Four from four: South Africa owns URC opening round

South Africa’s URC quartet could not have made a stronger collective start. Four matches. Four wins. Two at home and two overseas. Nineteen league points from a possible 20.

The Stormers won 29-15 against Connacht in Galway, the Bulls crushed Zebre 47-13 in Parma, the Lions edged Leinster 27-26 at Ellis Park and the Sharks secured a bonus-point victory against the Ospreys at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.

The quality fluctuated but the outcomes did not.

The Stormers supplied the most compelling evidence of South African depth.

They won five league points in Galway without Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Damian Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe, Wilco Louw, Ntuthuko Mchunu, JJ Kotze, Deon Fourie, BJ Dixon, Evan Roos and Siya Kolisi.

Remove that calibre of player from any URC squad and winning away should become improbable.

The Stormers made it possible.

They were far from clinical and allowed Connacht back into the contest through two dreadful decisions late in the first half. A potential Stormers try became an interception and Connacht score. Then, after the hooter, the Stormers attacked from inside their half, were turned over and conceded another try.

Glorious became inglorious within minutes.

But the Stormers found sanity in the second half. They were patient, controlled possession and scored twice late to turn a two-point advantage into a four-try, five-point victory.

The numbers reflected their authority. The Stormers had 62 percent possession, forced Connacht to make 87 more tackles and controlled 84 percent of possession in the final 10 minutes.

Their failure to maximise 15 entries into Connacht’s 22 remains a concern. An average return of 1.9 points per visit will punish them against better opposition.

There was still more good than bad.

Riley Norton, shifted from lock to blindside flank after late withdrawals, made 20 carries and 14 tackles in his return from a three-month hamstring layoff. Andre-Hugo Venter made a team-high 16 tackles, carried strongly, won breakdown penalties and anchored a dominant set piece.

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The Bulls were less dramatic and more destructive.

Last season’s finalists scored seven tries in Parma and reduced Zebre to spectators in a 47-13 demolition.

Curwin Bosch, in his first URC appearance for the Bulls and returning from a calf injury, controlled the contest, kicked accurately from hand and did not miss from the tee.

Bulls coach Johan Ackermann described it as a good base. It was more than that for the collective. It was an emphatic opening statement from a team that again expects to contest the title.

The Lions’ one-point win against Leinster carried a different significance.

Leinster trusted their academy depth and retained only three players from last season’s URC final match-day squad. The Lions selected their strongest available combination, minus Springboks Morné van den Berg and Quan Horn.

That context matters, but it does not diminish the result.

Leinster led 19-17 at halftime through Fintan Gunne’s hat-trick, but the Lions refused to fold. Erich Cronjé scored twice and the Lions bench shifted the contest, with Siba Qoma’s physicality earning special praise from coach Cash van Rooyen.

Leinster scored their fourth try after the hooter to leave Ellis Park with two bonus points. The Lions left with the win.

They also introduced five URC debutants, including 20-year-old Ethan Adams and 21-year-old Zian Cilliers. Van Rooyen needed his established players to win the match, but his newcomers showed that the Lions’ campaign will not depend exclusively on the same 15 names.

In Durban, the Sharks gave their supporters an early view of what JP Pietersen wants his team to become.

They played quickly, aggressively and with the enthusiasm Pietersen demanded in pre-season. They had scored four tries by the 35th minute and led the Ospreys 28-7, with Jaden Hendrikse controlling the match and Vusi Moyo flawless from the tee.

Then came the inaccuracy.

The Ospreys reduced the deficit to 28-19 and briefly brought chaos to a match the Sharks had dominated. Luan Giliomee dropped a pass with the try line waiting, while the Sharks’ overzealousness repeatedly undermined their attacking ambition.

Moyo restored control with two penalties before Giliomee scored his second try. Moyo, Hendrikse and Phepsi Buthelezi were the individual standouts, while the Sharks scrum and attacking lineout maul provided the collective muscle.

Pietersen wanted a performance that respected the Sharks’ history and excited the Durban faithful.

It was not yet the complete revival, but it was recognisably Sharks rugby.