South Africa guaranteed a team in URC final after Bulls and Sharks keep the flag flying
Ruan Nortjie, captain of the Bulls, is set to lead his team again, this time against the Sharks in the semi-finals of the URC on Saturday. Photo: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
South Africa will maintain its proud record of having a team in the final of the United Rugby Championship (URC), after the Bulls and Sharks won their quarter-finals at the weekend and now face off in a semi-final in Pretoria on Saturday.
Since the inception of the URC, a South African team has featured in every final. The inaugural 2021/22 season culminated in a final in Cape Town between the victorious Stormers and the Bulls. The following year, the Stormers lost a home final to Munster, and last year, the Bulls hosted the final against the Glasgow Warriors, who won it.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
This year, either the Bulls or the Sharks will progress to a final against the winner of Saturday's semi-final in Dublin between Leinster and the defending champions, Glasgow Warriors.
Dublin's Croke Park, Loftus Versfeld, and Kings Park are the three possible venues for the final, with the top-seeded finalists among Leinster, the Bulls, and Sharks keen to host the decider.
The Warriors are the only semi-finalists who cannot host the final, even if they upset Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, as the other three teams all finished above Glasgow on the URC points table.
South Africans will be backing Franco Smith's Glasgow side, as a Leinster defeat would ensure the final is played in South Africa — either in Pretoria or Durban.
Of the four semi-finalists, only the Warriors have previously won the URC, while the Bulls were runners-up in 2022 and 2024. The Sharks are making their first-ever appearance in a semi-final, while, remarkably, eight-time league winners Leinster are still chasing their first appearance in a final in the URC era.
The Sharks have enjoyed a meteoric rise this season, having finished 14th in last year's competition.
History suggests that both the Sharks and the Warriors are capable of upsetting their favoured hosts in Pretoria and Dublin, respectively. The first three seasons of URC play-offs have seen several away wins — including at the semi-final stage — and these evenly poised match-ups could yet see triumphs for the travelling teams.
The Bulls and Sharks kept the South African flag flying on Saturday, after the Stormers delivered their worst performance of the season in losing 36–18 to the Warriors on Friday night.
The Bulls delivered under pressure in an entertaining encounter against Edinburgh in Pretoria. Trailing 21–8 after the opening 20 minutes, they recovered well to win 42–33.
There was drama in Durban, where the Sharks and Munster drew 24–24 after 80 minutes, sending the match into extra time and then a penalty shootout. The hosts triumphed 6–4 to advance to the semi-final.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
Less than 7000 tickets available for URC semi-final at Loftus Versfeld
Less than 7000 tickets available for URC semi-final at Loftus Versfeld The Bulls will play the Sharks in the semi-final of the United Rugby Championship (URC) at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday and the rush to get tickets to experience this spectacle firsthand is still ongoing. According to the Blue Bulls Company there are fewer than 7 000 tickets left for the public to buy. This South African derby will kick off at 18:15 local time, and fans can still get their hands on tickets to be a part of what promises to be an unforgettable evening of rugby and entertainment. A few tickets remain in the upper grandstand and the Eastern lower and upper stands, and all available tickets are available from as little as R 100.00c, only from Ticketpro In addition to the rugby, other entertainment is also planned, in which artists such as Christian Baartman, Lee Cole, Loufi, Arod and Mack Rapapali will participate. The infamous Loftus market will be in the B & C fields, presenting a flavoursome experience of food, drink and song before the best act takes to the field when the sun sets. Fans will also have the opportunity to watch the first semi-final between Leinster and Glasgow LIVE on the big screens in the market. Whilst the excitement is in the air about a potentially sold-out semi-final between two fierce rivals, fans are reminded to be mindful of the following logistical plans. ENTRANCE: Fans are advised that entrances to gates 4, 5 and 6 have extended scanning points to ease traffic flow into the stadium. Other entrance points remain as per normal, however, fans are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic delays. E–HAILING: The Uber service will have a dedicated drop-off spot on Lynwood Road, similar to a Test matchday experience. STADIUM HOTLINE: There is a live and monitored hotline for all patrons to use should they require assistance or have an emergency to report. The number is: +27 76 524 7590, and visitors can send a text or a WhatsApp message throughout the event. FIELD ACCESS: Fans are reminded that access to the field is not permitted unless instructed to do so by an official, and breaking this rule is a punishable offence. WEATHER FORECAST: A sunny Saturday is expected over the capital, with the mercury dropping to 18 degrees when the whistle blows for the start of the match. All fans are encouraged to pack a light fleece for the journey home. MATCH OFFICIALS' APPOINTMENT: Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 107th league game) AR 1: Sam Grove-White (SRU) AR 2: Adam Jones (WRU) TMO: Mike Adamson (SRU) Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
No goals, no glory: Ranga Chivaviro's numbers expose Kaizer Chiefs' recruitment flaws
A failed experiment After a difficult season where he struggled to score goals, striker Ranga Chivaviro has been released by Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix Image: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix Just what were Kaizer Chiefs hierarchy thinking when they sanctioned a deal to sign Ranga Chivaviro two years ago? On Wednesday, Chiefs confirmed that they had parted ways with the forward after ansuccessful season in front of goal. The Limpopo-born forward joined Amakhosi during the 2022/23 campaign, and much was expected from the man described by former Chiefs midfielder Fees Moloi as having a 'style similar to Erling Haaland', according to KickOff. Moloi, with all due respect, couldn't be more wrong. Haaland is the deadliest striker in world football and has found the back of the net a staggering 276 times in 342 senior club games. In his three years at Manchester City, he has plundered 121 goals in 142 games. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. When Haaland takes to the field, his teammates expect him to deliver every single time. To be mentioned in the same sentence as the Norwegian, a player needs to have similar stats when it comes to goal Chivaviro does not. He doesn't even come close. Chivaviro was brought to Chiefs to score goals. In the season before moving to Naturena, he scored 17 goals in all competitions for Marumo Gallants. That tally was impressive, and Kaizer Chiefs fans were excited when he was signed. They expected goals. Lots of them. Unfortunately, they didn't get that. In his first season, he found the back of the net just four times. And in the season that just ended, he scored five goals. He was brought to Chiefs to score goals, and in two seasons, he found the back of the net just nine times. That's just not good enough, and whoever did his scouting report failed to mention that his 17-goal season for Gallants was a rare anomaly. For a team wanting to return to the glory days, Chivaviro was the wrong man from the start. To win football games, you need strikers who score goals. Chiefs know this. In the past, they had the likes of Fani Madida, Marks Maponyane, Pollen Ndlanya, and Colins Mbesuma. Even sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr knew how to put the ball in the back of the net in his day. If the club want to be back among the big guns of South African football, they need to do better in terms of recruitment. The next player they bring in needs to have a proven pedigree of scoring goals. Otherwise, they'll find themselves with a player who doesn't hit double figures in two full seasons. Kaizer Chiefs can no longer afford to gamble on strikers who might deliver. If the club are serious about reclaiming their status as a South African football powerhouse, they must adopt a ruthless, results-driven approach to recruitment. The next striker signing must arrive not with comparisons to global superstars, but with cold, hard numbers – and a track record to back them up. IOL Sport * The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media. ** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to [email protected]. Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
As Sharks prepare for URC semi against Bulls, Plumtree won't forget the horror of the 2007 Super 14 final
Bryan Habana won the 2007 SuperRugby final between the Bulls and Sharks with a last-gasp try. Photo: Independent Media Image: Independent Media Springbok great Victor Matfield recently said on social media that perhaps the greatest moment of his glittering career was the Bulls' Super 14 final defeat of the Sharks in Durban in 2007. The Bulls captain's opposite number that day, John Smit, said: 'I will probably never get over it.' This was the unforgettable match in which Bryan Habana scored in the final movement of the game, with Derick Hougaard's simple conversion sealing a 20–19 victory. The Bulls had escaped in that epic encounter, but the door was opened for them because the Sharks were pitifully poor in closing out the game. Their decision-making in the final frantic minutes could serve as a textbook case for coaches around the world on what not to do in a final. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Current Sharks coach John Plumtree was in the coaches' box that day as assistant to Dick Muir, and he might well remind his players of the mistakes the Sharks made as he prepares them for Saturday's visit to Loftus Versfeld for the United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Bulls. This match is the most significant meeting between the sides since that 2007 final. The biggest lesson Plumtree will recall from that heartbreak is this: never, ever substitute your captain when the pressure is at its peak — or your kicker. In the Sharks' case in 2007, they replaced both. The Sharks appeared to have wrapped up the match with three minutes to go, when Albert van den Berg scored a try. It was 19–13, with a relatively straightforward conversion to come. Smit would likely have handed the ball to Percy Montgomery to add the two points and shut out the Bulls with an eight-point lead and barely any time left. But Smit was no longer on the field. Muir had substituted him at the three-quarter mark.
