Seven bold predictions for the URC including Siya Kolisi’s Sharks, the Jordie Barrett effect and another scrum-capped winger to shine
Just like that the 2024/2025 United Rugby Championship season is set to get underway this week in the fourth edition of the ever-growing competition.
Ahead of what is sure to be another blockbuster season, we put together as always seven bold predictions for URC IV.
Siya Kolisi’s Sharks to reach the URC final
The Sharks are a great example of how throwing together a super-charged squad is not a recipe for success as they struggled to find their feet under the new ownership. Well, that was until the Durbanites changed the man in charge bringing back former coach John Plumtree who eventually managed to sort his puzzle pieces to mount a charge at the Challenge Cup last season.
Their URC performance was not the same standard at all but winning a trophy builds belief and now the Sharks have recruited further with World Cup stars Andre Esterhuizen and Trevor Nyakane amongst a plethora of new signings that all sit below the marquee man himself Siya Kolisi.
Many will think the inspirational leader never should have left but regardless of that, the great man is back and even his presence in the squad alone is gold-dust, now throw in his tireless work and powerful carries for good measure.
The team is trending up, there is no doubt and now they have a blank canvas to work in the form of a new season. They have some serious horsepower in their squad and anything short of reaching the final is surely not good enough.
😳 The Sharks could field a whopping 12 Springboks in their starting XV now that Siya Kolisi has returned to Durban. #URC
READ: https://t.co/ulUnYdkLzL pic.twitter.com/WSvYE0HNv3
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) September 11, 2024
Siya Kolisi reveals Jacky Lorenzetti ‘explanation‘
Jordie Barrett to inspire Leinster title
The last title the Irish giants won was the final PRO14 title before the competition welcomed the four South African sides and shapeshifted into the URC as we know it today. That was all the way back in 2021 and while Leinster have made it deep into the playoffs they are still yet to reach a final in the revamped competition. It certainly was not for the lack of trying but rather their constant battle on two fronts with the side reaching three Champions Cup finals on the bounce.
Leo Cullen and his men will be desperate to use their heartbreak to drive their charge for a silverware push and to boost their chances they have made a couple of big signings. Hulking double World Cup winner RG Snyman is one of those men as is ex-Les Bleus prop Rabah Slimani with Leinster looking to add some grunt to their pack.
However, the signing that could well be the difference is the multi-talented All Black Jordie Barrett who joins on a short-term deal for the second-half of the season. The youngest of the Barrett brothers brings a comprehensive game and will be a massive asset for Leinster in the biggest of games. We get the feeling he will thrive in the ultra high-performance environment of Leinster.
One thing is for sure, this extremely talented crop of Leinstermen are running out of chances to punch their name on a trophy and there is a real sense of now or never for the men in blue.
Benetton to finish regular season in the top four
The Italians showed notable improvement last season as they sat high up the table for much of the first half of the campaign before making it into the playoffs where they bowed out in the quarter-finals. Their development was also corroborated by their first semi-final appearance in the Challenge Cup.
The Treviso men claimed some impressive results along the way including a draw to Munster and a victory over the Stormers amongst several others. A lot of their losses were within a small margin too as they scared some of the big opposition in the URC.
They will be looking to kick on from that and their headline signing Louis Lynagh is a massive grab for the side and the newly capped Azzurri man could well play a big role. If Benetton find a win to more of the tight games, especially at home there is a real chance they could push for a home playoff.
Marco Bortolami looks to have a really good connection with the club and players, it will be fascinating to see how deep they can go this season.
Lions to qualify for the playoffs for the first time
The Johannesburg side defined fearless in URC III as they threw everything they had at whatever opposition, regardless of home or away, and in doing so very nearly reached the playoffs for the first time. Their progress is evident with a number of their players such as Morne van den Berg and Edwill van der Merwe being capped for the Springboks while tricky half-back Sanele Nohamba was the URC Player of the Season in South Africa.
There, of course, have been some departures notably Jordan Hendrikse and Emmanuel Tshituka but the Lions have continued their work in the Currie Cup booking their spot in the final.
In many ways, the Lions are the complete contrast to the Sharks who had a squad of relatively unknown players with a brave environment that fosters growth and self-expression which is at the core of all the good from last season. If the Johannesburg men took on the lessons from last season they have the quality and certainly the belief to reach the quarter-finals.
Munster’s Thaakir Abrahams to be signing of the season
While the Lion’s Van der Merwe is the latest scrum-capped South African to represent the Springboks another returns to the URC but for Munster in the form of Thaakir Abrahams. The former Shark and Lyon outside back is a shrewd signing from the Irish province and we tip him to be the best signing this season.
Why you ask? Well, the reference to scrum-capped South African wingers is apt for Abrahams who has an impressive turn of pace, can sidestep a defender in a phone booth and has a very handy boot to work with. His defence has been his biggest question mark in the past but in the technically driven environment of Munster that will improve quickly.
During his Sharks days, Abarahams scored a worldie of a try against Leinster where he stepped several players before kicking it in behind and outpacing a defender to dive on the ball. That play alone shows what he can do and how he can change a game. If given the right environment and coaching he has massive potential to one of the best in the league.
Thaakir Abrahams stupidly good try vs Leinster
byu/jaysonyoung inrugbyunion
Ospreys to make the playoffs
Why would it be a bold prediction to have a team that made the playoffs last season do it again you ask? That boils down to how intensely competitive the league is. Right up until the last two rounds there were 11 teams in the running and Ospreys did well in the end to make it into the playoffs.
There were some real positives to their season amongst the up and down form with their scrum being one of those and we can expect that to be a factor again for the side who managed an epic win in Cape Town over the Stormers in what was a highlight of the season.
It will not be easy for the Swansea men, however, but the side would have gathered momentum simply by the fact that they qualified for the playoffs in the end. What will be a key step in helping them finish top eight this time around is to avoid losing to other Welsh sides. If the Ospreys can do that they are already on the way to pushing for the playoffs. Regardless it will be a massive challenge again.
Zebre to climb off the foot of the table
The Italians have not managed to get off the bottom of the table in the URC era. However, even though the results do not show it there has been growth. Running Ulster, Ospreys, Benetton and Edinburgh right to the end with losses of seven points or less. Of course, the record will reflect a loss but the ‘bigger’ teams were certainly breathing heavily after that. The highlight of the season was undoubtedly beating the high-powered Sharks in a display of what they can do.
Those close results are proof of concept for Zebre who need to find a way to get themselves over the line, particularly on their home patch where they need to avoid defeat as much as possible, especially against basement battlers the Dragons who we feel will prop up the table this season.
The biggest difference between the two teams is that the Dragons have made Rodney Parade a brutal venue to visit for any team and if Zebre want to show their growth on the table that is exactly how to do it.
READ MORE: United Rugby Championship ins and outs: The complete list of the 2024/25 player transfers