URC quarterfinals: Stormers, Bulls secure home ties, Sharks to travel

After an action packed final weekend brought the pool phase of the United Rugby Championship (URC) to an end, three South African teams finished in the top five positions on the log to make it a superb inaugural season in the competition.

The Stormers sealed second place with a last gasp 26-21 bonus point win over Scarlets, the Bulls claimed fourth place with an impressive 38-31 bonus point win over Ospreys, while the Sharks were grateful for a losing bonus point, going down 24-21 against Ulster, which allowed them to end fifth.

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It is an incredible turnaround from the start of the season when many pundits were wondering if the SA franchises had made the correct decision to move up North after their first overseas tour saw the four combined SA teams pick up just four wins and a draw against 11 losses.

However, with the pool phase of the season having now come to an end, it is the SA sides that have dominated the middle and back end of the competition, with only Irish sides Leinster, who finished top and third placed Ulster keeping pace with SA’s top three.

Bulls comfortable

Of SA’s top three teams it was only the Bulls who looked comfortable in their win over Ospreys, as they led 12-10 at the break before a brilliant 19 minute second half hattrick from Cornal Hendricks pushed them into a 38-17 lead with 15 minutes remaining.

With the win and bonus point wrapped up the Bulls then went to sleep in the closing moments, allowing Ospreys to run in two converted tries in the final three minutes to put some gloss on the scoreline.

The Stormers were then made to work incredibly hard for their win over Scarlets, as the hosts led 16-7 at one stage in the first half, before they drew the scores level at 21-all with just nine minutes left to play.

It then took an 80^th minute try from outside centre Ruhan Nel, his second of the match, to decide the contest and make sure the Stormers would take the SA Shield.

The Sharks were the least convincing of the SA teams and should be worried about their lacklustre and disjointed performance against Ulster.

Ulster were in control of the match for 75 minutes and led comfortably 24-7 at that stage, when a fabulous comeback was sparked by Sharks replacement scrumhalf Grant Williams as he created a try and scored one, to give the hosts a big fright, but it was too little too late.

Home quarterfinals

The Stormers and Bulls will now host quarterfinals in South Africa, while SA’s best placed side and most consistent performer this season, the Stormers, are in line for a home semifinal if they get through their quarter.

At least one SA team is guaranteed to make the semifinals, with the Bulls hosting the Sharks at Loftus in their quarterfinal.

With the amazing form that the Stormers are in, having won eight games in a row, they will also fancy picking up another win and making it to the semis, and if two SA teams can make the semis it will be odds on that at least one will make the final.

SA’s fourth team in the URC, the Lions, closed out their season on a positive note with a comfortable 21-11 win over the Dragons in Newport, to secure 11^th place on the log.

Quarterfinals set to be played on the weekend of Saturday 4^th June (times to be decided)

Leinster v Glasgow Warriors at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

Stormers v Edinburgh at the Cape Town Stadium

Ulster v Munster at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast

Bulls v Sharks at Loftus Versfeld