LISTEN: It’s URC playoffs time — and what a feast of rugby awaits

It has been an intriguing second season for South African franchises in the United Rugby Championship (URC).

After a lengthy see-saw qualifying league phase, overwhelmingly dominated by Irish powerhouse Leinster, the cross-continental series heads into the quarterfinal knockout phase this weekend where there are literally no ‘second chances’.

There is no looking back or contemplating what might or might not have been and in this instance, the combatants only have a single bite at progressing further in the URC.

In this week’s Talking Point podcast, host Trevor Cramer is joined by Citizen Head of Sport, Jacques van der Westhuyzen as they gaze into their respective crystal balls and predict the outcome of the weekend games and dissect the key areas that will make all the difference.

The reality is that only one of the remaining three South African franchises will advance to the semifinals.

Defending champions, the Stormers face the Bulls at their Cape Town Stadium fortress on Saturday afternoon, while the Sharks have already made the long European haul to play the rampant Leinster on Saturday evening.

Ulster get the weekend underway when they go head-to-head with Connacht in an all-Irish affair on Friday night and Franco Smith’s Glasgow Warriors host Munster in the late kick-off on Saturday.

Jacques also gets the opportunity to shrug the irritation off his chest, as the sporting brains also touch on the cloud hanging over Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s knee injury prognosis and back in positive space, Brad Binder’s great ride in the Spanish MotoGP.

Also, find out who Trevor and Jacques’ FLOP of the Week is and who earns their GOLD STAR in the popular insert.

Enjoy!