An electrifying Saturday of rugby is on the cards in Gauteng as the Bulls take on the Stormers and the Lions face the Sharks in crucial SA clashes.
Another bruising encounter is expected when the Bulls and Stormers face each other in the second North vs South derby on Saturday in Pretoria.It's another double-header of United Rugby Championship local derbies in Gauteng on Saturday that's bound to provide some sparks.
The Bulls host the Stormers at Loftus Versfeld in their return North vs South derby, with the Cape side in desperation mode, trying to keep their campaign alive. Waiting on them will be a confident Bulls side, currently leading the SA Shield in the competition and looking to pull away from the rest of the teams to retain the bragging rights amongst the local franchises.
It's a critical derby for the Stormers, who had to bid farewell to their scrummaging leader, Steven Kitshoff after the Bok announced his retirement following a career-ending neck injury. They'll need all the scrummaging prowess to stop the Bulls from overpowering them, as the case was in Cape Town in the first derby.
While the Stormers always find a way to fight back against their arch-rivals, they must do everything possible to prevent a quick start from their hosts.If that happens, the Bulls could run away with the game for a rare double victory in a year over the Stormers.The Durbanites return to Gauteng, looking to claim another derby win after thumping the Bulls in their last visit with a relatively young squad.
Kitshoff's retirement is a big blow to Springbok rugby. Still, the double World Cups he has won in 2019 and 2023, coupled with the Rugby Championship, his United Rugby Championship crown with the Stormers, and a Junior Springbok gold medal in 2012, will ensure he goes down as one of South Africa's most decorated players.
Urc Bulls Stormers Gauteng Loftus Versfeld Bok Ellis Park South Cape North Durbanites Springbok Lions Sharks Quan Horn Sa Shield Cape Town Junior Springbok World Cups South Africa Henco Wyk
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Watch: Steven Kitshoff tributeLook back on the illustrious career of Springbok and Stormers juggernaut Steven Kitshoff, forced into retirement by a neck injury.
Read more »
Watch: A tribute to Steven KitshoffBreaking Stories
Read more »
Sharks Prop Ox Nche Crowned Vodacom URC's Best PlayerSharks prop Ox Nche has been named the top player in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) according to the official competition ranking system. Nche leads the URC Top 100, a ranking that considers performances across the URC, EPCR competitions, and international rugby. This marks the first time a South African has topped the URC Top 100 since its inception.
Read more »
Local Derbies Crucial for South African Franchises in URCThe Stormers and Lions face a crucial period in the United Rugby Championship, needing to secure victories in their upcoming local derbies to avoid falling further down the table. Their struggles come as the Bulls and Sharks solidify their positions in the play-off race.
Read more »
Lions Roar Past Stormers, Sharks Shock Bulls in URC Local DerbiesThe Lions secured their first-ever win at Ellis Park against the Stormers, while the Sharks, despite being weakened, stunned the Bulls with a 29-19 victory. Quan Horn was the Lions' standout performer, earning the Player of the Match award, while Tino Mavesere led the Sharks' charge.
Read more »
Race for the SA Shield intensifies with another round of local URC derbiesEllis Park and Loftus Versfeld will welcome the Sharks and Stormers respectively for more action-packed domestic matches in the tournament.
Read more »