The DHL Stormers can clinch the SA Shield if they win the north-south derby against the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria when the Vodacom URC resumes this week.
The Bulls and Stormers lock horns in another blockbuster duel on Saturday, after a week’s break in the competition, while the Lions and Sharks will cross swords at Ellis Park.
Irish giants Leinster cemented their position at the top of the standings on 39 points prior to the brief hiatus, while the Bulls (third on 35) and Stormers (sixth on 30) are in the top eight.
The Lions are in 11th spot with 24 points, and the Sharks still occupy last place after nine losses from 10 matches.
In the SA Shield, the Stormers lead the charge on 17 points from their four local duels, but they are closely followed by the Bulls with 15, so it is impossible to underplay the significance of the showdown at Loftus Versfeld.
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With just one game to play after that, the two-point advantage the Stormers currently enjoy should make it just a bridge too far for Jake White’s charges when they travel to Durban for their last game of the league phase at the beginning of June.
Conversely, defeat for John Dobson’s men will see the Bulls go ahead of them for the first time this season and then everything will come down to the final round, with both teams playing derby games that count for the SA Shield title.
The Bulls are hoping to draw a full house to the game at Loftus, meaning there could be more than 50,000 spectators present, and the hosts will be desperate to break a seven-game losing sequence against their rivals from Cape Town.
Neither the Lions, on seven points, nor the Sharks (three) feature in the contest for the trophy that former Stormers skipper Steven Kitshoff has held aloft over the past two seasons.
Round 11 fixtures:
Friday, 1 March
Munster vs Zebre (9:35pm)
Edinburgh vs Ospreys (9:35pm)
Saturday, 2 March
Lions vs Sharks (3pm)
Benetton vs Glasgow (5pm)
Bulls vs Stormers (5:05pm)
Connacht vs Scarlets (7:05pm)
Cardiff vs Leinster (9:35pm)
Ulster vs Dragons (9:35pm)
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