The Sharks' Siya Kolisi scored a try against the Lions in their URC clash this past weekend.
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The South African sides are sitting pretty in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with three of the four franchises in the nockout spots as the competition heads into the final stretch.
The Bulls (third), Sharks (fourth) and Lions (eighth) will have a week’s break to strategise ahead of the final six rounds to figure out how they will stay amongst the Top 8 of the tournament.
For the Stormers, currently 12th on the URC log, a tough two-match overseas tour awaits in a fortnight. Although they are currently out of the play-off spots by only one point, how they fare overseas will quite possibly shape their run into the final four home games.
Loftus Versfeld will welcome Leinster to Pretoria in two weeks, and the Bulls will be hopeful it’s an experimental side. The log leaders have been sending weakened squads to South Africa in the latter stages of the tournament. And the fact that they are that far ahead of the chasers on the log, could bring about the same modus operandi for the Irish powerhouse.
It should be music to the ears of the Jake White-coached side as they chase defending champions Glasgow Warriors for the second place and possible home games in the knockout stages.
After their win in Durban, the Sharks are hot on the heels of the Bulls. They snapped their losing streak against the Lions and will be confident heading into another home match and possibly getting some injured players back.
Italian side Zebre Parma, rooted in 15th place, should not be a match for the Durbanites and this could be the perfect game to target before they welcome Leinster. Just like the Bulls, they’ll have two crucial home games to build momentum before heading to Europe.
While they’ve snuck into the Top 8 thanks to the losing bonus point this past weekend, the Lions will have to string back-to-back wins together over the next few games to stay amongst the play-off spots.
Cardiff, currently sixth, won’t be an easy test, and right after that they face the Warriors at Scotstoun. They should target a strong performance in Wales to at least try and grind out a win. One victory on tour, before they come back home, should put them in a good position looking towards the final four games.
The Stormers will welcome back some stars for their travel to the Scarlets in a significant boost for their quarter-final hopes. Utility-backs Damian Willemse, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will slot into the side as they prepare for the Welsh clash. It will be followed by a crucial tie against Ulster, before they return home for their run towards the end of the competition.