SA teams gear up for big weekend in Vodacom URC

South Africa’s rugby teams are ready to make a statement in this weekend’s round of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC), with all four sides eager to climb the log and build momentum early in the season.

The DHL Stormers will aim to keep their perfect record intact when they face Zebre Parma in Italy on Saturday night, while the Vodacom Bulls will try to bounce back from defeat when they tackle Connacht in Galway on Friday. Back home, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Lions are determined to claim their first wins of the season in front of their home fans.

Last weekend, the Stormers were the only SA side to come away with a victory, leaving the Bulls, Sharks and Lions hungry to turn things around in round four.

Bulls face tough test in Galway

The Bulls kick off the weekend action on Friday night (8.45pm SA time) against Connacht, a notoriously difficult side to beat at home. The Pretoria outfit will take some confidence from their previous 28-14 win over the Irish team but will need to dig deep after their loss to Ulster last week.

Connacht have struggled against South African sides recently, winning only one of their last seven encounters, which should give Jake White’s men some encouragement.

Lions back at Ellis Park

The Lions return to Ellis Park on Saturday (1.45pm) to face the Scarlets after a tough run on the road. With four wins from their last six home matches, the Johannesburg side will be optimistic about breaking their losing streak.

The Scarlets, on the other hand, have yet to win a game this season and have managed just one victory in South Africa since 2018, ironically against the Lions earlier this year. With the series between the two teams tied at two wins each, this one promises to be closely contested.

Sharks eye home advantage

After a long trip abroad, the Sharks are back in Durban and ready to reignite their campaign against Ulster (Saturday, 4pm). The KwaZulu-Natal side has an impressive home record, losing only once in their last 10 URC games at Kings Park.

However, they’ll need to overcome an in-form Ulster side that remains unbeaten this season. The Irish visitors don’t travel well, having lost their last four matches in South Africa, but they’ll take confidence from their last win in Durban in February 2023.

Stormers aim to stay top

The high-flying Stormers will wrap up the weekend’s South African interest when they take on Zebre Parma (Saturday, 8.45pm).

The Cape Town team sits on top of the URC log with three wins from three matches and have never lost to Zebre, securing bonus-point victories in all four previous meetings. The Italians, however, have shown signs of improvement and will look to bounce back after losing to the Ospreys last weekend.

Meanwhile, it was announced this week that Engen has joined the Vodacom URC as the Official Fuel Partner in South Africa, marking a new partnership between two brands known for passion and performance.

With three teams back on home soil and the Stormers leading the charge abroad, this weekend could mark a turning point for South African sides in the URC season.

Match Schedule (SA time):

• Connacht vs Vodacom Bulls – Friday, 17 October, 8.45pm, Dexcom Stadium, Galway
• Lions vs Scarlets – Saturday, 18 October, 1.45pm, Ellis Park, Johannesburg
• Hollywoodbets Sharks vs Ulster – Saturday, 18 October, 4pm, Kings Park, Durban
• Zebre Parma vs DHL Stormers – Saturday, 18 October, 8.45pm, Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma

All matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.