Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier.
Image: Backpagepix
For the first time since the United Rugby Championship kicked off in 2021, the Lions will feature in the quarter-finals of the competition — regardless of the result of their last league match on Saturday night against Munster in Limerick.
The Lions are through because Ulster lost to Glasgow Warriors in Belfast on Friday night. On Friday night, the Lions — in fifth place at that stage — would have had an eye on the three games that were played. They needed at least one result to go in their favour, and it was the Scottish outfit that obliged.
The Stormers could not help out their countrymen as they went down 22–16 to Cardiff. It was a match in which the Capetonians failed to break down a resolute Cardiff defence.
The Lions also had a strong interest in the Edinburgh-Connacht match, but the result went as expected with the Irish side prevailing. Edinburgh were playing only for pride, while Connacht were chasing a top-eight spot — an objective they have now achieved.
The Warriors’ victory in Belfast leaves Ulster in a tenuous eighth position. However, if they are overtaken by results on Saturday, they at least still have a back-door opportunity to make next season’s Champions Cup.
If they beat Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final next week, they will secure safe passage into the prestigious tournament.
The Stormers return home with their confidence having taken a blow, alongside the stark realisation that they are likely to have lost out on finishing second on the log. Leinster are widely expected to win their home game against the Ospreys and move from third to second. If Leinster win, it means the Stormers have forfeited the luxury of potentially hosting a semi-final.
Much of the final standings now depends on how the Bulls fare against Benetton at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday (4pm kick-off). Cardiff have temporarily moved from seventh to fourth, but they expect to be leapfrogged by a highly motivated Bulls team playing for the prize of a home quarter-final.
The Lions-Munster match is the very last of the weekend roster. The Johannesburg side are currently seventh, and a win could move them as high as fifth. That would likely earn them the bonanza of a local quarter-final in Pretoria against the Bulls — as opposed to a long-haul trek to the UK or Ireland.
Saturday URC fixtures
Sharks v Zebre, 1.45pm
Bulls v Benetton 4pm
Scarlets v Dragons, 6.15pm
Leinster v Ospreys, 6.15pm
Munster v Lions 8.45pm
Teams for Loftus Versfeld
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Devon Williams, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sergeal Peterson, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Jeandre Rudolph, 5 Ruan Nortje (captain), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Mpilo Gumede, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Stravino Jacobs
Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Tomas Medina, 11 Federico Zanandrea, 10 Rhyno Smith, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Lorenzo Cannone, 6 Riccardo Favretto, 5 Federico Ruzza (captain), 4 Mattia Midena, 3 Tiziano Pasquali, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Marcos Gallorini, 19 Niccolò Cannone, 20 Giulio Marini, 21 Jadin Kingi, 22 Cristiano Tizzano, 23 Leonardo Marin
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales) Assistant referees: Christopher Allison (South Africa) and Hanru van Rooyen (South Africa) TMO: Ben Breakspear (Wales)
Kick-off: 4pm on Saturday.