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South African teams have point to prove as focus shifts to the 2024/2025 URC campaign

South African teams have point to prove as focus shifts to the 2024/2025 URC campaign
Stormers fullback Damian Willemse relieves pressure during the Vodacom United Rugby Championship against the Sharks at DHL Stadium on 30 December 2023. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Jon Cardinelli
By Jon Cardinelli
26 Sep 2024
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Focus for South Africa’s leading clubs will shift to the United Rugby Championship this week, and to the European Champions Cup from December onwards.

The Springboks are three months and 10 Tests into the 2024 season, while the South African franchises’ nine-month journey has only just begun.

It’s a statement that highlights the gruelling and complex nature of the rugby schedule.

The last season concluded in mid-June, while the new season officially began on 1 July.

Since then, 48 players have represented the Boks. Other local stars have been rested for the better part of two months, before returning in the latter stages of the Currie Cup.

The focus will shift to the United Rugby Championship (URC) this week, and to the European Champions Cup from December onwards. The 2024-25 season will climax in mid-June, before the 2025-26 schedule begins a few weeks later.

South African coaches have every reason to bemoan the situation. Steps have been taken to mitigate some of the player-welfare concerns, but this “never-ending season” cannot continue forever.

Nevertheless, the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers must show an improvement on last season’s results.

Shorter tours to boost SA cause


Expectations are usually tempered in the early stages of a URC campaign, as the respective franchises travel overseas without their Boks.

The 2023-24 season was particularly challenging, given that the World Cup in France pushed back the start of the URC and other domestic tournaments. The Bulls and Stormers started their season with 10 consecutive matches – a run that included a four-week tour to Europe.

The outlook is a little better this season, with the South African franchises competing for five weeks in the URC before taking a break for the November internationals.

For the first time since the URC’s inception, the four South African teams will tour for three weeks instead of four.

The two home fixtures during this block should present the respective teams with an opportunity to put early points on the board – as far as the tournament table is concerned.

URC fixtures — first five-week block:



Bulls under pressure to go one better


The Bulls are well equipped to push for a top-two finish, and potentially a home semifinal and final.

Having lost two of the past three deciders, director of rugby Jake White will be under pressure to bring a title to Loftus Versfeld.

Talent recruitment and management have contributed to their consistent run of results in recent seasons. White has relied on established Springboks such as Willie le Roux, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Marco van Staden, as well as a second layer of experienced players, to maintain a particular standard. Lock-cum-flanker Cobus Wiese, who recently returned from a stint in England, should bolster the latter group.

White has always had an eye for young talent, and it’s worth noting how Arendse, Canan Moodie, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortje and others have progressed in Bulls colours before going on to contribute to the Bok cause. No 8 Cameron Hanekom was one of the URC’s standout players last season and might have played for the Boks if not for an untimely injury.

Flyhalf remains an area of concern, though. Regular No 10 Johan Goosen has struggled to deliver in the big matches, and it remains to be seen whether alternatives such as Jaco van der Walt or Boeta Chamberlain will receive extended opportunities in this position over the coming months.

URC Eben Etzebeth of the Sharks is tackled by Mayco Vivas of Gloucester during the EPCR Challenge Cup final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on 24 May 2024. (Photo: Gaspafotos / MB Media / Getty Images)


Coastal resurgence under way


The Stormers’ performances over the past three seasons need to be viewed in perspective.

The Western Province Rugby Football Union was placed in administration in late 2021. While the Stormers defied the odds to win the URC title in 2022, they battled to recruit more players in subsequent years, and their performances suffered as a result.

After securing an equity deal earlier in 2024, the Stormers have brought key players such as prop Steven Kitshoff and lock JD Schickerling back to South Africa, as well as the Zimbabwean loose forward Dave Ewers.

Ewers played more than 200 matches for Exeter, and his powerful contributions at the gainline and breakdown helped the Chiefs win the Premiership and the Champions Cup in 2020. The 33-year-old should strengthen a leadership group that includes Deon Fourie, who missed the whole of last season due to injury.

The Cape franchise won’t want for options in the backline. Indeed, it will be interesting to see how coach John Dobson manages Damian Willemse – who recently returned from a long injury layoff – Manie Libbok, Warrick Gelant and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and if he dares to select all of these attack-minded stars in the same starting combination.

Now that their financial issues have been addressed and their squad has been bolstered, the Stormers will be expected to progress to the semifinals, at the very least.

The Sharks should have similar ambitions. While they’ve been on a very different journey over the past three seasons, they should be gunning for a top-four spot.

Their URC quarterfinal exit in 2023, and ultimately their relegation from the Champions Cup, came as a shock. They plunged to new depths in the subsequent URC tournament, losing 14 matches and finishing 14th in the 16-team competition.

Stormers fullback Damian Willemse relieves pressure during their United Rugby Championship match against the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium on 30 December 2023. (Photo: Ashley Vlotman / Gallo Images)



The team has shown some grit in recent months, winning the Challenge Cup (to regain their place in the all-important Champions Cup) as well as the Currie Cup. The game management of flyhalf Siya Masuku in the former tournament was a highlight, as was fullback Jordan Hendrikse’s goal kicking in the latter.

The recruitment of Bok skipper Siya Kolisi, tighthead Trevor Nyakane and centre André Esterhuizen will boost their cause in the coming months. The Tshituka brothers – Vincent and Emmanuel – will have key roles to play when the Boks are away, as will former Leinster lock Jason Jenkins and an impressive young contingent spearheaded by Ethan Hooker and Jurenzo Julius.

Of course, it may not be too long before some of these players are considered for national duty, as Rassie Erasmus looks to add yet another layer to the Boks’ depth.

Lions look to make history


The Lions showed signs of progress last season – claiming big victories against Glasgow and Leinster at home – but finished the league stage with a 50% win record. Ultimately, they fell short of qualifying for the playoffs for the third year in a row.

How they fare overseas could determine where they finish in the URC standings, and whether they qualify for the knockouts for the first time.

Ivan Rooyen’s side should be desperate to win their first two fixtures in Johannesburg – against Ulster and Edinburgh – and carry that momentum through to a tricky three-match tour of Europe. DM

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