Fresh from completing qualification for European Cup competitions, South African franchises now turn their attention to the Vodacom United Rugby Championship and the race specifically for home playoff spots as the tournament gets down to serious business.
While log leaders Leinster look to continue their incredible unbeaten run, the second-placed DHL Stormers can take a massive step forward to securing home playoff spots as they travel to Belfast while the bunfight below them should get very tasty indeed as teams start to jockey for positions.
Only 10 log points separate the third-placed Vodacom Bulls, who visit a rejuvenated Scarlets and the 10th-placed Cardiff, with all teams without their international stars for the coming month as Six Nations resumes.
The Stormers have a new captain in Marvin Orie leading them into battle against Ulster, a side that was very unlucky not to win in the league stages in Cape Town last year and took the Stormers close in the semifinal.
With the tables turned and the weather suiting the home side, there is an understandably bullish outlook in Belfast with the defending champions in town, Ulster’s resurgence in finding form to record a big win over Sale Sharks last weekend and Duane Vermeulen’s massive influence in the result would have made them odds-on favourites for the clash.
Winger Rob Lyttle said as much as he warned the Stormers his side was intent on using the confidence from the Sale game to put them on the front foot.
"It's a very big game, as we want that home semi-final in the URC and we want to aim for that,” Lyttle said this week.
"The Sale win has given us a boost of confidence and we owe the Stormers one after last year. Last week means nothing if we don't back it up.”
While the Stormers will have to adjust without their Springboks, the return of Evan Roos to form against Clermont will be a massive boost, while the arrival of Ruben van Heerden has bolstered their depth in the engine room.
In Edinburgh, the Cell C Sharks face a moment of truth, especially as they sit uncomfortably in the ninth spot and just outside playoff qualification at the moment. There is also a growing consensus that the Sharks' first-choice players aka their Springboks are a significantly stronger unit than the side that plays when they aren’t there.
And this week the Springboks are rested, leaving the onus on the players who have blown hot and cold in recent times to navigate them through Scottish waters. Edinburgh’s big win over Saracens has given them a boost and they are sure to remind the Sharks how they scored the first overseas win in South Africa when Blair Kinghorn guided them to victory in Durban last year.
Scarlets are one of the sides that have benefited from European competition, shrugging off their URC form to go unbeaten in the EPCR Challenge Cup, and completing a double over both the Toyota Cheetahs and French side Bayonne, making them uncomfortable opposition for the Vodacom Bulls.
The Pretoria side was poor against Lyon in snow and is struggling to acclimatise to artificial pitches, and will be without their talisman Canan Moodie and Kurt-Lee Arendse for the match as well. But their last outing in Wales produced a bonus point power performance in downing the Dragons and the Bulls will be hoping for the same.
The Emirates Lions will be looking to back up their EPCR Challenge Cup win in Wales with the unenviable task of travelling to Galway’s Sportsground to try and become the first South African team to win there.
For some reason, Connacht has been more than tough opposition for South African teams, and the Lions, now lying one spot below Connacht in the 12th spot, will want to end a four-week tour on a high before returning to Highveld for their final assault on a playoff spot.
Elsewhere there are spicy clashes between Benetton and Munster, while Cardiff will be looking for a chance to try and stop the Leinster juggernaut from recording their 17th straight - and 13th in the URC - win this season.
Weekend fixtures
Friday
Scarlets vs Vodacom Bulls (21.35)
Ulster vs DHL Stormers (21.35)
Saturday
Benetton vs Munster (16.30)
Dragons vs Glasgow Warriors (17.00)
Leinster vs Cardiff Rugby (19.05)
Edinburgh vs Cell C Sharks (19.15)
Connacht vs Emirates Lions (21.35)
Sunday
Zebre Parma vs Ospreys (17.00)
