Farewell Celtic League. Goodbye Pro14. It is time for something new. Something fresh. Please welcome the United Rugby Championship. A new name to represent elite clubs across two hemispheres, because yes, it is also time to welcome the four new South Africa teams: Sharks, Stormers, Lions and Bulls. As incredible as it seems, two of them made it to the final for their very first year. What a start! But let’s rewind back to a crazy season, when the new teams have gained confidence through the year.
Stormers lead the way
In this new environment of 16 teams, they’ve all been separated into regional shield pools. And Stormers led the way to the South African one.
With only four losses - the best total overall, all teams included - they finished second of the table ranking. Only Leinster, in the Irish group, did better in terms of wins with thirteen victories. One more win and six more points that made the reigning champion leader of the overall ranking table.
Bulls’ achievement
As the eight first teams made it to the play-offs, only Stormers, Ulster, Bulls and Leinster played the semis. An interesting South-African - Irish duel for a spot in the Grand final.
And it was a massive choc in Dublin. The defending champion was knocked out of the competition against a brilliant Bulls ambush. The reigning champion, who had already lost to La Rochelle in the European Champions Cup less than a month ago, didn’t manage to get the best of the Bull’s aggressiveness. A super-close game (26-27) that stopped the Irish province from getting a fifth successive title, and a first final for the SA team of Pretoria.
A great revenge for Jake White’s team who had lost in Ireland on the opening week (31-3) and didn’t want to live the same experience twice.
On the other semi, Stormers got past Ulster with the same difficulty (17-15).
A first URC final for a first SA derby
It was definitely not the expected final - rather a real showpiece between two traditional rivals. But a great show to come between two teams that had both won 10 of their last 11 games as they marched through the play-offs.
More than their individual performances, for the very first time in history the final of the competition did not include at least one Irish province. A great for time for the newbies, ending a run of 14 years dominated by Ireland.
Prior to their arrival in the URC, the two teams had already met once in the Super Rugby final, Bulls winning (25-17) giving them a third title in four years. A crazy victory led then by Morne Steyn - still in the squad but on the bench for this special day to come.
A packed Cape Town stadium welcomed Cheslin Kolbe and Victor Matfield to bring the trophy onto the pitch before celebrating what would for sure be a historical moment.
Bulls were off to a better start. Ten points to three before half-time in a game dominated by kicking and gaining territory. But what could stop them from lifting their very first URC trophy in history? Probably their lack of discipline even though another part of the answer came from Evan Ross. At 22 years old, the No 8 had been playing incredible rugby the whole season and it made perfect sense that the rebellion came from the one awarded as the Next Gen Player of the year.
Back from the locker-room craving to score, he turned things upside down in the game. The leading team suddenly became the defensive one and as discipline stayed a weakness, Cornal Hendricks left the pitch for 10 minutes.
After almost an hour of play, Stormers eventually led the way and never let it go. Libbok secured the victory (18-13) with a drop-goal five minutes right before celebrating with teammates, becoming at the same time the player to score the most points in the regular season.
