The “amazing” South African teams have got Leinster head coach Leo Cullen excited about the future of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship. DYLAN JACK reports.
Despite sending a youthful team missing the likes of Jonathan Sexton and Tadhg Furlong, Leinster gave a very good account of their status as the URC’s best team as they ran close a Springbok-powered Sharks side and then the Stormers in both of their first matches in South Africa.
Three of the SA teams – the Vodacom Bulls, Stormers and Sharks – will finish in the top-eight playoff places, with all three in a fairly decent position to secure a home quarter-final.
While the South African sides endured a difficult start to the campaign in Europe, they have kicked on since the return of the Boks and have all gone on very good runs at home.
Speaking post-game, Leinster boss Cullen hailed South Africa’s participation in the URC.
“The big thing from Leinster’s view – speaking on behalf of the club – we are unbelievably excited with the arrival of the four South African teams, the ‘Big Four’, as we call them. It’s a real shot in the arm for the tournament. We will hopefully have some great battles over the next few years.
“The Stormers have some good young talent here as well. I watched some of the Varsity Cup on TV over the last 10 days and there is a rich reservoir of talent here. We are really excited for what the future holds for this tournament. I have grown up watching Super Rugby and you always wonder what it would be like for Leinster to play against these Super Rugby teams. Now we are doing it. It is amazing.
“We had a lot of fear and trepidation for round one, when we played the Bulls at the Aviva. We had just watched the Bulls win the Currie Cup. We know Jake is a wily old coach as well with a few tricks up the sleeve.
“We just have a huge amount of excitement for the future of this tournament because of the quality you have down here. The rugby is all around you, people are constantly interested in the team and the games. There looks like there will be a fair South African flavour in the playoffs, so there could be some great battles ahead.”
