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Writer's pictureSA Rugby

Crunch time for URC play-off hopefuls

The Vodacome Bulls face Benetton on Saturday at Loftus in a key clash for both sides in the URC. © Vodacom Bulls

Three of the four South African franchises will have everything to play for on Saturday when they take the field in the penultimate pool round of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship where their eyes will be set firmly on keeping alive their play-off aspirations.

While the Vodacom Bulls still have a chance of finishing in the top two for a home quarter-final and possible home semi-final, the DHL Stormers still harbour hopes of a top four finish for a home quarter-final. Both sides, however, must win both their remaining games and hope that a few other results go their way to assist their cause.

The Emirates Lions, meanwhile, are still in the running for a quarter-final spot but with the team trailing the eighth-placed Benetton by four points and tied on log points with the ninth-placed Connacht – but far behind on points’ difference – they face a strong challenge to make the cut.

The Bulls – who are currently in fourth place on the log – can do their Gauteng neighbours a big favour when they host Benetton in Pretoria in the first outing for the SA sides on a jam-packed Saturday. The Lions will meet the Glasgow Warriors in Johannesburg, the Stormers play away against Connacht in Ireland and the Hollywoodbets Sharks take on Cardiff in Durban.

The Bulls will enter their clash against Benetton at Loftus Versfeld as the favourites on form and with home ground advantage counting in their favour but they will be wary of the Italians who will give everything to remain in contention for a play-off spot. The visitors’ last-gasp 25-24 victory against a determined Sharks side in Durban last week will also be fresh in their minds.

The fact that the Pretoria outfit have only won one more match than Benetton in their 16 outings so far this season is expected to spice up the clash.

The Bulls will draw inspiration from the fact that they are the best attacking team in the competition with 557 points scored to 345 by the opposition but the visitors have been more effective on defence with 46 points fewer conceded to date.

The Lions face a massive task against the log-leading Warriors at Emirates Airline Park where the home team will be fighting to remain in the running for a quarter-final spot, while the Scots will do everything to remain at the top of the standings – where they currently hold a narrow one-point lead over Leinster.

With the Gauteng side coming off a morale-boosting bonus point 34-13 victory against Cardiff and having the luxury of playing at home, they will enter the match with the attitude that they have nothing to lose. Adding to this, the teams are closely matched in terms of attacking statistics but the Lions will look to build on the solid effort they delivered on attack and defence last week to create what would be one of the biggest upsets of the weekend if they come away with a victory.

The Stormers will have their work cut out in a repeat of their semi-final last season against Connacht at Dexcom Stadium in Galway, where the hosts will be determined to bounce back strongly after suffering a heavy defeat against Munster last week to stay in play-off contention. The Capetonians, however, will take confidence from the fact that they outplayed the Dragons in Newport last week and with the stakes high for both teams, neither side is expected to give an inch.

With the Stormers – who came up short by 19-17 the last time they visited Galway, in February 2022 – boasting a better attack and defence this season, they will certainly back themselves going into the match but Connacht have been solid at home this season, suffering only two defeats – one of which was by a narrow two points against Leinster.

In Durban, the Sharks and Cardiff will both be playing for pride after being knocked out of the play-off race. The two teams are tied on 25 log points – although the Durbanites are ahead of the Welsh side by one place on the standings in 12th place – and it could prove to be a spectacle.

Neither team can advance beyond 12th place on the standings this season given their log points but the winner will finish the round in the higher ranking, which will serve as an extra motivational force following their defeats last week.

Spicing things up, the teams are not far off from one another in terms of points scored and conceded, meaning it could be a tight match.


Fixtures

Vodacom Bulls v Benetton - Saturday @ Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (2pm)

Referee: Hollie Davidson

TV: SuperSport

Emirates Lions v Glasgow Warriors - Saturday @ Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg (4.05pm)

Referee: Craig Evans

TV: SuperSport

Connacht v DHL Stormers - Saturday @ Dexcom Stadium, Galway (6.05pm)

Referee: Federico Vedovelli

TV: SuperSport

Hollywoodbets Sharks v Cardiff - Saturday @ Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban (6.15pm)

Referee: Frank Murphy

TV: SuperSport


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