All four domestic Vodacom United Rugby Championship teams face a stern test in their round-three clashes overseas this weekend, where log leaders, the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers will do their best to stretch their unbeaten runs in the competition.
Meanwhile, the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Lions will go in search of their first victories in a round which will see the return of a few Springboks from their triumphant Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign.
Only four teams in the series have won their opening two matches – the Vodacom Bulls, DHL Stormers, Munster, and Zebre Parma – form they would certainly like to build on as the series progresses.
The DHL Stormers will line up against the Scarlets in Llanelli in the only match on Friday, while Saturday will be jam-packed for local fans, with the Lions taking on Benetton in Treviso, the Hollywoodbets Sharks going up against defending champions Leinster in Dublin, and the Vodacom Bulls locking horns with Ulster in Belfast.
The Cape outfit will go into the match with confidence following a comprehensive 35-0 victory against Leinster and a 26-10 win against the Ospreys at home – and with the Scarlets at the foot of the standings with one win to date following the postponement of their match against Connacht last week, they will back themselves to try to repeat their success so far overseas.
They will also draw inspiration from their impressive attack and defence so far in the tournament, with the team having scored 61 points – the second highest among all teams – and conceding only 10, which is the best in the tournament.
Boosting their confidence, they have Springboks Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse, back in their ranks.
The Lions, meanwhile, will be determined to bounce back from their heartbreaking 22-20 defeat against Zebre Parma last week when they face Benetton, who come fresh from a 16-14 victory against Glasgow, to power their way up the standings. With only nine points separating the teams on attack and 15 on defence, this should also give them some confidence.
The disappointment of losing out on a playoff spot last season, combined with their desperation to bounce back from two disappointing results on tour and turn things around in their final match abroad, is also expected to fuel their determination going into this weekend’s encounter.
The match-up between Leinster and the Hollywoodbets Sharks, in turn, is expected to be a humdinger, as both sides go in search of their first win this season. While Leinster come off two bitterly disappointing defeats against the Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers in South Africa, the KwaZulu-Natalians will also want to finish their tour on a high note following a defeat against the Glasgow Warriors and a deflating draw against the Dragons last week. They will also be boosted by the return of a few Springboks, including Makazole Mapimpi, Ethan Hooker, Bongi Mbonambi, and Vincent Koch.
The Durbanites will draw comfort from the fact that they boast a better attack and defensive record than the hosts in the competition so far, but Leinster have traditionally been a force to be reckoned with at home, and with their passionate home supporters spurring them on, they will give everything to make them proud and sway their fortunes.
Adding to this, the Hollywoodbets Sharks have won only one of their last five matches against Leinster, which may give the home side a vital mental boost.
In Belfast, meanwhile, Ulster will have their sights set on building on their 42-21 win against the Dragons in their opening match before the postponement of their encounter against Edinburgh last week, when they line up against the in-form Vodacom Bulls.
Boosting the visitors’ motivation, however, their only defeat in their last 11 matches in the Vodacom URC was in last year’s final against Leinster – a track record they will look to build on going into this match.
Ulster will have to be in top form on defence, as the Vodacom Bulls boast the best attack in the competition by far, with 92 points scored in their first two matches. On the flip side, they have conceded 71 points, which is a statistic the hosts will look to take advantage of.
With all of the teams looking to find their rhythm in the competition, it is expected to be a thrilling weekend of rugby.
Match Information:
Scarlets v DHL Stormers
Date: Friday, 10 October
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
SA Time: 20h45
Referee: Federico Vedovelli
TV: SuperSport
Benetton v Lions
Date: Saturday, 11 October
Venue: Stadio Monigo, Treviso
SA Time: 16h00
Referee: Andrew Brace
TV: SuperSport
Leinster v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Date: Saturday, 11 October
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
SA Time: 18h30
Referee: Craig Evans
TV: SuperSport
Ulster v Vodacom Bulls
Date: Saturday, 11 October
Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
SA Time: 20h45
Referee: Mike Adamson
TV: SuperSport
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