The Sharks are on the hunt for a first win at Loftus Versfeld since last February against a Vodacom Bulls side charging to end a five-game slump against SA opponents.

Honours are relatively even between the two rivals in the Vodacom URC, with the Bulls nosing in front on the head-to-head by winning four of the seven matches against the Sharks.

The most recent URC meeting featured a brace from centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg which helped steer the Sharks to a 47-20 victory at Kings Park last December in a game that saw Canan Moodie red-carded after receiving two yellow cards.

Jake White’s Bulls famously claimed a quarter-final victory over the Sharks in the inaugural 2021-22 season. That game went down to the wire, with flyhalf Chris Smith slotting a drop-goal three minutes into overtime to win it for the hosts.

The Sharks avenged that defeat in February 2022, with a converted Makazole Mapimpi try separating the sides at Loftus Versfeld, where both Morne Steyn and Grant Williams saw red.

The Bulls have won their last four home games in the Championship since the Lions beat them 29-25 in March. However, they have lost their last five fixtures in the tournament against South African opponents.

Meanwhile, the Sharks have not won away from home in the URC since beating the Lions 29-7 in Johannesburg in February.

Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images