The Vodacom Bulls and DHL Stormers will both have their sights set on making an important jump up the Vodacom United Rugby Championship standings when they meet in their rescheduled round eight clash in Pretoria on Saturday.
After this eagerly anticipated North-South Derby, which kicks off at 14h00 at Loftus Versfeld, and two other postponed encounters scheduled for Friday, all 16 participating teams will be equal on 12 matches played, with the quarter-finals moving into view.
While the Vodacom Bulls are in search of their fourth victory in a row, the DHL Stormers face the mammoth task of bouncing back from three successive defeats, which has seen them drop from first place on the table to fifth.
Making the local derby even more significant, a victory for the men from Pretoria will see them hop from seventh position to fifth with six pool matches remaining after this encounter, while a win for the Capetonians could inject a renewed life into their campaign as it would see them rise into second or third place – depending on whether they secure a bonus point victory.
With two other matches playing out on Friday – between Connacht and the Scarlets, and Edinburgh and Ulster – there could be further movement on the standings if the two Irish provinces walk away with victories, making a positive result even more vital for the two South African teams.
The Vodacom Bulls will enter the match high on confidence, given their recent run of form and the fact that they have registered 52 and 41 points in their last two games. They have also been superior on attack, scoring 304 points to 284 by the Capetonians.
However, the home side will be wary of the threat the visitors pose on defence. The DHL Stormers have only conceded 23 tries so far this season, compared to the Vodacom Bulls’ 39, which will set the scene for a gripping clash.
Adding to the excitement of the business end of the competition, 14 teams still harbour realistic hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals, which makes every match crucial as the playoff stages approach.
With the Six Nations concluding this weekend, the full Vodacom URC schedule will resume next weekend, where the race for the top eight will begin to reach fever pitch.
Match Information:
Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers
Date: Saturday, 14 March
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
SA Time: 14h00
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
TV: SuperSport
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