Jake White has been here before in his illustrious coaching career. But perhaps never before has one of the most recognisable coaches in world rugby felt such a deep emotional connection to a squad of players chasing a trophy.
South Africa’s three Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finalists face their biggest task of the season this weekend as they line up against top opposition in the quarter-final of the cross-hemisphere series, where victories will be non-negotiable to advance to the semi-final stages.
As the DHL Stormers head into the Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, coach John Dobson is quite clear about what this moment means to them.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu of the DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls duo of Cameron Hanekom and Wilco Louw were rewarded for their consistent good form during the season by grabbing the three nominations for the South African Vodacom United Rugby Championship Player of the Season Award.
The DHL Stormers and Vodacom Bulls will kick off the 2025/26 Vodacom United Rugby Championship season at home against Leinster and Ospreys, while the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Emirates Lions start their campaigns in Glasgow and Cardiff when the new season commences in the final weekend of September.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks will host the visiting Scarlets at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Saturday evening in the final round of the pool stages of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.
The Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals will play out in a fortnight in Pretoria, Durban, Dublin, and Glasgow, following an exciting final pool round in which the top eight teams and the venues for the four playoff rounds were locked in.
South Africa’s three Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finalists, the Vodacom Bulls, Hollywoodbets Sharks, and DHL Stormers, will have their sights set on building winning momentum with an eye on the playoffs as the curtain drops on the pool stages this weekend, while the Emirates Lions will look to wrap up their campaign on a high note.
The DHL Stormers have booked their spot in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarter-finals alongside the Vodacom Bulls and Hollywoodbets Sharks after a good penultimate weekend of league action for the three South African teams.
The Hollywoodbets Sharks will take continuity into their round 17 Vodacom United Rugby Championship clash with Ospreys at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on Friday night at 7pm.