The United Rugby Championship returns this weekend and the match officials have been assigned for the eight games scheduled to take place.

Three matches will play out on Friday night when Cardiff host the Sharks, an in-form Connacht host struggling Zebre Parma and Edinburgh meet the Lions.

Saturday therefore has five games to enjoy, kicking off with the Bulls v Ulster before the Stormers v Scarlets and Benetton v Glasgow Warriors at 3pm BST.

Two Irish rivals then collide at 6pm BST as Leinster take on Munster and then Round Four will wrap up with a Welsh derby between Dragons and Ospreys.

Friday

Cardiff v Sharks

Venue: Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 61st league game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse (WRU), Carwyn Sion (WRU)
TMO: Stefano Penne (FIR)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Connacht v Zebre Parma

Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Kick-off:19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Hanru van Rooyen (SARU, 3rd league game)
Assistant Referees: Jack MacNeice (IRFU), Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
Live on: TG4, Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Edinburgh v Lions

Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 17th league game)
Assistant Referees: Mike Adamson (SRU), Rob McDowell (SRU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Saturday

Bulls v Ulster

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 12.45 IRE & UK / 13.45 ITA & SA
Referee: Ru Campbell (SRU, 5th league game)
Assistant Referees: Stephan Geldenhuys (SARU), Sean Muller (SARU)
TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Stormers v Scarlets

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU, 4th league game)
Assistant Referees: Christopher Allison (SARU), Juan de Bod (SARU)
TMO: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Benetton v Glasgow Warriors

Venue: Stadio Monigo, Treviso
Kick-off: 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU, 13th league game)
Assistant Referees: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR), Lorenzo Negro (FIR)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster v Munster

Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 18.00 IRE & UK / 19.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 116th league game)
Assistant Referees: Keane Davison (IRFU), Dan Carson (IRFU)
TMO: Colin Stanley (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ospreys v Dragons

Venu: St. Helen’s, Swansea
Kick-off: 19.00 IRE & UK / 20.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 115th league game)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (WRU), Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Adam Jones (WRU)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv