South AfricaSharks Top URC Log
The Stormers and Bulls return home to face unbeaten rivals Sharks and Lions in the first derby round of the 2026-27 URC. The Sharks and Lions won their second-round home clashes, while the Stormers and Bulls lost away games in the northern hemisphere.
Global Newsflix 2 min read
The Sharks beat defending champions Leinster 26-20 in Durban to move to the top of the standings. André Esterhuizen scored one of four tries for the Sharks, and Vusi Moyo kicked three from four attempts on goal.
The Lions beat the Ospreys 35-19 at Ellis Park, with PJ Botha and Morné Brandon scoring tries from mauls. Kelly Mpeku crossed twice in three minutes to secure the win.
The Stormers lost 17-13 to Edinburgh in Scotland, despite Yaqeen Ahmed kicking two penalties and converting Hacjivah Dayimani’s try. The Bulls went down 26-22 to Munster in Limerick, with Ruan Vermaak, Francois Klopper, and Jeandré Rudolph scoring tries.
The Sharks have a perfect 10 points after two home games, while the Lions are in third place on nine points. The Bulls and Stormers are seventh and eighth on the log, with six points each.
John Dobson expects to change his lineup for the Stormers’ game against the Sharks, with the inclusion of Springboks Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Deon Fourie, Wilco Louw, Paul de Villiers, and Damian Willemse.
The Bulls and Lions have met 10 times in the URC since 2021-22, with the Bulls winning eight times. The Stormers lead 6-3 in head-to-head clashes against the Sharks, with one draw.
The four South African teams will play each other in the first derby round of the 2026-27 URC, with the Bulls hosting the Lions at Loftus Versfeld and the Stormers hosting the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium.
Key facts
- The Sharks beat Leinster 26-20 to top the URC log.
- The Lions beat the Ospreys 35-19 to move to third place.
- The Stormers and Bulls lost away games to Edinburgh and Munster, respectively.
- The four South African teams will play each other in the first derby round.
Three perspectives
Neutral
The URC season is heating up, with the South African teams set to face each other in the first derby round. The Sharks and Lions are unbeaten, while the Stormers and Bulls will look to bounce back from their losses. The derby games will be closely watched, with the teams looking to gain an advantage in the standings.
Positive
The Sharks and Lions have made a strong start to the season, with the Sharks beating defending champions Leinster. The teams will look to build on their momentum in the derby games, with the Sharks and Lions aiming to maintain their unbeaten records.
Negative
The Stormers and Bulls have struggled away from home, losing to Edinburgh and Munster, respectively. They will need to improve their performance if they are to beat their South African rivals in the derby games.
Your week in news, every Wednesday
The biggest stories of the week for your edition, in your inbox every Wednesday morning, your time. Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.