URC Round 13 Takeaways As League Parity Reaches New Heights
URC Round 13 Takeaways As League Parity Reaches New Heights
Round 13 of the URC delivered thrilling action, upsets, and rising stars. With league parity at its peak, the race for the playoffs is tighter than ever.
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To be the best, you have to beat the best; this is surely the mantra echoing around the deepest echelons of Loftus Versfeld this week. In becoming the first team to defeat Leinster this season, Jake White’s Vodacom Bulls proved once again to be the Irish powerhouse’s bogey team.
Towering over what would be the match-winning kick in the 85th minute, centre David Kriel ensured that the Pretoria side continued their strong record against the Dubliners. Sailing through the uprights, the Bulls relegated Leinster’s win ratio against the Bulls to a lowly 33%. Sure, this was a heavily rotated Leinster squad, with Leinster still short of their top Irish internationals, but make no mistake, this was a statement win for the Bulls. Often questioned this season for their ability to beat the other big teams in the league, the Bulls solidified their position in the top three on the table, keeping in touch with Glasgow, ensuring that any slip-up from the reigning champs could allow White’s side to secure a home semi-final.
Elsewhere, the reigning champions overcame season two champions Munster in the clash of the weekend. To their credit, Munster, who, like Leinster, were missing their international contingent, raced out of the blocks at Scotstoun Stadium. Showing their full pedigree, the Warriors methodically reeled in their most bitter rivals in the final twenty minutes to squeak home 28 – 25 for a bonus point win.
Whilst the action in Glasgow was in full swing, a red-hot battle was taking place in the Welsh capital as Cardiff held off a late Lions surge to claim a valuable 20 – 17 victory.
Kicking off proceedings on Saturday, the league’s biggest improvers, Zebre Parma, nearly pulled off the shock of the round as they came up one point short in Durban against a Springbok-laden Hollywoodbets Sharks side 35 – 34. Just months removed from being put on the market for new investors, the turnaround of the Italian side has been nothing short of remarkable.
Concluding the rounds action were three stunning fixtures with the Stormers taking down the Scarlets 29 – 17. This fixture preceded two tight encounters with Ulster edging the Dragons 34 – 30 and the Ospreys getting the better of Connacht 43 – 40.
Spoilt for choice in a round where seven of the eight fixtures are decided by a score or less, here are the key takeaways from round thirteen.
League Closing In On Desired Parity
Heading into round 13, there was a clear divide between the top four sides and the rest of the competition. Based on results alone, this divide remains with three of the top four sides claiming wins, with first-place Leinster’s loss to the third-placed Bulls being the exception. What the score lines and the action on the pitch reflet is just how tight the action was across the board. Turning the corner to the final five rounds, fifteen of the sixteen competing clubs can realistically aspire to be in the knockout rounds of this year’s competition, which, in short, is remarkable. Adding to the intrigue levels is the fact that at least two of the top four spots remain realistically open to a handful of teams. This league-wide parity, where just about any team can win on any given day, ensures that there will be jeopardy right through to the final seconds of round eighteen. In reality, no other league can claim this level of competitiveness across the board, and we have a sneaking suspicion that the URC will have a fourth different winner in its fourth season.
Next Wave Of Talent Emerging
Maximising the interest levels in round thirteen was the continued emergence of young players who have the potential to become global stars in the coming seasons. Starting on Friday evening where Munster’s 20-year-old former Cork Hurler turned Fullback stole the show against the reigning champions Glasgow. The rangy fullback is a tidy operator who has taken to senior rugby seamlessly. Combining a top-class kicking game, rock-solid defence, top-end pace and slippery footwork, O’Connor has all the hallmarks of a future Irish international. For the Warriors, 22-year-old South African-born lock Olujare Oguntibeju had another monstrous showing, which will no doubt have caught the attention of Scotland boss Gregor Townsend. South of the equator, Zebre’s 21-year-old flyer Alessandro Gesi filled the void left by his older brother Simone by torching the Sharks' defence in a titanic shift from the Italian side. Concluding our young guns segment, Ulster Rugby’s outlandishly promising tighthead prop Scott Wilson single-handedly won the match for his side in the dying moments against the Dragons. Still, just 22 years old, Wilson’s emergence as a game-changing presence this season for Richie Murphy’s squad might be the most underrated development for Irish Rugby this season.
Home Advantage Crucial
Just two home losses from this weekend’s action once again highlighted the importance of home advantage in this uber-competitive season. Highlighting key examples of where home advantage may have had a deciding factor, one only needs to look at the Bulls' victory over Leinster. Appearing to push early, the Bulls were awarded with the go-ahead penalty. Arguments can, of course, be made that the home side were dominant in that area, but would the match officials have been more patient with the Leinster scrum in front of an Aviva Stadium crowd than the Loftus Versfeld crowd? It’s certainly a question worth asking. Similarly, at Scotstoun where, the Warriors were awarded a key turnover for what appeared to be a tackle situation, which the match officials deemed to be a maul. This moment effectively swung the momentum in the home side’s favour. Again, would this have been different at Thomond Park instead of a rampant Scotstoun? The answer is almost certainly yes. Away from the officiating, the lift sides like the Sharks and Ospreys gained from their home support certainly played a role in them grinding their way over the line.
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