Big local URC derbies will shape the campaigns for South African ...

Two big local URC derbies will shape the campaigns of SA’s four clubs, who are still all in play-off contention.

For the Stormers, inaugural URC winners in 2022 and runners-up in 2023, their encounter against the Lions is a must-win game if they want to force their way into the top eight on the standings. 

The Sharks and the Bulls meet in Durban in a contest that will shape the top four of the competition.

The Bulls are currently in third in the standings after six games, with the Sharks sixth. All the SA teams have a game in hand after they sat out round one on 21 September because it clashed with the Currie Cup final.

The Stormers are the only South African club outside the top eight on the standings. They are at home at least, and they will welcome back a clutch of stalwarts including 38-year-old flank Deon Fourie, who hasn’t played a competitive match since April because of a knee injury.

Fourie, of course, was one of the heroes during the final of Rugby World Cup 2023, after playing 76 minutes at hooker in place of the injured Bongi Mbonambi.

Read more: Fourie’s omission from Bok alignment camp signals probable end of short, but brilliant Test career

The Stormers have missed his breakdown work and his manic intensity, although at his advanced age and after such a long injury lay-off, tempering expectations is probably wise.

With Bok tighthead Frans Malherbe also back in action, along with Bok lock Salmaan Moerat and Test flank Ben-Jason Dixon, it is a much more settled Stormers team than in recent weeks.

Perhaps the most salivating combination though, is at 10-12 where Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu combine in what could be a lethal duet.

Libbok has recovered from concussion after a sickening challenge by Toulon flank Yannick Youyoutte, which led to a five-week suspension for the Frenchman.

Libbok and Feinberg-Mngomezulu will offer creativity and unpredictability behind what looks like a much stronger pack than the Stormers have been able to field in recent weeks.

There is no doubt the Cape club will challenge the Lions defensively, something which defence coach Jaque Fourie is wide awake to.

But at the same time, the Lions assistant coach believes that his side are closer to matching the DNA that took the club to three consecutive Super Rugby finals between 2016-2019.

“We are the Lions; we have a certain brand that we want to play. For us, it’s just about incorporating kicking into the running style,” Fourie said this week.

“In certain areas of the field, if you’re isolated, you can kick just to put pressure on them. It’s for us to get better at reading situations.

“You don’t want to give them (the Stormers) any opportunity to counterattack. They have got a dangerous back three, all of their backline players are dangerous when it’s unstructured, so we want to keep them in a structured attack.

“It was important for us to get back to the Lions’ way, how we want to play. The games we played at Leinster, Munster, and Ospreys, the conditions didn’t suit us. We don’t use that as an excuse, but it’s still something we are getting used to as South African teams, playing a kicking game.”

High summer rugby in the sunshine will suit the Lions attacking mindset, but the Stormers have the same ethos, which should make for an entertaining clash.

The Lions have grown in confidence, and currently occupy fifth on the URC standings. Their record against other South African teams is poor though, with just three wins in 18 URC clashes. And after the Stormers, they have five more derby clashes this season.

The Bulls need to bounce back from a major setback in the Champions Cup after they went down 30-21 to Northampton at home last week.

It might have been in a loss in a different competition, but confidence and momentum are not compartmentalised into separate tournaments. It’s the same players and coaches.

The Sharks also suffered a heavy Champions Cup defeat last week with a 56-17 loss to Leicester, but coach John Plumtree left most of his first-choice players behind with an eye on the Bulls clash.

Being at home, it’s a must-win game for the Sharks, and he will roll out his heavy weapons such as Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi and Aphelele Fassi.

Grant Williams, Eben Etzebeth, Lukhanyo Am and Mbonambi were not considered this week due to various injuries and resting protocols.

The absence of those four Boks will be felt and the Bulls will see that as an opportunity against a Sharks team that, despite its decorated squad roster, has not yet been fully convincing.

Despite their home loss last week, the Bulls were wasteful in the red zone and they believe with a bit more patience, they will rectify those mistakes in Durban.

“I thought we built unbelievable momentum; we were all over them and had a lot of ball possession, but we just couldn’t capitalise on it,” Bulls captain Elrigh Louw said this week.

“For me, it felt like we were a little overeager and pulled the trigger too early. We should have had a bit more patience when we had those opportunities.

“We had a whole bunch of opportunities in that game we didn’t take. We made many, many mistakes and put ourselves under pressure. I think we’ve learnt our lesson from last weekend’s match. The nice thing about rugby is you get to fix your mistakes the next week.”

With a clash against the Stormers next week to come, the Sharks will have added motivation to beat the Bulls at home and perhaps rest some key Boks for the Stormers match in Cape Town.

But that hinges on home victory against the Bulls. DM