Vodacom URC: the what, where and when

The second Vodacom United Rugby Championship is well under way, with the league building on an enormously successful first campaign that saw the DHL Stormers claim the inaugural VURC title.

All 18 rounds are confirmed with broadcast selections and kick-off times all locked in place. This is the first step in the journey to crown the champions of 2022/23 and fans can identify the weekends where their team will take on rivals new and old from north and south.

The Vodacom URC kicked off on 16 September and will see the regular season come to an end in Round 18 on 23 April 2023.

Each week, teams from five rugby powerhouse nations, cross the hemispheres to compete and fight for the right to be our champion. Every match features a clash of rugby styles, cultures, languages and identity. It’s the diversity of our competition that makes us different.

BEST TRIES OF LAST WEEK:

MATCHWEEK 9

LIFE IS A BEACH

This week's Vodacom United Rugby Championship action will feature two local derbies, both within sight of the ocean. 

Cell C Sharks v Emirates Lions
Friday, 23 December. Kickoff 17:00

The Emirates Lions travel to beach holiday paradise Durban to take on the Cell C Sharks.

For the Durban clash locals can expect their star-studded A team to take the field. It is a playing squad that will finally include World Rugby Player Of The Year nominee Lukhanyo Am. The Sharks will be full of confidence after an undefeated start to the Heineken Champions Cup.

The Lions are not blessed with as much squad depth so their challenge will be to keep the players as fresh as possible.

“I think it will be a challenge. At a time when everyone usually goes on holiday, we now need to train every day and be prepared. It will be a mental challenge and it’s something new for the players and management,” says Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen.

“It’s in the most vital part of our season and that’s the challenge for us. It will be in the middle of our 10-week block so it’s really important for us to be as well prepared as possible and get as many points as we can from this block. We’re playing against the Sharks and the Stormers, so hopefully we can get some points there.”

DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls
Friday, 23 December. Kickoff 19:15

The Vodacom Bulls will also join holidaymakers on a flight across the country as they ready themselves to take on the defending champion DHL Stormers in the shadows of world- famous Table Mountain.

Jake White has achieved a lot of success with the Pretoria side since taking over a few years ago, the fact that in the debut season of URC his side were able to conquer a number of foes - including powerhouse Leinster away - is one thing, but the part that rankles him is the fact they never won against the Stormers.

Three games - one home and one away, as well as the URC final loss has irked White and has raised the stakes for Friday night’s game, so much so that White has kept his first-choice side in cotton wool in preparation for the derby.

So while a lot of talk has been around the fact that the Bulls don’t have the budget that some of the teams in the Heineken Champions’ Cup do have, or their travel and squad management concerns, the bottom line is the Bulls want to win the local derby.

On the other hand the Stormers are struggling with a large number costly injuries. Among them are star players like Salmaan Moerat, Ruhan Nel and Leolin Zas who were lost in last weekend’s Champion’s Cup game against London Irish.

Based on historical results in this tournament, the Stormers should start as favourites. But they are clearly the ones licking their wounds while the Bulls have been keeping their powder keg dry for weeks .

SINGLE TABLE, TOP EIGHT INTO QUARTERS

The VURC format will see all 16 teams ranked across a single table which will reward the top eight teams with their places in the Final Eight (quarterfinals), followed by a Final Four (semifinals) to set the stage for the Grand Final. Every game counts. Any team can win on any given weekend.

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