Mike Greenaway
The first block of United Rugby Championship (URC) games has ended with the South African challenge standing in good shape, though the Stormers are currently languishing in the lower reaches of the points table.
This table, however, does not accurately reflect how well the SA teams are performing since they sat out the first round of the URC due to a conflict with the Currie Cup final. With a game in hand, the Bulls (sitting in third place) and the Lions (fourth) are particularly pleased with their start to the tournament. Meanwhile, the ninth-placed Sharks have showcased their strength when their Springboks are on the field.
At the top of the leaderboard, it’s Leinster – the only unbeaten team!🔥
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Both the Sharks and Stormers have completed their three-match overseas tours, although they did so without the services of their Springboks. Though this has meant short-term difficulty for the teams, it is likely to pay off in the long run; their Boks have already fulfilled some of their mandatory rest requirements. The Sharks had the option to recall their national players mid-tour after the conclusion of the Rugby Championship, but opted to continue without their stars, demonstrating a commitment to team cohesion.
Nonetheless, there is a growing concern regarding whether a South African team could qualify for the coveted first or second positions on the final log, particularly due to the form of unbeaten Leinster (currently in first place) and champions Glasgow. A victory for the Stormers against the Warriors at the weekend would have greatly benefited the SA challenge.
The Sharks could also regret allowing the Warriors to score late tries during their match in Durban, effectively gifting them two log points and allowing Glasgow to take home seven crucial points from their SA tour. This outcome has pushed the Glaswegians ahead of the Bulls into second place, providing them with a four-point cushion over the Pretoria team — an important factor to consider as the Bulls are set to face the Warriors at Scotstoun later in the season.
Throughout the season, the Bulls have displayed considerable resilience, overcoming a string of injuries, including to key players like flyhalves Johan Goosen and Jaco van der Walt. Despite facing bad luck in Wales and illness in Parma, they are consistently finding ways to secure victories. Nevertheless, their one-point loss to the Scarlets still stings; they likely would have won had it not been for a controversial refereeing decision that led to Johan Grobbellar’s sending off, a red card that was later rescinded.
It’s challenging to see Leinster being unseated from their top position, having accrued an impressive 29 points from a possible 30 over their six games. Their only dropped point came from a gutsy performance by the Lions over the weekend. Currently, Leinster maintains a six-point lead over Glasgow and a ten-point advantage over the Bulls.
Although the Stormers find themselves in a precarious position, they can take solace from Munster’s experience two seasons ago, when they faced a similar situation before rallying to clinch the title. The upcoming match for the Stormers, an away game against the Sharks, could prove pivotal. Much hinges on how many Springboks John Plumtree will be able to field, as it will be the first match after the conclusion of the Bok tour.
The composition of Rassie Erasmus’ team for the final tour game against Wales could heavily influence the situation. It’s expected that he will select his key players for the matches against Scotland and England; however, there are suspicions he may opt to field fringe players in Cardiff. If this occurs, the Springboks not involved in the Cardiff fixture could become available for the critical match against the Stormers.
It is worth noting that Wales did not secure a single win in the Six Nations, and a Springbok B team defeated them by 40 points at Twickenham in June. As the league progresses, the Bulls will be away to Connacht for their next encounter, while the Lions are also anticipating a tough fixture away to Munster.
