The Stormers secured a successful start to their United Rugby Championship campaign, achieving a confident 29-15 victory over Connacht in Galway on Friday evening. Attention will now shift to Johannesburg, Durban, and Parma on Saturday, as the Lions, Sharks, and Bulls commence their participation in the ten-month tournament.
United Rugby Championship
Fans can enjoy a packed day and evening of matches: the Lions will kick off against Leinster at 13:30, the Sharks will host the Ospreys at 16:00, and the Bulls will travel to face Zebre at 18:30.
The Lions hope that the hot weather and altitude may help them destabilize the defending champions Leinster. The sides met in the quarter-finals last season, where the Lions suffered a heavy defeat in Dublin, and Leinster will field a full squad in Johannesburg. To have a chance at an upset against the Irish giants, the Lions must start the game very aggressively.
Meanwhile, the Sharks are set to make history by starting the URC season at home for the first time. The team will aim to convert the home-field advantage into points. Despite active discussions in Kings Park about new beginnings, including a controversial rebranding, coach JP Pietersen believes that match victories will be the best way to convince critics of the right direction for the new Sharks Rugby Club. The Sharks have shown excellent recent form at Kings Park, winning seven of their last eight games at the arena.
The Bulls' debut against Zebre is predicted to be the easiest of the three South African teams' matches. Last season, Zebre finished last in the 16-team tournament, while the Bulls placed second. However, the Bulls faced issues due to the absence of several Springboks players serving in Perth, particularly feeling the lack in the front line. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, and Gerhard Steenekamp are absent, and Wilco Louw has moved to the Stormers. Attention will also be drawn to winger Curwin Bosch, who, at 29, is trying to revive a career that once promised much. The Bulls travel to Parma to continue their fight for the title after finishing second in the previous two URC seasons.