With the playoff fight heating up, both the Hollywoodbets Sharks and Bulls will be under big pressure to win their SA derby battle at Loftus Versfeld in the URC on Saturday.
Match context
The men from Durban were well beaten by the Lions in Joburg last week in a 34-22 result that has seen them remain in 10th place ahead of this Saturday. Though they may be just a point off the top eight, the competition for quarterfinals is as hot as ever, with just four-log points separating 12th from eighth on the overall ladder and losses from here on out having potentially dire consequences for any of the clubs in those positions.
Enter the Sharks, whose resurgence under JP Pietersen is laudable but has yet to translate into control of their own playoff destiny. Another defeat this weekend would bring the big man’s honeymoon period to a sudden halt and leave the Sharks languishing further behind the pacesetters.
They will be boosted by the return of their frontline Springboks after they were rested a week ago, while the knowledge that a bonus point win will see them successfully defend the SA Shield will act as an added motivator.
In contrast to the Bulls, who were last in action four weeks ago, the Sharks will have the added advantage of having shaken off the rust in Jozi, with the hosts potentially at risk of inaccurate execution.
Still, they are also set to be bolstered by the experience of, among others, Handre Pollard, Wilco Louw and the return of Elrigh Louw from his honeymoon. If these Bulls leaders are switched on from the word go, they will be difficult to beat at Loftus.
Johan Ackermann’s men are one point above the Sharks in eighth overall, but have crucially played a game less as they prepare for their penultimate regular season SA derby of the campaign.
Players to watch
Wilco Louw (Bulls)
The prop forwards are in the spotlight this week, with the scrummaging fortunes of either side likely to have a direct impact on the result. And there is perhaps no one better equipped to shoulder that responsibility than the 31-year-old former Harlequin Louw, who will this weekend go up against his experienced Bok teammate Ox Nche in what should be another typically titanic set piece showdown.
Alongside fellow Bulls front rankers Jan-Hendrik-Wessels and Johan Grobbelaar, Louw has helped his side capture the best scrum stats in the tournament, with a 97% win efficiency and 28 penalties won. If he can get any kind of edge on Nche and the rest of the black and white pack, it could be telling.
Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
These are the matchups the mighty cake-loving Ox lives for. This writer’s pick for World Player of the Year in 2025, Nche’s enduring class and consistency has formed the fulcrum of his teams’ successes for years and he will again be tasked with laying the foundation for a Sharks side that will need every advantage it can get playing at Loftus.
As good as the Bulls have been at scrum time, it must be noted that the Sharks are ranked second in the URC after having won 95% of their scrums and milking 35 penalties from this facet of play. In truth, there’s not much to separate the two sides in this department, and, like Louw, any edge Nche can earn in the encounter is likely to have a marked effect on his team.
Tactical overview
As previously mentioned, with the two best scrums in the competition going head-to-head, that area of the game is going to be key. Aside from just Louw and Nche, the displays of each individual forward, especially the tight fives, is going to be colossal and could make or break the efforts of each team.
In terms of the lineout, the Sharks lead the way in the URC with an 87% success rate and four more steals (21) than any other team. If they can leverage that facet alongside their tremendous driving maul, they will cause the Bulls problems.
While it may have been a while since either set of Springboks played for their respective franchise, the fact that so many Sharks players were in action last week will work in their favour. This matchup is set to be decided by the finest of margins, and a rusty or slightly inaccurate performance from either team could be fatal.
Given the Bulls haven’t played in a month, they could be vulnerable to more unforced errors than their opposite numbers.
Prediction
A hurting, refocused and strengthened Hollywoodbets Sharks side should have enough ammo to repeat their February 2025 result and beat the Bulls in Pretoria, though they should remain within the handicap.
