# 2024–25 Cardiff Rugby season

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

Cardiff Rugby United Rugby Championship squad :
| Props Keiron Assiratti Rhys Barratt Ed Byrne Will Davies-King Corey Domachowski Joe Cowell Rhys Litterick* Danny Southworth* Hookers Liam Belcher (c) Efan Daniel Dafydd Hughes Evan Lloyd Locks Seb Davies Ben Donnell Josh McNally Rory Thornton Teddy Williams | Back row James Botham Gwilym Bradley Lucas de la Rua Taulupe Faletau Alun Lawrence Alex Mann Mackenzie Martin Dan Thomas Thomas Young Scrum-halves Ellis Bevan Aled Davies Johan Mulder Fly-halves Tinus de Beer Callum Sheedy Harri Wilde | Centres Steffan Emanuel Mason Grady Rory Jennings Rey Lee-Lo Harri Millard Ben Thomas Wings Josh Adams Tom Bowen Theo Cabango Regan Grace$^{ST}$ Gabriel Hamer-Webb* Iwan Stephens* Fullbacks Jacob Beetham Cameron Winnett |
| (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. ↑ 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 :
| 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. ↑ 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 | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TB | LB | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Leinster | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 360 | 166 | +194 | 52 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 57 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 2 | Glasgow Warriors | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 353 | 225 | +128 | 53 | 29 | 8 | 4 | 44 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 3 | Bulls | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 316 | 249 | +67 | 41 | 29 | 6 | 3 | 41 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 4 | Sharks | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 288 | 287 | +1 | 36 | 42 | 4 | 2 | 34 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 5 | Munster | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 287 | 294 | −7 | 46 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 33 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 6 | Cardiff | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 263 | 321 | −58 | 41 | 44 | 7 | 2 | 31 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 7 | Edinburgh | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 295 | 300 | −5 | 41 | 41 | 5 | 5 | 30 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 8 | Connacht | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 277 | 296 | −19 | 42 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 29 | Play-offs & Berth in the 2024–25 Champions Cup |
| 9 | Lions | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 258 | 244 | +14 | 33 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 10 | Scarlets | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 271 | 255 | +16 | 29 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 11 | Ospreys | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 258 | 258 | 0 | 34 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 12 | Stormers | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 272 | 293 | −21 | 34 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 13 | Benetton | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 251 | 317 | −66 | 31 | 44 | 5 | 1 | 28 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 14 | Ulster | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 269 | 294 | −25 | 39 | 42 | 3 | 4 | 27 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 15 | Zebre Parma | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 196 | 268 | −72 | 25 | 38 | 2 | 3 | 25 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |
| 16 | Dragons | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 226 | 374 | −148 | 28 | 53 | 1 | 3 | 8 | Berth in the 2024–25 Challenge Cup |

### URC Welsh Shield

2024–25 United Rugby Championship Regional Shield Pools
view · watch · · discuss :
| Welsh Shield |||||||||||||||
| | Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | TBP | LBP | Pts | Pos overall |
| 1 | Cardiff | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 111 | 98 | +13 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 7 |
| 2 | Scarlets | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 94 | 81 | +13 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 |
| 3 | Ospreys | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 57 | 58 | –1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 14 |
| 4 | Dragons | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 83 | 108 | –25 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 16 |
| If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: number of matches won the difference between points for and points against the number of tries scored the most points scored the difference between tries for and tries against the fewest red cards received 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 |||||||||||||||

### 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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' | Report | Try: 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 Referee: Adam Jones

### Round 9

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

### 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 12

* 1 March 2025 15:00
| Leinster | v | Cardiff |
* Aviva Stadium, Dublin

### Round 13

* 21 March 2025 19:35
| Cardiff | v | Lions |
* Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff

### Round 14

* 29 March 2025 20:35
| Benetton | v | Cardiff |
* Stadio Monigo, Treviso

### Round 15

* 19 April 2025 15:00
| Ospreys | v | Cardiff |
* Principality Stadium, Cardiff

### Round 16

* 25 April 2025 19:35
| Cardiff | v | Munster |
* Cardiff Arms Park

### Round 17

* 10 May 2025 16:45
| Bulls | v | Cardiff |
* Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria

### Round 18

* 16 May 2025 19:00
| Stormers | v | Cardiff |
* Cape Town Stadium

## European Challenge Cup

EPCR Challenge Cup Pool 1 :
| Pos | Teamvte | 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 | Home round of 16 |
| 3 | Perpignan (8) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 92 | +8 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 11 | Home round of 16 |
| 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 | |

### 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' | Report | Try: 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' | Report | Try: 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' | Report | Try: 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' | Report | Try: 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)

### 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) | v | (16) Cardiff |
* Dexcom Stadium, Galway

## Home attendance

As of 4 February 2025
| Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | Domestic League | European Challenge Cup | European Challenge Cup | European Challenge Cup | European Challenge Cup | European Challenge Cup | European Challenge Cup | Total | Total |
| League | Fixtures | Total Attendance | Average Attendance | Highest | Lowest | League | Fixtures | Total Attendance | Average Attendance | Highest | Lowest | Total Attendance | Average Attendance |
| 2024–25 United Rugby Championship | 7 | 66,415 | 9,488 | 12,125 | 6,237 | 2024–25 European Rugby Challenge Cup | 2 | 11,731 | 5,865 | 6,321 | 5,410 | 78,146 | 8,683 |