Weekend Results
Bulls 22 – 21 Glasgow Warriors
URC semi-final. Bulls overturn 21-3 deficit at Murrayfield. Stunning comeback. Croke Park final confirmed.
Leinster 20 – 11 Stormers
URC semi-final. Stormers reduced to 13 men late on. Gibson-Park decisive. Leinster reach URC final.
Hurricanes 66 – 12 Brumbies
Super Rugby Pacific QF. Hurricanes ruthless at Hnry Stadium. Brumbies swept aside.
Crusaders 52 – 31 Blues
Super Rugby Pacific QF. Crusaders stay perfect at Te Kaha. Havili outstanding. Sevu Reece extends try-scoring lead.
Chiefs 46 – 24 Reds
Super Rugby Pacific QF. McKenzie 26 points, two tries. Chiefs defense dominant in front of sparse crowd.
Kobe Steelers 22 – 13 Kubota Spears
Japan League One final. Retallick MOTM. Dave Rennie bows out with title. Kobe first champions since 2018.
Exeter Chiefs 32 – 12 Saracens
Premiership R18. Henry Slade 26 points. Exeter into the top four. Mark McCall era ends in defeat.
Bath 24 – 22 Leicester
Premiership R18. Bath book home semi-final. Leicester progress as third seed.
Sale Sharks 38 – 17 Bristol Bears
Premiership R18. Bristol's season ends. Sale finish strong but miss the playoffs.
Harlequins 38 – 31 Northampton Saints
Premiership R18. Tom Lawday's farewell try. Quins finish with a flourish. Saints still top seeds.
Racing 92 31 – 20 Toulouse
Top 14 R26. Racing end Toulouse's unbeaten home run. Title race settled at the top.
La Rochelle 27 – 22 Stade Francais Paris
Top 14 R26. La Rochelle edge Paris out of top six. Dramatic final-round reshuffle.
Clermont 34 – 31 Bordeaux-Begles
Top 14 R26. Bordeaux lose and drop to eighth. Champions Cup winners exit the playoff picture.
USA 17 – 14 Fiji
SVNS Bordeaux. Last-gasp Lacamp try. USA regain top-8 status, pipping Kenya on points differential.
URC Semi-Finals: The Bulls Comeback and the Stormers' Collapse
Bulls 22-21 Glasgow Warriors: The Bulls were 21-3 down after 25 minutes at Murrayfield, with Kyle Steyn scoring two tries for Glasgow and a penalty try adding to the deficit. Johan Grobbelaar's try before half-time made it 21-10 at the break, and tries from Embrose Papier and Francois Klopper, with Glasgow lock Scott Cummings in the sin bin, nudged the Bulls in front for a 22-21 win, reaching their fourth URC final in five years.
Leinster 20-11 Stormers: A physically brutal match at the Aviva Stadium. Leinster led 13-8 at half-time through a Rieko Ioane first-half try, but the Stormers contested every inch until their own ill-discipline ended their challenge. Jamison Gibson-Park scored a clinical try under the posts to seal the win. Andrew Porter limped off early with a leg injury, a concern ahead of the final.
The URC final is set: Leinster vs Bulls at Croke Park, Dublin, Friday June 19.
LIPPY'S VIEW
In the Glasgow-Bulls match, the sparse crowds stood out to me. For one of the premier rugby tournaments in the world to be so poorly attended is another indicator of some of the challenges the sport continues to experience. In a very compelling contest, the Bulls were down 21-3 and Pollard then uncharacteristically missed a number of kicks that would have won the game more comfortably. Nizaam Carr had three dropped balls and they still held on. Glasgow's attack looked anemic in the second half. The Bulls just ground them down through the scrum and maul and found a way to win. That is what winning teams do.
In the Stormers-Leinster match, the Stormers' defensive set at the end of the first half was the key period that kept them in the game. But they threw it all away when Ackermann made a dumb clearout at 70 minutes for a red card, and then another cynical play left them with 13 players on the field. At that point the game was over. The Stormers were good enough to win this match and they gave it away through ill-discipline. A tough way to lose a semi-final.
URC Final
URC FINAL
Leinster vs Bulls
Croke Park, Dublin
Friday June 19, 2026 | 7:30pm local
Repeat of the 2025 final, won by Leinster
Super Rugby Pacific: NZ Qualifying Final Sweep
New Zealand's three home sides swept the Super Rugby Pacific qualifying finals, advancing all three to the semi-finals. No Australian team survives.
Crusaders 52-31 Blues: The Crusaders remain unbeaten at Te Kaha, Christchurch's new stadium. The result confirms their place as the form team heading into the semi-finals.
Chiefs 46-24 Reds: A convincing win for the Chiefs, who advance to host a semi-final at FMG Stadium in Hamilton.
Hurricanes 66-12 Brumbies: The most emphatic result of the weekend. The Hurricanes were merciless hosts and advance as the top seed to host a semi-final in Wellington.
LIPPY'S VIEW
David Havili was outstanding for the Crusaders and is making a very strong case for All Blacks inclusion. Sevu Reece continues to extend his Super Rugby try-scoring lead. Jonny McNicholl scored three tries as the Crusaders' backline ran riot. This team is building real momentum at exactly the right time.
In the Chiefs-Reds match, the Chiefs' defense won the game. McKenzie's 26 points and two tries were crucial, but it was the defensive effort that gave them the platform. The stadium was around 20 percent full, which is a concern. The competition needs better crowds than that for its flagship matches.
Super Rugby Pacific Semi-Final Matchups
SF1
Hurricanes vs Crusaders
Hnry Stadium, Wellington
Weekend of June 13-14
SF2
Chiefs vs Blues
FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Weekend of June 13-14
Blues qualify as the lucky loser and travel to Hamilton as the fourth seed.
Japan League One Final: Rennie Bows Out with a Title
Kobe Steelers 22-13 Kubota Spears: On a wet afternoon at the MUFG National Stadium in Tokyo, before a crowd of 50,431, Kobelco Kobe Steelers claimed their first Japan Rugby League One title and their first national championship since 2018. The Spears were level 13-13 at half-time and were unfortunate to be without Malcolm Marx through injury. The Steelers' scrum overpowered their opponents twice in the closing stages to pull clear.
For Dave Rennie, it was a perfect farewell before taking over the All Blacks. He leaves Kobe having taken them from ninth place in his first season to champions.
LIPPY'S VIEW
This was a real final, a super competitive match that stayed on a knife's edge right to the end. Retallick was the absolute class of the game, and Ardie Savea was again at his brilliant best. The excellent defense from both teams reflected the seriousness and intent. It was a great advert for Japanese rugby. Kobe deserved their win and what a way for Rennie to sign off before taking the All Blacks.
Premiership: Semi-Final Lineup Confirmed
The Premiership final four is set after a dramatic final round. Exeter Chiefs were the story of the day, dismantling Saracens 32-12 at Sandy Park. Henry Slade contributed 26 points and scored the 47th-minute try that broke Saracens open. Mark McCall's 15-year reign as Saracens director of rugby ended in defeat. Bath secured a home semi-final with a 24-22 win over Leicester. Harlequins beat Northampton 38-31, with Tom Lawday scoring a memorable farewell try in his final touch as a Quins player, but the Saints remain the top seed regardless.
Premiership Semi-Final Matchups
SF1
Northampton Saints vs Leicester Tigers
Franklin's Gardens, Northampton
Saturday June 20
SF2
Bath vs Exeter Chiefs
The Recreation Ground, Bath
Saturday June 20
Premiership final: Saturday June 27 at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Top 14: Bordeaux Miss the Playoffs
The final round of the Top 14 regular season produced the biggest shock of all: Bordeaux-Begles, Champions Cup winners just three weeks ago, have failed to qualify for the Top 14 playoffs. Clermont beat them 34-31 in Bordeaux, and La Rochelle's 27-22 win over Stade Francais Paris on the same day meant La Rochelle leapfrogged Paris into sixth, pushing Bordeaux down to eighth. Racing 92 beat Toulouse 31-20, but Toulouse's lead was too great to threaten their first place finish. The Top 14 quarter-finals will be played without the reigning European champions.
LIPPY'S VIEW
If ever there was an illustration of how strong French rugby is, it is the Champions Cup winners not making the top six of the league. It is going to be very interesting to see if the national team can capitalize on this wealth of talent in the upcoming Nations Cup and Rugby World Cup next year.
Top 14 Playoffs: Final Standings and Bracket
| Pos | Club | PD | B | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toulouse | +364 | 14 | 86 |
| 2 | Montpellier | +237 | 12 | 82 |
| 3 | Stade Francais Paris | +205 | 17 | 79 |
| 4 | Pau | +152 | 10 | 78 |
| 5 | Racing 92 | +105 | 8 | 74 |
| 6 | La Rochelle | +90 | 12 | 72 |
| 7 | Clermont | +04 | 11 | 71 |
| 8 | Bordeaux-Begles | +03 | 14 | 70 |
| 9 | Toulon | -06 | 9 | 59 |
Top 6 qualify for playoffs. Bordeaux-Begles (8th) miss out despite winning the Champions Cup. QFs: 3rd Stade Francais Paris hosts 6th La Rochelle; 4th Pau hosts 5th Racing 92. Final at Stade de France, June 27.
Around the Grounds: What the Pundits Are Saying
Shaun Edwards pushed out at France: L'Equipe reports that Shaun Edwards, whose contract runs to 2028, is being pushed out by head coach Fabien Galthie, having won the 2026 Six Nations just weeks ago. Edwards is reportedly absent from coaching staff meetings and no longer universally liked within the French setup. Gerald Bastide has been brought in as his replacement. Stuart Barnes has already called on the RFU to move quickly and recruit Edwards for Steve Borthwick's staff. Edwards himself has spoken publicly about his ambition to work in the southern hemisphere, naming the All Blacks or Springboks. Given Dave Rennie has just taken over as All Blacks coach, the timing makes for an intriguing subplot.
Scott Barrett out for five months: All Blacks captain Scott Barrett will undergo back surgery and is ruled out for up to five months. Barrett, 32, took a planned non-playing sabbatical at the start of the Super Rugby season to address ankle and Achilles issues, but a new back problem has now emerged. He will miss the inaugural Nations Championship tests in July and the entire four-test South Africa tour in August and September. Dave Rennie will name a new captain for his first campaigns in charge, with Ardie Savea, Jordie Barrett, and Codie Taylor the leading candidates.
Fehi Fineanganofo: not going to Newcastle, or is he? Reports from podcaster Andy Rowe on Sports Nation claimed NZR had "blocked" Fineanganofo's signed two-year deal with Newcastle Red Bulls, with sources in Newcastle described as "very, very upset." NZR denied that characterization. The Post reports there is no NZR contract in front of the winger. The situation remains unresolved. What is clear is that Fineanganofo, 23, has equalled the competition's all-time season try-scoring record with 16 tries. Newcastle are understandably furious. The first question that needs to be asked is why NZR let this deal get to this point in the first place.
USA Men's Sevens regain top-8 status: The USA Eagles beat Fiji 17-14 in the fifth-place match at the SVNS World Championship finale in Bordeaux, with Lucas Lacamp scoring a last-gasp try to seal the win. The result put the USA eighth on the final championship standings, pipping Kenya on points differential by the narrowest of margins. It secures their return to core status on the 2026-27 SVNS circuit, a significant result for the Eagles' build-up to the 2028 Olympics on home soil.
LIPPY'S VIEW
I am so happy for Coach Zack Test. A legendary player and US Rugby Hall of Famer. Having taken over the team at the same time that the World Sevens was restructured was a massive challenge, and in true Zack fashion he has now led the team back into the premier division of world sevens. A champion on and off the field.
Looking Ahead
URC final: Leinster vs Bulls at Croke Park, Dublin, Friday June 19. A repeat of the 2025 final, which Leinster won.
Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals: Hurricanes vs Crusaders in Wellington; Chiefs vs Blues in Hamilton. Both matches the weekend of June 13-14.
Premiership semi-finals: Northampton Saints vs Leicester Tigers at Franklin's Gardens; Bath vs Exeter Chiefs at the Recreation Ground. Both matches Saturday June 20. Final at Twickenham, Saturday June 27.
Top 14 quarter-finals: Stade Francais Paris host La Rochelle; Pau host Racing 92. Both matches weekend of June 13-14. Final at Stade de France, June 27.