Bulls and Stormers take the fight abroad in Vodacom URC semi-finals

The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers will go full tilt this weekend to progress to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship final and in the process, uphold a proud tradition of at least one of these two South African powerhouses reaching the decider since the inception of the competition in the 2021/22 season.

It’s not going to be easy for the two South African franchises though, as they have to take the fight to their opponents on foreign soil on Saturday for a spot in the Grand Final.

The Bulls will be first into the fray, taking on the Glasgow Warriors in Edinburgh at 3.30pm, before the Stormers go head-to-head with defending champions Leinster in Dublin at 6.30pm.

The stakes could not be higher, with a place in the Grand Final on Saturday, 20 June up for grabs for the winners.

Both matches pit South Africa's best against the top two sides from the pool stages, with Glasgow Warriors having earned the right to host after topping the standings and Leinster finishing in second place.

As the Warriors’ normal home ground in Glasgow is not available this weekend, the Bulls will arrive at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on the back of a seven-match winning run in the Vodacom URC – their most recent being a commanding 45-14 demolition of Munster in last weekend's quarter-final – and they will be desperate to maintain that momentum against a Glasgow side that has been in equally impressive form throughout the campaign.

Should the Pretoria side emerge victorious, they will secure their third successive Grand Final berth and there is no doubt that memories of their heartbreaking 21-16 against the Warriors in the 2023/2024 Final will be fresh in the minds of Johan Ackermann's charges as they set out to make amends and go one better this time around by lifting the title for the first time.

The match sets up as a fascinating battle between two teams with contrasting strengths. The Bulls finished the pool stages as the competition's most potent attacking force, while Glasgow earned the bragging rights as the best defensive outfit.

The South Africans will be mindful of the fact that Glasgow have been a formidable force at home in the URC this season, remaining unbeaten on their home patch – a run that will give them confidence heading into the match.

Adding to this, Glasgow, who edged past Connacht in last week's quarter-final, will be galvanised by their home support as they attempt to reach the final but if the Bulls' recent form is anything to go by, they will take some stopping.

The Stormers will face a stern test as they prepare to face Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, a daunting assignment against a team that is desperate to defend their URC title following their defeat to Bordeaux in the Investec Champions Cup final just two weeks ago.

The Capetonians secured their semi-final berth with a gritty 44-21 victory over Cardiff at the DHL Stadium last weekend, but John Dobson and his team will be under no illusions about the step up in class they face in Dublin. Their form in recent weeks has been inconsistent, winning only two of their last five matches and the pressure will be on the squad to deliver a complete performance to come out on top.

Adding to the challenge, the Stormers will be without Springbok flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who suffered an injury in the quarter-final, which is expected to sideline him for an extended period.

There are, however, reasons for optimism in the Cape Town camp, as the Stormers have fared decently on the road this season and crucially, they can point to a dominant 35-0 victory over Leinster in their opening pool match of the season in Cape Town.

Leinster, however, are expected to be a different proposition on their home turf but the psychological edge of that earlier result will not be lost on either team.

Statistically, the matchup also offers some encouragement for the Stormers faithful. While Leinster finished the pool stages with sharper attacking numbers, the Stormers were the more effective on defence.

Should the Capetonians prevail and repeat the Vodacom Bulls’ semi-final victory in Dublin in the inaugural season, it would mark their first Grand Final appearance since the 2022/23 season, a prospect that will serve as powerful motivation throughout the week.

Fixtures

Glasgow Warriors v Vodacom Bulls - Saturday @ Murrayfield, Edinburgh (3.30pm)

Referee: Andrew Brace

TV: SuperSport

Leinster v DHL Stormers - Saturday @ Aviva Stadium, Dublin (6.30pm)

Referee: Hollie Davidson

TV: SuperSport