After scheduling conflicts with the Currie Cup, the South African teams will enter the fray in the United Rugby Championship (URC) this weekend.
An overlap of the Currie Cup final last weekend and the first round of the URC, saw the SA teams’ opening fixtures postponed.
The Sharks had been due to host the Lions, while the Bulls were supposed to travel to Cape Town to play the Stormers. Those fixtures will now be played in 2025.
Instead, the Sharks and Stormers will both have travelled overseas for their first appearance in this season’s competition.
Will we see another classic #BULvEDI affair? 🤞
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) September 27, 2024
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Sweltering conditions
Up first though, the Lions will host Ulster at what should be a sweltering Ellis Park stadium at 12.55pm on Saturday. With temperatures peaking in Johannesburg at 29 degrees, it will be a toasty affair with the Lions at a slight advantage due to the extreme temperature.
Ulster though, have won their previous three matches against the Lions which included a 39-37 victory at Ellis Park in their last meeting.
Across the Jukskei, the Bulls will welcome Edinburgh to Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. With the temperature even hotter with a maximum of 33 degrees predicted, the sides will have their work cut out in the Highveld heat with the match starting at 3pm.
Edinburgh in particular will be feeling the heat, as they have lost eight of their previous 10 matches against SA opposition.
In the evening, the Sharks will take on Connacht in Galway, Ireland, at 8.35pm. South African teams have traditionally made heavy weather of their matches at the venue. The men from Durban, though, will be buoyed after being crowned Currie Cup champions last week.
Over in Bridgend, Wales, the Stormers will play Ospreys at Dunraven Brewery Field. Like the Sharks clash, the match will also kick-off at 8.35pm. All signs point to the match being closely contested, as he Stormers and Ospreys have drawn once, won and lost once each over their previous three meetings.