The Hollywoodbets Sharks begin their 2026/27 Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign at home for the first time ever, with the Ospreys travelling to Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, 26 September. Four Celtic League titles, deep European experience and a little unfinished business from April make the Welsh region a familiar and dangerous first visitor to the Tank.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks begin their 2026/27 Vodacom United Rugby Championship campaign at home, with the Ospreys travelling to Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday, 26 September.
A bit of history, this fixture represents the Hollywoodbets Sharks starting the competition for the first time ever at home.
The Welsh region arrives with a proud history, a strong record in the competition's earlier editions and plenty of experience on the European stage.
There is also a little unfinished business.
FROM WELSH ROOTS TO THE VURC
The Ospreys were formed in 2003 following the merger of Neath RFC and Swansea RFC, bringing together two proud rugby communities from South Wales.
They quickly established themselves as a force in the Celtic League, winning the title in 2004/05 and 2006/07. They later claimed the competition's championship in 2009/10 and 2011/12, by then competing in what had become the Magners League and, subsequently, the RaboDirect Pro12.
Those four titles remain a significant part of the Ospreys' history in the competition that eventually evolved into the URC.
THE OSPREYS IN THE URC ERA
The Ospreys entered the United Rugby Championship in 2021, following the integration of South African teams into the competition.
Their first five URC campaigns have produced a mixture of rebuilding seasons and promising knockout pushes:
- 2021/22: 9th
- 2022/23: 13th
- 2023/24: 8th – reached the quarter-finals
- 2024/25: 12th
- 2025/26: 11th
Their 2023/24 campaign was their strongest finish in the competition to date, with the Ospreys securing a place in the knockout stages before being beaten by Munster in the quarter-finals.
The following seasons have been more difficult, but the Ospreys remain a side capable of causing problems, particularly when their physicality and attacking tempo begin to click.
EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE
The Ospreys' European journey began soon after their formation, and they have spent much of their history competing against some of the biggest names in northern-hemisphere rugby.
In the Heineken Cup and its successor, the Champions Cup, they reached the quarter-finals in 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10. Those campaigns included demanding trips to some of Europe's most established rugby venues, with the Ospreys regularly facing sides such as Saracens, Munster and Biarritz.
Their European record also includes a number of strong Challenge Cup campaigns.
In 2016/17, the Ospreys went unbeaten through the pool stage, winning all six matches before narrowly losing 25-21 to Stade Français in the quarter-finals.
They reached the knockout stages again in 2020/21, 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26.
The 2023/24 campaign saw them defeat Sale Sharks in the Round of 16 before falling to Gloucester in the quarter-finals. A year later, they overcame the Scarlets in the Round of 16 but suffered a narrow 20-18 quarter-final defeat to Lyon.
In their most recent European campaign, the Ospreys finished fourth in their pool before travelling to Belfast, where Ulster edged them 28-24 in the Round of 16. The pattern is clear: while the Ospreys have not lifted a major European trophy, they have built considerable experience in the competition's most demanding environments.
A NEW CHAPTER IN SWANSEA
The 2026/27 season also marks a new chapter for the Ospreys away from their recent home.
After a temporary stay at Brewery Field in Bridgend during the 2025/26 campaign, the region is set to return to St Helen's in Swansea. It is a return to a venue with deep significance in Welsh rugby, and another reminder of the Ospreys' connection to the communities from which the region was formed.
WHAT CAN THE SHARKS EXPECT?
The Ospreys carry many of the familiar characteristics associated with Welsh rugby: physicality, competitiveness and a willingness to play with tempo.
They can challenge teams through their forward power, but they are also capable of moving the ball quickly and applying pressure through their kicking game and territorial control.
For the Sharks, accuracy will be vital. The opening match of a new URC season brings its own pressure, and the Ospreys will arrive in Durban determined to make a statement of their own. The Sharks will need to manage the physical contest, maintain discipline and convert opportunities when they come.
A FAMILIAR VISITOR
The Ospreys are no strangers to Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
The Sharks won the last meeting between the sides in Durban, securing a 29-10 victory. But when the teams met again in Wales in April 2026, the Ospreys claimed a narrow 21-17 win. That result left the Sharks with a reason to remember the return fixture.
Now, with the new season beginning at home, the next chapter will be written in front of the Black-and-White faithful.
THE FIRST TEST OF 2026/27
For the Hollywoodbets Sharks, the opening fixture is about more than starting the season. It is an opportunity to establish momentum, make home advantage count and begin the campaign with purpose. The Ospreys will bring their history, their experience and their own ambitions to Durban.
The Tank will be ready.
Hollywoodbets Sharks v Ospreys. Saturday, 26 September 2026. 16:00. Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
See you at the Tank
