The Stormers’ only incentive is to wrestle the SA Shield top spot from the Bulls
30 May 2024 - 19:42
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Cape Town Stadium will host the URC league match between the Stormers and the Lions on Saturday. Picture: GRANT PITCHER/GALLO IMAGES
The Lions and Bulls stand to gain the most as the curtain drops on the league stages of the United Rugby Championships (URC) on Saturday.
The league stages draw to a close with Shield derbies and as one would expect there is more in it for some than others.
The Cape Town-bound Lions are on the prowl for five log points and the Stormers stand in their way of a first finish in the top eight and a place in the quarterfinals.
The Stormers, who cannot finish higher than fifth, will want to take some momentum into the knock-out rounds but the Lions perhaps have more cause in pursuit of their carrot.
Victory in Cape Town will not necessarily earn them a place in the quarterfinals, as results in Treviso between Benetton and Edinburgh as well as in Limerick between Munster and Ulster will help shape their destiny.
The Lions have to hope the match in Treviso does not produce a bonus point winner and their cause would be aided further if Ulster fail to take a point in Limerick.
With the Sharks having nicked one of the eight Champions Cup spots for next season with their success in the Challenge Cup, the Lions, Edinburgh, Benetton and Ulster are aiming for a spot in the top seven.
Apart from much-needed momentum and inducing more smiles for their fans the Stormers’ only clear incentive on Saturday is to wrestle the SA Shield top spot from the Bulls.
A win for the Stormers and a defeat for the Bulls will hand the Cape side that crown for the third straight year.
The Stormers will play away in the quarterfinals and though they may prefer domestic travel to Loftus over a long-haul flight to Limerick, Dublin or Glasgow their destiny will be out of their hands by the conclusion of their early kickoff clash against the Lions.
The Bulls travel to Durban on the back of three straight URC wins and seek a fourth in the hope of securing top spot. They have a home quarterfinal but a potential home semi and final are worth fighting for.
The Sharks, though gross underachievers in the URC, will want to give their Kings Park faithful something to celebrate.
The wind beneath their wings as they travelled home after their success in the Challenge Cup final would have been emboldening confidence and belief that they have turned the corner.
Another poor performance in front of their fans will leave a bitter end of season taste.
The Bulls will be hell-bent on inflicting further pain on the Sharks as they seek to pave all roads to Loftus.
Elsewhere, in one of this season’s more curious anomalies, Munster find themselves top of the overall standings but bottom of the Irish Shield.
Ulster have thus far outperformed their countrymen on the home front, with Leinster and Connacht next best.
Glasgow Warriors have just about secured the Italian/Scottish Shield, while the Ospreys got the job done in Wales.
The 11th placed Ospreys are the best-placed Welsh team but have no chance of reaching the top eight. They trail Edinburgh, Benetton and the Lions by four points and though they will have their sights on a five-point haul in the league’s last kickoff against Cardiff, the result in Treviso makes their quarterfinal passage impossible.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Bulls and Lions target URC knock-out rounds
The Stormers’ only incentive is to wrestle the SA Shield top spot from the Bulls
The Lions and Bulls stand to gain the most as the curtain drops on the league stages of the United Rugby Championships (URC) on Saturday.
The league stages draw to a close with Shield derbies and as one would expect there is more in it for some than others.
The Cape Town-bound Lions are on the prowl for five log points and the Stormers stand in their way of a first finish in the top eight and a place in the quarterfinals.
The Stormers, who cannot finish higher than fifth, will want to take some momentum into the knock-out rounds but the Lions perhaps have more cause in pursuit of their carrot.
Victory in Cape Town will not necessarily earn them a place in the quarterfinals, as results in Treviso between Benetton and Edinburgh as well as in Limerick between Munster and Ulster will help shape their destiny.
The Lions have to hope the match in Treviso does not produce a bonus point winner and their cause would be aided further if Ulster fail to take a point in Limerick.
With the Sharks having nicked one of the eight Champions Cup spots for next season with their success in the Challenge Cup, the Lions, Edinburgh, Benetton and Ulster are aiming for a spot in the top seven.
Apart from much-needed momentum and inducing more smiles for their fans the Stormers’ only clear incentive on Saturday is to wrestle the SA Shield top spot from the Bulls.
A win for the Stormers and a defeat for the Bulls will hand the Cape side that crown for the third straight year.
The Stormers will play away in the quarterfinals and though they may prefer domestic travel to Loftus over a long-haul flight to Limerick, Dublin or Glasgow their destiny will be out of their hands by the conclusion of their early kickoff clash against the Lions.
The Bulls travel to Durban on the back of three straight URC wins and seek a fourth in the hope of securing top spot. They have a home quarterfinal but a potential home semi and final are worth fighting for.
The Sharks, though gross underachievers in the URC, will want to give their Kings Park faithful something to celebrate.
The wind beneath their wings as they travelled home after their success in the Challenge Cup final would have been emboldening confidence and belief that they have turned the corner.
Another poor performance in front of their fans will leave a bitter end of season taste.
The Bulls will be hell-bent on inflicting further pain on the Sharks as they seek to pave all roads to Loftus.
Elsewhere, in one of this season’s more curious anomalies, Munster find themselves top of the overall standings but bottom of the Irish Shield.
Ulster have thus far outperformed their countrymen on the home front, with Leinster and Connacht next best.
Glasgow Warriors have just about secured the Italian/Scottish Shield, while the Ospreys got the job done in Wales.
The 11th placed Ospreys are the best-placed Welsh team but have no chance of reaching the top eight. They trail Edinburgh, Benetton and the Lions by four points and though they will have their sights on a five-point haul in the league’s last kickoff against Cardiff, the result in Treviso makes their quarterfinal passage impossible.
Local matches:
Stormers vs Emirates Lions — Cape Town
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
SA Time: 1.45pm
Sharks vs Bulls — Durban
Referee: Morne Ferreira
SA Time: 4.10pm
Bulls gearing up for huge Sharks onslaught
Lions upbeat on beating Stormers in must-win URC clash
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