victory at Kingspan Stadium was in the 2015 final where they beat Munster there, whilst their only victory over Ulster at the venue since 2009 was by a solitary point in 2013. Playing away in Belfast will certainly be a feat for Glasgow.

As champions of the URC last year, Glasgow Warriors have won their last four BKT URC fixtures since the Emirates Lions beat them in Johannesburg in May this year. Defeating Munster at Thomond Park was the most recent win against an Irish team.

Glasgow have won their last two matches against Ulster since the Ulstermen’s 35-29 win in Belfast in 2021. However, both these fixtures were played at Scotstoun Stadium. The prevailing trend between the two sides is that the home team is usually victorious. Glasgow will be looking to break this trend on Saturday 21 September.

Opposition Lowdown

Ulster finished sixth in the table last season which secured their place in the quarterfinals. However, Leinster shut down their URC hopes by putting a 23-point lead on their fellow Irishmen.

Although, Ulster’s success record at Kingspan Stadium is almost on par to Glasgow’s at Scotstoun. The Ulstermen’s only defeat in the URC at Kingspan Stadium since the 2023 quarterfinal was 24-27 to Edinburgh in Round 7 last year.

Ulster have begun a new season with a win in each of the last nine campaigns since drawing 32-32 with Scarlets in Llanelli in 2014.

With Ulster’s 20 wins to Glasgow’s 18, the tight history between the two sides will certainly resurface in the opening fixture on Saturday.

Glasgow will be looking to channel their self-belief and champions momentum to defeat Ulster on home turf.

Kick-Off: Saturday 21 September 2024, 7:45pm.