Why the final battle in the URC’s SA shield matters so much

The United Rugby Championship’s (URC) South African shield has proven to be a private battleground away from the more important overall log in the competition. However, there are scores to settle and pride at stake as it comes to a head this weekend.

The Sharks and Lions will play in the last SA local derby of the competition on Saturday (kick-off 2pm). The result could see the Sharks finish first, second, third or even fourth in the shield.

Only the eight teams finishing top of the overall log qualify for next season’s Champions Cup, and the bottom eight are consigned to the Challenge Cup. The conferences have no bearing on future tournaments but prove to be fair reflections of the strengths of local sides with each playing the other home and away.

The standings in the SA shield are entirely based on the results of the local derbies so it really is a mini-tournament within a tournament.

Sharks could go top or drop to the bottom

The Stormers reign at the top of the table after beating the Lions in Cape Town, the Sharks in Cape Town and the Bulls in Pretoria.

The Sharks sit third in the SA shield behind the Bulls, who also have three wins but narrowly missed out on topping the shield after losing to the Stormers at home last weekend.

A win for the Sharks against the Lions will give them four points and make them even with the leaders on points. However, based on the URC’s rules, having more wins than the Stormers (four to three) would ensure the Sharks top the table.

The Lions, fresh after a one-sided 38–14 win against the Sharks in their first derby in Johannesburg last weekend, will be somewhat more confident of beating the strong side on their home turf in Durban.

If they do so with a bonus-point win, the Lions could climb from the bottom of the table to above the Sharks in third.

This would also mean the Stormers hold onto the top spot and win the shield. The Capetonians have been strong in the tournament in recent years (winning in 2022 and reaching the next season) but have failed to kick on this year.

Could the Lions really topple the Sharks (again)?

A Lions bonus-point win against the Sharks in Durban would historically seem a strange concept. But they have now won their last three URC encounters against the Sharks and their six-try thumping last weekend was entirely unexpected.

It led Sharks head coach John Plumtree to say they needed to relook at their mental preparation ahead of the second derby.

The Lions are also on the verge of getting into the top eight of the overall log. Even a draw or losing bonus point (finishing within seven points of the Sharks) would take them above Connacht and into the Champions Cup picture, where they could feature for the first time if they finish their season eighth or higher.