With eight places up for grabs in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship Quarter-Final round and one round left to play this weekend, there is still plenty for many of the teams to play for as they chase a place in the knock-outs.
Leinster, the top Irish side in the competition, have secured top spot regardless of the outcome of their or any other games to be played, but there’s a battle royale playing out for the next three positions, although no team from position two to four can finish outside the top four.
Glasgow Warriors’ somewhat unexpected loss in round 17 has completely changed the race to the four, handing the Vodacom Bulls a second-place after their 45-21 victory over Cardiff saw them leap-frog the Scots, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks closed the gap after a 29-10 dismantling of Ospreys at Hollywoodbets Kings Park last Friday night.
The permutations for the top sides are interesting.
The Vodacom Bulls are four points clear of Glasgow, and a further point ahead over the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
With the Scottish side visiting the high-riding Leinster in the final round, they face the very real threat of falling short and dropping to fourth, should the Hollywoodbets Sharks prevail over Scarlets at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday.
Glasgow’s one point lead over the Durban side is tenuous at this stage and like the Hollywoodbets Sharks, will be pushing hard for a win. But away, to the top side in the competition right now, given their loss last week and Leinster’s total obliteration of Zebre, winning 76-5, all signs point to a home win for Leinster and the opportunity for the Hollywoodbets Sharks to finish in third place.
Leinster, probably the most successful side in the modern iteration of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship never to have won the tournament since the introduction of the South African sides, have faced their own dark places recently.
Their form has been devastating and they’re racked up huge scores. But when it came to the crunch, Leo Cullen’s side have faltered, recently losing to Northampton in the Investec Champions Cup at home in the semi-final stages. They lost the last two finals to La Rochelle in 2023 and Toulouse in 2024, while losing the last three VURC semi-finals to Munster and the Vodacom Bulls (twice).
Glasgow Warriors, coached by South African Franco Smith are the reigning VURC champions, having defeated the Vodacom Bulls in last year’s final, while the Pretoria side might also feel, like Leinster, that their luck in finals hasn’t gone their way, losing to the DHL Stormers in 2022 and going down to Glasgow 21-16 last year.
Coached by former Springbok and Hollywoodbets Sharks coach Jake White, the Vodacom Bulls have built up a head of steam in the last few years as they build towards success and they will fancy their chances this year.
Similarly, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have improved season after season under head coach John Plumtree, the former Natal Shark and team of the 90s flank. He’s had to ride some tough times this season with a devastating injury toll to negotiate, but recruitment of top players, developing a powerful team culture and success in finals – boasting last year’s Carling Currie Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup trophies – plus a successful run of form lately tethered to the return of first choice players, has given the Durban side momentum and confidence.
This final week’s pool matches are going to be incredibly interesting.
