Following last week’s pulsating coastal derby in round 9 of the Vodacom URC, the Sharks and Lions are set to kick off the new year with a bang on Saturday.
The Stormers finished 2023 in the best possible way, beating the Sharks 16-15 in a drama-filled SA derby at Cape Town Stadium.
It was a third successive win in all competitions for the Stormers, after downing defending European champions La Rochelle in the Champions Cup and then claiming a seventh-straight victory against rivals the Vodacom Bulls.
In the URC standings, the Bulls are in sixth position with five wins and three defeats, one place above the 5-4 Stormers and six above the Lions (3-4), while the one-win Sharks have dropped to the foot of the table.
Irish giants Leinster, under the guidance of former Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber, still occupy top spot on the table despite a historic defeat to a Steven Kitshoff-inspired Ulster on Monday, but second-placed Benetton have leapfrogged Franco Smith’s Glasgow Warriors.
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Durban hosts the delayed round 8 URC fixture between the Sharks and Lions on Saturday before the competition takes a break as all 16 teams turn their attention to the Champions and Challenge cups.
Though the tournament resumes with a full schedule of matches on the weekend of 16 and 17 February, the Bulls and Lions are set to face off at Loftus Versfeld on 27 January.
With a 1-7 record, the Sharks have their backs against the wall and can be expected to throw everything at the Lions on Saturday to reverse their recent form with a valuable home victory.
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However, the Lions have proven their competitiveness in the URC by securing seven bonus points this season.
The Johannesburg outfit were last in action in round 2 of the Challenge Cup on 16 December, with Ivan van Rooyen’s charges taking a big step towards the playoffs with a 35-13 win against Newcastle Falcons.
Round 9 results:
Benetton 36-14 Zebre
Edinburgh 19-14 Glasgow
Stormers 16-15 Sharks
Connacht 22-9 Munster
Ospreys 27-21 Cardiff
Dragons 13-12 Scarlets
Leinster 21-22 Ulster
Round 8 fixture:
Saturday, 6 January
Sharks vs Lions (5pm)
Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images