URC UPDATE!
The URC Run-In: The Lions Roar, the Stormers Soar, and the Sharks Sink
With the 2025/2026 United Rugby Championship barrelling towards the knockout stages, the playoff picture is finally starting to crystallise. For South African rugby fans, there is a lot to smile about as the tournament reaches its boiling point. Three of the four local franchises are looking incredibly comfortable, but for one coastal giant, the dream is definitively over.
The Lions Are the Form Team of the Tournament
If you have been watching the URC over the last few weeks, you cannot help but be mesmerised by the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions. From first-hand observation, I have to say it outright: the Lions are looking like the absolute form team of the tournament right now.
They are currently sitting pretty in third place on the overall log with 53 points, and their recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular.
Stormers and Bulls Secure the Fort
It is looking equally good for the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls as we approach the final rounds.
The DHL Stormers: The Cape Town franchise has climbed all the way to the top of the URC standings. With 56 points, they have secured their spot at the summit and look practically unbeatable at home. Despite a few late-season injury scares, their squad depth and big-match temperament make them clear favourites to host a home semi-final.
The Vodacom Bulls: Sitting securely in seventh place on 49 points, the boys from Pretoria are comfortably nestled inside the top eight qualification zone. They have a heavy-hitting forward pack that no European team wants to face in a knockout scenario. As long as they maintain their discipline in these final fixtures, they will be a massive threat in the playoffs.
The End of the Road for the Sharks
This brings us to the elephant in the room. It is highly possible to say that the Hollywoodbets Sharks are now completely gone. In fact, following their latest result in Scotland, it is a mathematical certainty.
There was always a lingering, desperate hope that the star-studded Durban franchise could pull off a late miracle to sneak into the playoff bracket. However, their devastating 33-28 defeat to Edinburgh at Hive Stadium over the weekend was the final nail in the coffin.
It is a deeply frustrating reality for a team bursting with Springbok talent. Despite having some of the most dangerous individual attacking players on the planet, they have been plagued by wild inconsistency and poor game management all season. They simply left themselves with far too steep a mountain to climb.
As the knockout brackets begin to take shape, the South African charge will proudly be led by the dominant Stormers, the bruising Bulls, and an incredibly dangerous, in-form Lions side. The Sharks, meanwhile, will be left to watch from the sidelines and wonder what could have been.
The URC Run-In: The Lions Roar, the Stormers Soar, and the Sharks Sink
With the 2025/2026 United Rugby Championship barrelling towards the knockout stages, the playoff picture is finally starting to crystallise. For South African rugby fans, there is a lot to smile about as the tournament reaches its boiling point. Three of the four local franchises are looking incredibly comfortable, but for one coastal giant, the dream is definitively over.
If you have been watching the URC over the last few weeks, you cannot help but be mesmerised by the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions. From first-hand observation, I have to say it outright: the Lions are looking like the absolute form team of the tournament right now.
They are currently sitting pretty in third place on the overall log with 53 points, and their recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular.
It is looking equally good for the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls as we approach the final rounds.
The DHL Stormers: The Cape Town franchise has climbed all the way to the top of the URC standings. With 56 points, they have secured their spot at the summit and look practically unbeatable at home. Despite a few late-season injury scares, their squad depth and big-match temperament make them clear favourites to host a home semi-final.
The Vodacom Bulls: Sitting securely in seventh place on 49 points, the boys from Pretoria are comfortably nestled inside the top eight qualification zone. They have a heavy-hitting forward pack that no European team wants to face in a knockout scenario. As long as they maintain their discipline in these final fixtures, they will be a massive threat in the playoffs.
This brings us to the elephant in the room. It is highly possible to say that the Hollywoodbets Sharks are now completely gone. In fact, following their latest result in Scotland, it is a mathematical certainty.
There was always a lingering, desperate hope that the star-studded Durban franchise could pull off a late miracle to sneak into the playoff bracket. However, their devastating 33-28 defeat to Edinburgh at Hive Stadium over the weekend was the final nail in the coffin.
It is a deeply frustrating reality for a team bursting with Springbok talent. Despite having some of the most dangerous individual attacking players on the planet, they have been plagued by wild inconsistency and poor game management all season. They simply left themselves with far too steep a mountain to climb.
As the knockout brackets begin to take shape, the South African charge will proudly be led by the dominant Stormers, the bruising Bulls, and an incredibly dangerous, in-form Lions side. The Sharks, meanwhile, will be left to watch from the sidelines and wonder what could have been.