Provinces are now looking for success in the URC

WITH Leinster failing to lift the Champions Cup today, the focus is now on the BKT URC with the final league games underway next week-end.
Frank Quinn looks at the path to glory:
OF this heavyweight 18 round competition and then the play offs for the top 8 and and overall winner,
Munster is in pole position to retain the Cup on 22nd June.
The real contenders in URC Table order after 17 rounds: The Top 6, Munster, Bulls, Glasgow, Leinster (top 4), Stormers 5, Ulster 6th. Followed by contenders: Edinburgh, Benetton – Lions, Connacht and Ospreys for the final places. The rest (5 Clubs ) are out of the reckoning for 2024
The last round takes place on the weekend 1st June and it has some interesting pairings which will effect the final 8 and the home and away venues.
The big games are:Munster plays Ulster, Bulls plays Sharks, Glasgow V Zebra (last), Leinster V. Connacht, Stormers V. Lions, Edinburgh V. Benetton, Ospreys V. Cardiff
So what is important:
The top 4 just need to keep winning, for momentum and placings, Munster are in a winning vein of form at the right time, and very difficult to beat and remain our top hope for a repeat famous victory
The real fight is behind them: Benetton 8 v Edinburgh 7 , Connacht 10 VvLeinster 3 , Stormers 5 v Lions 9, Ospreys 11 v Cardiff 12, for the final two top 8 placings for the knock outs
There is no point in speculating further until the full top eight is known. It makes sense to assume the holders Munster will not give up easily in the knockouts, Ulster with a new coach will want success and Leinster after leading for much of the tournament will want to win the cup which has eluded them in the new format and it comes after the final of the European Investec Cup on the 25th May in London.
Connacht has the opportunity to make the top 8 eight with the final throw of the dice against Leinster, and I am hoping we can avoid each other in the draw to give the Irish Clubs a longer run and a win.

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