The semi-finals of the 2024/25 URC season have arrived, with a mouthwatering Bulls/ Hollywoodbets Sharks derby in store in Pretoria and under-pressure Leinster hosting defending champions Glasgow Warriors in Dublin.
Saturday 7 June
Leinster | Draw | Glasgow Warriors
No side still standing in the competition has as much riding on their result as Leo Cullen’s Leinster, who, for all their dominance in the URC era, are yet to go beyond this stage of the competition. Two home semi-final defeats were followed up by last year’s last four loss at Loftus Versfeld, and given the endless discourse surrounding their inability to deliver silverware, particularly in Europe, one would think defeat on Saturday could spell the end of Cullen’s reign.
However, such is the unreal quality of this Leinster squad, described by Danny Care as “better than the Ireland national team”, they still deserve the benefit of the doubt, not least due to the fact that they’ve already beaten Warriors twice in Dublin this season; that 52-0 Champions Cup hammering in April and last month’s 13-5 URC squeaker.
Franco Smith’s defending champions have never quite been the same since that defeat in the Champions Cup, and they looked a wounded unit in the weeks that followed that humiliation. They were better in downing a below par Stormers outfit 36-18 in their quarterfinal last week though, which will give them a degree of confidence in what will be quasi-Test level intensity. And although they beat the odds last season to dramatically win a semi-final and Grand Final away from home, it’s unlikely they will have the capacity to go toe-to-toe with Leinster over the full 80.
Verdict: Leinster on the board
Get on Leinster to exorcise their URC semi-final demons and put Warriors away in Dublin.
Bulls | Draw | Hollywoodbets Sharks
The Bulls’ consistency in Jake White era has been immense, with the 2007-World Cup-winning coach having now successfully guided the herd to at least the semi-final stage in three of the four editions of the URC. Championship glory has remained elusive though, with the hurt of two Grand Final losses, especially last year’s home defeat, still fresh in the memory of this group of players, who seem as hellbent as ever of going all the way this term.
It’s testament to the Bulls’ performances this season that three of their players, Wilco Louw, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Cam Hanekom, have been included in the “URC Elite XV”, with the latter being named “Next-Gen Player of the Season”. Playing at Loftus Versfeld, and having just dispatched Edinburgh 42-33 in their quarterfinal, confidence will be at an all-time high as they prepare for the arrival of the Hollywoodbets Sharks.
The Durbanites are one of the few teams in the competition with the necessary forward firepower to match the Bulls’ almighty pack, and their two round robin wins over the Pretoria giants means they may feel they have a crucial psychological edge heading into this clash at altitude.
Although John Plumtree’s men will be feeling the effects of having played an extra-time quarterfinal against Munster last week, the side’s seasoned Springboks know what it takes to push beyond their limits and the experience and pedigree within their ranks will only work in their favour. If they can negate the impact of Willie le Roux at the back, they will be in the driver’s seat.
Verdict: Hollywoodbets Sharks on the board
The men from the east coast to front up to the Bulls’ esteemed front five and cut down the Pretoria outfit in front of their home support.
