Everything you need to know about weekend URC fixtures in SA

It’s another weekend of South African franchises clashing with Welsh teams and while the local sides have had the upper hand, Cardiff struck a massive blow with their blowout win in Durban last week.

What effect will this have on other Welsh franchises’ confidence as they take on the best teams in SA and with one eye on the European Champions and Challenge Cup, how much will this play into the way local sides face these challenges?

Below is all you need to know about this weekend’s action in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

Friday 2 December

CELL C SHARKS v OSPREYS

At Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban, 7.10pm

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 6th competition game)

Assistant: Stephan Geldenhuys, Griffin Colby (both SARU)

TMO: Sam Grove-White (SRU)

It’s been a turbulent week in Durban following the fall-out from the Cardiff loss and Sean Everitt stepping down, and it will be interesting to see the response from the players after they failed to score a point against Cardiff. Ospreys will smell blood but this Sharks side has too much quality not to respond, making for an interesting clash.

Did you know?

• Cell C Sharks have lost their last two Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixtures and have not lost three in succession in the tournament since October 2021.

• The only time the Sharks have lost back-to-back matches in the Championship at HollywoodBets Kings Park was in the Rainbow Cup during May and June 2021.

• Sharks have played against Welsh regions on six previous occasions with both of their defeats being to Cardiff Rugby.

• The Ospreys’ only win in their last nine United Rugby Championship encounters was 32-17 at home to Glasgow Warriors on 1 October.

• Ospreys' most recent victory outside of Wales was on a trip to Treviso, beating Benetton 29-26 in October 2021.

• Ospreys have not beaten a South African opponent since a 43-7 victory over Southern Kings in Gqeberha in April 2019.

• The two sides' only previous meeting was in October 2021 in Swansea, with the Sharks winning 27-13.

Key statistics

Cell C Sharks

• A deadly attacking threat at first receiver, Boeta Chamberlain has given a league-high five try assists, two of which came in the Sharks’ 40-12 victory over the Glasgow Warriors in round five.

• In his one appearance so far this season, Jaden Hendrikse made 14 kicks in play for 254 metres. Six of these kicks were retained. Only Gareth Davies of the Scarlets has also kicked as many retained kicks in a match this season.

• Stepping up in defence from the backline, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Werner Kok have won the most turnovers in the Cell C Sharks squad.

Ospreys

• Hard-hitter Jac Morgan has made more dominant tackle contacts than any other player in the league (11) and has an impressive tackle success rate of 96 per cent.

• Grinding away in the opposition 22, the Ospreys have had the most rucks in this area which have lasted more than six seconds (28).

• Against the Vodacom Bulls last weekend, fullback Max Nagy made more contact metres than any other back (24).

Saturday 3 December

DHL STORMERS v DRAGONS RFC

At Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Gqeberha, 2pm

Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 70th competition game)

Assistant: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Christopher Allison (both SARU)

TMO: Ben Blain (SRU)

The Stormers continue to impress, with or without their Springboks and have a knack of running up a big lead early on and then backing their defence to finish the job. They may not have it as easy as the Dragons have shown a lot of promise, but the Welsh team will need to be exceptional to beat the defending champions. The venue shift to Nelson Mandela Bay means the Stormers are away from Cape Town and in different waters and that may have an effect on their game.

Did you know?

• Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium hosts its 16th Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixture but the first since March 2020 when Connacht beat the Southern Kings there under the competition’s previous guise as the Pro14.

• DHL Stormers have lost just once in the United Rugby Championship since February: 24-30 at Cardiff Rugby on 22 October.

• Stormers have won their last 14 home games in the Championship, at Cape Town Stadium and in Stellenbosch, but this is the first fixture they have moved to Gqeberha.

• Stormers’ only previous defeat to a Welsh opponent was 30-24 on their visit to Cardiff last October.

• Dragons' two-game winning run in the United Rugby Championship ended with their 25-33 loss to Emirates Lions in Johannesburg on Sunday.

• Dragons have lost their last six away games in the Championship since beating Scarlets 38-27 in Llanelli on 16 April

• Dragons' most recent victory against a South African opponent was 13-10 against the Cheetahs at Rodney Parade in February 2020.

• The two sides’ only previous meeting was in Newport in October 2021, with the visitors winning 24-10.

Key Statistics

DHL Stormers

• The DHL Stormers are the most efficient team in the URC when it comes to capitalising on territory. They have scored a league-high average of 4.15 points per 22 entry.

• Water-tight in defence, the DHL Stormers have conceded the fewest tries in the league so far, only finding themselves under their own sticks 13 times.

• Dominant with ball in hand, the Cape Town-based side have the highest rate of gainline success in the URC (61 per cent).

Dragons

•The Dragons have lost more scrums than any other team in the league, getting driven off their own ball 12 times so far this season. This is double the total of the next poorest side in this area (Glasgow Warriors).

• Back from his baptism of fire with Wales in the Autumn Nations, Rio Dyer remains the player who has made the most metres in a single URC match, having made 195 against the Ospreys in round five.

• Taking points when on offer, the Dragons have scored more penalty goals than any other team in the league (19).

VODACOM BULLS v CARDIFF RUGBY

At Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, 8pm

Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 30th competition game)

Assistant: Cwengile Jadezweni, Griffin Colby (both SARU)

TMO: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)

Cardiff were impressive in the rain in beating the Sharks but will have a totally different experience against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, who relish the altitude and an opportunity to run at opposition in drier conditions. Cardiff are, however, a side that plays on a 5G pitch and are used to trying to speed up the game, but they will need to counter the Bulls' combination of physicality and speed on the outside if they are to be successful in stopping another win at Fortress Loftus.

Did you know?

• Vodacom Bulls have won their last three Vodacom United Rugby Championship games since their 17-31 defeat to Munster in Limerick in round five.

• Bulls have lost just two of their 17 previous home games in the Championship at Loftus Versfeld, to the Stormers in January and to the Sharks in February.

• Bulls have won all five previous fixtures they have played against the Welsh regions in the URC.

• Cardiff Rugby’s only defeat in their last five United Rugby Championship encounters was 17-25 at home to Edinburgh in round seven.

• Cardiff have won their last two away games in the Championship and have not won three in succession on their travels in the competition since September 2016.

• Cardiff are going for their fourth victory on South African soil, having beaten Southern Kings twice in Gqeberha in 2018 and 2019 and blanking the Sharks 35-0 in Durban last Sunday.

• Bulls won the only previous contest between the two sides played at the Arms Park in October 2021.

Key Statistics

Vodacom Bulls

• In terms of try-scoring possessions, the Vodacom Bulls have had more that begin with a turnover won than any other team (10).

• Fly half Chris Smith has made more metres from penalty kicks than any other player (1 325). However, he has also conceded as many turnovers as anyone in the league (15), three of which have been unforced dropped balls.

• Fullback Wandisile Simelane was impressive last weekend, topping the charts for metres made (150) and defenders beaten (six). He also made two clean breaks, but was beaten to top spot here by teammate David Kriel who made four.

Cardiff Rugby

• Flyhalf Jarrod Evans has made the most ineffective tackles of any player in the URC this season (38). He has also missed 12 tackles, the most of any flyhalf in the league.

• Making an impression in his first season at Cardiff, flanker Thomas Young has made the most tackles of any player in the URC so far with 114 completed tackles.

• Cardiff are one of two sides who have made four mauls which have travelled more than ten metres; the other is the Stormers.

Sunday 4 December

EMIRATES LIONS v SCARLETS

At Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg, 1.30pm

Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 27th competition game)

Assistant: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Christopher Allison (both SARU)

TMO: Frank Murphy (IRFU)

The Lions finally tasted success at home in their fourth home game last weekend to end their own poor run in front of their home fans and will want to match that performance this week with another victory over a Welsh side. While the Lions' speed has been their best asset, their defence remains brittle and the Scarlets will be eyeing this in the hopes of a win at altitude.

Did you know?

• Emirates Lions' 33-25 victory at home to Dragons RFC last weekend ended a two-game losing run in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

• Lions lost their first fixture against a Welsh region on their trip to Llanelli in October 2021 but since have won their last six encounters with Welsh opponents.

• Scarlets' only victory in their last 10 United Rugby Championship games was 36-12 at home to Zebre on 15 October.

• Scarlets have not won away from home in the Championship since beating Dragons 38-19 at Rodney Parade in April.

• The Welshmen have lost their last four fixtures against South African opponents and have not tasted success in South Africa since beating Southern Kings 41-34 in Gqeberha in 2018.

• The two sides have met just once before, with Scarlets winning 36-13 at Parc y Scarlets in October 2021.

Key Statistics

Emirates Lions

• Often opting to play a narrower game, the Emirates Lions have averaged the fewest passes per 80 minutes in the league (96.9).

• Number 8 Francke Horn is the Emirates Lions’ top try-scorer, having scored five so far. Facilitating such performances, Sanele Nohamba has made the most try assists in the squad from scrum-half (three).

• Lions lock Reinhard Nothnagel has secured more attacking rucks than any other player, protecting his team’s ball at the breakdown 104 times in total.

Scarlets

• Sione Kalamafoni is currently ranked fifth for metres made (375). The next forward on the list is Francke Horn, all the way down in 21st – testament to Kalamafoni’s incredible form. He has also made 127 carries, 40 more than next best Viliame Mata.

• Gareth Davies has kicked more bombs than any other player (26). Twenty per cent of Davies’ kicks have been collected by a teammate.

• The Scarlets are the only team in the league yet to lose a scrum on their own feed, boasting an impressive 100 per cent record at this set-piece.