OPINION: All set for another crack at URC glory

The Stormers won the inaugural season, while the Bulls have played in four finals without success. The rugby merry-go-round continues unabated with the start of the new season of the United Rugby Championship this week. It feels like just the other day that the last season ended. But in between that and the first match this weekend we have been treated to the Springboks being in action and their winning of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry against the All Blacks. Rassie Erasmus’ team though are not quite done. They face the Wallabies in Perth this coming Sunday, before later turning their attention to the November Tests in Europe in the Nations Championship. They’ll take on Italy, France and Ireland. But first up this week is the start of the 2026/27 season of the URC – a competition that will run on and off until the final in June next year. It’s going to be another demanding roller-coaster ride, with many of the teams having to also juggle either the Challenge Cup or Champions Cup competitions. The four South African teams – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers – have named their squads for the new season and some of them are over 60 players strong. But that’s now what it takes, if a team are going to be competitive, as Springbok men will come and go, and also have to rest, players will get injured, and as stated, teams have to plan for playing in two competitions – the URC and a knockout cup competition. The last, and only, time a South African team won the URC title was back in 2021/22, the inaugural season, when the Stormers pipped the Bulls in a Cape Town final. They should have won it the following year, but fell to Munster, while the Bulls have come close, playing in four finals, but not managed to get over the line. Will this be their season? Glasgow Warriors and Leinster, twice, are also trophy winners. Will it be the same teams challenging again, or could we see the Lions or Sharks, or someone else, make a real run for the title over the coming months? All in all the new season of the URC is sure to deliver plenty of thrills. The SA local derbies should be crackers. Enjoy!