United Rugby Championship: South African storylines with Rugby World Cup winners returning as regular season warms up

Dylan Coetzee
Split with Frans Malherbe (Stormers) and Vincent Koch of the Sharks.

Split with Frans Malherbe (Stormers) and Vincent Koch of the Sharks.

With the Six Nations all done and dusted, attention turns back to the club game with the United Rugby Championship offering a blockbuster round of action.

Planet Rugby takes a closer look at what the approaching round means for the South African sides and offers storylines to keep an eye on.

Key returns from Rugby World Cup stars

The weekend marks the return of two double Rugby World Cup winners from injury, neither of whom have played since the final last year in France.

For the Stormers, the great Frans Malherbe makes his first appearance of the season as he starts against Edinburgh. The Capetonians have had the luxury of the blossoming Springbok call-up Neethling Fouche filling the void but there is no out-and-out replacing the expertise of Malherbe. It is a massive step in the right direction with some big games and the Test season approaching.

Another tighthead makes an injury return in the form of Vincent Koch and it’s for his Sharks debut. It may not be the kind of occasion he initially envisioned when he signed for the Durban side given their struggles this season but it does offer a platform for the superstar to showcase his quality by powering the Sharks out of their hole.

The happiest person of all will be Rassie Erasmus who will need two of his premier tightheads ready to go for the mid-year Tests.

Stormers must catch fire and finish the regular season strongly

Malherbe’s Stormers have not had the kind of season they would have hoped for either, with the Capetonians’ four-game losing tour at the end of last year still costing them. The Stormers are just outside of a very competitive playoff picture but have several games at home to come, with their next game away from home coming in May.

A closer look at their last two campaigns, which resulted in a title and two home finals, reveals that this latter period of the regular season is when the side has typically put together a strong run into the playoffs. Head coach John Dobson will be desperate for that to happen again.

It is certainly not off the cards as the Stormers are not far from the kind of form that won them the title, even with them slightly off the boil. It is just about now or never for the side who will also need some strong momentum going into their Champions Cup round of 16 clash with La Rochelle in the first weekend of April.

Massive period for the Stormers.

Rugby World Cup winning Springbok outcast thrown coaching lifeline

Bulls to eye dream start to their Northern tour

Jake White’s side have done exceptionally well this season and sit second on the table behind Leinster who they will be travelling to on their Northern tour, however, before then they have a golden opportunity to start their tour with full points against the Dragons.

That will certainly be the target for the Pretoria men, but even though the Dragons haven’t had the best season, they have been known to be difficult to crack at the Rodney Parade.

The Bulls have learnt a lot over the first two URC seasons, and they will be desperate to double down on their promising log position to push for a home semi-final and possibly even a home final to give themselves the best chance at silverware.

No team wants to travel to Loftus Versfeld for a playoff, and the Bulls need to dominate on their tour to make that a reality.

Sharks have to show their teeth now

It has been mind-blowing at times seeing the Sharks Springboks-laden squad continuously fail to deliver the goods throughout the season. One win from 11 is never good enough for any Sharks side let alone one littered with World Cup winners.

Their URC prospects are gone now, but it’s time for the Durban side to turn the corner and find some answers instead of growing their list of questions. Koch making his debut and the return of Eben Etzebeth will aid the cause for sure.

Simply put the Sharks need to find their feet now and build momentum for the Challenge Cup playoffs that could at least have something for the side to show for. It starts with Ulster who are a massive challenge for any team but also offers the Durban side a chance to make a statement.

Important clash for Lions playoff prospects

The Lions have been one of the most pleasurable sides to watch this campaign with a clear togetherness among the players who look to be love lacing up the boots and taking to the field.

The results have also been there, including an impressive double over Coastal rivals the Sharks, leaving them just three points shy of the playoffs and firmly in the race to push for one of those places and secure Champions Cup qualification.

Their journey to the top eight starts with a crucial away game against Connacht, who are in the top eight. Taking points off a playoff rival is essential and is a golden opportunity, considering the province has not selected any of their Ireland stars.

READ MORE: Jasper Wiese: When you play for the Springboks, you put your own desires behind you

Bulls Eben Etzebeth Frans Malherbe Vincent Koch

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