SA sides must chase another clean sweep to keep URC play-off fate in own hands

All four South African franchises delivered bonus-point victories in Round 13 to shake-up the URC standings and tighten their grip on playoff positions.

Another clean sweep this weekend would put the local sides firmly in control of their own postseason fate.

A PERFECT WEEKEND SETS THE STAGE

The South African franchises did not just win in round 13, they made statements. The Lions put on the most commanding display, thrashing Edinburgh 54-17 at Ellis Park to climb to seventh on the standings. The Sharks delivered a 45-0 shutout against Munster at Kings Park, a result that breathed fresh life into their playoff push.

The Bulls bounced back from their demoralising defeat against the Stormers dismantle Cardiff 40-7 at Loftus Versfeld. The Stormers, meanwhile, ground out a hard-fought victory against the Dragons to move second on the table with 46 points, five behind log leaders Glasgow Warriors.

Twenty points from twenty possible. the local franchises could not have asked for a better round.

THE RACE TO EIGHT: STATE OF THE SA TEAMS

Only 15 points separate log leaders Glasgow from ninth-placed Connacht, with the pool phase drawing to a close.

The Bulls sit eighth with 35 points, level with Connacht immediately below them. The Sharks occupy 11th, six points adrift of the top eight, making this weekend’s results critical. The Stormers remain firmly in the hunt for a home quarter-final and could return to the top of the table with a bonus-point win and a Glasgow slip against Benetton.

The local franchises understand exactly what is at stake this weekend. With the play-off picture this tight, dropping points at home against visiting European sides would be costly.

HOME-GROUND ADVANTAGE AND THE PRESSURE THAT COMES WITH IT

The Sharks face Cardiff on Friday evening at Kings Park in what shapes as their most important home game of the season. Cardiff arrive stinging from their 40-7 hammering at the hands of the Bulls and will be determined to respond.

The Sharks have outscored Cardiff by 54 points in the competition so far, but they have conceded 83 points more than their visitors this season. A two-week overseas tour follows this weekend, giving the Durbanites every reason to build a winning platform before they leave home soil.

The Bulls host Munster at Loftus on Saturday, high in confidence from their recent run of results and a record of only two home defeats all season. By contrast, Munster have been inconsistent this year, and the Bulls’ attack has outperformed their Irish opponents across the campaign.

LIONS AND STORMERS TO FINISH THE JOB

The Lions head into into their clash against bottom-of-the-table Dragons at Ellis Park on Saturday on the back of three consecutive home wins. The Welsh visitors showed fight against the Stormers last weekend, going down by only eight points.

Lions will guard against any complacency. Should the Lions’ improving attack fire again, however, the Dragons face a difficult afternoon.

The Stormers close the weekend’s action against 13th-placed Edinburgh in Cape Town, entering the match as firm favourites. Edinburgh have lost four of their last five matches and arrive needing wins with bonus points in every remaining game just to keep their playoff hopes breathing.

All the statistics point in the Stormers’ direction, though Edinburgh’s desperation makes them a side the hosts cannot afford to take lightly. Another clean sweep would put South African rugby in a position it has never occupied before, four franchises controlling their own path to the URC knockout rounds.