Gerbrandt Grobler of the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Emmanuel Tshituka © Getty Photos
Will probably be a case of do or die for the three South African groups that includes within the EPCR Problem Cup playoffs this weekend, as defending champions, the Hollywoodbets Sharks, the Vodacom Bulls, and Emirates Lions spring again into motion in Europe within the Spherical of 16, the place quarterfinal spots shall be up for grabs.
Whereas the Emirates Lions certified for the primary playoff spherical by ending in fourth place of their EPCR Problem Cup pool after profitable two of their 4 matches, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Vodacom Bulls earned their qualification for the European showpiece by ending fifth of their respective swimming pools within the Investec Champions Cup competitors.
The Emirates Lions will take the sector first in opposition to Edinburgh in London on Friday, whereas the opposite two matches will play out in France, with the Vodacom Bulls taking up Bayonne on Saturday, and the Hollywoodbets Sharks going through Lyon on Sunday.
The Emirates Lions face an uphill battle on the Hive Stadium in opposition to Edinburgh, who’ve received their final three EPCR Problem Cup matches and who completed their pool because the top-placed staff, however with the Gauteng facet’s backs in opposition to the wall after three defeats in a row within the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and the staff nonetheless hurting from their heavy 42-0 defeat in opposition to the Glasgow Warriors final week, they week they are going to have all of the motivation they should create an upset and advance to the quarterfinals.
The Scottish outfit will undoubtedly enter the match as favourites and much more so with residence floor benefit counting of their favour. However the Emirates Lions, who’ve blown cold and hot this season, shall be decided to get their season again on observe and construct profitable momentum – not solely to progress additional within the European showpiece, but in addition with their different goal in thoughts of staking a declare for a Vodacom URC playoff spot when the competitors resumes in two weeks.
With each groups boasting 18 tries apiece of their EPCR Problem Cup marketing campaign up to now and the Johannesburgers having the psychological increase of getting thumped Edinburgh 55-21 the final time they crossed paths within the Vodacom URC, they are going to enter the match assured about turning round their season.
The Vodacom Bulls, in the meantime, who’re presently in third place on the Vodacom URC desk with 10 victories in 14 matches, will again themselves in opposition to Bayonne regardless of profitable solely certainly one of their 4 pool matches within the Investec Champions Cup to 3 victories out of 4 by the opposition within the EPCR Problem Cup this season.
They may, nonetheless, should ship a top quality show on assault and defence to emerge victorious because the hosts come off back-to-back wins within the competitors and can have full religion of their skills as fourth-placed staff within the Prime 14, who may also be taking part in in entrance of their passionate residence crowd and in vastly completely different circumstances to that which the Pretoria outfit are used to in South Africa.
The Vodacom Bulls come off a morale-boosting three-match profitable streak within the Vodacom URC – certainly one of which was a rewarding 21-20 victory in opposition to Irish powerhouse Leinster – a pattern they want to construct on they put together for the enterprise finish of each the EPCR Problem Cup and Vodacom URC respectively.
They may also draw inspiration from the truth that they’ve confirmed they’ll win on the highway, with victories in opposition to the Ospreys, Benetton, and Connacht within the Vodacom URC, whereas they registered a complete 48-7 victory in opposition to Stade Francais within the Investec Champions Cup in Pretoria – the identical facet that defeated Bayonne by 31-27 two weeks in the past within the Prime 14.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks, who’re in fourth place on the Vodacom URC standings, discover themselves in an analogous state of affairs to the Vodacom Bulls by way of their ends in the Investec Champions Cup, the place they’ve received just one league match to 3 by the Frenchmen within the EPCR Problem Cup.
Whereas Lyon have been inconsistent of their Prime 14 type of late, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have completed sufficient to determine themselves as one of many prime Vodacom URC groups this season by taking part in their method into competition to host a doable quarterfinal.
With a number of Springboks inside their ranks, the Hollywoodbets Sharks will enter the match with confidence, which shall be boosted by the truth that Lyon are presently in seventh place on the Prime 14 standings with 9 wins in 20 matches.
Regardless of this, the KwaZulu-Natalians shall be cautious of the opposition, particularly after having to combat laborious for victories in two of their final three Vodacom URC matches, and succumbing to a disappointing 10-7 defeat in opposition to Leinster in Durban final week.
All this mixed with the truth that the groups shall be taking part in for a quarterfinal berth, means it may show to be a gripping encounter.
Match Info – EPCR Problem Cup Spherical of 16:
Edinburgh v Emirates Lions
Date: Friday, 4 April
Venue: Hive Stadium, London
SA Time: 21h00
Referee: Ludovic Cayre
TV: SuperSport
Bayonne v Vodacom Bulls
Date: Saturday, 5 April
Venue: Stade Jean Dauger, Bayonne
SA Time: 13h30
Referee: Christophe Ridley
TV: SuperSport
Lyon v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Date: Sunday, 6 April
Venue: Mamut Stadium de Gerland, Lyon
SA Time: 18h30
Referee: Federico Vedovelli
TV: SuperSport
