The Six Nations is in the rear-view mirror, and we're officially into the final third of the BKT United Rugby Championship regular season.
As it stands, the table remains wide open, with Ulster, Leinster and Munster among a leading cluster, with just six points separating first from sixth in the table.
The race to get into the play-offs is equally tight, with four points between the Lions in seventh and the Ospreys back in 10th, Connacht sitting just outside the top half of the table in ninth.
Stuart Lancaster's side will be hoping to build on their good recent form in the big Irish derby of the week. The western province travel to Belfast to face an injury-hit Ulster, looking for their fourth win in a row.
Munster's South African tour gets under way this weekend with a grudge match against the Sharks on Saturday afternoon, who defeated them in a dramatic quarter-final last season.
And later on Saturday, Leinster have an important game in the race for a home quarter-final, taking on leaders Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun.
Online
We'll have live scoring, reports and reaction on RTÉ.ie/sport
TV
Sharks v Munster (Saturday, 3pm) is live on TG4 and Premier Sports.
Ulster v Connacht (Friday, 7.45pm), Glasgow Warriors v Leinster (Saturday, 5.30pm) and all other games are live on Premier Sports and URC.tv
WEATHER
It's likely to be a great evening for rugby in Belfast on Friday, with clear skies, a gentle breeze and temperatures around 9C by the time Ulster and Connacht kick off at Affidea Stadium.
Similarly, it should be a great evening in Glasgow on Saturday, where Leinster take on the Warriors, with no rain forecast and temperatures of 10C.
Things will be far more challenging for Munster down in South Africa where there is rain expected in Durban, combined with a very sticky temperature of 24C.
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While most teams come into Round 13 off the back of a three-week break, both Ulster and Connacht were in action last weekend as they finally completed their postponed fixtures from Round 2.
Both sides picked up bonus-point wins, and for Connacht it was their third victory in a row as Stuart Lancaster's side maintain their push for a play-off spot.
Connacht remain in the bottom half heading into this weekend though, and the province are on a dreadful run of form in interpros, with 12 consecutive losses in derby games dating back to early 2024.
Ulster have won the last four meetings of these sides, and haven’t been beaten by Connacht in Belfast since the URC quarter-final in 2023.
Richie Murphy’s side remain third in the table after last week’s win against Edinburgh, and they have been particularly formidable at home this season, winning all seven of their games in Belfast.
Both sides welcome Ireland internationals back from the Six Nations, with Bundee Aki among five of Ireland’s squad starting for Connacht, while Jacob Stockdale makes a rare start at outside centre for Ulster, due to a midfield injury crisis.
Ulster: Michael Lowry; Werner Kok, Jacob Stockdale, Ben Carson, Zac Ward; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Angus Bell, Tom Stewart, Scott Wilson; Iain Henderson (capt), Joe Hopes; David McCann, Marcus Rea, Juarno Augustus
Replacements: Rob Herring, Sam Crean, Tom O'Toole, Matthew Dalton, Bryn Ward, Conor McKee, Jonny Scott, Ethan McIlroy
Connacht: Seán Naughton; Shane Jennings, Cathal Forde, Bundee Aki, Finn Treacy; Jack Carty, Colm Reilly; Billy Bohan, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham; Joe Joyce, Darragh Murray; Josh Murphy, Cian Prendergast (capt), Sean Jansen
Replacements: Matthew Victory, Peter Dooley, Sam Illo, Niall Murray, Paul Boyle, Ben Murphy, Josh Ioane, John Devine`
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Munster's rematch with the Sharks has been circled in the calendar from a long way back, after their epic and controversial quarter-final meeting last year.
A 24-24 draw in Durban saw a place-kicking competition required to separate them, with tempers rising during the shootout after some antics from Sharks scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse.
Hendrikse misses out on this game with injury, while his nemesis that afternoon, Jack Crowley, is unavailable for Munster after the Six Nations. The Corkman will be with the squad for their trip to the Bulls next week.
King’s Park in Durban is the only South African venue Munster haven’t won at in the URC era, although they have drawn twice in four visits.
The province have lost four of their last five games away from home in all competitions, and although this Sharks side are struggling this season, they have been in good form in Durban, winning five of their last six.
A win for Munster would make it an Irish clean sweep against the Sharks this season, with Ulster, Leinster and Connacht all victorious against the South Africans earlier in the campaign.
Sharks: Luan Giliomee; Yaw Penxe, Ethan Hooker, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Grant Williams; Phatu Ganyane, Fez Mbtatha, Hanro Jacobs; Jason Jenkins, Emile van Heerden; Siya Kolisi, Vincent Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi
Replacements: Eduan Swart, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, Corne Rahl, Nick Hatton, Bradley Davids, Jean Smith, Hakeem Kunene
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan (capt), Ethan Coughlan; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron, Michael Ala'alatoa; Jean Kleyn, Tom Ahern; Seán Edogbo, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley, Paddy Patterson, Dan Kelly, Brian Gleeson.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
After losing away to Cardiff last time out, Leinster face a daunting trip to leaders Glasgow Warriors as they look to stay inside the URC's top four.
Both sides come into the game off the back of a defeat, with Glasgow beaten 15-10 by Connacht in Galway in their most recent outing.
Glasgow were 43-25 winners the last time these sides met in Scotland in October 2023, but that’s the only win for the Warriors in the last seven clashes between them.
The league leaders boast a formidable record at Scotstoun, with just two defeats on home soil in all competitions since December 2023.
Leinster’s defeat to Cardiff three weeks ago ended a run of 11 consecutive wins for Leo Cullen’s side across URC and Champions Cup.
Glasgow: Josh McKay; Kyle Rowe, Johnny Ventisei, Stafford McDowall (capt), Ollie Smith; Dan Lancaster, George Horne; Patrick Schickerling, Gregor Hiddleston, Fin Richardson; Alex Craig, Alex Samuel; Euan Ferrie, Sione Vailanu, Macenzzie Duncan
Replacements: Seb Stephen, Rory Sutherland, Sam Talakai, Jare Oguntibeju, Ally Miller, Angus Fraser, Jack Oliver, Adam Hastings
Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Joshua Kenny, Rieko Ioane, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O'Brien; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath; Alex Usanov, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; RG Snyman, Brian Deeny; Jack Conan, Will Connors, James Culhane
Replacements: John McKee, Jerry Cahir, Rabah Slimani, Conor O'Tighearnaigh, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ciarán Frawley
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)
FULL LIST OF FIXTURES, RESULTS AND STANDINGS
