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Home hopes, Euro dreams – South Africa’s franchises look to tame the URC
The Mercury
|September 26, 2025
WITH the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season getting underway this weekend, all eyes will be fixed on the South African franchises — the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, and Lions — to see where they will end up in the competition.
AFTER being released from the Springbok squad, Willie le Roux will look to make an impact off the bench for the Bulls in their URC opener against the Ospreys on Saturday in Pretoria.
(AFP)
This is shaping up to be the most competitive edition of the tournament yet, with the teams more familiar with each other and the local sides better adapted to the demands of European conditions. With improved player depth, overseas experience, and a point to prove, each of the four local sides carries its own expectations.
We look at where they might finish in the 2025/26 tournament.
The Bulls enter the season as South Africa’s top URC hope after flying the flag last season.
This story is from the September 26, 2025 edition of The Mercury.
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