Report Card 4 South African URC teams ranked and rated; With Glasgow Warriors ready now, Angus Opperman reviews the four South African franchise’s seasons.
A team international and with so much promise failed to advance to the URC knockouts for the second consecutive year. They had the silver lining of winning the Challenge Cup – which earned them automatic qualification for the Champions Cup the following season.
However, they will be looking to be title contenders in the 2024/25 season. Another season of ‘what could have been’ for the Johannesburg franchise.
Report Card 4 South African URC teams ranked and rated.
Report Card 4 South African URC teams ranked and rated. From the start of the URC, the Lions were within reach of reaching the quarterfinals. It was close again this season. The Ospreys sealed their fate with victory over Cardiff after the Lions lost a must-win final to the Stormers.
Their inability to close out games they should have won has come back to bite them and is something they should seriously address ahead of next season.
A disappointing season for the Cape Town-based side after competing in back-to-back home finals – the first won in 2022.
There was much excitement about the Stormers’ season prospects, but a poor start to their four-match tour away from home saw them lose all their matches.
More painfully, three of those four games were by seven points or less. Report Card 4 South African URC teams ranked and rated.
They suffered a shock home loss to the Ospreys which saw them finish in the top four. Report Card 4 South African URC teams ranked and rated.
Given their strong home record, one wonders how far they could have gone had they finished in the top-four and reached the home quarter-finals.
They lost their quarter-final to eventual champions Glasgow Warriors and they haven’t always fired at their best throughout the season which could be a cause for concern, but also an opportunity to address and fix before next season.
the bull
Rating: 9/10
Played: 18, Won: 13, Lost: Five
Position: Second
In many ways it was a watershed season for the Bulls – where they started to look like the real deal – they would be disappointed to lose the home URC final to Glasgow Warriors – also falling to the Stormers away from home in 2022.
The Bulls seem to be growing by leaps and bounds as the season progresses.
Their only home error came against Munster after a red card for halving Johan Goossen.
The Bulls look well on track for a first Northern Hemisphere title.
They lost just once against South African rivals Stormers, but gained revenge against their arch-rivals at home.
It ended the Cape team’s winning streak over fellow South African teams – a run that began in 2022.
They also took the SA Shield away from the Stormers.
They will take a lot of positives from this season to come back stronger and wiser next season and hopefully not stumble again at the final hurdle.