The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. For sponsorship reasons the league is known as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship in South Africa, and the BKT United Rugby Championship in the competition's other territories, the split branding mirroring the format previously adopted in Super Rugby. The Championship represents the highest level of domestic club or franchise rugby in each of its constituent countries.
The Southern Kings were a South African professional rugby union team that competed in Super Rugby and Pro14. They were based in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province and played their home matches at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. They were created in 2009, and had their first match against the British & Irish Lions during their 2009 tour. After competing in Super Rugby in 2013, 2016 and 2017, they joined Pro14 prior to the 2017–18 season, along with the Cheetahs.
Jordan Rhys Williams is a Welsh rugby union footballer who plays for the Dragons. His regular position is at full-back, but he has also played at fly-half and on the wing. He began his career with amateur side New Dock Stars RFC, before being signed by Llanelli RFC and ultimately breaking into the Scarlets regional side. However, he struggled to find playing time with the Scarlets and moved to Bristol in 2016, only to return to Wales with the Dragons two years later. He has also played internationally for Wales at under-16, under-18 and under-20 level, as well as for the Wales Sevens team.
David James Bulbring is a South African professional rugby union player, currently playing with Welsh Pro14 side Scarlets. He is also his parent’s favourite son.
Andries Stephanus Ferreira is a South African rugby union player. He plays for the US Carcassonne in the Pro D2 with his regular playing position as a lock.
Derick Johannes Minnie is a South African rugby union player for Italian Pro14 side Zebre. He plays as a flanker.
Francois Brummer is a South African rugby union player for Zebre in the Pro14. His regular playing position is fly-half, although he has played fullback on occasion.
Matthew Healy is an Irish former professional rugby union player. His primary position was on the wing and he was also used as injury cover at fullback, while earlier in his career he played at scrum-half. Healy played his entire career for Irish provincial team Connacht Rugby in the Pro14 and represented Ireland at test level once. He is Connacht's all-time leading try scorer.
Kayle Deon van Zyl is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with Italian side Rugby Calvisano, competing in the Top10 and European Rugby Continental Shield. He has the ability to play in any position in the back-line but has thus far mostly featured as a fullback.
Leonardo Sarto is an Italian rugby union player who currently plays for Mogliano Veneto in Serie A Elite. His principal position is wing.
Jack Carty is a rugby union player from Ireland. His primary position is at fly-half. Having started with his hometown club, Buccaneers, Carty currently plays for the team of his native province of Connacht in the United Rugby Championship, having come through the team's academy. He is Connacht's record points scorer in the Pro14, having overtaken Ian Keatley in March 2019. Carty is an Ireland international, having made his debut for the side against Italy in 2019.
Jean Kleyn is a South African professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Irish United Rugby Championship club Munster and the South Africa national team. He came on as a replacement during South Africa’s 2023 World Cup win vs New Zealand.
Johan Gert Meyer is a retired South African born rugby union player, who played with Italian side Zebre in the Pro14 and European Rugby Challenge Cup, and for the Italian national team after qualifying through residency. His regular position was flanker or number eight.
Christian Francois Schoeman is a South African rugby union player. His regular position is fly-half.
Jan-Frederik Uys is a South African rugby union player, currently playing with an Italian team, Zebre Parma. His regular position is lock.
Sidney McNeil Tobias is a South African rugby union player who plays for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship and for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. He also plays for Rugby ATL in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the U.S. His regular position is hooker.
Ockert Jacobus Jacques du Toit is a South African professional rugby union player for Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship, and previously for Bath in Premiership Rugby. His regular position is hooker.
The 2017–18 PRO14 was the seventeenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It is the first season to be referred to as the Guinness PRO14 Championship, with the addition of two South African teams.
The 2019–20 PRO14 was the nineteenth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It was the third season to be referred to as the PRO14.
The 2020–21 PRO14 was the twentieth season of the professional rugby union competition originally known as the Celtic League. It was the fourth season to be referred to as the PRO14.
