SA teams' priorities: URC or Europe?

03/24/2025 05:33 AM

OPINION: The Bulls, Lions and Sharks may need to sacrifice their European Challenge Cup title ambitions in order to realise their grander United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup goals.

Over the past nine months, some commentators in the Northern Hemisphere have referred to the Sharks as 'the defending Challenge Cup champions'.

Meanwhile, over here in South Africa, most people - including the Sharks coaches and players - have described that success as a means to an end.

The Sharks finished the 2022/23 URC in eighth place and - according to the rules at the time - failed to qualify for the 2023/24 Champions Cup.

They continued to struggle across the 2023/24 URC and eventually shifted their focus to the Challenge Cup.

After investing much of their energy into that campaign in Europe, they won the second-tier tournament.

More importantly, they won the right to play in the 2024/25 Champions Cup.

Nearly a year later, the outlook is very different for the South African teams as the European play-offs loom.

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The Stormers will play no part in the Champions Cup or Challenge Cup play-offs, after finishing dead last in their pool.

The Bulls and Sharks will feature in the Challenge Cup play-offs, after failing to qualify for the Champions Cup knockouts.

They will be joined by the Lions when the European play-offs commence next weekend.

Given the state of the URC log as well as the travel demands, the Bulls, Sharks and Lions could be forgiven for fielding second-string teams into the Challenge Cup play-offs.

The never-ending South African season has certainly diluted the potency of these teams over the past few years.

That said, they aren't entirely blameless for their present situation.

From the outset, it was clear that the franchises needed to manage their resources smartly while securing sufficient log points and results across the respective competitions.

But in most cases, weakened teams sustained heavy Champions Cup losses.

Stronger combinations failed to fire in the URC, with some franchises losing games they should have won and missing out on crucial log points.

Fast forward to the present, and the Bulls, Sharks and Lions are at a crossroads.

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Meanwhile, Leinster - one of the most consistent teams in Europe - are touring South Africa with a weakened team.

Most of the Ireland squad that featured in the Six Nations has been rested, but Leinster have other reasons to keep their powder dry.

Jacques Nienaber and company have one eye on the Champions Cup Round of 16 clash against Harlequins on April 5, as well as the possible quarterfinal that follows.

It's worth noting that Leinster won 12 out of 12 URC matches before the clash with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.

Not for the first time, they have played themselves into a position to target trophies in both competitions and given themselves leeway to rotate and manage their squad.

Leinster travelled to South Africa knowing that two losses wouldn't compromise their quest to finish the URC at the top of the standings. If they go on to claim another log point in Durban this Saturday, they will view the tour as a success in the context of their goals for the season.

Their best players, of course, will be fresh for the play-off against Harlequins, which will be staged in Dublin.

As mentioned, there are other reasons why the South African franchises struggle to compete across both competitions - a season that spans 12 months.

Nevertheless, these teams have been inconsistent and the management of the squads has left a lot to be desired. Something needs to change when they sit down and plan for the next season.

For now, the coaches may focus on the URC - where the fight for play-off places is as fierce as ever, and only six log points separate the Stormers (eighth) and Zebre Parma (15th) in the standings.

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The Stormers won't have to worry about the dual-tournament juggle.

Following their visit to Ulster this Friday, they will have two weeks off, while the other clubs compete in the European competitions.

If the Bulls, Lions and Sharks invest all of their energy in the URC, they may well record some important victories against teams who are dividing their resources between the tournaments.

The Bulls need five points against Zebre this week. It wouldn't surprise me if Jake White picked a weakened side for the Challenge Cup play-off in Bayonne next weekend, and for a potential quarterfinal thereafter.

The URC has to take priority in this scenario. If the Bulls don't bank points from their subsequent tour fixtures against Munster and Glasgow, they may drop down the standings and end up travelling for the URC play-offs.

Northern Hemisphere commentators might be scratching their heads when the 'Challenge Cup champions' send a second-string side to Lyon next week.

But the Sharks are under pressure to bolster their position in the URC. They have to field their strongest available side against Leinster this coming Saturday and in the two tour matches against Edinburgh and Ulster in late April.

The Lions don't have the resources of the Bulls, Sharks or Stormers, and can't compete across both tournaments.

What they can do is target Glasgow this weekend, as the second-placed side in the URC may have one eye of the Champions Cup showdown with Leicester next week.

It will be really interesting to see how Cash van Rooyen approaches the Lions' Challenge Cup play-off in Edinburgh.

Should Van Rooyen keep his best players in Europe for that Round of 16 clash - tempting, as travel won't be a factor, given the relatively short distance between Glasgow and Edinburgh - and if the Lions win that clash, should he keep his best combination for the quarterfinal?

In that scenario, the Lions' best players will play four consecutive games in the Northern Hemisphere.

They may win those play-offs and qualify for the Challenge Cup semifinal - but will they be in any realistic position to target four consecutive wins in the final rounds of the URC?

The Lions are the only South African team that is yet to qualify for the URC play-offs since the inception of the tournament in 2021.

Their top-eight prospects for the current season hang by a thread, and with this in mind, Van Rooyen may be forced to sacrifice the side's Challenge Cup ambitions for the franchise's overriding goal of sitting at the top table.

It's fair to say that the season hasn't gone to plan for the South African teams - but as it stands, all four are in the hunt for the URC play-offs, and a place in next season's Champions Cup.

If all four crack on to qualify, it would be a massive win for South African rugby.

@rugby365com