2024–25 Cardiff Rugby season

Cardiff Rugby
2024–25 season
Head coachMatt Sherratt
ChairmanAlun Jones
United Rugby Championship9th
Challenge CupRound of 16
← 2023–24 2025–26 →

The 2024–25 season is Cardiff's fourth season in the United Rugby Championship. Along with competing in the URC and its Welsh Shield competition, the club also participate in the 2024-25 European Rugby Challenge Cup.

Senior squad

For player movements before or during the 2024–25 season, see List of 2024–25 United Rugby Championship transfers § Cardiff.
Cardiff Rugby United Rugby Championship squad[a]

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wings

Fullbacks

(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Wales on residency or dual nationality.
ST denotes a player on a short-term deal at the club,
Players and their allocated positions from the Cardiff Rugby website.[1]
  1. ^ Taking into account signings and departures head of 2024–25 season as listed on List of 2024–25 United Rugby Championship transfers.

Academy squad

Cardiff Rugby Academy squad[a]

Props

  • Dylan Barratt
  • Harrison Rock
  • Cameron Tyler-Grocott

Hookers

  • Tom Howe

Locks

  • Lucca Alexander-White
  • Sonny McCabe

Back row

  • Alfie Prygodzicz
  • Evan Rees

Scrum-halves

  • Sion Davies

Fly-halves

  • Ben Coomer

Centres

  • Osian Darwin-Lewis
  • Elijah Evans
  • Ioan Leyshon

Wings

  • Ollie Das
  • Joseff Jones
  • Kodie Stone

Fullbacks

  • Matty Young
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Wales on residency or dual nationality.
Players and their allocated positions from the Cardiff Rugby website.[2]
  1. ^ Taking into account signings and departures ahead of the 2024–25 season as listed on List of 2024–25 United Rugby Championship transfers.

United Rugby Championship

Main table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Leinster 18 16 0 2 542 256 +286 79 35 11 1 76 Qualifies for home URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2025–26 Champions Cup
2 Bulls 18 14 0 4 542 361 +181 71 44 9 3 68
3 Sharks 18 13 0 5 436 402 +34 55 59 7 3 62
4 Glasgow Warriors 18 11 0 7 468 327 +141 70 40 10 5 59
5 Stormers 18 10 0 8 507 418 +89 66 57 11 4 55 Qualifies for URC quarter-final;
Qualification for the 2025–26 Champions Cup
6 Munster 18 9 0 9 444 429 +15 67 59 11 4 51
7 Edinburgh 18 8 1 9 471 407 +64 66 57 9 6 49
8 Scarlets 18 9 1 8 427 382 +45 50 52 6 4 48
9 Cardiff 18 8 1 9 409 477 −68 63 65 10 3 47 Qualification for the 2025–26 Challenge Cup
10 Benetton 18 9 1 8 393 478 −85 50 65 7 1 46
11 Lions 18 8 0 10 402 440 −38 53 60 5 3 40
12 Ospreys 18 7 1 10 437 454 −17 60 63 6 4 40
13 Connacht 18 6 0 12 420 472 −52 64 62 9 6 39
14 Ulster 18 7 0 11 414 506 −92 59 72 5 5 38
15 Zebre Parma 18 5 1 12 302 503 −201 38 72 3 4 29
16 Dragons 18 1 0 17 335 637 −302 43 92 1 4 9
Source: UnitedRugby.com
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won 2) The difference between points for and points against 3) The number of tries scored 4) The most points scored 5) The difference between tries for and tries against 6) The fewest red cards received 7) The fewest yellow cards received.[3]


Round 1

20 September 2024
19:35
(1 BP) Cardiff 22–17 Zebre Parma (1 BP)
Try: Winnett 9' c
Stephens 18' m
D. Thomas 23' m
McNally 56' m
Con: Sheedy 10' (1/4)		Try: Bertaccini 64' c
Locatelli 81' c
Con: Da Re (2/2) 65', 82'
Pen: Montemauri 8'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 6,291[4]
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Round 2

28 September 2024
17:15
Scarlets 15–24 Cardiff (1 BP)
Try: Page 1' c
Plumtree 10' m
Con: Costelow (1/2) 1'
Pen: Costelow (1) 4'		Try: Belcher 17' m
Grady 21' c
Millard 56'
B. Thomas 62'
Con: Sheedy (2/4) 21', 63'
Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Attendance: 7,355[5]
Referee: Christopher Allison (South Africa)

Round 3

4 October 2024
19:35
(1 BP) Cardiff 36–52 Glasgow Warriors (1 BP)
Try: D. Thomas 11' c
Winnett 19' m
Byrne 46' c
Martin 52' c
Donnell 67' c
Con: Sheedy (1/2) 12'
de Beer (3/3) 47', 54' 69'
Pen: de Beer (1/1) 59'		Try: Dobie 5' c
Rowe (2) 21' m, 74' m
Jordan (2) 29' c, 74' m
Tuipulotu 34' c
Jones 37' c
M. Fagerson 74' m
Con: Jordan (5/6) 6', 30', 35', 39', 64'
Weir (1/2) 72'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 6,237[6]
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

Round 4

12 October 2024
15:00
(1 BP) Cardiff 19–25 Scarlets
Try: Millard 22' c, 43' m
Penalty try 66'
Con: de Beer 23' (1/1)		Try: G. Davies (2) 32' m, 46' c
J. Williams 59' c
Con: Lloyd (2/3) 47', 60'
Pen: Lloyd (2) 8', 16'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 12,125[7]
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)

Round 5

19 October 2024
17:15
(1 BP) Edinburgh 27–8 Cardiff
Try: van der Merwe 45' c
Schoeman 61' m
Graham 64' m
Ashman 78' c
Con: Thompson (2/4) 46', 79'
Pen: Thompson 6'		Try: Young 28' m
Pen: Sheedy 57'
Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
Attendance: 6,507[7]
Referee: Morné Ferreira, South Africa

Round 6

26 October 2024
19:35
Cardiff 21–19 Ulster (1 BP)
Try: Stephens 48' c
Hughes 64' c
Young 67' c
Con: Sheedy (3/3) 49', 65', 68'		Try: Izuchukwu 13' c
Postlethwaite (2) 17' c, 23' m
Con: Doak (2/3) 14', 18'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 8,312[8]
Referee: Sam Grove-White, Scotland

Round 7

30 November 2024
17:15
(1 BP) Cardiff 31–23 Dragons
Try: Mann 31' c
Millard 42' c
Sheedy 42' c
Lee-Lo 49' c
Con: Sheedy (4/4) 32', 43', 43', 50'
Pen: Sheedy 7'		Try: Lloyd 64' c
Seiuli 71' c
Con: O'Brien (2/2) 65', 72'
Pen: O'Brien (3) 11', 23', 28'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 9,638[9]
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Round 8

26 December 2024
15:00
(1 BP) Dragons 22-24 Cardiff (1 BP)
Try: Wainwright 14' c
Dyer 19' m
R. Williams 68' c
Con: O'Brien (2/3) 15', 69'
Pen: O'Brien 17'		ReportTry: Williams 32' m
Adams 44' c
Hamer-Webb 56' c
Lloyd 75' m
Con: Sheedy (2/4) 45', 57'
Rodney Parade, Newport
Attendance: 8,511[10]
Referee: Adam Jones

Round 9

1 January 2025
15:00
Cardiff 13–13 Ospreys
Try: Botham 6'
Hughes 53'
Pen: Thomas 70'		ReportTry: Edwards 49'
Con: Edwards 50'
Pen: Edwards (2) 31', 68'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 12,125 [11]

Round 10

25 January 2025
17:15
Cardiff 22–42 Sharks
Try: Mann 6' m
Bowen (2) 36' m, 43' c
Hamer-Webb 57' m
Con: Sheedy (1/4) 44'		Try: Mbonambi (2) 14' c, 41' c
Julius 17' c
Mapimpi 31' c
F. Venter 72' c
Penxe 75' c
Con: Jo. Hendrikse (6/6) 14', 18', 32', 41', 73', 76'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 11,687

Round 11

15 February 2025 (1 BP) Connacht 24–19 Cardiff (1BP) The Sportsground, Galway  
19:35 Try: Murphy, 7'c
Hurley-Langton, 17'c
Heffernan, 47'
Tierney-Martin, 75
Con: Ioane (2)
 Report Try: Lee-Lo, 52'c
Donnell, 63'
Braley, 69'c
Con: Sheedy (2)
 Attendance: 3,648

Round 12

1 March 2025 (1 BP) Leinster 42–24 Cardiff (1BP) Aviva Stadium, Dublin  
15:00 Try: McKee 14' c
Boyle 40' c
Deegan 42' c
McGrath 50' c
Tector 53' c
Russell 75' c
Con: R. Byrne (6/6) 15', 41', 42', 51', 54', 77'
 Report Try: Millard 16' m
Young 29' c
Millard 57' m
Bevan 69' c
Con: Sheedy (1/3) 30'
de Beer (1/1) 70'
 Attendance: 17,951
Referee: Andrea Piardi

Round 13

21 March 2025 Cardiff 20 – 17 Lions (1 BP) Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff  
19:35 Try: Donnell, 20'c
Millard, 63'c
Con: Sheedy (2)
Pen: Sheedy, 31', 50'
 Report Try: Ntlabakanye, 11'c
Horn, 57'c
Con: Lombard (2)
Pen: Lombard, 44'
 Attendance: 6,235[12]
Referee: Federico Vedovelli

Round 14

29 March 2025 Benetton 20 - 19 Cardiff (1 BP) Stadio Monigo, Treviso  
20:35 Try: Albornoz, 20'
Con: Albornoz, 21'
Pen: Albornoz, 9', 77'
 Report:ESPN Try: Botham, 6'
Bevan, 16'
Lloyd, 68'
Con: Sheedy, 7', 17'
 Attendance: 4,715

Administration and sale

In the fallow week following elimination from the 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup, Cardiff Rugby were placed in administration for 24 hours following the failure of private funding. The club were bought out of administration the following day by the Welsh Rugby Union, who took over ownership of the professional club. The club and its staff remained in place.

Round 15

19 April 2025 Ospreys 19 - 36 Cardiff (1BP) Principality Stadium, Cardiff  
15:00 Try: Williams, 11'
Spencer, 60'
Hardy, 76'
Con: Edwards, 11', 77'
 Try: Mann, 15', 35'
Hamer-Webb, 20', 29', 80'
penalty try, 79'
Con: Sheedy, 16'
Thomas, 81'
 Attendance: 28,328
Referee: Ben Connor

Round 16

25 April 2025 (1 BP) Cardiff 26 - 21 Munster (1 BP) Cardiff Arms Park  
19:35 Try: Hamer-Webb, 26'
Millard, 28'
penalty try, 54'
Mulder, 63'
Con: Sheedy, 28', 64'
 Report, 2 Try: Nash, 12'
Haley, 37'
Farrell, 50'
Con: Crowley, 13', 38', 51'
 Attendance: 11,253
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi

Round 17

10 May 2025 (1 BP) Bulls 45–21 Cardiff Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria  
16:45 Try: Vorster, 7'
Louw, 16'
Moodie, 21'
Hanekom, 38'
de Klerk, 42', 52'
Con: Goosen, 8'
Johannes, 17', 22', 39', 43', 53'
Pen: Goosen, 3'
 Try: Mann, 47'
T Williams, 72'
Hamer-Webb, 76'
Con: B Thomas, 48', 73', 77'

Round 18

16 May 2025 (1 BP) Stormers 34–24 Cardiff (1 BP) Cape Town Stadium  
19:00 Try: Zas, 10', 33'
Hartzenberg, 25', 47'
Evans, 72'
Con: Willemse, 25', 34'
Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 73'
Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 80'
Cards: Willemse, 59' 		Report Try: Southworth, 14'
Hamer-Webb, 37'
Millard, 57'
Hughes, 77'
Con: Sheedy, 15', 78'
Cards: Southworth, 29' 		Attendance: 19,256

Cardiff are eliminated from the Championship.

URC Welsh Shield

Cardiff win their first URC Welsh Shield.


2024–25 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield Pools
Welsh Shield
Team P W D L PF PA PD TF TA TBP LBP Pts Pos overall
1 Cardiff (S) 6 4 1 1 147 117 +30 23 14 4 1 23 9
2 Scarlets 6 4 0 2 163 126 +37 20 18 3 1 20 7
3 Ospreys 6 2 1 3 155 156 –1 21 20 1 1 12 12
4 Dragons 6 1 0 5 130 196 –66 15 27 0 1 5 16
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:[13]
  1. number of matches won
  2. the difference between points for and points against
  3. the number of tries scored
  4. the most points scored
  5. the difference between tries for and tries against
  6. the fewest red cards received
  7. the fewest yellow cards received
Green background indicates teams currently leading the regional shield. Upon the conclusion of the regular season, these teams win their respective regional shields.

(S) : URC Shield champion

European Challenge Cup

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts Qualification
1 Connacht (1) 4 4 0 0 154 73 +81 25 10 4 0 20 Home round of 16
2 Lyon (5) 4 3 0 1 150 118 +32 21 19 2 0 14
3 Perpignan (8) 4 2 1 1 100 92 +8 12 14 1 0 11
4 Cardiff (16) 4 1 0 3 91 98 −7 13 13 2 1 7 Away round of 16
5 Cheetahs 4 1 1 2 73 132 −59 10 19 0 0 6
6 Zebre Parma 4 0 0 4 70 125 −55 10 17 0 2 2
Source: EPCR[14]
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled.

Pool matches

Round 1

7 December 2024
16:15
(1 BP) Lyon 37–26 Cardiff (1 BP)
Try: Dumortier (2) 6' m, 37' m
Parisien 24' c
Charcosset 47' c
González 62' c
Con: Meliande (3/4) 25', 48', 63'
Pen: Meliande (1/1) 69'
González (1/1) 74'		ReportTry: Adams 3' c
Southworth 15' c
Bevan 53' c
Hamer-Webb 61' m
Con: Sheedy (3/4) 4', 16', 54'
Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Attendance: 14,073
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

Round 2

14 December 2024
20:00
(1 BP) Cardiff 26–10 Cheetahs
Try: Adams (2) 17' m, 56' c
Bowen 46' c
Penalty try 67'
Con: Sheedy (2/3) 47', 57'		ReportTry: de Haas 31' c
Con: Wentzel (1/1) 33'
Pen: Wentzel (1/1) 36'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 5,410
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)

Round 3

11 January 2025
14:00
Perpignan 23–20 Cardiff (1 BP)
Try: Allan 39' c
Veredamu 49' m
Velarte 61' m
Con: Allan (1/2) 40+1'
Pen: Allan (2/2) 3', 48'		ReportTry: Lee-Lo 42' c
Mulder 69' c
Con: de Beer (2/2) 43', 69'
Pen: de Beer (2/2) 35', 53'
Stade Aimé Giral, Perpignan
Attendance: 8,016
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

Round 4

17 January 2025
20:00
Cardiff 19–28 Connacht (1 BP)
Try: Lloyd 17' c
Young (2) 42' c, 58' m
Con: Ben Thomas (2/3) 18', 43'		ReportTry: J. Murphy 13' c
Joyce 36' c
Ralston 53' c
Devine 65' c
Con: Ioane (3/3) 13', 37', 54'
Hanranhan (1/1) 66'
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Attendance: 6,321
Referee: Morné Ferreira (South Africa)

Knockout stage

Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
            
3 Edinburgh 24
14 Lions 12
3 Edinburgh 34
11 Bulls 28
6 Bayonne 22
11 Bulls 32
3 Edinburgh 24
10 Bath Rugby 39
7 Pau 24
10 Bath Rugby 49
10 Bath Rugby 61
15 Gloucester 26
2 Montpellier 17
15 Gloucester 24
10 Bath Rugby 37
5 Lyon 12
4 Ospreys 36
13 Scarlets 14
4 Ospreys 18
5 Lyon 20
5 Lyon 34
12 Sharks 21
5 Lyon 29
9 Racing 92 15
1 Connacht 35
16 Cardiff 20
1 Connacht 40
9 Racing 92 43
8 Perpignan 18
9 Racing 92 24

Round of 16

Cardiff qualified as the 16th and final seed from the pool stages and will meet top seed Connacht Rugby in the round of 16.

5 April 2025
20:00
Connacht (1)35–20(16) Cardiff
Try: Divine 2' c
Jansen 40+4' c
Treacy 44' c
Bolton 66' c
Boyle 76' c
Con: Hanrahan (3/3) 4', 45', 42'
Ioane (2/2) 66', 77'		ReportTry: Lee-Lo 37' m
Thomas 53' c
Adams 60' m
Con: Thomas
Pen: Sheedy (1/2) 12'
The Sportsground, Galway
Attendance: 4,217
Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

References

  1. ^ "Senior Squad". Cardiff Rugby. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Academy Squad". 24 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Competition rules – United Rugby Championship". United Rugby Championship. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Cardiff Rugby Fixtures and Results", 22 Sep 2024
  5. ^ "Scarlets Rugby Fixtures and Results", 29 Sep 2024
  6. ^ "URC: Cardiff V Glasgow: Tom Jordan leads the charge in Warriors win", The Offside Line, 4 October
  7. ^ a b "Cardiff Fixtures & Results"
  8. ^ "Cardiff 21-19 Ulster", Cardiff Rugby, 26 October 2024
  9. ^ "Cardiff Rugby Fixtures & Results"
  10. ^ Dragons Fixtures & Results
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ "Cardiff 20-17 Lions". Cardiff Rugby. 2025-03-21. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  13. ^ League Format (3) "Competition Rules". United Rugby Championship. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Pool Tables | EPCR Challenge Cup". European Professional Club Rugby. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
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