SA guaranteed a URC semifinalist

When they were suffering most during a franchise losing streak that stretched into double digits, the Bulls looked ahead at potential salvation were they to meet the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship quarterfinals.

They got their wish. They are no longer down in the dumps, especially after their uplifting 62-7 win over Leinster in their final league match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. It was Leinster's biggest defeat in the competition.

The Bulls have a beef with the Stormers and will relish the opportunity to go to Cape Town in a fortnight and snap a five-match losing streak in the URC against John Dobson's team. They are yet to beat the Stormers in the URC and are still smarting from their 18-13 defeat in last year's final in Cape Town.

Bulls coach Jake White will need no reminding his team's losing streak against the Stormers started before the advent of the URC. The Bulls will view not having to travel to Europe, to say Glasgow, as their best possible passage to a place in the semifinals.

The Stormers and the Bulls drew each other as quarterfinal opponents by virtue of finishing third and sixth respectively on the URC's completed points table.

South Africa are thus guaranteed a team in the semifinals in a competition dominated by Irish teams.

Leinster, who long secured top spot on the URC table will play the eighth placed Sharks in Dublin, while their countrymen Ulster will host Connacht.

Glasgow Warriors will host Munster in quarterfinal four.

In the semifinals which are scheduled for May 12/13, the winner of quarterfinal one will play the winner of quarterfinal four, while two will play three.

In a change to last season’s rules, the teams with the highest seeding in each semifinal will have home venue rights. Previously, the winners of QF1 and QF2 were guaranteed home draws no matter their ranking.

Leinster (1) / Sharks (8) will meet Glasgow Warriors (4) / Munster (5) in semifinal one, while Ulster (2) / Connacht (7) will clash with the Stormers (3) / Vodacom Bulls (6).

The semifinal winners will meet on Saturday, May 27 at the venue of the highest-ranked team to have qualified for the Grand Final.

As far as next year's Champions Cup is concerned Leinster, Ulster, the Stormers, Glasgow Warriors, Munster, the Bulls, Connacht and Cardiff (as Welsh conference winners) have all qualified.

However, should a team (Benetton or Scarlets) from the URC that has not qualified for the Champions Cup win the EPCR Challenge Cup, they will take the place of the lowest-ranked non-Shield winner (Connacht) in next season’s Champions Cup.

Should the Sharks (8) win the URC then they will be awarded a Champions Cup place ahead of the lowest-ranked non-Shield winner (Connacht).

Should they fail to win the URC the Sharks will be condemned to the Challenge Cup along with the Lions.

URC quarterfinal line-up

QF1: Leinster v Sharks — Dublin

QF2: Ulster v Connacht — Belfast

QF3: Stormers v Bulls — Cape Town

QF4: Glasgow Warriors v Munster — Glasgow

Kickoff times to be confirmed on Monday

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