The weather system known as Storm Ciaran that has buffeted Europe looks to have abated in time for entertainment to be the order of the day, or night, as the Vodacom United Rugby Championship comes out of the shadows of the World Cup to take centre stage.
The first two rounds were played around the World Cup semi-finals and final, but with France 2023 now consigned to the past, the URC takes on the responsibility of keeping eyes trained on rugby in the nations that are represented in the competition - South Africa, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy.
After every World Cup comes a re-set, and a commitment from those involved in the rugby industry, to build on lessons learned at the global event and this year is no different. Hollywoodbest Sharks coach John Plumtree and his Ospreys counterpart Toby Booth summed it up perfectly in a URC round table earlier this week - those who play and coach the sport do have a duty to entertain. Which both of their teams will be out to do when they clash in the historic first ever URC game to be played in London, with the game scheduled for the Stoop, Harlequins’ home ground next to Twickenham, on Friday night.
That doesn’t mean that winning won’t be a strong imperative, and the Sharks know that after losing their opening two games, a win is close to being a non-negotiable against the Ospreys, who are descended from the Swansea club team that Plumtree took charge of in his first coaching gig in the late 1990s.
The first two rounds of the URC produced a truckload of tries and much entertaining rugby, and it is hoped that the London game will conform to type and generate excitement in a potential new market. There is strong opposition for eyes on that game though from the potentially spectacular match that takes place at the same time in Glasgow.
The teams that finished third and fourth respectively on last year’s log, the DHL Stormers and the Warriors, both subscribe to a philosophy and style of rugby that is at times mind-bogglingly ambitious and therefore aesthetically appealing.
It might be stretching it to suggest that former Springbok assistant coach Franco Smith has aped the Stormers since taking charge of Glasgow, but their strong emphasis on the offload and playing the ball wide to their pacy outside backs puts them on the same level as the Cape franchise when it comes to entertainment value.
Last week there was a kind of nonchalance about the way the Stormers went out to express themselves in their big win over the Scarlets, to the point that their coach John Dobson, who loves an attacking game, felt it was overdone. Certainly the Stormers, who at times gave the impression in Stellenbosch that they thought being inside their own 22 represented the Scarlets’ red zone, are likely to be punished by Glasgow if they repeat some of the errors that went unpunished at the Danie Craven Stadium.
Like the Vodacom Bulls were when they went to Ulster last weekend, the Stormers are being reacquainted with the 4G surface that is still relatively alien to South African sides, but facilitates a quick paced game. Stormers utility forward Ben-Jason Dixon served notice during the week that his team have spent some time talking about that and have some plans.
When these two teams met in January at the same venue they dished up a thriller, with Glasgow winning off the last move of the game. South Africans, and Capetonians in particular, will want the result to be reversed this time, but no-one will complain if we see a similar game.
Smith is not the only South African coaching a Scottish team. Sean Everitt, formerly head coach at the Sharks, is now in charge of Edinburgh, and after two close wins, including one against the Emirates Lions last week, his team’s visit to the RDS Arena in London to play Leinster on Saturday could be his litmus test.
Leinster recovered from their shock opening defeat to Glasgow by winning comfortably against Everitt’s former team last weekend and look to have rediscovered their Mojo. On their day though Edinburgh can be an entertaining team to watch and can also be competitive, so while this game sees the hosts start as strong favourites, it is worth watching.
Another game worth watching, as much for the likely intensity that is spawned out of a strong historic rivalry plus what happened last time they met, is the Irish derby in Galway between Connacht and Ulster. The last time they met was in last season’s quarterfinal when Connacht pulled off one of the upsets of the season, and at Ulster’s home ground of the Kingspan Stadium at that, so Ulster definitely travel to The Sportsground with a score to settle.
Ulster hung on for a close win after a strong Vodacom Bulls fightback last week but controlled the game for most of the way. The Pretoria team are in Parma this weekend where they will have noted that their opponents Zebre have come close in recent home matches, but will be confident of picking up full points. The Lions are also in Italy, with Benneton likely to be a difficult obstacle in Treviso after their draw with the URC champion outfit, Munster, last weekend.
Weekend Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixtures
Ospreys v Hollywoodbets Sharks (London, Friday 21.35)
Glasgow Warriors v DHL Stormers (Glasgow, Friday 21.35)
Zebre v Vodacom Bulls (Parma, Saturday 15.00)
Leinster v Edinburgh (Dublin, Saturday 17.05)
Scarlets v Cardiff Rugby (Llanelli, Saturday 19.15)
Munster v Dragons (Limerick, Saturday 19.15)
Connacht v Ulster (Galway, Saturday 21.35)
Benetton v Emirates Lions (Treviso, Sunday 15.30)