Sharks and Lions face early tests for United Rugby Championship playoff credentials

The United Rugby Championship (URC) derbies in Pretoria and Cape Town this weekend represent the first big test of the new club season – and, as always, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will be watching.

Over the past five years, it’s been fairly easy to identify South Africa’s frontrunners for the URC title.

The Bulls have been perennial contenders for the crown, qualifying for four of the five finals, and the Stormers have been held to a higher standard since winning the inaugural tournament in 2022.

Meanwhile, the Sharks have underachieved despite their superior resources, and until last season, a Lions side with relatively few stars failed to meet the most modest of expectations by qualifying for the playoffs.

At this stage, it’s difficult to say whether any of these teams will crack on to lift the trophy in June next year and end South Africa’s four-year wait for a major club trophy.

The franchises continue to grapple with the challenge of a never-ending season, and the 2026/27 schedule will be particularly demanding, given that some of the leading players will continue to compete in the subsequent Rugby Championship and at the World Cup in Australia, which kicks off next October.

On the other hand, the respective coaches have taken some important lessons from the past five campaigns in Europe and appear to be building their squads with those challenges in mind.

Setting the platform

Overall, South Africa’s franchises have enjoyed a relatively good start to the 2026/27 URC tournament.

The Sharks lead the table after two rounds, and the Lions are in third place after beating defending champions Leinster and the Ospreys.

Although the Bulls and Stormers recorded mixed results on their respective tours to the northern hemisphere, they accumulated sufficient league points (six) to maintain their log positions in the top eight.

Which of these teams is best placed to go the distance across a marathon rugby season? In the past, this was a relatively easy question to answer, but there’s a strong possibility that all four could be in the playoff mix next May – for the first time since the competition’s inception.

Whether the teams can compete in the URC as well as the Champions Cup is quite another story – and the coaches will show their hand when the European tournament kicks off next week. The biggest priority is a top eight finish in the URC, and the South African community may feel that silverware is long overdue.

For the reasons listed above, the derbies in Pretoria and Cape Town on Saturday, 10 October, may prove an early watershed for all involved.

The Bulls are back at Loftus Versfeld for the first home game of the season and cannot afford to lose after blowing a golden opportunity against Munster in Limerick last week. A convincing win against their Gauteng rivals will provide some breathing room for Johan Ackermann’s charges ahead of the first Champions Cup game against Stade Français in Pretoria next week and should generate some momentum ahead of two further home clashes against Ulster and the Scarlets before the club season breaks for the Nations Championship in November.

The Lions will take heart from their recent wins in Johannesburg, but they should be aiming to make an early statement on the road.

Cash van Rooyen’s men will face tougher assignments in subsequent weeks, making their Champions Cup debut against La Rochelle in France, before tackling Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland. Although the Lions took giant strides last season, their overseas record of two draws and seven losses was a point of concern.

The Stormers boast a strong record in Cape Town, but may remember how they were ambushed by JP Pietersen’s Sharks in back-to-back fixtures last season, and how a shock loss to Connacht at home at the end of the league phase compromised their hopes of a home semifinal.

An understrength Stormers side went down 17-13 to Edinburgh last week, but the team will be bolstered by a host of Springboks ahead of the must-win clash against the Sharks.

Like the Bulls, the Stormers have three home games to come – Bristol, the Scarlets and Ulster. If they beat the Sharks this Saturday, they may extend their winning streak to four games before the November break and strengthen their log position.

It will be interesting to see how Pietersen manages his charges over the next four weeks. A Bok-laden side will fancy its chances of an upset in Cape Town, but the Sharks will be hard-pressed to win three in a row thereafter, when they travel to Lyon (for a European Challenge Cup fixture), Cardiff and Munster.

The latter two sides were among the top eight teams in the URC last season, whereas the Sharks failed to qualify for the playoffs. Their overseas sojourn may present the Sharks with an opportunity to make a statement about the franchise’s new order, and they will want to take some momentum into that tour, via a positive result in the coastal derby this Saturday.

Springbok showcase

Earlier this week, Stormers defence coach Norman Laker was asked about the showdown with the Sharks. His response highlighted the stakes of the fixture, and could also apply to the earlier derby that will be staged in Pretoria.

“It’s a South African derby and it’s always physical,” Laker said. “It’s almost like Springbok trials – every single guy wants to prove that he can be a Bok.”

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has used 72 players over the course of the international season and may look to explore several new combinations across the Tests against Italy, Ireland and France this November.

Fringe stars and uncapped players could force their way into contention via a stellar performance in the weekend’s derbies, and in the other club matches that follow. DM

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