The United Rugby Championship (URC) has taken the back seat, and it’s time for the South African teams to do battle in round three of the European Cup competitions.
The United Rugby Championship (URC) has taken the back seat, and it’s time for the South African teams to do battle in round three of the European Cup competitions.
The Blue Bulls will go in search of their maiden Investec Champions Cup victory, while the Sharks and Stormers aim to build from round two triumphs.
In the EPCR Challenge Cup, the Cheetahs will be met with the daunting task of facing Ulster, while the Lions prepare to host Lyon.
ATR takes a look at the key talking points ahead of what could be a pivotal weekend for the sides.
Investec Champions Cup
Blue Bulls vs Bristol Bears – Saturday (15:00)
Is altitude a real factor? Time for the Bulls to prove it!
Bulls head coach Johan Ackermann would’ve taken some confidence from his side’s defeat in the North-South derby against the Stormers last week.
Unlike their previous losses, the Bulls looked promising in attack; they were solid defensively and, to be fair, had a couple of 50/50 calls go against them, which could’ve swayed the game in their favour.
That is now water under the bridge, though, and the most important thing for the Pretoria side is to shift that momentum, be it so little, into their clash against the Bristol Bears at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
After six losses, Ackermann will be eager to use the next fortnight in the Champions Cup to turn his team’s fortunes. The Bulls boss is expected to select an experienced squad for the Bears clash in an effort to build team cohesion and consistency.
Handre Pollard and Embrose Papier could have another crack as the halfback pairing, but the real war will be in front during scrum time.
The battle between Wilco Louw and Ellis Genge promises to be a tasty one and can be seen as a rehearsal ahead of the Springboks vs England clash later this year. The hosts will fancy their scrum – they currently lead the competition with a 94.1% scrum success rate.
They’ve also received help from Bok assistant coach Felix Jones leading up to this game, and you just wonder how influential that could be.
Teams travelling to the North are always warned about altitude, but that supposed “home ground advantage” hasn’t come in handy for the Bulls this season.
They last won a game at home in October and lost against the current champions, Union Bordeaux-Bègles, and the Lions in the URC. Can Ackermann and Co. turn things around, or will this be the end of their campaign?
Sale Sharks vs Hollywoodbets Sharks – Saturday (19:30)
The real Sharks battle. Who will reign supreme?
It’s a fascinating game on paper, but let’s be honest, this clash could be one of two things: a total cracker or very underwhelming.
The two Sharks teams had a mediocre start to their respective campaigns, but they’ve both copped up a win and a loss in two matches.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks struggled in the early stages of the URC but somehow seem to be turning a new leaf under the tutelage of head coach JP Pietersen. Results may suggest otherwise; however, the style of rugby on display and the intent to improve are clearly visible.
The gut-wrenching 23-22 loss against the Lions a week ago was due to the side’s inability to close off games in crucial moments – an area they’ll need to sharpen up against Sale.
Pietersen will have a fully fit squad to select from, and with their campaign hanging in the balance, he could well pick his strongest team available.
Set pieces will be crucial, and Bongi Mbonambi, who currently leads the competition with a 100% lineout success rate, will be key. The Sharks have a 90.91% scrum success rate compared to Sale’s 72.73% – so they should dominate that facet of the game.
There are also some interesting battles on the cards. Sale winger Gurswin Wehr will face his countrymen for the first time, while Mbonambi and Tom Curry could share the field once again post that controversial scuffle of theirs in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The hosts will take confidence in the fact that they’ve scored more points and tries than their opponents and, in fact, have conceded just 19 penalties in two matches compared to the Sharks’ 27. All those numbers will mean very little come Saturday with bragging rights on the line.
Harlequins vs Stormers – Sunday (15:00)
Can the Stormers’ squad depth get the job done at the Stoop?
The Stormers’ 13-8 victory over the Bulls in the North-South Derby made it 10 wins on the trot for John Dobson and his troops.
At this current point, the Cape Town outfit is playing an exciting brand of rugby coupled with individual brilliance, sprinkles of grit, tenacity and flair.
They’ll journey to the Stoop in London to play a Harlequins outfit that is facing an uphill battle after an abysmal run in the Gallagher Premiership with just two wins in nine matches. The Stormers, meanwhile, are brimming with confidence, and the points collected on the road could help secure a home playoff spot in the round of 16.
Dobson has been vocal about crafting squad depth to cope with the demands of two tournaments, and so far, that method is bearing fruit.
He is expected to shuffle his team around and leave home big names like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse. Dylan Maart, who has been influential in his Champions Cup debut season, scoring twice already, is expected to return to the matchday squad.
The visitors might be unbeaten, but they will have their work cut out for them. They’ll have to deal with the unpredictability of the Quins, led by Marcus Smith, as well as cold conditions, a hostile crowd, and a forward battle in the scrums and during lineout time.
The Harlequins won’t downplay the significance of the match, and they’ll be eager to respond after the club’s top brass expressed disappointment in their recent outings.
It’s a clash of two tales: a team that’s desperate to end a losing slump and one that wants to stay unbeaten and fly the South African flag high in the process.
EPCR Challenge Cup
Lions vs Lyon - Saturday (17:15)
Can the Lions transfer URC form to Europe?
The Lions have been the most inconsistent South African team over the past two seasons. In last year’s Challenge Cup, they bowed out in the round of 16 after losing 24-12 against Edinburgh.
They’ve started the new campaign in the worst way possible after suffering defeats in the opening two rounds. The Johannesburg-based side sits at the bottom in Pool 2 with one point, and this weekend’s clash with Lyon is a must-win.
The Lions stunned the Sharks in Durban a week ago with a last-minute try from replacement scrumhalf, Haashim Pead.
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen will likely select a settled squad this week, and Pead starting at 9 or coming off the bench won’t be a surprise to many Lions fans.
Angelo Davids has enjoyed a good start to his career at the club, and he will be influential alongside explosive winger Kelly Mpeku and Renzo du Plessis, who beat seven defenders in round two.
Chris Smith has been solid at fly-half, and his contributions with the boot and in general play will come in handy for the home side. The Lions have missed a whopping 47 tackles in two matches, so defence around the park and near the fringes will be crucial.
The overriding question heading into this weekend’s game, however, is whether the Lions back up their big win against the Sharks in the Challenge Cup.
Toyota Cheetahs vs Ulster - Sunday (16:15)
A sold-out affair between the two teams
The NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam is expected to be filled to the rafters when the Cheetahs take on high-flying Ulster on Sunday.
The clash has a lot riding on it, and it could determine whether the Irish side gets closer to cementing a round of 16 playoff spot or the Cheetahs stay at the bottom of Pool 3.
Ulster have enjoyed a remarkable run of form in recent weeks, beating Munster and Connacht in the URC, while they thumped Racing 92 (61-7) in round one of the Challenge Cup. They might’ve lost to Cardiff in round two, but they are the outright favourites against a Cheetahs outfit whose form has been erratic of late.
In their last two outings against Stade Francais and Exeter Chiefs, the Cheetahs scored a combined 34 points while conceding 87 in the process.
They were bullied during scrum time, and even though they showed moments of magic in open play, the defence leaked tries.
Ulster have some explosive backs, and they’ll look to capitalise and give the spectators in attendance something to cheer about.
