Bulls favourites to top URC pool: What you need to know about the run-in

With the United Rugby Championship heading into the business end of the competition, the South African franchises are jostling for position at the top of the local pool and automatic qualification into next season’s European Rugby Champions Cup.

It is a three-way battle for the SA conference honours, with the Stormers on 43 points, followed closely by the Bulls on 42 and the Sharks on 41. The Lions are pretty much out of the running on 30 points.

This makes this coming weekend’s local derby double headers vitally important on where the teams will finish come the end of the pool stage.

Bulls favourites but Stormers right up there

The Stormers are the current pole sitters and have the luxury of hosting the Bulls at the Cape Town Stadium this weekend in a match that could just decide who will win the SA conference.

Both teams are in form and it could lead to either a very cagey match with neither side wanting to give an inch, or an attacking rugby feast for the eyes, with the Bulls’ forwards looking to give them the upper hand against a deadly Stormers backline.

If the Stormers win, they will move at least five points ahead of the Bulls with three matches to play, however, that still won’t guarantee them top spot as they still have to face two of the current top three teams on the URC log in their run in.

A win for the Bulls, however, will almost certainly see them take the SA conference as their biggest challenge in their run in will be a home match against third placed Glasgow Warriors.

Stormers run in: Bulls (h), Glasgow Warriors (h), Leinster (h), Llanelli Scarlets (a)

Bulls run in: Stormers (a), Benetton (h), Glasgow Warriors (h), Ospreys (a)

Sharks need results to go their way

If the Sharks are to somehow sneak back to the top of the SA conference they will need to drastically improve their form and also hope for other results to go their way.

They have the toughest run in of the SA teams and will have to be at their very best if they are to somehow finish the season as the top ranked local side.

A few weeks ago the Sharks will have been heavy favourites for their home match against the Lions this coming weekend, but after some poor performances, culminating with a loss against Edinburgh two weekends ago, and the Lions upsurge in form, it is now a match that could go either way.

The Lions are unfortunately too far off their fellow SA sides to realistically stand a chance of making it to the top of the conference and would need a very improbable run of results to go their way to even get close.

Sharks run in: Lions (h), Leinster (h), Connacht (h), Ulster (a)

Lions run in: Sharks (a), Connacht (H), Benetton (H), Dragons (A)