United Rugby Championship Round 12

All 16 United Rugby Championships teams took to the pitch this weekend for round 12 of the 2022/23 season. There were several notable results ahead of next weekend's Heineken Champions Cup.

Ulster have lost five of their last six games in the United Rugby Championship. They lost to Benetton and Munster. Dan McFarland's side will travel to La Rochelle for a do or die scenario. They will enter the match as heavy underdogs. The previous meeting between the two sides ended in a defeat. It is a revenge for the previous defeat for Ulster. La Rochhelle are defending Heineken Cup champions. Ulster will play them at home. Their last game was a loss to Leinster, which they won. This time they lost by a penalty.

Leinster won the United Rugby Championship round 12. Leo Cullen's side are the only team with true squad depth in the competition. Leinsters beat Ulster 24-19 and Ospreys 19-24. Last season Leins won both the Heineken Champions Cup and the URC. They lost the title to Vodacom Bulls. The team is on a path to the upper echelons of sporting excellence.

United Rugby Championship Round 12 is being played. Munster and Glasgow are the traditional powerhouses. Benetton are a new breed of Italian side. All three are on a roll in terms of results and performances. They have knocked over fancied opponents in recent weeks. Glasgow have rediscovered their attacking spark. They beat the defending champions DHL Stormers. The match is on tonight. It is the last round of the championship. There are still a few matches to play. If the results go as expected, the competition will be decided in May. For more information, visit rugbychampionship.com.

Hollie Davidson will be the first all-female refereeing team in a men's European rugby match. She will supervise the Challenge Cup clash between URC side the Scarlets and South African side Toyota Cheetahs. Sara Cox, Clara Munarini, Claire Hodnett, Helen O'Reilly and Aurélie will also officiate the match next weekend.

Munster beat the Lions 12-3 in Cork. Ben Healy was the star player for Munster and will join Edinburgh next season. He kicked the ball with great accuracy and accuracy in the first half. Head coach Graham Rowntree praised Healey's performance. He is a physical operator in flyhalf channel. Munsters scored two tries at half-time. The visitors didn't capitalise on the wind. They dominated the scrum. Irish Rugby's decision to let Heally defect to Scotland could come back to bite both Munstere and the national team in years to come.