A massive final round of Vodacom United Rugby Championship pool matches awaits the South African teams this weekend, as the competition builds up to the playoffs early next month where the top teams will be chasing some silverware, as well as positions in the EPCR competitions next season.
Springbok Women’s Sevens coach Renfred Dazel has named an experienced squad for the opening tournament of the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series at Markötter Stadium in Stellenbosch from 20-22 April.
Richard Kriel is looking forward to returning to South Africa for the upcoming Vodacom United Rugby Championship double-headers starting this weekend as a vastly more experienced player since joining Zebre Parma. There’s also the prospect of playing against his brother. And a trip to the Spur restaurant.
The DHL Stormers will be hunting a victory this weekend to remain in second place on the Vodacom United Rugby Championship log, while the other three South African franchises will be under immense pressure to register victories to remain in the race for playoff spots as the competition strikes the penultimate round of pool matches with an invasion of Irish and Italian teams.
The Cell C Sharks team to take on Benetton in this pivotal Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday is virtually unchanged from last week’s side.
The Springbok Sevens conceded valuable ground to their opponents in the race to automatic qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games with their joint-12th placed-finish at the HSBC Singapore Sevens on Sunday, but more disappointing was the fact that they could not sustain the good effort from Hong Kong last weekend.
The South African challenge in their inaugural season of playing in the top European competitions came to an end on Saturday when the Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Emirates Lions all lost in the quarter-finals of their respective series.
Blitzboks coach Sandile Ngcobo has plenty to ponder as they head into Singapore for yet another weekend of unpredictability.
The Cell C Sharks host the Airlink Pumas at Hollywoodbets Kings Park for a Good Friday Currie Cup fixture looking to bounce back to winning ways this weekend.
The Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers and Emirates Lions will have everything to play for when they take the field in the European quarter-finals on Saturday in their inaugural season in the respective competitions.