SA teams switch to playoff mode

The Stormers tackle the defending champions in Scotland while the Vodacom Bulls and Sharks look to make home-ground advantage count in the URC quarter-finals this week.

The Stormers face a familiar foe in Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday night. John Dobson’s men lost 28-17 to Franco Smith’s Warriors in Stellenbosch in round 6 this season, and went down 27-10 in their last-eight meeting in Glasgow last term. 

But, the Capetonians carry momentum after dispatching Cardiff 34-24 at Cape Town Stadium in the last round of the 2024-25 league stages to confirm a fourth straight playoff appearance. Glasgow, meanwhile, lost 13-5 to log-leaders Leinster in Dublin and enter the quarters without the edge they had last season.

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Saturday sees the Bulls host Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld, where Jake White’s charges thumped Dragons 55-15 two weeks ago to finish second on the log.

The Pretoria outfit edged Edinburgh 22-16 in round 2, but the Scots turned the tables last month with a 34-28 win in the EPCR Challenge Cup quarter-finals in Edinburgh, and White will expect a more ruthless showing now that it’s knockout time at altitude.

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The Sharks, fresh off a gritty 12-3 win over Scarlets, welcome 2022-23 champions Munster to Kings Park in a rematch of their round 6 clash. The Durbanites lit up the scoreboard in that game, with Jordan Hendrikse nailing seven from seven off the tee in a 41-24 win. 

However, this week’s playoff promises a different contest, with Munster regaining confidence after beating Benetton to secure their place in the final eight.

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The Bulls’ emphatic final round result means they could host a semi-final, and potentially face the Sharks if John Plumtree’s troops get past Munster.

Leinster take on Scarlets in the other quarter-final and will host either the Stormers or Glasgow in the semis, depending on Friday’s result.

URC 2024-25 quarter-finals
Friday, 30 May
Glasgow Warriors vs Stormers, Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow, 8.35pm
Saturday, 31 May
Bulls vs Edinburgh, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, 1.30pm
Leinster vs Scarlets, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 4pm
Sharks vs Munster, Kings Park, Durban, 6.30pm

Photo: Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images