What to expect from SA teams' opposition in Vodacom URC this weekend
EMIRATES LIONS v OSPREYS
At Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg.
Kick off: 19h00
Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 16 th competition game)
Assistant: Morne Ferreira, Stephan Geldenhuys (both SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
NO PREVIOUS MEETINGS
The recent upsurge in the Lions’ form with wins over Cardiff and Munster make this a difficult game for the Ospreys, who are the top Welsh side in the competition thus far and are currently ninth on the log. But the Lions have played Welsh opposition on two previous occasions, losing to Scarlets in Llanelli in October, and beating Cardiff at home two weeks ago.
The Ospreys are on a good run of form, having won two of their last three URC games, beating Edinburgh and Zebre at home in Swansea, but losing to Leinster in Dublin.
The Ospreys have not won away from home in any competition since their 29-26 victory at Benetton in round four and the Welshmen have lost their last three fixtures against South African opponents but have won in South Africa on two previous occasions, both in April 2019, beating Cheetahs in Bloemfontein and Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth
The Ospreys have also travelled to South Africa without their nine international players - meaning they face an uphill battle at altitude.
Alun Wyn Jones and some of his teammates may well travel to Cape Town next week for the clash against the DHL Stormers, but currently they are not with the side.
SATURDAY
DHL STORMERS v ULSTER RUGBY
At DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick Off: 15h00
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR, 13th competition game)
Assistant: Cwengile Jadezweni, Dylan November (both SARU)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)
NO PREVIOUS MEETINGS
The Stormers are in red-hot form of late, hammering Cardiff last weekend and their only defeat in their last seven URC games was their two-point loss to Connacht at the end of February.
Having won their last three games, they now look to add Ulster’s scalp to that list and have not won four in a row at home since 2018.
Their record against Irish sides’ isn’t great, having lost to both Connacht and Munster, but both those games were away from home and the early kick-off should suit them.
But Ulster are no slouches. They have won their last five URC games since their loss to Munster in Limerick in January and they have an exceptional record against South African sides.
Ulster have played SA teams on 10 occasions, and lost just once - to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein 2019, when they were soundly beaten 63-26 by Franco Smith’s side.
Ulster have played five previous matches in South Africa where their record is won three, drawn one, lost one.
The team have brought out a strong squad, including seven Ireland internationals and Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen, who will be keenly watched.
Ireland wing Robert Bloucoune is the only current international squad member who is not on tour, while regular captain Iain Henderson has been included.
The other six Ireland players called up by McFarland include Rob Herring, Kieran Treadwell, Nick Timoney, James Hume and Mike Lowry, while prop Tom O’Toole is back from injury.
Ulster midfielder Luke Marshall is also on the tour, having not played since November 2020 because of a knee injury and is sure to feature in one of the two matches.
CELL C SHARKS v EDINBURGH RUGBY
At Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Kick off: 17.05pm
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 21st competition game)
Assistant: Griffin Colby, Stephan Geldenhuys (both SARU)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
NO PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Despite not impressing against Zebre, the Sharks have won their last four URC games since their disappointing defeat in Cape Town in February against the Stormers. That was their only defeat since October in the Championship and they are unbeaten at home as well, having drawn the one game against the Stormers as well.
Their only taste of Scottish rugby was their 35-24 defeat at the hands of Glasgow Warriors in October last year.
But Edinburgh are also struggling at the moment, even though they have welcomed back a big chunk of the Scottish squad they had to do without over the past few weeks.
The Scottish side have won only once in their last five games and are in danger of dropping down the log from their current fifth position with three South African sides - including the Sharks - hovering just below them.
In effect, it could come down to their form if they make the top eight with a tough run of fixtures ahead of them.
Their last win was the 56-8 walloping of Connacht on 4 March and they haven’t won away from home in the Championship since their visit to the Dragons last November.
They do have a good record against South African opposition though, having won their last three fixtures against SA teams while their record in SA is won one, lost two.
They have brought a strong squad to SA with Mark Bennett, Blair Kinghorn, Pierre Schoeman, Hamish Watson, Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Hodgson and Ben Vellacott all included in coach Mike Blair’s 32-man squad but Darcy Graham, Stuart McInally, Grant Gilchrist, WP Nel and Nick Haining have been left at home.
South Africans will also know the former Free Staters Luan de Bruin and Boan Venter, both of whom starred for the Cheetahs in the past, while Jaco van der Walt, the former Lions utility back, is now Scottish qualified and is likely to start at 10 for the team.
VODACOM BULLS v DRAGONS
At Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick off: 19h15
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 58th competition game)
Assistant: Marius van der Westhuizen, Morne Ferreira (both SARU)
TMO: Ben Blain (SRU)
NO PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Following their stutter in losing two home derbies to the Stormers and Sharks respectively, the Vodacom Bulls have found some exceptional form in the last two games and are unbeaten against Welsh opposition this season, having defeated Cardiff on their tour last year.
By contrast, the Dragons are in poor form at the moment and are not expected to trouble the Bulls much, and their only win in a long season has been against Connacht, where they won 35-22 on 9 October.
The Dragons’ record against South African opposition is just as scratchy, having won three, drawn one and lost four. They have also played three previous matches in South Africa, losing two and drawing one (18-all against Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth in April 2019.
With a fiery coach in Dean Ryan, the Dragons are under a lot of pressure coming to South Africa and lost 64-3 to Munster three weeks ago in their last fixture.
They have included their Welsh trio of Ben Carter, Leon Brown and Rhodri Williams in the touring party after their spell with the Welsh squad in the Six Nations.
Wing Ashton Hewitt has also travelled with the squad as he continues his long-term recovery and integration back into the set-up following his injury layoff.
While South Africans won’t know too many players, one familiar face will be Argentinian scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou, who told the Dragons website his teammates should embrace the challenge of playing in South Africa.
Bertanou was a frequent visitor to South Africa with the Jaguares.
“Travelling to South Africa is always tough,” he said. “The teams over there are hard to beat.
“We will have a lot of sunny, hot days and the humidity to deal with, but in Pretoria and Durban it can also rain, so we need to be prepared for that.
“It’s hard to play in South Africa because they are physical, tough teams, but it’s important we embrace the challenge of playing over there. We can’t shy away from what is coming.
“Our set-piece must be strong because they are tough teams.”
“We all know how South African teams traditionally play, but they also want to play fast and have the ball in their hands.
“Both teams we face have dangerous backs, we’ve seen that in all the recent games.
“We have to be accurate, physical, try to play fast and be the best version of ourselves if we want to get good performances.”
The Bulls are currently eighth on the log while the Dragons languish in 15th, just above bottom-dwellers Zebre Parma.
This article originally came from Super Sport
Photo: Gallo Images