URC returns as Stormers, Bulls and Lions face defining weekend

SOUTH Africa’s four franchises return to United Rugby Championship (VURC) action this weekend with momentum from Europe still fresh, as the competition moves beyond the halfway mark of the pool phase and the race for play-off places begins to sharpen.

Friday will see the Vodacom Bulls and the Lions in action on tour, before Saturday’s headline clash in Cape Town, where the log-leading DHL Stormers host the Hollywoodbets Sharks in a high-stakes Coastal Derby.

Stormers aim to protect home fortress

The Stormers will be determined to maintain their unbeaten home record when they welcome the Sharks to the DHL Stadium on Saturday.

John Dobson’s side remain the only unbeaten team in the competition and top the standings, while the Sharks sit in 14th place. Despite the gap on the log, the visitors will arrive with confidence after a commanding 50-12 victory over Clermont in Durban in the Investec Champions Cup last weekend.

The Stormers’ consistency has been built on balance. They have scored 231 points in the Vodacom URC so far and boast the best defensive record in the competition, having conceded just 95 points. By comparison, the Sharks have scored 156 points and conceded 215.

Cape Town’s hosts also come off a solid home win against Leicester Tigers, making them firm favourites, although derby history suggests form often counts for little. Adding intrigue, the teams will meet again in Durban next weekend, meaning Saturday’s clash will set the tone for a coastal double-header.

Bulls face stern test in Edinburgh

But before the SA derby, the Bulls travel to Scotland to face Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium on Friday in what promises to be a tightly contested encounter.

Both sides sit in the bottom half of the table with three wins from eight matches, although Edinburgh’s superior points difference places them one position above the Pretoria outfit. With the competition edging closer to the business end, the significance of this fixture is not lost on either side.

The Bulls enter the match buoyed by a narrow 26-24 victory over Section Paloise in the Investec Champions Cup, while Edinburgh will be eager to respond after suffering a heavy 63-10 defeat against Bath.

Home advantage could play a key role. Edinburgh have lost only once at home this season, and while the Bulls’ attack has been more productive, defensive improvement will be critical after conceding 224 points compared to Edinburgh’s 147.

Lions seek bounce-back performance in Wales

Also on Friday, the Lions will look to steady their Vodacom URC campaign when they face the Ospreys in Wales on Friday, following their exit from the EPCR Challenge Cup after a 20-20 draw against Perpignan last weekend.

They currently sit seventh on the URC standings with four wins from eight matches, while the Ospreys are two places below them. With only eight pool matches remaining after this round, the Johannesburg-based side will aim to consolidate their place in the top eight and close the gap on the leading teams.

The Lions will take encouragement from their recent Challenge Cup form, having drawn and won their last two matches, and from their attacking output, having scored 226 points compared to the Ospreys’ 196.

Defensively, the sides are closely matched, with the Ospreys having conceded just one more try. Playing at the Dunraven Brewery Field, however, will offer the Welsh side the advantage of home conditions very different to the South African summer.

Match Information:

Ospreys vs Lions

Date: Friday, 23 January

Venue: Dunraven Brewery Field, Wales

SA Time: 9.45pm

Referee: Federico Vedovelli

Edinburgh vs Vodacom Bulls

Date: Friday, 23 January

Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh

SA Time: 9.45pm

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi

DHL Stormers vs Hollywoodbets Sharks

Date: Saturday, 24 January

Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town

SA Time: 7.30pm

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron

All games will be broadcast on SuperSport