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Irish province snubbed in URC 2025/26 Dream Team vote
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For the first time since the United Rugby Championship was introduced in 2021, Munster Rugby do not have a single player in the cross border competition’s end-of-season Dream Team.
The three other Irish provincial teams are all represented, with Connacht and Ulster having a pair of players apiece, while tight-head prop Thomas Clarkson’s prevented Leinster suffering the same fate as Munster, who had the joint-most members (three) in 2024/25.
All told, seven different teams are represented in the URC Dream Team, which was voted on by a media selection panel, spanning all five territories within the competition. To be eligible, players must have made nine appearances during the regular campaign, with the panel provided with a shortlist of 10 per position by URC StatMaster.
South African sides the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls provide the biggest contingent with three apiece.
The league’s top try scorer Evan Roos (12) and top points scorer Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (158) are both recognised for their efforts, along with their DHL Stormers team-mate Ntuthuko Mchunu.
As for the Vodacom Bulls of Pretoria, scrum-half Embrose Papier and hooker Johann Grobbelaar – who touched down nine and eight times respectively – are joined by second row Cobus Wiese.
Like Ulster and Connacht, Glasgow Warriors and the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions have two players on board.
Ireland star Stuart McCloskey has been chosen at inside centre after an outstanding season for both club and country, while his Ulster team-mate Werner Kok is rewarded for his 10 tries with a wing spot.
Connacht provide hard-grafting forwards Cian Prendergast and Darragh Murray, while there are two Glasgow backs selected in Kyle Rowe and Stafford McDowall, with elusive winger Rowe having beaten 52 defenders, made 21 clean breaks and run for 783 metres in his 13 league outings.
As for the Lions, their achievement in reaching the play-offs for the first time and also winning the South African Shield is recognised by the inclusion of flanker Ruan Venter and full-back Quan Horn, with Horn having played every single minute of the regular season to pick up the Ironman award for the second time.
Elite XV Team
1. Ntuthuko Mchunu, DHL Stormers (Loosehead Prop)
2. Johann Grobbelaar, Vodacom Bulls (Hooker)
3. Thomas Clarkson, Leinster Rugby (Tighthead Prop)
4. Darragh Murray, Connacht Rugby (Lock / Second Row (4))
5. Cobus Wiese, Vodacom Bulls (Lock / Second Row (5))
6. Cian Prendergast, Connacht Rugby (Flanker (6))
7. Ruan Venter, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions (Flanker (7))
8. Evan Roos, DHL Stormers (Number 8)
9. Embrose Papier, Vodacom Bulls (Scrum-half)
10. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, DHL Stormers (Fly-half)
11. Kyle Rowe, Glasgow Warriors (Left Wing (No.11))
12. Stuart McCloskey, Ulster Rugby (Inside Centre)
13. Stafford McDowall, Glasgow Warriors (Outside Centre)
14. Werner Kok, Ulster Rugby (Right Wing (No.14))
15. Quan Horn, Fidelity SecureDrive Lions (Full-back)
Be sure to follow all the URC Awards announcements using the hashtag #URCAwards
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