The Vodacom Bulls and Sharks goal essential wins in Europe, whereas the Lions and Stormers are licking their lips for a run of 4 dwelling matches when the Vodacom URC resumes this week.
The BULLS are into week three of a tour that started with Problem Cup playoff matches in opposition to Bayonne (gained 32-22) and Edinburgh (misplaced 34-28), nevertheless it’s the subsequent fortnight that basically issues to educate Jake White as they chase a top-two URC log end and attainable dwelling semi-final.
MORE: We simply ran out of time – Jake
The Herd trampled Zebre 63-24 at Loftus within the earlier spherical to stay third, 5 factors away from the Sharks and 4 behind Glasgow. On Saturday, they meet fifth-placed Munster, who’ve a 50% file on this season’s competitors however confirmed what they’re able to by profitable their Champions Cup round-of-16 match at La Rochelle.
The final time these groups met, at Loftus in April 2024, Munster fought again from 22-17 right down to win 27-22, with the turning level a second-half purple card to Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen. The Irish membership additionally gained the earlier encounter in Limerick (31-17) in October 2022.
Coach John Plumtree gambled (and misplaced) the SHARKS’ Problem Cup title defence in a bid to recharge his first-choice crew for URC matches at Edinburgh and Ulster.
And people huge weapons are below huge stress to ship, having misplaced to Leinster’s second-stringers at Kings Park two weeks in the past. The Sharks stay fourth on the URC log, however the chasing pack was in a position to shut the hole, with Munster now simply six factors behind them.
The Sharks are set to be boosted by 4 returning Springboks – lock Eben Etzebeth, scrumhalf Grant Williams, centre Lukhanyo Am and fullback Aphelele Fassi – as they go all out for a top-two end.
ALSO: Eben again for Sharks finally
Edinburgh, in the meantime, are coming off two huge Problem Cup playoff wins in opposition to SA groups and in Sean Everitt they’ve a head coach who is aware of the Sharks higher than most, having labored in Durban for 14 years.
Plumtree holds bragging rights over Everitt with two victories at Kings Park final season (23-13 within the URC and 36-30 within the Problem Cup quarter-finals) however that is the primary time the coaches will go head-to-head on Scottish soil.
Tour defeats to Cardiff (20-17) and Glasgow (42-0) final month noticed the LIONS plummet from eighth on the URC log to 14th and they’re now six factors exterior the playoffs.
PLUS: Money rues winless Euro tour
The excellent news for coach Money van Rooyen, after the loss to Edinburgh within the Problem Cup spherical of 16, is that the Lions have a comparatively tender schedule of 4 dwelling matches to finish the league part, in opposition to Benetton (seventh on the log), Connacht (thirteenth), Scarlets (eleventh) and Ospreys (twelfth). One slip up, although, and the Pleasure’s hopes of creating the URC playoffs for the primary time may very well be dashed.
Benetton have file in opposition to the Lions in Treviso, having gained final season’s Problem Cup round-of-16 playoff 27-17, however the Lions triumphed 37-29 in the one fixture between the groups at Ellis Park, in April 2022.
The STORMERS return to motion after a two-week break having missed out on the European cup playoffs.
Of their final outing, in opposition to Ulster in Belfast, John Dobson’s crew let a 17-point lead slip to lose 38-34 and drop to tenth on the URC log. However they’re only one level exterior the playoffs and now have a four-match dwelling run, in opposition to Connacht (at the moment thirteenth on the log), Benetton (seventh), Dragons (sixteenth) and Cardiff (ninth). The Stormers ought to be anticipated to win all 4, however even three victories could also be sufficient to safe a spot within the quarter-finals.
MORE: Fouche’s failed attraction ‘merely astonishing’ – Dobbo
First up in Cape City are Connacht, who misplaced 30-24 to Munster within the earlier spherical of the URC (they then beat Cardiff within the Problem Cup spherical of 16 earlier than shedding narrowly to Racing 92 in Saturday’s quarter-finals).
The Stormers have gained each of their dwelling URC matches in opposition to the Irish membership (38-15 in 2022 and 43-25 within the 2023 semi-final) in addition to their earlier conflict in Galway final season (16-12).
Spherical 14 outcomes:
Ulster 38 Stormers 34
Edinburgh 38 Dragons 5
Bulls 63 Zebre 24
Connacht 24 Munster 30
Scarlets 38 Ospreys 22
Sharks 7 Leinster 10
Benetton 20 Cardiff 19
Glasgow 42 Lions 0
Spherical 15 fixtures:
Friday
Edinburgh vs Sharks (8.35pm)
Saturday
Lions vs Benetton (1.45pm)
Stormers vs Connacht (4pm)
Ospreys vs Cardiff (4pm)
Munster vs Bulls (6.15pm)
Dragons vs Scarlets (6.30pm)
Leinster vs Ulster (8.35pm)
Zebre vs Glasgow (8.35pm)
Photograph: Steve Haag/Gallo Pictures
