The Bulls have it easiest and the Lions have it hardest in their final four matches before the knockouts.
The Bulls, Sharks and Lions are caught in a fierce battle for the URC’s top eight. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
South African teams start the final sprint in the United Rugby Championship (URC) this week, with three sides chasing a top-eight finish and the Stormers targeting a place in the top four.
There are only four rounds left, and the Stormers (second), Lions (fifth), Bulls (eighth) and Sharks (10th) will each play two games away and two at home.
Stormers target home URC playoffs
The Stormers are on a three-game winning streak in the URC and find themselves four points behind leaders Glasgow Warriors, who have tough away matches against the Lions, Stormers and Ulster to come.
Should the Cape side secure home wins, first against Connacht, and then Glasgow, they will take confidence into tricky away fixtures against Ulster and Cardiff.
But the Stormers have shown they can tour well this season.
If they finish in the top four, they will host a home quarter-final. The higher they finish, the greater the advantage, as they could potentially host a semi-final and final against any lower-ranked team.
Lions have it hardest
The Lions, who secured their first SA Shield, face the toughest run-in and could slip from their current standing.
They are caught in a fierce mid-table battle, gunning for their first-ever top-eight finish and a playoff spot. But hosting leaders Glasgow Warriors next, and then Connacht, before travelling to previous winners Leinster and Munster, leaves the Johannesburg side much to do.
They are on a four-game winning streak in the URC but might be rusty after having a break one week longer than the others, not playing in the EPCR playoffs these past two weeks.
Still, they are only four points adrift of third place and could also be speaking of hosting a home playoff soon.
Bulls can’t slip up
The Bulls come from home wins over Cardiff and Munster and perhaps have it the easiest out of the South African teams.
They play Dragons and Scarlets away, and then Zebre and Benetton at home before the URC playoffs.
But a slip-up in any of these games could easily see the Pretoria union fall from eighth and fail to reach the knockouts for the first time.
Sharks have no margin for error
Sharks captain André Esterhuizen and coach JP Pietersen have been saying for a while that they need to win all remaining games to qualify for a URC knockout.
They come from two important wins against Munster and Cardiff, and ostensibly have easier matches to come.
But the Sharks have even less margin for error than the Bulls, now seven points adrift of a playoff spot.
Only wins against Ospreys and Edinburgh away, and Benetton and Zebre at home, will give them their best chance of qualifying.
Remaining URC fixtures
Stormers
– 18 April: Connacht at Cape Town Stadium, kick-off 1.45pm
– 25 April: Glasgow Warriors at Cape Town Stadium, kick-off 1.45pm
– 8 May: Ulster in Belfast, kick-off 8.45pm
– 15 May: Cardiff at Cardiff Arms Park, kick-off 8.45pm
Lions
– 18 April: Glasgow Warriors at Ellis Park, kick-off 4pm
– 25 April: Connacht at Ellis Park, kick-off 4pm
– 9 May: Leinster in Dublin, kick-off 6.30pm
– 16 May: Munster at Thomond Park, kick-off 8.45pm
Bulls
– 17 April: Dragons at Rodney Parade, kick-off 8.45pm
– 25 April: Scarlets in Llanelli, kick-off 8.45pm
– 9 May: Zebre at Loftus Versfeld, kick-off 1.45pm
– 16 May: Benetton at Loftus Versfeld, kick-off 4pm
Sharks
– 18 April: Ospreys at The Brewery Field, kick-off 8.45pm
– 24 April: Edinburgh at Hive Stadium, kick-off 8.45pm
– 9 May: Benetton at Kings Park, kick-off 4pm
– 16 May: Zebre at Kings Park, kick-off 1.45pm
Support Local Journalism
Add The Citizen as a Preferred Source on Google and follow us on Google News to see more of our trusted reporting in Google News and Top Stories.
